Mosby's CAT... how accurate is it?

maire, ASN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

First of all, GOOD LUCK ON THE NCLEX!

Second, I took that Mosby test and it gave me a 98% possibilty of passing...yet when I take the Kaplan tests I consistently get in the 60s and 70s, so who knows. I have yet to take the NCLEX so I'm not really giving you the answer you seek (I'm taking mine next month after this Kaplan review is over). Hopefully someone else will have something else to say here, because I am curious about the responses too!

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

First of all, GOOD LUCK ON THE NCLEX!
Second, I took that Mosby test and it gave me a 98% possibilty of passing...yet when I take the Kaplan tests I consistently get in the 60s and 70s, so who knows. I have yet to take the NCLEX so I'm not really giving you the answer you seek (I'm taking mine next month after this Kaplan review is over). Hopefully someone else will have something else to say here, because I am curious about the responses too!

I have taken the Mosby's CAT and ended up with 99% probability. But getting in the 60's and 70's on the other tests. It is really a curiousity.

Did you get a lot of repeat questions? I did. Curious about this too.

Thanks

mv

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

First of all, GOOD LUCK ON THE NCLEX!
Second, I took that Mosby test and it gave me a 98% possibilty of passing...yet when I take the Kaplan tests I consistently get in the 60s and 70s, so who knows. I have yet to take the NCLEX so I'm not really giving you the answer you seek (I'm taking mine next month after this Kaplan review is over). Hopefully someone else will have something else to say here, because I am curious about the responses too!

You know, I just thought of something. Isn't Mosby's the only one that gives the probability % of passing? I think these %'s are based on what everyone nationally gets. How could we possibly get all the answers right, I mean only miss 1 or 2% of say, 150 questions?

I don't remember the others, Kaplan, Saunders, etc. giving a probability % of passing. Just a % of a test. Maybe you got only 65% right, but that 65% might be the highest national average of the ones taking the test. Seems like I saw something like this somewhere on Mosby's. Does this make any sense or am I delusional?

mv

maire, ASN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

Well according to the test results, it says if you got this many questions correct (between x and y), then based on a study done in 2002 (or whenever) approximately z% of those that scored the same as you passed the NCLEX. (That z being your 98% or whatever probability)

I personally don't put a lot of stock in the Mosby test. You could conceivably do well on all these tests and still bomb the NCLEX and vice versa. I wish us all luck.

crb613, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

I remember reading a post on this. The poster (can't recall who) said Mosby's CAT was most like the NCLEX test she took & really prepared her. She passed the NCLEX & was really big Mosby. I hope this helps & maybe this poster will see this thread & give her thoughts.Good Luck

BSN2CRNA · Jan 4, 2005

I took and passed NCLEX in September with 75 questions. Prior to that I had done Kaplan Online Course and was getting 60's -70's on their tests. I also did the Mosby CAT a couple of times and it gave me a 92-99% chance of passing.

So continue doing what you are doing it sounds like you'll do fine (although you won't feel that way after NCLEX). Good Luck!

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

I remember reading a post on this. The poster (can't recall who) said Mosby's CAT was most like the NCLEX test she took & really prepared her. She passed the NCLEX & was really big Mosby. I hope this helps & maybe this poster will see this thread & give her thoughts.Good Luck

That would be me, most likely.

It was actually a little Mosby--and it was also exactly like the exams I had when I tested for my degree with Excelsior, but that would be another story.

When you see posters comparing 90's on the CAT and 60's on other instruments (usually non-adjusting assessments or reviews, right?), you are probably seeing comparisons between the probability of passing and the percent of questions answered right.

This is apples and oranges. With the exception of those who pass or fail with the minimum number of questions, it can be safely assumed that when the NCLEX shuts off, you have something just over (if passing) or just under (if not passing) 50% right. This is because the test keeps giving you questions until you demonstrate you are either safe or unsafe. It doesn't need to give you, say, 150 questions where you get 95% of them right (or wrong) to "know" this. It "knows" it when it has given you 75 questions and you got, say, 72 of the questions right (or wrong).

If you are getting some repeat questions, and you are also getting a high probability of passing, it is probably for this reason:

If you answer a question wrong, it will give you an easier question, and your probability of passing the NCLEX drops a little.

If you answer a question right, it will give you a harder question, and your probability of passing the NCLEX goes up a little.

If you get repeat questions and you have a high probability of passing (over 90%), it may just be because you are getting so many questions right that they are running out of the more difficult questions.

I would think this would be a very positive thing.

I have pushed the CAT on my friends (even gave one as a gift) and so far, every one of my friends who used it and did well on the CAT, also passed the NCLEX and found it not very challenging.

That kind of boredom, I can use!

Good luck everybody.

crb613, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2005

That would be me, most likely.
It was actually a little Mosby--and it was also exactly like the exams I had when I tested for my degree with Excelsior, but that would be another story.
When you see posters comparing 90's on the CAT and 60's on other instruments (usually non-adjusting assessments or reviews, right?), you are probably seeing comparisons between the probability of passing and the percent of questions answered right.
This is apples and oranges. With the exception of those who pass or fail with the minimum number of questions, it can be safely assumed that when the NCLEX shuts off, you have something just over (if passing) or just under (if not passing) 50% right. This is because the test keeps giving you questions until you demonstrate you are either safe or unsafe. It doesn't need to give you, say, 150 questions where you get 95% of them right (or wrong) to "know" this. It "knows" it when it has given you 75 questions and you got, say, 72 of the questions right (or wrong).
If you are getting some repeat questions, and you are also getting a high probability of passing, it is probably for this reason:
If you answer a question wrong, it will give you an easier question, and your probability of passing the NCLEX drops a little.
If you answer a question right, it will give you a harder question, and your probability of passing the NCLEX goes up a little.
If you get repeat questions and you have a high probability of passing (over 90%), it may just be because you are getting so many questions right that they are running out of the more difficult questions.
I would think this would be a very positive thing.
I have pushed the CAT on my friends (even gave one as a gift) and so far, every one of my friends who used it and did well on the CAT, also passed the NCLEX and found it not very challenging.
That kind of boredom, I can use!
Good luck everybody.

Hi Chris & yes it would be you. I went blank & thanks for posting. CRB613

anc33 · Jan 4, 2005

I have taken the test like 6 times in the past 2 days.. I consistently am getting around a "92-94% of passing the NCLEX Exam." Do you think this is an accurate measure of a person's ability. I am still scoring in the 65 range though on other practice tests. I am feeling much more confident about taking the exam, which is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan 5th than I was before. Most people are giving positive encouragement, and advising me to not put it off and just to go for it. Well... let me know what you guys think, is the CAT good at predicting Nclex success. Did anyone score high on the CAT and fail??
~ Brian

Brian,

I too had similar scores on practice tests and on the CAT...passed the NCLEX with 75 questions. I thought that the NCLEX questions were much easier than the study material. There isn't anything on that test that you can't reason through. Good Luck!

ZZTopRN, BSN, RN · Jan 6, 2005

Brian,
I too had similar scores on practice tests and on the CAT...passed the NCLEX with 75 questions. I thought that the NCLEX questions were much easier than the study material. There isn't anything on that test that you can't reason through. Good Luck!

I took 138 questions on Mosby's CAT, rated as 99%. Got 22 wrong. What percentage is that?

mv

Neuro_Nurse · Jan 10, 2005

Brian,

Just curious do you think by doing the Mosby CAT it helped prepare you for the NCLEX questions??

Julie