Researching AGNP and AGPCNP certification exam details and the best exam review methods can be overwhelming—especially when you’re balancing patient care, your personal life, and now preparing for your NP certification. Rather than doing the time-intensive search yourself, you’ll find the answers to common questions here. This post will help clarify what types of exam review options exist, which one(s) are right for you, and what you need to know to prepare for the ANCC or AANP certification exam. Is there a question you’d like to see here? Let us know and we’ll get the answer for you.
What is ANCC and AANP certification?
There are two certification options for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NPs: the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). If you pass the ANCC exam, your credentials will be AGPCNP-BC, and if you pass the AANP exam, your credentials will be AGNP-C.
What is an AGNP or AGPCNP exam review Qbank?
A question bank (Qbank for short) is a database of multiple-choice questions that helps you prepare for your certification exam. These AGPCNP practice questions are in the same format as the ones you’ll see on the actual exam (for example, no “All of the following except…” no “Which of these is incorrect?”) and should cover the topics included on the exam.
The point of a Qbank is to help you simultaneously practice for the exam and learn about each topic (so you can figure out your weak points). To help with this, the Rosh Review Qbank includes detailed explanations with every question, including why the correct answer is correct—and just as importantly—why the incorrect answers are incorrect. These explanations also include related teaching images that distill the important information. And as a bonus, each Rosh Review Qbank question includes a One Step Further question: a short, fact-based question and answer related to the main topic. So every question in the Rosh Review Qbank is actually two questions to help further cement your understanding.
Should I use a Qbank for my AGNP or AGPCNP certification exam?
There are many ways to study for the exam, such as live courses, self-directed study, and Qbanks. You need to choose the option that’s best for you. We’re a Qbank company, so we (not surprisingly) think Qbanks are an excellent way to prepare for your test. The article How to Select the Best AGNP or AGPCNP Exam Review will help you answer these questions:
- Do I need to use a Qbank?
- What criteria should I use to make a decision?
Which AGNP and AGPCNP Qbanks should I compare?
If you don’t have the time to read through the “How to Select a Qbank” article but know you’re interested in a Qbank or other resources, these are the companies we suggest trying. Compare them by signing up for a free trial and see which one is right for you:
- APEA
- Barkley & Associates
- BoardVitals
- FHEA
- Rosh Review
How do I study for the ANCC or AANP exam with a Qbank?
This article about How to Increase Your AGNP or AGPCNP Certification Exam Score includes our favorite study tips. Spoiler alert: you should target your “unknown unknowns.” Here’s how you do that:
- Answer a question from a Qbank
- If you answer incorrectly, read the explanation
- Take notes about why the correct answer is correct, and make sure to take notes on anything in the explanation that you didn’t already know
If you do this for every question you answer incorrectly, and if you regularly review your notes and add information to topics as you do more questions, you’ll eventually determine your unknown unknowns. In return, you’ll uncover most of your blind spots that questions on the exam can ask about.
The “How to Boost Your Score” article also includes day-of tips like which grammatical mistakes to keep an eye out for to help you narrow down answer choices. Our goal is to help you succeed, so read as many of these tips as you can before exam day.
How many questions are on the AGNP and AGPCNP exams?
The ANCC exam currently has 175 questions, which you have 3.5 hours to complete. The AANP exam has 150 questions, which you have 3 hours to complete.
Check the ANCC exam blueprint and the AANP exam blueprint for content breakdowns.
How are the ANCC and AANP exams scored?
Of the 175 questions on the ANCC exam, 150 are scored and 25 are not (called “pretest” questions). The AANP exam has 135 scored questions and 15 that are not.
Pretest questions look just like the regular scored questions and are being vetted for their use as scored questions on future exams. You won’t be able to tell the difference between the pretest and scored questions, so just know that not all of the questions will affect your score.
Your total raw score (the number of scored questions you answered correctly) is then converted to a scaled score using statistics.
What is a passing score on the AANP and ANCC exams?
The AANP scaled score ranges from 200 to 800, and a passing score is 500. On the ANCC exam, the highest scaled score is 500, and 350 is a passing score.
When does my AGNP or AGPCNP certification expire?
Every 5 years. Read more about AGNP-C renewal and AGPCNP-BC renewal.
What if I fail my AGNP or AGPCNP certification exam?
Life happens. Between practicing medicine, studying for the exam, having a personal life, and dealing with a global pandemic, there is always the possibility that you might not pass the exam. We believe in you, which is why your subscription comes with a pass guarantee: your subscription is extended for free until you pass your exam. Even if you didn’t use Rosh Review before taking your exam and you didn’t pass, you get a complimentary subscription until you succeed. We’re here to stand with you throughout your career—not just sell you a product and move on.
How do I get a discount on Rosh Review?
If you’re part of a group purchase or program purchase, you can receive a discount based on the number of people in your group or program. Active military personnel and attendees of certain conferences can also get a discount.
Are Qbanks worth the money?
Depends on who you ask! Some people do better with live courses, while some swear they wouldn’t have passed their exam without a Qbank and that the cost was reasonable and well worth it. Your best bet is to try a free trial and determine what’s right for you. And if you choose Rosh Review, we’ll be with you every step of your career.
By Cheryl Cuozzo, MSN, ANP-C, FNP-C, APRN
Cheryl Cuozzo is a double Master's prepared, dual board-certified Adult/Family Nurse Practitioner with an integrative medicine focus, including the use of nutrition, neutraceuticals, homeopathy, exercise/fitness and other modalities for the restoration and preservation of health. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Integrative Health & Medicine-- the first and only NP in the state of CT to earn FAIHM credentials. She also holds a certificate in plant-based nutrition from Cornell University T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies.
As a former critical care RN and NP with acute and family practice experience, Cheryl has a strong clinical and teaching background including classroom teaching, health education content development and medical editing. She also has experience in clinical research and development, spanning from research nursing to global clinical trial operations. Multiple publications and other achievements highlight a diverse, multifaceted career.
