My question is how many percentage do i need to pass the nclex..

There isn't a "passing percentage."

It's an adaptive exam, so each question has a point value (that you won't see) associated with it. It will ask you a question, say it's an easy question and is worth 2 points, if you get that right, it will then ask you a harder question say worth 5 points, if you get that one right, it will ask you a harder question, let's say worth 7 points. If you get that one wrong, it will then ask you an easier question, maybe a 5 point question. It keeps going like that until you either have enough points and pass the exam, or will not be able to gain enough points to pass with the remaining questions...so the exam ends and you fail.

That's why there are different numbers of questions, and why there's no "passing percentage."

There isn't a "passing percentage."

It's an adaptive exam, so each question has a point value (that you won't see) associated with it. It will ask you a question, say it's an easy question and is worth 2 points, if you get that right, it will then ask you a harder question say worth 5 points, if you get that one right, it will ask you a harder question, let's say worth 7 points. If you get that one wrong, it will then ask you an easier question, maybe a 5 point question. It keeps going like that until you either have enough points and pass the exam, or will not be able to gain enough points to pass with the remaining questions...so the exam ends and you fail.

That's why there are different numbers of questions, and why there's no "passing percentage."

Very nicely explained.. I didn't know this either. Thanks.

There isn't a "passing percentage."

It's an adaptive exam, so each question has a point value (that you won't see) associated with it. It will ask you a question, say it's an easy question and is worth 2 points, if you get that right, it will then ask you a harder question say worth 5 points, if you get that one right, it will ask you a harder question, let's say worth 7 points. If you get that one wrong, it will then ask you an easier question, maybe a 5 point question. It keeps going like that until you either have enough points and pass the exam, or will not be able to gain enough points to pass with the remaining questions...so the exam ends and you fail.

That's why there are different numbers of questions, and why there's no "passing percentage."

Great explanation!

Question...

If you run out of time, you only are graded on the last 60 questions you did. Do you think it would then be wise to do 75 questions and let the timer run out; so that it only grades the last 60? I was thinking about this strategy but I'm not sure how good it would work out. I don't think there is any way to 'out smart' NCLEX (lol).

Question...

If you run out of time, you only are graded on the last 60 questions you did. Do you think it would then be wise to do 75 questions and let the timer run out; so that it only grades the last 60? I was thinking about this strategy but I'm not sure how good it would work out. I don't think there is any way to 'out smart' NCLEX (lol).

I've never heard that they only grade the last 60, where did you get that information?

I'm just not sure how that would fit in with my understanding of adaptive exams since, you need to get a certain number of points, and every right answer you get goes towards those points. As soon as you have enough points to pass, the test turns off.

The "last 60 question" info was passed out on a pamphlet that we received after we finished the NCLEX. I can't figure it out either... seems a bit off to me. Maybe it's just whether you did well enough or not to cross that 50% line?

yess the last 60 questions are only graded if you run out of time on the test; and it is in the pamphlet they hand out. It's also confusing to me too being an adaptive test how they can do this. I think everyone's best bet is to take your time on each question and answer it the best you can and to NOT focus on the time.

Somewhere buried on the NCSBN website is the minimum percentage of questions that an applicant must answer correctly in order to meet the 95% certainty standard. I found it before I took the test last year, and I was surprised at how low it was -- I want to say 55%. When I took the Hurst Review, Marlene Hurst said it was simple: You've got to get more right than wrong, period. You're not aiming for an A.

I was able to find this item on the NCSBN website:

If a student runs out of time, why are only the last 60 items and not the last 75/85/100 looked at? To ensure adequate content coverage, candidates must answer at least 60 operational items to pass the NCLEX. To be consistent with the minimum number of items required to pass the NCLEX, the run-out-of-time stopping rule reviews candidate's ability estimates on the last 60 operational items answered.

The NCSBN's website is really worth looking at before you start prepping for NCLEX. The information there can allay a lot of fears and make the test seem much more "doable." Remember, 90 percent pass it on the first try!

...Maybe it's just whether you did well enough or not to cross that 50% line?

If you run out of time you have probably done a majority of the 265 questions possible. If the computer is still giving you questions, you have yet to prove to the computer with 95% certainty that you are above the nursing standard or below the standard. So, your answers have been dangling around that line. If the computer didn't eliminate any of the questions, the test would be inconclusive-- you neither passed nor failed. The computer then only considers the last 60 questions. I would rather they take the last 60 (after you are warmed up) rather than the first 60.

Somewhere buried on the NCSBN website is the minimum percentage of questions that an applicant must answer correctly in order to meet the 95% certainty standard. I found it before I took the test last year, and I was surprised at how low it was -- I want to say 55%. When I took the Hurst Review, Marlene Hurst said it was simple: You've got to get more right than wrong, period. You're not aiming for an A.

I was able to find this item on the NCSBN website:

If a student runs out of time, why are only the last 60 items and not the last 75/85/100 looked at? To ensure adequate content coverage, candidates must answer at least 60 operational items to pass the NCLEX. To be consistent with the minimum number of items required to pass the NCLEX, the run-out-of-time stopping rule reviews candidate’s ability estimates on the last 60 operational items answered.

The NCSBN's website is really worth looking at before you start prepping for NCLEX. The information there can allay a lot of fears and make the test seem much more "doable." Remember, 90 percent pass it on the first try!

Hmmm...so it's not that they only grade the last 60, but that they give you feed back about the last 60? That would make more sense in the context of how an adaptive exam is graded.

bolding & underlining mine