Does the number of questions predict results?

Silverdragon102, BSN · Jun 22, 2008

The number does not matter at all. Because of the way the exam is set i.e. CAT it is so individualised so hard to predict

sophisticated49 · Jun 23, 2008

OK..I have been reading everybodies posts here and it seems that the best indicator for passing is either with 75 questions or 265 questions. I am so trying not to freak myself out, keep myself focused on remembering that I did indeed pass nursing school, and that I am answering practice questions at a reasonable rate of correct answers. I am so scared that I will be sitting at that computer on Wednesday and the screen will not turn blue after 75 but at some completely random number like 192, and that it will surely mean I failed. Is there anyone out there that passed with any odd numbers? Thanks, just sign me...Ready to :barf01:

This is something that i also often heard. Many people say if you stop at 75 you more than likely passed and if you go all the way you probably failed. Well i have heard diff i know people who have done the opposite. So no I don't think it really matters at all. People pass and fail with all number of questions. But Goodluck!!!!

lvnjden4ever, R.N. · Jun 23, 2008

The last question I remember SEEING was 235 (I remember thinking..."okay 30 more to go and I'm outta here...and I failed for sure")

So....I'm guessing I stopped around 236, 237, or 238. I remember doing 2 or 3 questions after seeing 235. I just found out I passed a few days ago.

I just knew it was a weird number like that. SOOOO it's NOT impossible to pass on a weird number! It all depends on how you are doing on the test at that point in time. It's highly individualized. I have had heard of people passing at 213, 186, 116.

Don't stress about the numbers!!!! I remember becoming completely depressed when I passed 75 and even more depressed when I didn't make it all the way to 265. But here I am with an R.N. license!

Good luck to you.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 23, 2008

My opinion is that if we are taking guesses on who passed a person getting 75 absolutely does have the best chance of having passed. Are there people that have failed with 75? Yup, but not that many so when I got 75 I felt very confident that I had passed.

Other than that I don't think there is any way to predict. I have known people that passed with almost every number imaginable including the maximum. I know it is hard but just try to focus on the questions and ignore everything else. Good luck.

suzanne4, RN · Jun 23, 2008

This is something that i also often heard. Many people say if you stop at 75 you more than likely passed and if you go all the way you probably failed. Well i have heard diff i know people who have done the opposite. So no I don't think it really matters at all. People pass and fail with all number of questions. But Goodluck!!!!

Sorry, but that is not how things actually come out. We see quite a few that have passed with 265, and also quite a few that did not pass with the 75.

Number of questions means absolutely nothing in determining if one passes the exam or not.

hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN · Jun 23, 2008

Number of questions means absolutely nothing in determining if one passes the exam or not.

I actually bet this is statistically inaccurate.

For a test like the NCLEX, considering the educational investment all qualified candidates have made, it is unlikely that a significant percentage does so poorly on the test that it can rule out their ability to pass after 75 questions-- especially as what? 15? aren't considered in the calculation.

What this means is when a test is finished at 75 questions, there is a higher chance of passing than of failing. This is because, once again, the sheer amount of education and investment of the test takers implies that scores follow a negatively skewed distribution versus a normal curve.

To put it simply, to fail at 75 means you would have to have utterly bombed it compared to failing at 265.

survivor08 · Jun 23, 2008

Thank you to all that have responded. With less than 48 hours to go I just started freaking out just a bit. I feel better now and know that at this point I have done all that I can do.

In the last year I beat cancer, passed nursing school while going through chemo, have been going through an ugly divorce, have found I have the most wonderful friends and have the love and respect of my three children no matter what, so, what will be will be. With God, a positive attitude and a heck of a lot of studying all things are possible. Again many thanks and best wishes to all of you taking the NCLEX this summer.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 24, 2008

I actually bet this is statistically inaccurate.
For a test like the NCLEX, considering the educational investment all qualified candidates have made, it is unlikely that a significant percentage does so poorly on the test that it can rule out their ability to pass after 75 questions-- especially as what? 15? aren't considered in the calculation.
What this means is when a test is finished at 75 questions, there is a higher chance of passing than of failing. This is because, once again, the sheer amount of education and investment of the test takers implies that scores follow a negatively skewed distribution versus a normal curve.
To put it simply, to fail at 75 means you would have to have utterly bombed it compared to failing at 265.

I have seen very few that have failed at 75 and in fact one of the proctors at the NCLEX testing center told me that since I got the minimum there was about a 90% chance that I passed.

I am a strong test taker. I got 85 on my PN and 75 on my RN so as far as I was concerned I was positive that I had passed both times. Not that the questions were easy just that the odds being what they are I knew I didn't miss so many, 75 is only 28% of the total available, that it wouldn't have given me more questions.

My :twocents:

Jules A, MSN · Jun 24, 2008

From

https://www.ncsbn.org/2006_Nurse_Vol_Exam_Stats.pdf

2006 NCLEX® EXAMINATION STATISTICS

"After the minimum number of items has been

answered, the computer compares the candidate's

ability level to the standard required for passing.

Candidates clearly above the passing standard pass.

Candidates clearly below the passing standard fail.

If the candidate's ability level is close enough to the

passing standard that it is not clear on which side of

the passing standard his or her ability falls, the computer

continues asking items. As more items are

answered, the candidate's ability estimate becomes

more precise. After each item, the candidate's ability

level is recomputed, using all of the information

(answers to all the items asked) available at that

point. When it becomes clear on which side of the

passing standard the candidate's ability falls, the

examination ends.

Some candidates' abilities, of course, are very close

to the passing standard. For these candidates, all

items in the item pool might not provide enough

information to be certain their ability is truly above

or below the passing standard. These are the candidates

who take the maximum number of items."

suzanne4, RN · Jun 24, 2008

85% of test takers pass the first time. All get 50% correct and 50% incorrect when testing, they go by the level where the majority of the questions are answered correctly.

Have seen quite a few post here that they have not passed with 75 questions as well as quite a few pass with getting the full 265.

Have also seen quite a few pass with timing out on the exam and not being able to complete it.

What is comes down to is that there is no way to make a decision or even guess if one has passed or not based on the number of questions and that is the point that I am trying to make.

Number of questions really does not mean anything, but the level of questions that are being asked does. And this is what is the most important.

Splitting hairs over this, does not tell someone if they passed or not, second guessing does not determine anything. Only the results if they are posted on Quick Results, or the results that are sent by the actual BON hold any weight in any of this. I am very aware of every single item that has come out with an interpretation of the results or the numbers, etc.; and it still does not alter what I have been stating all along.

There are also so many other things that need to get added into it, such as if the student is testing for the first time and if English was their primary language, and then if they trained in the US or not, etc. Those that have trained out of the US only have about a 45% chance of passing the first time. There are many variables thrown into any of these equations, so it really does matter what it gets prolonged into the discussion.

The final outcome and the most important is if one has passed or not, and if they have not; what they need to do to pass the next time. What ifs have no place with this exam. They just do not matter.

Jules A, MSN · Jun 24, 2008

All get 50% correct and 50% incorrect when testing, they go by the level where the majority of the questions are answered correctly.

With all due respect I just do not believe this statistic. I know my testing abilities and there is no way that I missed 37.5 out of 75 questions. Who is to say there isn't someone that got all 75 correct? Surely not me, but it is possible and I bet someone, somewhere has done it and the computer would shut off and they would pass.

I agree that all this is a moot point in the big picture but don't understand why it isn't ok to accept that getting the minimum number in most cases is a good sign.

View Poll Results: 75 Questions on NCLEX-- Did you Pass or fail? Pass 1107-84.83%

Fail 198-15.17%