NCLEX Does it have to be 85 questions to pass?

The minimum, whether it be pass or fail, is 85 questions.

Some do poorly that the test shuts off at 85; most do well that the test shuts off at 85.

Remember, the NCLEX is a computer adaptive test (CAT) that offers questions of increasing difficulty; the better one does, the harder the questions; if one is not answering the questions appropriately, the easier the questions will be; one can do well and then get a higher difficulty question, get it wrong, and have to begin all over with easier questions.

There's no way knowing what questions the test taker is going to get, either.

Read the test plan.... so you get more comfortable with the test and you will not get blind-sided =)

The NCLEX has a minimum and maximum number of questions. Any number from minimum to maximum is what is required. The computer will shut off once you've gotten at least the minimum and you've met (with 95% confidence) that you have passed or failed. The only thing you can infer from going beyond the minimum is that you're very near passing standard and the computer is unable to determine pass or fail and it will keep presenting questions until it has determined that you've passed or failed, and that may require the entire length of the exam to determine this. There isn't even a set pass/fail percentage like you find on traditionally scored exams. It's literally graded simply pass or fail.

Likewise the only thing you can infer from the exam shutting off a the minimum is that you clearly were above or below passing standard, resulting in a pass or fail, respectively.

You can pass at 85 or 205. Try going to youtube.com and look up Kaplan NCLEX review to get a better idea of how the test adapts to your answers. Good Luck!!