The license exam is
administered by a
third-party vendor.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is on the state exam?
The state exam covers agency, state license law, and math calculations related to real estate transactions, and more. Pearson VUE publishes an outline of the test in their candidate’s handbook, which tells you what topics and how many questions will be on the test. We go over this in class, and students can also download it themselves. This is a great study guide because you can focus on the topics with the most questions.
How hard is the state exam?
The state exam is not hard if you are prepared, but it does take effort and participation in class to understand the concepts. You should not assume that simply attending the 30-hour course will guarantee success on the exam. While it’s not necessarily difficult, students who are not prepared often don’t pass both parts on their first try.
How long is the state exam, in terms of number of questions and time allowed?
You’re given four hours to complete two exams: the national portion and the Kansas portion. The national portion consists of 80 questions on general real estate principles and practices and you have two and a half hours to complete it. The Kansas portion consists of 40 questions, with 30 of them scored and 10 pretest items. You’re given an hour and a half to complete the Kansas portion.
What is a passing grade for the state exam?
The passing score for each exam is 70, but it’s not 70% or 70 correct questions. It’s a score of 70 that is determined by an algorithm based on the difficulty of the questions. The questions are weighted differently, so it’s possible for two people taking the test at the same time to receive different tests. The testing company doesn’t provide information on how the algorithm is calculated.
What happens if I fail the state exam?
If you fail either portion of the exam, you’re allowed to retest. You would only need to retake the portion that you failed, not the one you passed. The testing organization charges an $82 fee for the first test. If you need to retake the exam, they offer a small discount: it’s $75 for the retest. You can retake the exam as many times as you need to. However, we strongly encourage our students to plan on passing on the first attempt!
How many times can I retake the state exam, and do I have to pass it in a certain timeframe after finishing the class?
When you finish the Principles of Real Estate course, your completion certificate is valid for one year. But after you take the exam or finish the second course, you have only six months left to complete everything and get your license. This means your test score and course completion cannot be more than six months old at the time of license issuance.
Where do I take the state exam?
Pearson VUE administers the exam, which has multiple locations in and around the metro area, as well as around the state. Please check their website for updated information.
Do you help with scheduling the state exam?
It’s the student’s responsibility to sign themselves up, but we provide guidance on how to do it correctly and make sure they take the right exam. We review the process in class, and it is very straightforward.