Waiting on NCLEX results? Read here first!

Congratulations on finishing nursing school and completing the NCLEX. Below are the answers to some common questions that students have after taking the NCLEX. These answers are based on the information provided by NCSBN, the writers of the NCLEX.

Waiting on NCLEX results? Read here first!

The members and moderators here at allnurses.com realize that the NCLEX can be one of the most stress-provoking events on the path to becoming an RN or LPN/LVN. By all means, if you have a question that isn't listed below or you just need some support, feel free to post in the forum.

1. What percentage must I answer correctly to pass the NCLEX?

Unlike standard nursing school exams, there is no grade on the NCLEX. The exam is set up so that both passers and failers tend to score around 50%. If a student begins scoring above 50%, the questions become harder. If the candidate's percentage begins to slip below 50%, the questions get easier. What determines pass/fail is the level of difficulty where the student is hitting the 50% mark. In fact, this is one of the reasons why students find the exam so overwhelming. We aren't used to getting 50's on exams.

2. Is the NCLEX harder in one state than in another?

No. The content and passing standard do not vary by state.

3. I got ___ (75, 265, any other number) questions. Did I pass or fail?

There is no way to determine pass/fail simply based on the number of questions. The exam keeps going until it is 95% certain that you are above or below the passing standard, until you answer 265 questions, or until you run out of time.

If you only got 75 questions for RN (or 85 for PN), it means that it was not difficult for the computer to determine pass/fail, but it doesn't tell us whether you passed or you failed. Likewise, getting 265 questions for RN (or 205 for PN) means that the computer required more time to decide, but it doesn't tell us what the decision was.

4. I got an odd number of questions. Is this a good/bad sign?

Neither. See question #3.

5. It seemed like I had several similar questions on the NCLEX. Does that mean I got them wrong the first time?

No. There are several reasons why similar questions might pop up on the exam. Some of the questions are not even scored and are being pretested for future use. See page 13 of the 2006 Candidate Bulletin at www.ncsbn.org.

6. I finished the exam in an hour. Does this help my chances?

No. As long as you finished the exam, speed does not affect the scoring.

7. If I ran out of time, how does that work?

The computer calculates your level of performance (known as an ability estimate) after each question. When you run out of time, the computer will look at your ability estimate over the past 60 questions. If your ability estimate remained above passing for each of the last 60 questions, you will pass. That doesn't mean that you had to answer each of the last 60 questions correctly.

8. The Pearson VUE staff member winked at me after the exam. Does that mean I passed for sure?

No. Official results are not even accessible to test center staff.

8. If I got math questions, does that mean I failed?

No. You can't tell pass/fail simply by the presence/absence of certain types of questions.

9. If I got priority or alternate format questions, does that tell me that I passed?

No. See the answer to the previous question.

10. Does getting the last question right or wrong tell me if I passed or failed?

No.

11. I heard that one person in the room is always selected to get 265 questions. Is that true?

No, not true. See the second paragraph of question #3.

12. Can I determine pass/fail from the type of survey the computer gives me after the test?

No.

13. I keep looking up the answers to my NCLEX questions and I'm missing quite a few of them. Does this mean that I failed?

No. For one, you're more likely to remember questions that gave you trouble versus questions that you instantly answered correctly. Also keep in mind that both passers and failers tend to answer around 50% correctly.

14. If I'm not in a Quick Results state, how do I get results?

Official NCLEX results come from your state board of nursing and they are often available online, although the waiting time varies widely among states.

Thanks for visiting allnurses. For more information on how the NCLEX works, visit www.ncsbn.org and click on the 2006 Candidate Bulletin.

Best of luck as you wait for results!

* Thanks to the members of Allnurses.com whose ideas contributed to this FAQ. Although they are far too numerous to name, they are certainly appreciated.

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EricJRN

About EricJRN, MSN, RN

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I have several nclex-related questions regarding the statement ...

Some statements of #1:

"Unlike standard nursing school exams, there is no grade on the nclex. The exam is set up so that both passers and failures tend to score around 50%."

"What determines pass/fail is the level of difficulty where the student is hitting the 50% mark."

"We aren't used to getting 50's on exams."

And now my questions are,

What is the 50% all about?

Let's say the total questions are 100. Since the nclex uses the cat adaptive test, then, what's the significant about the 50% mark here?

Anybody explained us about the 50's mark, please?

Though it's scary, yet I still believe in the challenging 'unofficial statement' that suggests us that if you want to pass, you must have about 95%......

How about that?

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Specializes in ortho(med surg) and OB, mostly L&D.

Hey that sounds good to me! Only 50% to pass, that makes me feel less nervous, seeing as how with my review class I have been averaging in the 50%-60% percentile based on the credentials of the class. However, I agree with you when you ask what does 50% mean, that could mean a lot of things. Maybe it means you have to answer correctly each level of question (easy-hard) 50% to pass??? Just my guess. Hopefully someone has the answer

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Specializes in ortho(med surg) and OB, mostly L&D.

PS. I hope it isn't 95% that scares me, do newly graduated nursing students know or remember 95% of what they learned in nursing school? Even with a review class that seems impossible. If that is the truth, then I better start studying harder!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

If we had to score 95% on NCLEX, a whole lot of people would fail this test. However, 80 percent of people pass on the first attempt. Read below for the deal on the 95% number:

Quote
The computer will shut-down only when the program running the test has determined with 95% certainty that your ability is either above or below the passing standard.

If you read carefully, the computer will shut off when it is 95% certain that the test taker has either passed or failed. You do not have to answer 95% of the NCLEX questions correctly.

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Thanks, dear The Commuter for the information as well as the clarifications.

So now the "attractive" numbers here are no longer about 50% nor 95%, but 80% ......

....as TheCommuter informs us that "80 percent of people pass on the first attempt."

What an encouraging statement! What a challenge! I hope this 80% figure shall raise up our spirit in studying more, yet decreasing our nervousness at the same time.

Oh yea. 80 percent pass. But not only that--->pass on the first attempt.

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Specializes in ob/gyn med /surg.

I don't get nclex scoring at all.. I don't have my results yet.. Tomorrow.. I will get them.. If I don't have a stroke before then.... I only had 75 questions .. Good luck to all who are waiting.

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Specializes in neonatal intensive care unit.

I'm from the philippines. And I'm planning to review in one of the review centers here in manila for nclex.. Any suggestions where will enroll for a review in nclex??

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Everyone will finish with approximately 50% of their answers correct and 50% of their answers incorrect. What determines whether you passed or not was the level of difficulty at which you reached that 50% rate.

If question levels were rated 1-10 (just hypothetical here), you might start with a level 5 question. Pass it, and you'll get a level 6 question. Pass that one, and you get a level 7. Oops, now you missed. Back to level 6. And so on.

If you start with a 5 and miss, you'd go to level 4. Miss that, and now you're down to level 3. Miss that one, and you slip to level 2.

Up and down you go until the program determines the level at which you consistently find yourself. You can miss 50% of higher level questions and still qualify. But let's say that you keep missing easy questions. At some point, the program is going to determine that you are not well-equpped enough to handle the basics and it will shut off.

It isn't the number of questions you get right--as I said, that will be somewhere around 50% for everyone--it's the level of difficulty of the questions that you get right. If you don't do well on the foundational kinds of questions, the program deduces that you are not ready to be licensed.

Everyone walks out of testing feeling somewhat beat up. How can you feel otherwise when, by the very design of the test, you missed 50% of the questions. The determining factor, then, is how high did your proficiency level go before you reached that 50% failure rate.

It's like giving people pages of math problems. Some will get half right at a seventh grade math level. Others will get half right at the level of a junior in high school. Everyone is getting 50%, but the difficulty of the problems decides who are the more adept students.

Hope that makes sense.

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kizzykatlove said:
I don't get nclex scoring at all.. I don't have my results yet.. Tomorrow.. I will get them.. If I don't have a stroke before then.... I only had 75 questions .. Good luck to all who are waiting

I think you passed most people who have the computer shut down at 75 questions pass. Good luck anyway though! And congratulations!

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Hi MIRANDA, What you've explained about the level of difficulty and 50% percentile sounds very detailed and possible. May I ask your source of Information for this ? Where did you read this ? And is it available for me to read as well ?

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In California It Is Up To 265 Questions With A Computer Calculating If You Are 95% Ready To Be A Nurse. You Can Answer Min Of 75 Questions And Max

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