If you’re a nurse practitioner student graduating this spring, it’s time to start thinking about your NP certification study plan. Sure, you’ve got midterms, finals, papers, and clinicals as part of your jam-packed schedule. Neglecting to get a certification study plan in place, however, could render all your hard work useless. When do you need to start preparing for this all important test?
The amount of time required to prepare for the nurse practitioner certification exam depends on the individual student. So, we’ll shoot for the middle here, and outline a general study timeline. If you fancy yourself a brainiac, cut back your prep time. If nurse practitioner school has been a struggle, start preparing early. Don’t forget to take other commitments into account as you get your plan in place. Nurse practitioner students balancing school, work, and family may need to pencil study time in sooner due to competing obligations.
6 months before graduation
Six months before your NP program graduation, create your certification study timeline and approach. Research available study materials and review courses. Purchase or sign up for those you plan to take.
Once you receive your study materials, familiarize yourself with the exam content. Determine your areas of strength and weakness. The more unfamiliar you are with the material covered on the certification test, the more time and intensive study you’ll need to prepare. Taking one or two practice exams can help you assess where you fall.
3-6 months before graduation
Depending on your practice exam performance, the amount of material you determine you need to master, and other time commitments, start studying 3-6 months prior to graduation from your NP program. Most nurse practitioner students will fall closer to the three month preparation timeline. Depending onhow quickly you are completing your program, starting study sessions too soon may prove ineffective as you have not covered the requisite material in your classes.Create a study calendar dividing up exam content giving you a concrete plan to follow as you prepare.
6 weeks before graduation
Reassess your NP certification exam performance. Take one to two additional practice certification tests. Has your score improved? In what areas were your scores the lowest? The highest? Refine your study plan as needed to prioritize mastery of content in the areas where you are weakest.
Research your certification options. Which certifying body will you choose? Gather the materials you will need to sign up for the exam.
Graduation
Congratulations! You’ve completed your nurse practitioner program, however your work is not complete. Sign up to take your certification exam. Some students may opt to give themselves time after graduation to study. Others may take the exam as quickly as possible following graduation. Whatever your testing timeline, remember, the sooner you take the certification exam, the sooner you can kick off your nurse practitioner career.
FAQs
However, a general rule of thumb is to dedicate enough time over two to four months for thorough preparation. Most future nurse practitioners schedule their exams about six months out, and others schedule their FNP exam as little as one to three months away. Below is a rough estimate of how much time you'll need.
Is the NP certification exam hard? ›
Becoming a Certified Nurse Practitioner isn't easy, and yes, both the AANP and ANCC certification exams are challenging — very challenging. They will take a great deal of analytical thought, clinical judgment, and preparation. In 2022, the AANP exam pass rate for the Family Nurse Practioner (FNP) was 74%.
How many times can you fail NP boards? ›
What happens if I fail the exam? ANCC: If you fail the ANCC FNP exam you will have the ability to retake the test after 60 days of the last testing date; however, you cannot take the exam more than three times in any 12 month period.
How many questions do you need to pass AANP? ›
A candidate's total number of correct answers on the exam is known as the raw score. That raw score is converted into a scaled score. That scaled score ranges from 200 to 800 points. In order to pass the AANP FNP certification exam, a candidate must reach a minimum score of 500.
What percentage of people pass the NP exam? ›
What is the pass rate? ANCC: In 2023, the average pass rate for the FNP exam was 85%. AANP: In 2022, the average pass rate for the FNP exam was 74%.
Which NP program is the hardest? ›
What are the Hardest Nurse Practitioner Specialties?
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. ...
- Emergency Nurse Practitioner. ...
- Armed Forces NP. ...
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. ...
- Correctional Nurse Practitioner. ...
- Substance Abuse Nurse Practitioner. ...
- Critical Care Nurse Practitioner. ...
- Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.
Is NP school harder than PA school? ›
Is NP or PA school harder? PA and NP schools are challenging in their own ways. PA school does require more instructional and clinical hours than NP schools, but with the right study tool, you'll be okay no matter what you choose.
Is NP school harder than nursing school? ›
NPs have additional responsibilities that RNs don't have, so you can expect NP school to be a higher level of difficulty than RN school.
How many questions do you need to get right to pass ANCC? ›
To pass the ANCC examination, an examinee must achieve a scale score of 350 or higher. Prior to conversion of an examinee's score to this scale, the examinee's raw score on the examination is determined, which is simply the number of test items that the examinee answered correctly (e.g., 105 out of 150).
What happens if you don't pass NP boards? ›
If you fail the AANP FNP certification exam, you can retake the exam after a 60-day waiting period.
They're totally independent from one another, so if you fail one and pass another, it's no big deal. You're still a real deal nurse practitioner. If you go ahead and apply for ANCC, then you don't have to do any of AANP's additional requirements to retest, because that's going to take extra time.
Do you find out right away if you pass ANCC? ›
Results are sent via e-mail after you have completed the test. Become certified once you pass the test or degree is conferred (if you test prior to degree conferral date). Renew your ANCC certification every five years.
How many weeks to study for AANP? ›
This summary is followed by sample practice questions to help you hone your clinical decision-making and test-taking skills. Allow a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks of planned study after you complete the review course to maximize your likelihood of success on this important high-stakes exam.
What happens if you fail AANP? ›
Once you fail your AANP, they require you to do 15 CEU's on their website and submit them to retest. I did this as quickly as possible and submitted them to try to retest within the next week or few. I just did random ones and let them play (they are not guided towards the exam at all).
Can you flag questions on AANP exam? ›
Nervous? Flag a Question. I'm not sure if it was Leik that said this (she does give some great exam tips) but just an FYI for all you nervous folks: you can mark/flag as many questions as you like.
How long does it take to study for the Pmhnp exam? ›
This summary is followed by sample practice questions to help you hone your clinical decision-making and test-taking skills. Allow a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks of planned study after you complete the review course to maximize your likelihood of success on this important high-stakes exam.
What score do you need to pass the ANCC FNP exam? ›
For specific information on the number of items each exam contains, please refer to the test content outline associated with that exam. Scores on ANCC examinations are reported on a scale with a maximum possible score of 500. To pass the ANCC examination, an examinee must achieve a scale score of 350 or higher.
How to prepare for FNP exam? ›
How To Create an FNP Study Plan
- Choose Your FNP Exam. Choose which FNP exam you're going to take so you know which one to study for. ...
- Answer Practice Questions. To jumpstart your FNP test prep, answer Qbank questions from each exam topic. ...
- Build a Study Schedule. ...
- Use Test Prep Resources. ...
- Take Study Breaks.
What is the pass rate for the ANCC Agacnp exam? ›
ANCC: In 2023, the average pass rate for the AG-ACNP exam was 83%. AACN: In 2023, the average pass rate for the ACNPC-AG exam was 91%.