The NAVLE: Facts of the Test You Want to Know

Don’t worry, it’s arguably the most important exam of your life up until this point. But to quote the infamous “High School Musical” line, “we’re all in this together.”  For those that don’t know, the NAVLE (North American Veterinary Licensing Exam) is the national board exam for veterinarians wanting to practice in the US and Canada. For many of us, the NAVLE is very mysterious in terms of the types of questions asked, species breakdown, and percentage needed to pass, just to name a few.

Here’s a quick guide to some of the most commonly asked questions and some very handy information about the NAVLE.

TEST FORMAT

The NAVLE is a multiple choice only exam and is administered on a computer. The exam is comprised of 6 sections containing 60 questions each, for a total of 360 questions. 60 of those questions are considered “pre-test” questions and WILL NOT be counted in the scoring. You will not know which questions are “pre-test” questions on the exam (they will be mixed in with the rest of the questions).

WHEN THE TEST IS OFFERED & HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU TAKE IT

The NAVLE is only offered in November/December and again in April. While the vast majority of students pass in either their first or second attempt, you may take the NAVLE up to 5 times, but those 5 attempts must be completed within 5 years of the first attempt. The fourth and fifth attempts must be taken at least one year from the previous attempt.

TIME ALLOWED & BREAKS

You will have 65 minutes to complete the 60 questions in each of the 6 sections. You will have 45 minutes of total break time to split between the 6 sections however you want. Remember that if you finish a section early (before the 65 minutes of time allotted) you can add that time to your total break time. In other words, that about 6.5 hours of total test time allowed with 45 minutes of break time. Here’s a sample break schedule:

• Section 1
• Break: 0 minutes
• Section 2
• Break: 10 minutes
• Section 3
• Break: 15 minutes
• Section 4
• Break: 10 minutes
• Section 5
• Break: 10 minutes
• Section 6

SPECIES BREAKDOWN

QUESTION BREAKDOWN

PASS RATE & PASSING SCORE

Sadly, it’s not exactly known what the minimum score is needed to pass the NAVLE. Great, right? According to chatter on the internet, the presumed passing threshold is about 70%.

Keep in mind that your score will be reported in a 3-digit number, ranging from 200-800, where a 425 is the minimum passing score.

Here is the official verbiage from NAVLE regarding the passing scores:

“The NAVLE passing standard is determined by a panel of veterinarians who are experts in the content areas assessed by the NAVLE. This panel reviews the NAVLE and makes judgments as to the test performance required of entry-level veterinarians. The collective judgments of the panel members are used to establish a NAVLE score representing the lowest acceptable passing score on the examination. Candidates who achieve a score equal to or higher than this criterion-referenced passing score receive a “pass” classification.“

Feeling overwhelmed? Just remember to breathe, prepare, and breathe some more. Lean on your classmates, peers, and mentors when you need support. YOU CAN DO THIS!

Read more from other students about the NAVLE.

***Information gathered from https://www.icva.net/navle/