Question regarding NCLEX grading!!

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I've heard and read that a candidate taking NCLEX only needs to 50% of the questions right to pass. Is it true?How does that work? Is 50% of the high level questions or of 50% of the total number of questions? And how is this true since the NCLEX is graded per category and a candidate is supposed to score above passing standard for all categories?? I'm CONFUSED!!!

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

Whether or not you pass or fail depends upon the difficulty level of the question being asked. It is possible, once you've gotten to a sufficiently high level above passing to essentially get 50% right because the system is trying to find your limits. Get one right, difficulty level goes up. Get one wrong and difficulty level drops. Then you get one right... and the cycle repeats. And it's going to be the toughest exam you'll face for quite a long time because of how the exam is designed.

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Thanks!! I looked it up online too and I get it now :)

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a quick side note to akulahawkRN: I'm glad you're posting on this forum; your information regarding how the NCLEX works is correct and helpful. SO many people studying for this exam--or even after having taken it--fail to understand what it IS they are taking, it's sometimes overwhelming to keep up the responses. And people need the responses.

I'm glad to have the help! :D

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I think that it's odd that we don't have to pass each content area. That's what my Kaplan Class Review instructor told us anyway.

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I think that it's odd that we don't have to pass each content area. That's what my Kaplan Class Review instructor told us anyway.

You DO have to pass each content area, no idea what that instructor actually said, but you will receive questions in each area of knowledge. If you answer questions correctly that are at or above the passing standard, you will be "passed" in that area. If you keep falling below the passing standard in any area, the computer will either keep giving you questions in that area until you are above passing standard OR it gives up on you and you fail.

People do come here to say that they reviewed their CPR after receiving a failing notice, and that most areas were at or above passing standard but one or two were not. And that is why the failure.

Does that help clarify?

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Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.

in my experience the passing level questions were SATA, priority, and delegation. That's what a lot of my test was and I passed. So, if you are seeing a lot of SATA and feeling like it's getting crazy hard...GOOD SIGN!

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Specializes in Acute Rehab, Neuro/Trauma, Dialysis.

SATA is not necessarily a "good sign". There are SATA questions at every level of the exam, and the computer selects questions from your current level at random. If you get a lot of SATA it is by random chance. The reason why there are a lot of delegation and prioritization questions in the higher levels of the exam is because prioritization and delegation requires you to have knowledge, ability to analyze data, and then take that and apply it to the situation. That is what the NCLEX is looking. It wants to know that you can do more than just spit of facts and analyze. It wants to know how you are going to respond based on the given data.

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laKrug, there are variously formatted questions at both above passing level and below passing level. Seeing SATA indicates absolutely nothing.

Here's the kicker, for those trying to figure out of they passed or failed, just in case they really needed a kicker (not!): getting prioritization and delegation questions only means you got THAT far....but you won't know if you were above or below passing standard at the time the test closes. You might have a good idea, based on your own academic hx, study habits, results of practice tests, and the like. But merely getting those types of questions, in and of itself, is also a big 'so what?'. Sparrow is absolutely correct in the reasons for having those questions at all....and for the test-taker, getting them at least indicates they got to the point of being questioned in that manner.

Aren't you glad you're done? ;)

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