What is excelsiors Grade point scale?

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

I just registered for the first exam under the new curriculum and I took the practice test and got a 74. I reviewed over the weekend and I'm gonna take the next test probably Wednesday. Can anyone tell me how close the 74 was to a C. I'm sure I will do better on the next test because I did not even read anything and made a 74 on the first test. I'm probably going to take the real test early next week.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I'm pretty sure a 74 is a C. If I'm not mistaken, EC uses a pretty standard scale, i.e., 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, etc.

Sounds like you're doing well! :)

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One of the problems with trying to decipher EC exam scores is that the tests are based on something known as item response theory (IRT) rather than the classical test theory (CTT) that most of us recognize from past academic experiences.

On these exams, you are assigned something called a standard score. This is not strictly a percentage correct, but has to do with your performance in relation to the performance of past test-takers - or for newer/more rare exams, how they would expect a given population to perform on the exam. Your standard score is then translated to a letter grade, but each exam requires a little bit different standard score to earn a particular grade.

Unfortunately, there's no simple way to translate a score on the practice exam (which is simply a percentage correct) to the associated EC grade. Just based on my experience, I have to agree with Lunah, though. Your score is quite good, especially for having taken it cold.

Here is a link to the ECE Technical Manual:

https://www.excelsior.edu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/EXCELSIOR_COLLEGE/PUBLICATIONS/EXCELSIOR_COLLEGE_EXAMS_TECHNICAL_HANDBOOK_2006.PDF

The description of the scoring methods is complex for those of us that aren't statisticians or psychometricians, but the interesting part of that link is where it breaks down the percentage of students that earned a particular grade on each exam. There were some big surprises there! (I feel a lot better about my B in Community Health when I began the BSN program. :) )

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

That was interesting, Eric! Thanks for posting that link. I feel better about my B on NC1 now! LOL

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I feel better about my B on NC1 now! LOL

Yep - it also may explain why I run into so many people who say, "I started that program, but..."

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

Thanks for the info. I talked to the test administration people from excelsior and she told me that they suggest that students made at least a 75 on the practice exam before they attempt the real one. She said they give you 160 questions but some of them don't count but you need to complete them all because you don't know which one they will be. Kinda sounds like the NCLEX a little. She said they grade by letter based on ABCD. The test are analyzed and it computes a score. In a way I don't like this kind of scoring because I am a very concrete person.But oh well. It could actually help me in the end. Thanks.

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