Nursing School
NLN® PAXPre-Admission Examination
The NLN Pre-Admission Examination (PAX) is the legacy nursing-school admission test from the National League for Nursing. Note: NLN officially launched the NLN Nursing Entrance Exam (NEX) in 2025 as the PAX's replacement, but many ADN and BSN programs continued accepting PAX scores through 2025-2026 transitions. Confirm with your target program which exam they currently require.
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Exam facts
Everything you need to know about the NLN® PAX exam.
- Passing score
- School-specific — composite score 0-200 across three sections; competitive BSN programs typically require 100+ composite
- Format & length
- 160 questions · 2 hours 5 minutes (Verbal: 60 Qs · 45 min · reading + word knowledge; Math: 40 Qs · 35 min; Science: 60 Qs · 45 min · biology, chemistry, physics, A&P)
- Voucher cost
- $60-100 USD (varies by test center)
- Prerequisites
- None — high school-level math, science, and English assumed
- Validity
- Indefinite for scoring, but most programs require scores within 1-2 years of application
What’s tested
Key topics on the NLN® PAX exam.
The Cert Climb question bank is mapped to every domain on the official NLN® PAX exam blueprint, so what you study is what the test asks.
- Verbal Ability (Reading Comprehension + Word Knowledge)
- Mathematics
- Science
Who it’s for
Built for the people taking this exam.
Nursing-school applicants whose target ADN or BSN program still accepts the NLN PAX (rather than the newer NEX or competitor exams TEAS/HESI A2). More common at older diocesan and community-college nursing programs.
Why it matters in 2026
The career signal.
The PAX is one of three major nursing-admission gatekeepers (with TEAS and HESI A2). Schools that use it often weight it 30-50% of the admission decision alongside GPA and prereq grades — meaning a strong PAX can offset a B+ in A&P, and a weak one can cost a seat. Since NLN replaced PAX with NEX in 2025, double-check the current requirement before drilling here.
What you get
Everything you need to actually pass.
Full question bank
1,495 questions covering every objective on the official NLN® PAX exam blueprint, with detailed explanations on every option — right and wrong.
Quiz modes
Timed exam simulation, missed-only review, topic drills, and a daily question of the day. Practice the way you study best.
Flashcards
Spaced-repetition flashcards generated from each topic. Pull them up on a phone in the gap between meetings.
Progress tracking
See per-topic accuracy and answered counts. Find weak areas before they cost you on test day.
Per-category premium
Unlocking NLN® PAX unlocks every other Nursing School exam in the Cert Climb catalog — pay once, stack credentials.
No-fluff explanations
Every wrong answer comes with a 2-3 sentence explanation of why it’s wrong, not just “the correct answer is X.” Pattern recognition is the whole game.
Read while you study
NLN® PAX articles & study guides
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FAQ
Frequently asked questions about NLN® PAX
How many questions does the NLN® PAX bank have?
1,495 questions, organized into 3 subject areas mapped to the official exam objectives.
Is the free trial really free?
Yes. 30 questions, no credit card, no email-trap, no “activate by Friday or pay” spam. You either upgrade because the bank’s good, or you don’t.
What does premium cost?
Premium is sold per category and unlocks every Nursing School exam in the Cert Climb catalog. Plans are 1-month, 3-month, or 12-month — see the upgrade modal for current pricing.
How current is the NLN® PAX content?
We track exam version updates and refresh the bank within weeks of new objectives. Where the version of an exam matters (e.g. CompTIA SY0-701 vs. SY0-601), question explanations call it out.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes. Cancellation is one click from your profile. Your access continues through the end of the period you’ve already paid for.
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