United States
Hong KongHow long do results take?
A preliminary pass or fail appears on screen at the test center before you leave, and the official scaled score follows from PTCB afterwards. The scaled score is the one that tells you how far from the standard you were, which matters most after a fail.
You leave knowing the outcome, and learn the detail afterwards.
At the center
A preliminary pass or fail on screen at the end of the session. No score, no breakdown.
Afterwards
The official scaled score from PTCB, against the pass standard of 1,400 on a 1,000 to 1,600 range.
On a pass it confirms what you already know. On a fail it tells you how far short you were, which is the difference between a repair job on one domain and a rebuild. Booking a retake before it arrives is deciding without the only information you were given.
What you will not receive
- A list of the questions you got wrong
- Which ten of the 90 were unscored
- A percentage, since the standard is not expressed as one
Do not reconstruct it
Counting the questions you think you missed cannot work when ten of them may not have counted and you cannot tell which.
Telling people
Wait for the official confirmation before announcing anything formally. The preliminary result is reliable and the credential is what an employer will verify.
Why the wait for the scaled score is worth it
A pass or fail on screen answers the question you came for. The scaled score answers the one you will have next, which is how much work a retake needs.
A near miss is a repair on one domain over a few weeks. A wide miss is a different plan. Treating one as the other is the most common reason a second attempt repeats the first.
What to do while you wait
Nothing irreversible. Do not book a retake, do not announce anything formally, and do not start rebuilding a study plan around a diagnosis you do not have yet.
Common questions
How long do PTCB results take?
A preliminary pass or fail on screen at the test center, with the official scaled score following from PTCB.
Do I get a score at the center?
No, just pass or fail.
Will I see which questions I missed?
No.
Can I work out my percentage?
No. The standard is a scaled score and ten questions were unscored.
When should I tell my employer?
After the official confirmation.