Should You Change Your Answer? What the Research Says
On the NCLEX you cannot change an answer once submitted: there is no back button, review screen, or marking for later, because the computer needs each answer to pick the next question. The research shows the "first instinct is best" belief is a myth: changing wrong to right happens more often than right to wrong, but only when you change for a specific reason, not out of nerves.
This is the most asked question about test-taking. Most articles get it wrong twice.
Start with the most important fact.
On the NCLEX, you CANNOT change your answer
Once you submit a question, it is finished. There is:
- No back button
- No review screen
- No marking questions for later
- No going back at the end
Why? Because the computer needs your answer to pick your next question. There is no fixed test to go back through.
So the usual question — “should I go back and change my answers?” — does not apply to the NCLEX at all.
If you read an article telling you to “go back and check your answers on the NCLEX,” that article is describing a different exam.
But the real question still matters. Here is why.
What the research found
Most people believe: your first answer is best, changing hurts you.
The research says the opposite.
Many studies over many years looked at students changing answers. When students change an answer, they change wrong to right more often than right to wrong.
Benjamin, Cavell and Shallenberger reviewed these studies. Their conclusion: the “stick with your first answer” advice is not supported.
Kruger, Wirtz and Miller studied why people believe it anyway. They called it the first instinct fallacy.
Why the myth feels true
It is a memory problem.
When you change a right answer to a wrong one, it hurts. You remember it clearly. You feel you made two mistakes — doubting yourself, and acting on the doubt.
When you change a wrong answer to a right one, you feel nothing special. You just got it right and moved on.
So the painful times stick in your memory. The good times disappear.
You end up believing something based on only half your experience.
The important detail
The research does not say “change your answers more.”
It looked at students who changed answers for a reason: - They re-read and found a word they missed - They remembered a fact - They noticed a detail about the client - They found a mistake in their thinking
Changing for a reason helps. Changing because you feel nervous does not.
There is no proof that changing out of worry helps you.
Where this helps you on the NCLEX
Two places.
1. Before you press submit
You cannot change after. But you can change before.
If the question is still open and you notice something specific — you missed the words “further teaching,” you remembered the right lab value, you saw the client is day 1 not day 3 — change your answer.
That is changing for a reason. The research supports it.
But if you just feel unsure, with nothing new? Submit and move on. That is only nerves.
The test: can I say exactly what changed my mind?
- Yes → change it
- No → submit it
2. On practice tests
Most question banks let you change answers before you submit a set. The research fully applies here.
Even better: write down when you change an answer and whether it helped. After a few hundred questions you will know your own pattern. That is much better than guessing.
What to do on exam day
- Read the question carefully the first time. Best way to avoid needing to change anything.
- Decide your answer before reading the options.
- Choose on purpose. Do not drift into an option.
- On hard questions, take one breath before submitting. Ask: did I answer what they asked?
- Found a real mistake? Fix it. Just nervous? Submit.
- Then let it go completely.
Why letting go matters
Once you submit, it is gone. Thinking about it costs you two things:
Time. You have 5 hours. Thinking about question 20 during question 25 wastes it.
Focus. Your brain can only hold so much. If part of it is stuck on an old question, you have less for the new one.
The rule that you cannot go back is actually a gift. The decision is closed. You are allowed to stop thinking about it.
Short version
The “first instinct is best” idea is a myth. Changing for a reason usually helps.
On the NCLEX you cannot change after submitting. So use this before you submit: change it if you found something specific, submit it if you are only nervous, and then move on.
Sources
- Kruger, J., Wirtz, D., & Miller, D. T. (2005). Counterfactual thinking and the first instinct fallacy. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88(5), 725–735.
- Benjamin, L. T., Cavell, T. A., & Shallenberger, W. R. (1984). Staying with initial answers on objective tests: Is it a myth? Teaching of Psychology, 11(3), 133–141.
- NCSBN. Computerized Adaptive Testing. https://www.nclex.com/computerized-adaptive-testing.page
Note: this research is from general education studies, not NCLEX studies.
Frequently asked questions
Common follow-up questions on Test-Taking Strategy.
Can you change your answer on the NCLEX?
No. Once you submit a question it is finished: there is no back button, no review screen, no marking questions for later, and no going back at the end. The computer needs your answer to pick your next question, so any article telling you to go back and check answers on the NCLEX is describing a different exam.
Is your first answer usually the best?
No, that is the first instinct fallacy. Many studies over many years found that when students change an answer, they change wrong to right more often than right to wrong, and Benjamin, Cavell and Shallenberger concluded the "stick with your first answer" advice is not supported.
Why do people believe the first-answer myth?
It is a memory problem. Changing a right answer to a wrong one hurts and stays vivid in memory, while changing a wrong answer to a right one feels like nothing. The painful times stick and the good times disappear, so people end up believing something based on only half their experience.
When should I change an answer before submitting?
When you can say exactly what changed your mind. You re-read and caught a missed word like "further teaching," remembered the right lab value, or noticed the client is day 1 not day 3. Changing for a reason helps; changing because you feel nervous does not. The test is whether you can name what changed your mind.
Why does letting go of submitted questions matter?
Once you submit, it is gone, and dwelling on it costs time and focus across your five hours. Thinking about question 20 during question 25 wastes time and leaves less working memory for the new question: the no-going-back rule is a gift that lets you stop thinking about a closed decision.
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