What Is The PTCB Passing Score 2024?

Unfortunately, the PTCB test does not have a specific passing score. And this means there are no magic amount of correct answers to aim for if you want to be successful (apart from getting every single question right, of course!).

You might be asking why there isn’t a standard PTCB passing score. How do they decide which applicants pass and which fail, for example? Don’t worry, we’re here to explain how it all works.

How is the PTCB exam scored?

 

Before we get into how the PTCB test is graded, it’s vital to understand how the exam is given. The PTCB, you see, doesn’t give each candidate the same exam. Rather, they utilize various exam forms, which are alternative versions of the same exam that are used to evaluate the same topic. Now, this appears to have the potential to be unfair. After all, wouldn’t everyone choose an easier test if they had the option?

However, because the PTCB test isn’t given on a set day, it’s critical that each exam be different. Because if applicants took the same exam on different days throughout the year, there’s a good chance that some would share information about the questions.

So, how can the PTCB ensure that all applicants are treated equally while also ensuring that candidates are unable to learn what is on their exam? Candidates’ scores are scaled’ since it is impossible to ensure that every exam has the same level of difficulty.

This implies that the PTCB score is statistically modified to account for variances in difficulty by translating raw values to a common scale. In addition, in order to pass easier tests, students must answer somewhat more questions correctly.

“Scaled scores are similar among applicants despite modest changes in exam difficulty from one exam to the next, and hence allow all candidates to be held to the same scoring standard,” the PTCB explains further.

What is the PTCB exam’s minimum passing score?

So, there’s no way of knowing how many questions you’ll need to answer properly to achieve that all-important passing mark.

However, there is a scaled passing score. And this is a score of 1400 out of a possible PTCB score range of 1000 to 1600.

Yes, you read that correctly. It may sound strange, but scores begin at 1000… even if you answer every question incorrectly! But hold on a second. What criteria does the PTCB use to determine the passing score? 

What criteria did the PTCB use to determine the passing score?

When it comes to something as important as the PTCB test, you’ll want to be sure everything is done right.

As a result, you’ll be glad to learn that the exam’s passing score wasn’t pulled out of anywhere. In fact, the PTCB decided on their scoring using a smart method known as the modified-Angoff method.’

This implies that a team of industry experts determined a passing score for the PTCE by analyzing different test questions and estimating the percentage of trained pharmacy technicians who would be able to properly answer each one.

But wait, if the total PTCB score range is 1000-1600, and 1400 is the passing score, you should absolutely pass if you properly answer 66% of the questions, right?

To pass the PTCB, what percentage of questions must be answered correctly?

While we appreciate your quick math skills, getting 66% of the problems correct does not guarantee that you will pass.

And we’re sorry.  We understand how tempting it is to seek a target number of accurate answers.

But don’t forget about that pesky scaling. That is, you may properly answer 66 percent of the questions, but have some of your right answers scaled down in their contribution to the final score, putting you below the threshold 1400 level.

Alternatively, you may be given an extremely difficult exam and answer fewer than 66% of the questions correctly… Nonetheless, get your score scaled up and pass!

What does this mean for your preparation for the PTCB exam?

If you’re a stats geek, this is all fascinating, but the basic truth is that scaling makes it impossible to say that a certain number of right answers equals a “pass” on the PTCB.

So, rather than waste your time figuring out what precise amount of correct answers will get you a pass, you should seek to answer as many questions correctly as possible.

FAQs about PTCB Passing Score

What is a passing score for the PTCB exam?

A passing score on the exam is 1,400, with a range of possible values between 1,000 and 1,600. Following the exam, the results are shown on the computer screen. Official results are shared two to three weeks after the event.

How many questions do you need to pass the PTCB?

Comments on the most current PTCB passing score 2021 update. If you get 80 correct answers out of 90 questions, your passing rate will be 1400.

How many people pass the PTCB on the first try?

The PTCB no longer publishes information on how many applicants pass their tests on the first try. However, we can tell you that in 2020, the pass rate was 70%. This is significantly higher than the previous few years when pass rates ranged from 57 to 58 percent. So, what went wrong? Could it have been because of the covid-19 epidemic, when many people stayed at home? Isn’t it about time you spend all that spare time studying instead of socializing? We don’t have any way of knowing for certain. Regardless of the cause, 2020 was an excellent year for PTCB test takers.

How many people fail?

We might presume that many people don’t because the average pass rate is just 57-58 percent. Candidates who fail a PTCB test must pay a fee for each retake. They must also wait at least 60 days after their most recent try before applying for the second and third times. If they fail on their third attempt, the time limit will be extended to six months.

Nonetheless, you have a basic guide to PTCB passing score. Do you consistently get 80% or above on practice examinations like the ones in our study guide? In that situation, while there are no guarantees, if you can obtain a comparable result on the exam, you’re quite likely to pass.

In addition, you can also refer to the FAQs About The PTCB exam

Do you want to know what you’d get if you took the exam right now? To discover it, take our free PTCB practice exam!

 

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