Should You Get ANCC versus AANP Board Certification?
Nov 03, 2022
Graduation is on the horizon, and you are starting your board prep. Now you are faced with one of the first big challenges of your new NP career: AANP versus ANCC board certification. Is one of the tests harder, or viewed more favorably by employers? Is one better than the other? Which one is right for you?
Making The Decision: AANC Versus AANP Board Exam
Some graduating NPs chose their exam based on what other NPs they know have taken; some chose based on what their peers planned to do; some even flipped a coin. How will you choose? Start by learning more about the two organizations, how their exams are structured, and what they cover.
Who Are The AANP And ANCC?
As member-driven professional organizations representing and advancing the professional role of the Nurse Practitioner, the AANP (American Association of Nurse Practitioners) and ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center) serve similar roles. Each organization has an arm that is responsible for certification, and a separate arm that is responsible for professional advocacy (things like the push for full practice authority). A difference between the two organizations is that the AANP is a stand-alone organization, and the ANCC is a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association (ANA).
Similarities And Differences Between AANP And ANCC Board Certification
As far as tests go, the two have a lot in common. They are about the same length – 150 questions for AANP, 175 questions for ANCC (a handful of which are test questions toward future exams, and do not count toward your score), and both are taken via computer at a testing site. The pass rates are not very different; for 2021, the AANP pass rate was 84% (for FNP), and the pass rate for the ANCC was 87% (for FNP).
The cost is similar; as of this writing, the AANP test is $315, and the ANCC test is $395, and both organizations offer a discount to their members. When you apply for your Authorization to Test (ATT) for either exam, you will need to have a certain number of graduate credits completed (you can apply before your official graduation date, if you would like to take the exam as soon as possible), and you should expect to provide transcripts from your graduate program.
Once you pass either exam, you will be board-certified for five years. The requirements to maintain those certifications – 1000 practice hours, 75-100 CME credits (and 25 of those credits in pharmacology) – are fairly consistent between the two organizations.
There are three considerable differences between the AANP and ANCC exams. First, the AANP exam is not available for all specialties - only for new graduate NPs seeking Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPNP) certification. If you’re seeking certification for other specialties (Adult/Gerontology Acute Care, Psychology/Mental Health), your only option is the ANCC exam.
The second difference is the format of the questions. The AANP exam is all multiple-choice with one answer for each question. The ANCC exam has more variety in the questions, with some having one correct answer, some having a “select all that apply” approach, and others featuring images (think of an EKG strip or pictures of a region of the body).
The third difference between the two tests is the overall focus. The AANP board exam tends to focus primarily on competency and clinical application of knowledge. For this reason, some think the AANP board exam is better suited for those planning to work in a clinical, patient-facing setting. By comparison, the ANCC board exam covers clinical competency as well as the professional role of the NP. Questions on this exam also address things like research, guidelines, and healthcare ethics; some say that this exam is suited to those wishing to work in research or academic settings.
Which Exam Is Harder – AANP Or ANCC?
Both tests are challenging and not everyone passes on their first attempt – that’s the reality. Whether one test is harder than the other is pretty subjective; just ask anyone who didn’t pass on the first try, and they will tell you THAT test is the harder one. But with pass rates within three percentage points of each other, it seems hard to say definitively that one is harder than the other.
The difference in the types of questions on the test could definitely make one of the tests feel extra difficult. Some test-takers would prefer to know that for any question they are asked there will be one right answer (or, perhaps, one BEST answer – yes, that totally happens on boards, too). The thought of “select all that apply” questions could very definitely be a deal breaker. Other test-takers might prefer the opportunity to have some questions with a visual aspect, such as a “hot spot” question, where you click on the area in a picture that answers the question at hand (maybe the best place to auscultate a murmur).
Parting Thoughts
When it was my turn to choose certification, I chose AANP; their focus on clinical competency was the right fit for me. Full disclosure: the fact that there was only ONE answer to each question (and no “select all that apply”) was another point in their favor. I started my board prep about four months before graduating and then focused intently on board prep for a few weeks after graduating and before testing. I did a review course, read several board prep books, and did as many practice questions as I possibly could. I also did a predictor exam to see what areas I needed to work on – and then used that to inform my studying strategy.
What will you do? If you have the option of either test (for example, if you are seeking FNP certification), think about which kind of test suits you better. If you want to show your assessment and diagnosis skills, the AANP might be the better fit. Think about the ANCC exam if you want to show your prowess with theory and professional issues. It’s not unheard of to take both; you could also apply to test for both and stop after passing one if that feels right to you.
Start thinking about what you want about six months before your anticipated graduation date. Once you have a sense of the direction you want to go, you can start doing your board prep and applying for your Authorization to Test. Arrange to have your transcripts sent, and consider becoming a student member of either organization (if you aren’t already) and get the discount on the exam (definitely worth it!). Check in with your classmates and other NPs that you know that tested recently, but also take their feedback with a grain of salt while making the decision that is right for you.
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