If you don't find the answer to your question, please contact us and we will answer your questions. Just use the Contact Us on the Online Advantage home page.

HOW WERE THE QUESTIONS DEVELOPED IN THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

A diverse group of item writers contributed to the development of the student version of Online Advantage. Great care was taken to ensure there was adequate representation in each of the system (musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, other) and non-system (equipment and devices; therapeutic modalities; safety and professional roles; teaching/learning; research) areas.

Item writers were given explicit instructions including a training manual to ensure that submitted questions were consistent with the style and format of the questions utilized on the National Physical Therapy Examination. Once created each examination was subjected to a minimum of three months of beta testing by physical therapist students from academic programs throughout the United States.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY EXAMINATION?

Our goal is to provide students with the most realistic testing experience possible in order to better prepare students for the National Physical Therapy Examination. We closely monitor all communication about the National Physical Therapy Examination from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and attempt to immediately integrate relevant changes into our products.

HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE UTILIZED THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

To date over 10,000 students have utilized the student version of Online Advantage. This is important since the established mean score in each of the system specific and content outline areas is based on an extremely diverse group of students from academic programs throughout the United States.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE BE USED ON A VARIETY OF DEVICES?

Online Advantage is fully scalable meaning that you can access the sample examinations on your personal computer, tablet or mobile device. Our goal was to create a product compatible with your busy lifestyle.

WHAT METHODS CAN I USE TO PURCHASE THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

The student version of Online Advantage must be purchased through our web site scorebuilders.com using a credit card.

HOW DO I ACCESS ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

An ID and Password is generated upon purchase. If you encounter any difficulty during the purchasing process, simply call our office (207) 885-0304 to receive assistance. The ID and Password can be entered on the Online Advantage web site https://ola-sb.com.

IS THERE A RECOMMENDED PASSING SCORE FOR THE EXAMINATION?

There is not an established uniform "passing score" for the examinations since the circumstances in which students elect to take the examination are very different. For example, some students take the examination up to nine months prior to graduation, while others take the examinations after graduation. The most relevant factor to consider when deciding on the relative strength of an examination score is the mean examination score for all candidates. This number, which is constantly updated based on student performance, reflects the relative difficulty of the established examination. Ideally, a score of greater than or equal to the mean represents a strong score. Students' scores typically range from 99-153 or 55-85%.

WHAT PERCENTAGES OF STUDENTS USING ONLINE ADVANTAGE PASS THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY EXAMINATION ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT?

Many academic programs anecdotally report a moderate to strong positive relationship between Online Advantage scores and National Physical Therapy Examination scores. However, it is important to note that students should avoid determining their readiness for the actual examination based on a single practice examination. Research presented at APTA's Combined Sections Meeting revealed a 0.674 correlation between the Online Advantage score and the National Physical Therapy Examination scale score.

IS IT DESIRABLE FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE ONLINE ADVANTAGE EXAMINATION?

Many students will take one Online Advantage examination early in their preparation and another examination much closer to their actual examination date. The rationale is that the first examination serves as a pre-test to establish a baseline and identify areas requiring remediation. The second examination then serves as a post-test to determine the amount of progress and the relative degree of preparedness for the National Physical Therapy Examination.

IS THERE A DISCOUNT OFFERED WHEN STUDENTS PURCHASE BOTH EXAMINATIONS AVAILABLE IN THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Students can save $20 when the two examinations are purchased at the same time. The discounted price for the two examinations is $60.

IF I PURCHASE BOTH EXAMINATIONS WILL I HAVE TO TAKE THE EXAMINATIONS WITHIN THE SAME 60-DAY PERIOD?

The 60-day periods are independent of each other and will not begin until the student initiates each of the respective examinations.

HOW LONG WILL STUDENTS HAVE TO ACCESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL DATA?

Students will have access to their individual data for 60-days once they initiate taking the examination. Students can print their performance analysis summary at any point during that period and review both their first and second attempts throughout the course of the 60-days.

IF THE 60-DAY PERIOD INADVERTENTLY EXPIRES, IS THERE ANY WAY TO GAIN ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO THE EXAMINATION?

Online Advantage allows students to purchase an additional 15-day access period if necessary.

CAN STUDENTS TAKE AN EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE?

Online Advantage permits students to take each examination a maximum of two times. Students should recognize that the second attempt is typically a poor measure of mastery since students have already been exposed to the questions. It is critical, however, for students to utilize the performance analysis section of Online Advantage multiple times in order to review correct and incorrect questions and to determine individual strengths and weaknesses.

DO STUDENTS NEED TO TAKE THE EXAMINATION IN A SINGLE SITTING?

Students are encouraged to take the examination in a single sitting since this most closely resembles the format utilized on the National Physical Therapy Examination. It is possible, however, to exit the examination if necessary. When exiting Online Advantage all question data will be automatically preserved.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE ACCOMMODATE STUDENTS WITH DOCUMENTED LEARNING DISABILITIES?

The time available for students to complete the 180 question examination is four hours. Students eligible for extended time (time and a half or double time) can easily be accommodated by calling our office (207) 885-0304. Online Advantage is compatible with several systems that magnify computer type for students that are visually impaired.

I CANNOT FIND MY SCHOOL LISTED IN THE ONLINE ADVANTAGE LIST OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS?

If you are unable to find the name of your academic program on our menu, please contact our office (207) 885-0304.

CAN STUDENTS PRINT OUT THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS?

Online Advantage is designed to be an interactive web-based study tool and therefore does not permit students to print out the examination. The program allows students to print their performance analysis summary and have full online access to the examination questions and explanations an unlimited number of times within the 60-day period.

DOES ONLINE ADVANTAGE OFFER EXPLANATION OF ANSWERS?

Each question in Online Advantage includes an explanation of the correct answer and an explanation for each incorrect answer including a cited resource with page number.

IS THE SUMMARY DATA FROM "ALL CANDIDATES" BASED SOLELY ON THE STUDENTS' FIRST ATTEMPT OR DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE DATA FROM THE SECOND ATTEMPT?

Performance data for "All Candidates" is based solely on data obtained from that specific attempt. For example, the “All Candidates” score for a first attempt is the average score for all candidates taking the exam for the first time. A separate “All Candidates” score is generated for a second attempt. It is important to recognize that scoring on second attempts will be heavily influenced by memory and therefore candidates should focus primarily on data generated from the first attempt.

CAN STUDENTS PURCHASE THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Students are not permitted to purchase the academic version of Online Advantage. This restriction substantially reduces the potential of students being exposed to examination items in advance and increases the meaningfulness of obtained examination scores.

MY ACADEMIC PROGRAM WILL BE USING THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE AS A COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAMINATION. WOULD IT BE USEFUL TO PREPARE FOR THE EXAMINATION BY TAKING ONE OR MORE OF THE EXAMINATIONS FROM THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Taking an examination from the student version of Online Advantage is an excellent method to prepare for the academic version. The rationale is that the first examination serves as a pre-test to establish a baseline and identify areas requiring remediation. The second examination (i.e., academic version) then serves as a post-test to determine the amount of progress and the relative degree of preparedness for the National Physical Therapy Examination. Students electing to adopt this strategy should make sure they leave ample time between the two examinations in order to engage in designated remediation activities.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE STUDENT VERSION?

The academic and student versions of Online Advantage are completely distinctive products that utilize independent examination questions. The academic version consists of two examinations and is designed solely for the use of academic programs electing to offer a comprehensive examination to their graduating students. The student version of Online Advantage consists of two examinations and is designed to assist students with their preparation for a comprehensive examination or the National Physical Therapy Examination.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN YOUR REVIEW BOOKS OR REVIEW COURSES THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Each of our products utilize independent examination questions.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TAKE SAMPLE EXAMS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES?

It is important for students to answer sample examination questions from a variety of resources. Each examination resource tends to have a slightly different style and difficulty level. Students exhibiting a level of comfort with the questions in multiple resources tend to feel more comfortable with the diversity of questions offered on the NPTE.

DO THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN ONLINE ADVANTAGE CHANGE EACH YEAR?

An item analysis is performed annually on each of the examinations. As part of the process selected items are removed and new questions are added. Items are also removed and added to make sure the questions remain consistent with changes in the examination content outline. On average 10-30 questions will be replaced annually in each of the examinations.

DO THE EXAMINATIONS CONSIST OF 180 OR 225 QUESTIONS?

The National Physical Therapy Examination consists of 225 questions, offered in five sections of 45 questions. 180 of the examination questions are scored items, while 45 of the questions are pre-test items used for possible inclusion as scored items in a future examination. Since a student's maximum attainable score on the actual examination is 180, all Online Advantage examinations consist of 180 questions offered in four sections of 45 questions.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO SERVE AS A WEB-BASED REVIEW COURSE?

Online Advantage is a web-based comprehensive testing program and is not designed to serve as a review course. Our two-day On-Campus Review Course and our online review course ACE - A Competitive Edge allow students to explore all elements of preparing for the National Physical Therapy Examination. Scorebuilders offers over 300 review courses annually at many of the finest physical therapist and physical therapist assistant programs in the United States. Additional information on our review courses is available on our web site.

If you don't find the answer to your question, please contact us and we will answer your questions. Just use the Contact Us on the Online Advantage home page.

AS A FACULTY MEMBER, HOW WILL I GO ABOUT PURCHASING AND USING THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE WITH MY STUDENTS?

A faculty member begins the process by purchasing a given number of access codes to utilize Online Advantage based on the number of students in their program. The cost per access code is $40. The purchase must be made directly online using a credit card or purchase order through our web site scorebuilders.com. A credit card purchase allows instant access, while a purchase order allows access once a hard copy of the purchase order has been received by our office. The purchase order can be faxed to (207) 883-8377.

After the order is confirmed an email will be sent to the designated faculty administrator of the account. The email will provide the administrator with an ID and Password for their individual account and prompt them to enter the names of their students. Online Advantage assigns an ID and Password to each of the students entered into the account and allows the information to be printed. The administrator is able to disseminate the IDs and Passwords to the students at a time of their choosing. In some instances an academic program may elect to offer the comprehensive examination in a controlled setting such as the computer room, while in other cases it may be necessary to allow students to take the examination from a remote location.

Formal testing occurs at a time of convenience by visiting our web site and clicking on the Online Advantage login found in the upper right hand portion of our homepage. Students will press the login button and will be prompted to enter their assigned ID and Password. After completing the examination students will have immediate access to their performance analysis summary, which allows them to directly compare their individual score to the mean score generated from all students exposed to the same examination. The analysis will summarize performance in five system specific areas and five content outline areas. The administrator will have immediate access to all of the described information, however, in addition they will be able to generate specific class data. Students will not have access to the class data nor will they be able to examine the individual performance of any of their classmates.

HOW WERE THE QUESTIONS DEVELOPED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

A diverse group of item writers contributed to the development of the academic version of Online Advantage. Great care was taken to ensure there was adequate representation in each of the system (musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, other) and non-system (equipment and devices; therapeutic modalities; safety and professional roles; teaching/learning; research) areas.

Item writers were given explicit instructions including a training manual to ensure that submitted questions were consistent with the style and format of the questions utilized on the National Physical Therapy Examination. Once created each examination was subjected to a minimum of three months of beta testing by physical therapist students from academic programs throughout the United States.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY EXAMINATION?

Our goal is to provide students with the most realistic testing experience possible in order to better prepare students for the National Physical Therapy Examination. We closely monitor all communication about the National Physical Therapy Examination from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and attempt to immediately integrate relevant changes into our products.

IS THERE A SAMPLE ACCOUNT THAT I CAN ACCESS THAT ALLOWS ME TO EXPERIENCE ONLINE ADVANTAGE PRIOR TO ACTUALLY PURCHASING THE PRODUCT?

We have had numerous requests for additional information on the type of data generated by the academic version of Online Advantage. In response, we have created a sample account that you or other designated faculty members can explore. The sample account will allow you to view data collected from a mock class of students and explore the entire performance analysis section of Online Advantage including actual sample examination items. Please contact us by email info@scorebuilders.com or phone (207) 885-0304 to request an ID and Password that will allow access to the sample account. Access to the sample account is reserved only for academic faculty. We are confident that a quick tour of the sample account will provide you with a thorough understanding of the potential of this innovative product.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE BE USED ON A VARIETY OF DEVICES?

Online Advantage is fully scalable meaning that you can access the sample examinations on your personal computer, tablet or mobile device. Our goal was to create a product compatible with your busy lifestyle.

HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE UTILIZED THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

To date over 10,000 students have utilized the academic version of Online Advantage. This is important since the established mean score in each of the system specific and content outline areas is based on an extremely diverse group of students from academic programs throughout the United States.

IS THERE A RECOMMENDED PASSING SCORE FOR THE EXAMINATION?

There is not an established uniform "passing score" for the examination since the circumstances in which students are required to take the examination are very different. For example, some programs have students take the examination up to nine months prior to graduation, while others bring the students back to campus after their final clinical experience and may administer the examination within a few days of graduation. The most relevant factor to consider when deciding on a passing score is the mean examination score for all candidates. This number, which is constantly updated based on student performance, reflects the relative difficulty of the established examination. Ideally, a score of greater than or equal to the mean represents a strong score. Students' scores typically range from 99-153 or 55-85%.

The majority of academic programs who establish a minimum score require students to achieve a score no more than 5 or on occasion 10 questions below the mean score for all candidates. Academic programs offering more than one examination often have a more lenient minimum score requirement on the initial examination and then adopt a more stringent requirement on the final examination. Students who fail to achieve the established minimum score usually have a remediation period and then are required to retake a different examination with the same scoring requirement. Some academic programs require students to retake the same examination, however, it is important to note that a second attempt on the same examination is typically a poor indicator of mastery. The academic version of Online Advantage consists of two distinctly unique full-length examinations.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS USING ONLINE ADVANTAGE PASS THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY EXAMINATION ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT?

Many academic programs anecdotally report a moderate to strong positive relationship between Online Advantage scores and National Physical Therapy Examination scores. However, it is important to note that students should avoid determining their readiness for the actual examination based on a single practice examination. Research presented at APTA's Combined Sections Meeting revealed a 0.674 correlation between the Online Advantage score and the National Physical Therapy Examination scale score.

WILL STUDENTS BE ABLE TO VIEW THE SAME INFORMATION IN THE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS SECTION AS THE ADMINISTRATOR?

Students will be able to view a complete summary of their individual data and compare their personal results to a broader external audience, however, they will be unable to view the results of their classmates or the overall class' performance.

HOW LONG WILL THE ADMINISTRATOR HAVE ACCESS TO THE CLASS DATA?

Administrators will have access to class data for a minimum of three years and can print summary data at any point during this period.

CAN THE ADMINISTRATOR PERFORM AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM ANALYSIS SPECIFIC TO THEIR CLASS?

Administrators have access to individual student and aggregate class data, which provides a summary of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the students within the class and offers a direct comparison of the class to a broader external audience. Administrators will also be able to determine the percentage of users selecting each of the four options for every question.

ONCE STUDENTS TAKE THE EXAMINATION, HOW LONG WILL IT BE UNTIL THE ADMINISTRATOR CAN ACCESS THE STUDENTS' RESULTS?

The administrator will have immediate access to the students' results by logging on to the established administrator's account and utilizing the performance analysis summary.

WHEN DOES THE 60-DAY PERIOD BEGIN FOR STUDENTS TO USE THE EXAMINATION?

The 60-day period begins based on the date the student actually initiates the examination. The date of purchase is not associated with the initiation of the 60-day period.

HOW LONG WILL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL DATA?

Students will have access to their individual data for 60-days once they initiate taking the examination. Students can print their performance analysis summary at any point during the period and review both their first and second attempts throughout the course of the 60-days.

IF THE 60-DAY PERIOD INADVERTENTLY EXPIRES, IS THERE ANY WAY TO GAIN ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO THE EXAMINATION?

Online Advantage allows students to purchase an additional 15-day access period if necessary. Since the academic version is purchased exclusively by academic programs, it is necessary for students seeking an extension to contact our office directly.

CAN STUDENTS TAKE AN EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE?

Online Advantage permits students to take each examination a maximum of two times. Students should recognize that the second attempt is typically a poor measure of mastery since students have already been exposed to the questions. It is critical, however, for students to utilize the performance analysis section of Online Advantage multiple times in order to review correct and incorrect questions and to determine individual strengths and weaknesses.

DO STUDENTS NEED TO TAKE THE EXAMINATION IN A SINGLE SITTING?

Students are encouraged to take the examination in a single sitting since this most closely resembles the format utilized on the National Physical Therapy Examination. It is possible, however, to exit the examination if necessary. When exiting Online Advantage all question data will be automatically preserved.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE ACCOMMODATE STUDENTS WITH DOCUMENTED LEARNING DISABILITIES?

The time available for students to complete the 180 question examination is four hours. Students eligible for extended time (time and a half or double time) can easily be accommodated by calling our office (207) 885-0304. Online Advantage is compatible with several systems that magnify computer type for students that are visually impaired.

I CANNOT FIND MY SCHOOL LISTED IN THE ONLINE ADVANTAGE LIST OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS?

If you are unable to find the name of your academic program on our menu, please contact our office (207) 885-0304.

CAN STUDENTS PRINT OUT THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS?

Online Advantage is designed to be an interactive web-based study tool and therefore does not permit students to print out the examination. The program allows students to print their performance analysis summary and have full online access to the examination questions and explanations an unlimited number of times within the 60-day period.

DOES ONLINE ADVANTAGE OFFER EXPLANATION OF ANSWERS?

Each question in Online Advantage includes an explanation of the correct answer and an explanation for each incorrect answer including a cited resource with page number.

IS THE SUMMARY DATA FROM "ALL CANDIDATES" BASED SOLELY ON THE STUDENTS' FIRST ATTEMPT OR DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE DATA FROM THE SECOND ATTEMPT?

Performance data for "All Candidates" is based solely on data obtained from that specific attempt. For example, the “All Candidates” score for a first attempt is the average score for all candidates taking the exam for the first time. A separate “All Candidates” score is generated for a second attempt. It is important to recognize that scoring on second attempts will be heavily influenced by memory and therefore candidates should focus primarily on data generated from the first attempt.

CAN STUDENTS PURCHASE THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Students are not permitted to purchase the academic version of Online Advantage. This restriction substantially reduces the potential of students being exposed to examination items in advance and increases the meaningfulness of obtained examination scores.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE STUDENTS TAKE AN INITIAL EXAMINATION PRIOR TO ADMINISTERING A FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION BEFORE GRADUATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Many academic programs provide their students with several opportunities to experience a formal comprehensive examination during their academic training. The rationale is that the first examination serves as a pre-test to establish a baseline and identify areas requiring remediation. The second examination then serves as a post-test to determine the amount of progress and the relative degree of preparedness for the National Physical Therapy Examination. The growing number of academic programs utilizing the pre-test and post-test scenario led to the creation of a second academic examination.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE STUDENT VERSION?

The academic and student versions of Online Advantage are completely distinctive products that utilize independent examination questions. The academic version consists of two examinations and is designed solely for the use of academic programs electing to offer comprehensive examinations to their graduating students. The student version of Online Advantage consists of two examinations and is designed to assist students with their preparation for a comprehensive examination or the National Physical Therapy Examination.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN YOUR REVIEW BOOKS OR REVIEW COURSES THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Each of our products utilize independent examination questions.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TAKE SAMPLE EXAMS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES?

It is important for students to answer sample examination questions from a variety of resources. Each examination resource tends to have a slightly different style and difficulty level. Students exhibiting a level of comfort with the questions in multiple resources tend to feel more comfortable with the diversity of questions offered on the National Physical Therapy Examination.

DO THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN ONLINE ADVANTAGE CHANGE EACH YEAR?

An item analysis is performed annually on each of the examinations. As part of the process selected items are removed and new questions are added. Items are also removed and added to make sure the questions remain consistent with changes in the examination content outline. On average 10-30 questions will be replaced annually in each of the examinations.

DO THE EXAMINATIONS CONSIST OF 180 OR 225 QUESTIONS?

The National Physical Therapy Examination consists of 225 questions, offered in five sections of 45 questions. 180 of the examination questions are scored items, while 45 of the questions are pre-test items used for possible inclusion as scored items in a future examination. Since a student's maximum attainable score on the actual examination is 180, all Online Advantage examinations consist of 180 questions offered in four sections of 45 questions.

DO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTED METHOD OF HOW STUDENTS CAN ASSUME SOME OR ALL OF THE EXPENSE OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE IN THE EVENT FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT BUDGET?

Many academic programs require students to pay some or all of the expense associated with Online Advantage. Although the academic program must purchase the program using a credit card or purchase order, programs often require students to pay a predetermined fee back to the program prior to being issued their assigned ID and Password.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO SERVE AS A WEB-BASED REVIEW COURSE?

Online Advantage is a web-based comprehensive testing program and is not designed to serve as a review course. Our two-day On-Campus Review Course and our online review course ACE - A Competitive Edge allow students to explore all elements of preparing for the National Physical Therapy Examination. In 2014, Scorebuilders offered over 200 review courses at many of the finest physical therapist and physical therapist assistant programs in the United States. Additional information on our review courses is available on our web site.

If you don't find the answer to your question, please contact us and we will answer your questions. Just use the Contact Us on the Online Advantage home page.

HOW WERE THE QUESTIONS DEVELOPED IN THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

A diverse group of item writers contributed to the development of the student version of Online Advantage. Great care was taken to ensure there was adequate representation in each of the system (musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, other) and non-system (equipment and devices; therapeutic modalities; safety and professional roles; teaching/learning; research) areas.

Item writers were given explicit instructions including a training manual to ensure that submitted questions were consistent with the style and format of the questions utilized on the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. Once created each examination was subjected to a minimum of three months of beta testing by physical therapist assistant students from academic programs throughout the United States.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT EXAMINATION?

Our goal is to provide students with the most realistic testing experience possible in order to better prepare students for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. We closely monitor all communication about the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and attempt to immediately integrate relevant changes into our products.

HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE UTILIZED THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

To date over 10,000 students have utilized the student version of Online Advantage. This is important since the established mean score in each of the system specific and content outline areas is based on an extremely diverse group of students from academic programs throughout the United States.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE BE USED ON A VARIETY OF DEVICES?

Online Advantage is fully scalable meaning that you can access the sample examinations on your personal computer, tablet or mobile device. Our goal was to create a product compatible with your busy lifestyle.

WHAT METHODS CAN I USE TO PURCHASE THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

The student version of Online Advantage must be purchased through our web site scorebuilders.com using a credit card.

HOW DO I ACCESS ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

An ID and Password is generated upon purchase. If you encounter any difficulty during the purchasing process, simply call our office (207) 885-0304 to receive assistance. The ID and Password can be entered on the Online Advantage web site https://ola-sb.com.

IS THERE A RECOMMENDED PASSING SCORE FOR THE EXAMINATION?

There is not an established uniform "passing score" for the examinations since the circumstances in which students elect to take the examination are very different. For example, some students take the examination up to nine months prior to graduation, while others take the examinations after graduation. The most relevant factor to consider when deciding on the relative strength of an examination score is the mean examination score for all candidates. This number, which is constantly updated based on student performance, reflects the relative difficulty of the established examination. Ideally, a score of greater than or equal to the mean represents a strong score. Students' scores typically range from 70-112 or 50-80%.

WHAT PERCENTAGES OF STUDENTS USING ONLINE ADVANTAGE PASS THE NPTE-PTA ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT?

Many academic programs anecdotally report a moderate to strong positive relationship between Online Advantage scores and NPTE-PTA scores. However, it is important to note that students should avoid determining their readiness for the actual examination based on a single practice examination. Research presented at APTA's Combined Sections Meeting revealed a 0.665 correlation between the Online Advantage score and the NPTE-PTA scale score.

IS IT DESIRABLE FOR STUDENTS TO TAKE MORE THAN ONE ONLINE ADVANTAGE EXAMINATION?

Many students will take one Online Advantage examination early in their preparation and another examination much closer to their actual examination date. The rationale is that the first examination serves as a pre-test to establish a baseline and identify areas requiring remediation. The second examination then serves as a post-test to determine the amount of progress and the relative degree of preparedness for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination.

IS THERE A DISCOUNT OFFERED WHEN STUDENTS PURCHASE BOTH EXAMINATIONS AVAILABLE IN THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Students can save $20 when the two examinations are purchased at the same time. The discounted price for the two examinations is $50.

IF I PURCHASE BOTH EXAMINATIONS WILL I HAVE TO TAKE THE EXAMINATIONS WITHIN THE SAME 60-DAY PERIOD?

The 60-day periods are independent of each other and will not begin until the student initiates each of the respective examinations.

HOW LONG WILL STUDENTS HAVE TO ACCESS THEIR INDIVIDUAL DATA?

Students will have access to their individual data for 60-days once they initiate taking the examination. Students can print their performance analysis summary at any point during that period and review both their first and second attempts throughout the course of the 60-days.

IF THE 60-DAY PERIOD INADVERTENTLY EXPIRES, IS THERE ANY WAY TO GAIN ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO THE EXAMINATION?

Online Advantage allows students to purchase an additional 15-day access period if necessary.

CAN STUDENTS TAKE AN EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE?

Online Advantage permits students to take each examination a maximum of two times. Students should recognize that the second attempt is typically a poor measure of mastery since students have already been exposed to the questions. It is critical, however, for students to utilize the performance analysis section of Online Advantage multiple times in order to review correct and incorrect questions and to determine individual strengths and weaknesses.

DO STUDENTS NEED TO TAKE THE EXAMINATION IN A SINGLE SITTING?

Students are encouraged to take the examination in a single sitting since this most closely resembles the format utilized on the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. It is possible, however, to exit the examination if necessary. When exiting Online Advantage all question data will be automatically preserved.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE ACCOMMODATE STUDENTS WITH DOCUMENTED LEARNING DISABILITIES?

The time available for students to complete the 140 question examination is slightly over three hours. Students eligible for extended time (time and a half or double time) can easily be accommodated by calling our office (207) 885-0304. Online Advantage is compatible with several systems that magnify computer type for students that are visually impaired.

I CANNOT FIND MY SCHOOL LISTED IN THE ONLINE ADVANTAGE LIST OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS?

If you are unable to find the name of your academic program on our menu, please contact our office (207) 885-0304.

CAN STUDENTS PRINT OUT THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS?

Online Advantage is designed to be an interactive web-based study tool and therefore does not permit students to print out the examination. The program allows students to print their performance analysis summary and have full online access to the examination questions and explanations an unlimited number of times within the 60-day period.

DOES ONLINE ADVANTAGE OFFER EXPLANATION OF ANSWERS?

Each question in Online Advantage includes an explanation of the correct answer and an explanation for each incorrect answer including a cited resource with page number.

IS THE SUMMARY DATA FROM "ALL CANDIDATES" BASED SOLELY ON THE STUDENTS' FIRST ATTEMPT OR DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE DATA FROM THE SECOND ATTEMPT?

Performance data for "All Candidates" is based solely on data obtained from that specific attempt. For example, the “All Candidates” score for a first attempt is the average score for all candidates taking the exam for the first time. A separate “All Candidates” score is generated for a second attempt. It is important to recognize that scoring on second attempts will be heavily influenced by memory and therefore candidates should focus primarily on data generated from the first attempt.

CAN STUDENTS PURCHASE THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Students are not permitted to purchase the academic version of Online Advantage. This restriction substantially reduces the potential of students being exposed to examination items in advance and increases the meaningfulness of obtained examination scores.

MY ACADEMIC PROGRAM WILL BE USING THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE AS A COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAMINATION. WOULD IT BE USEFUL TO PREPARE FOR THE EXAMINATION BY TAKING ONE OR MORE OF THE EXAMINATIONS FROM THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Taking an examination from the student version of Online Advantage is an excellent method to prepare for the academic version. The rationale is that the first examination serves as a pre-test to establish a baseline and identify areas requiring remediation. The second examination (i.e., academic version) then serves as a post-test to determine the amount of progress and the relative degree of preparedness for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. Students electing to adopt this strategy should make sure they leave ample time between the two examinations in order to engage in designated remediation activities.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE STUDENT VERSION?

The academic and student versions of Online Advantage are completely distinctive products that utilize independent examination questions. The academic version consists of two examinations and is designed solely for the use of academic programs electing to offer a comprehensive examination to their graduating students. The student version of Online Advantage consists of two examinations and is designed to assist students with their preparation for a comprehensive examination or the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN YOUR REVIEW BOOKS OR REVIEW COURSES THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE STUDENT VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Each of our products utilize independent examination questions.

DO THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN ONLINE ADVANTAGE CHANGE EACH YEAR?

An item analysis is performed annually on each of the examinations. As part of the process selected items are removed and new questions are added. Items are also removed and added to make sure the questions remain consistent with changes in the examination content outline. On average 10-30 questions will be replaced annually in each of the examinations.

DO THE EXAMINATIONS CONSIST OF 140 OR 180 QUESTIONS?

The NPTE-PTA consists of 180 questions, offered in four sections of 45 questions. 140 of the examination questions are scored items, while 40 of the questions are pre-test items used for possible inclusion as scored items in a future examination. Since a student's maximum attainable score on the actual examination is 140, all Online Advantage examinations consist of 140 questions offered in four sections of 35 questions.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO SERVE AS A WEB-BASED REVIEW COURSE?

Online Advantage is a web-based comprehensive testing program and is not designed to serve as a review course. Our two-day On-Campus Review Course and our online review course ACE - A Competitive Edge allow students to explore all elements of preparing for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. In 2014, Scorebuilders offered over 200 review courses at many of the finest physical therapist and physical therapist assistant programs in the United States. Additional information on our review courses is available on our web site.

If you don't find the answer to your question, please contact us and we will answer your questions. Just use the Contact Us on the Online Advantage home page.

AS A FACULTY MEMBER, HOW WILL I GO ABOUT PURCHASING AND USING THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE WITH MY STUDENTS?

A faculty member begins the process by purchasing a given number of access codes to utilize Online Advantage based on the number of students in their program. The cost per access code is $35. The purchase must be made directly online using a credit card or purchase order through our web site scorebuilders.com. A credit card purchase allows instant access, while a purchase order allows access once a hard copy of the purchase order has been received by our office. The purchase order can be faxed to (207) 883-8377.

After the order is confirmed an email will be sent to the designated faculty administrator of the account. The email will provide the administrator with an ID and Password for their individual account and prompt them to enter the names of their students. Online Advantage assigns an ID and Password to each of the students entered into the account and allows the information to be printed. The administrator is able to disseminate the IDs and Passwords to the students at a time of their choosing. In some instances an academic program may elect to offer the comprehensive examination in a controlled setting such as the computer room, while in other cases it may be necessary to allow students to take the examination from a remote location.

Formal testing occurs at a time of convenience by visiting our web site and clicking on the Online Advantage login found in the upper right hand portion of our homepage. Students will press the login button and will be prompted to enter their assigned ID and Password. After completing the examination students will have immediate access to their performance analysis summary, which allows them to directly compare their individual score to the mean score generated from all students exposed to the same examination. The analysis will summarize performance in five system specific areas and five content outline areas. The administrator will have immediate access to all of the described information, however, in addition they will be able to generate specific class data. Students will not have access to the class data nor will they be able to examine the individual performance of any of their classmates.

HOW WERE THE QUESTIONS DEVELOPED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

A diverse group of item writers contributed to the development of the academic version of Online Advantage. Great care was taken to ensure there was adequate representation in each of the system (musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiopulmonary, other) and non-system (equipment and devices; therapeutic modalities; safety and professional roles; teaching/learning; research) areas.

Item writers were given explicit instructions including a training manual to ensure that submitted questions were consistent with the style and format of the questions utilized on the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. Once created each examination was subjected to a minimum of three months of beta testing by physical therapist assistant students from academic programs throughout the United States.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECENT CHANGES IN THE NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT EXAMINATION?

Our goal is to provide students with the most realistic testing experience possible in order to better prepare students for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. We closely monitor all communication about the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination from the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy and attempt to immediately integrate relevant changes into our products.

IS THERE A SAMPLE ACCOUNT THAT I CAN ACCESS THAT ALLOWS ME TO EXPERIENCE ONLINE ADVANTAGE PRIOR TO ACTUALLY PURCHASING THE PRODUCT?

We have had numerous requests for additional information on the type of data generated by the academic version of Online Advantage. In response, we have created a sample account that you or other designated faculty members can explore. The sample account will allow you to view data collected from a mock class of students and explore the entire performance analysis section of Online Advantage including actual sample examination items. Please contact us by email info@scorebuilders.com or phone (207) 885-0304 to request an ID and Password that will allow access to the sample account. Access to the sample account is reserved only for academic faculty. We are confident that a quick tour of the sample account will provide you with a thorough understanding of the potential of this innovative product.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE BE USED ON A VARIETY OF DEVICES?

Online Advantage is fully scalable meaning that you can access the sample examinations on your personal computer, tablet or mobile device. Our goal was to create a product compatible with your busy lifestyle.

HOW MANY STUDENTS HAVE UTILIZED THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

To date over 10,000 students have utilized the academic version of Online Advantage. This is important since the established mean score in each of the system specific and content outline areas is based on an extremely diverse group of students from academic programs throughout the United States.

IS THERE A RECOMMENDED PASSING SCORE FOR THE EXAMINATION?

There is not an established uniform "passing score" for the examination since the circumstances in which students are required to take the examination are very different. For example, some programs have students take the examination up to six months prior to graduation, while others bring the students back to campus after their final clinical experience and may administer the examination within a few days of graduation. The most relevant factor to consider when deciding on a passing score is the mean examination score for all candidates. This number, which is constantly updated based on student performance, reflects the relative difficulty of the established examination. Ideally, a score of greater than or equal to the mean represents a strong score. Students' scores typically range from 70-112 or 50-80%.

The majority of academic programs who establish a minimum score require students to achieve a score no more than 5 or on occasion 10 questions below the mean score for all candidates. Academic programs offering more than one examination often have a more lenient minimum score requirement on the initial examination and then adopt a more stringent requirement on the final examination. Students who fail to achieve the established minimum score usually have a remediation period and then are required to retake a different examination with the same scoring requirement. Some academic programs require students to retake the same examination, however, it is important to note that a second attempt on the same examination is typically a poor indicator of mastery. The academic version of Online Advantage consists of two distinctly unique full-length examinations.

WHAT PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS USING ONLINE ADVANTAGE PASS THE NPTE-PTA ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT?

Many academic programs anecdotally report a moderate to strong positive relationship between Online Advantage scores and NPTE-PTA scores. However, it is important to note that students should avoid determining their readiness for the actual examination based on a single practice examination. Research presented at APTA's Combined Sections Meeting revealed a 0.665 correlation between the Online Advantage score and the NPTE-PTA scale score.

WILL STUDENTS BE ABLE TO VIEW THE SAME INFORMATION IN THE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS SECTION AS THE ADMINISTRATOR?

Students will be able to view a complete summary of their individual data and compare their personal results to a broader external audience, however, they will be unable to view the results of their classmates or the overall class' performance.

HOW LONG WILL THE ADMINISTRATOR HAVE ACCESS TO THE CLASS DATA?

Administrators will have access to class data for a minimum of three years and can print summary data at any point during this period.

CAN THE ADMINISTRATOR PERFORM AN INDIVIDUAL ITEM ANALYSIS SPECIFIC TO THEIR CLASS?

Administrators have access to individual student and aggregate class data, which provides a summary of the relative strengths and weaknesses of the students within the class and offers a direct comparison of the class to a broader external audience. Administrators will also be able to determine the percentage of users selecting each of the four options for every question.

ONCE STUDENTS TAKE THE EXAMINATION, HOW LONG WILL IT BE UNTIL THE ADMINISTRATOR CAN ACCESS THE STUDENTS' RESULTS?

The administrator will have immediate access to the students' results by logging on to the established administrator's account and utilizing the performance analysis summary.

WHEN DOES THE 60-DAY PERIOD BEGIN FOR STUDENTS TO USE THE EXAMINATION?

The 60-day period begins based on the date the student actually initiates the examination. The date of purchase is not associated with the initiation of the 60-day period.

HOW LONG WILL STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL DATA?

Students will have access to their individual data for 60-days once they initiate taking the examination. Students can print their performance analysis summary at any point during the period and review both their first and second attempts throughout the course of the 60-days.

IF THE 60-DAY PERIOD INADVERTENTLY EXPIRES, IS THERE ANY WAY TO GAIN ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO THE EXAMINATION?

Online Advantage allows students to purchase an additional 15-day access period if necessary. Since the academic version is purchased exclusively by academic programs, it is necessary for students seeking an extension to contact our office directly.

CAN STUDENTS TAKE AN EXAMINATION MORE THAN ONCE?

Online Advantage permits students to take each examination a maximum of two times. Students should recognize that the second attempt is typically a poor measure of mastery since students have already been exposed to the questions. It is critical, however, for students to utilize the performance analysis section of Online Advantage multiple times in order to review correct and incorrect questions and to determine individual strengths and weaknesses.

DO STUDENTS NEED TO TAKE THE EXAMINATION IN A SINGLE SITTING?

Students are encouraged to take the examination in a single sitting since this most closely resembles the format utilized on the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. It is possible, however, to exit the examination if necessary. When exiting Online Advantage all question data will be automatically preserved.

CAN ONLINE ADVANTAGE ACCOMMODATE STUDENTS WITH DOCUMENTED LEARNING DISABILITIES?

The time available for students to complete the 140 question examination is slightly over three hours. Students eligible for extended time (time and a half or double time) can easily be accommodated by calling our office (207) 885-0304. Online Advantage is compatible with several systems that magnify computer type for students that are visually impaired.

I CANNOT FIND MY SCHOOL LISTED IN THE ONLINE ADVANTAGE LIST OF ACADEMIC PROGRAMS?

If you are unable to find the name of your academic program on our menu, please contact our office (207) 885-0304.

CAN STUDENTS PRINT OUT THE EXAMINATION QUESTIONS?

Online Advantage is designed to be an interactive web-based study tool and therefore does not permit students to print out the examination. The program allows students to print their performance analysis summary and have full online access to the examination questions and explanations an unlimited number of times within the 60-day period.

DOES ONLINE ADVANTAGE OFFER EXPLANATION OF ANSWERS?

Each question in Online Advantage includes an explanation of the correct answer and an explanation for each incorrect answer including a cited resource with page number.

IS THE SUMMARY DATA FROM "ALL CANDIDATES" BASED SOLELY ON THE STUDENTS' FIRST ATTEMPT OR DOES IT ALSO INCLUDE DATA FROM THE SECOND ATTEMPT?

Performance data for "All Candidates" is based solely on data obtained from that specific attempt. For example, the “All Candidates” score for a first attempt is the average score for all candidates taking the exam for the first time. A separate “All Candidates” score is generated for a second attempt. It is important to recognize that scoring on second attempts will be heavily influenced by memory and therefore candidates should focus primarily on data generated from the first attempt.

CAN STUDENTS PURCHASE THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Students are not permitted to purchase the academic version of Online Advantage. This restriction substantially reduces the potential of students being exposed to examination items in advance and increases the meaningfulness of obtained examination scores.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE STUDENTS TAKE AN INITIAL EXAMINATION PRIOR TO ADMINISTERING A FINAL COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION BEFORE GRADUATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS?

Many academic programs provide their students with several opportunities to experience a formal comprehensive examination during their academic training. The rationale is that the first examination serves as a pre-test to establish a baseline and identify areas requiring remediation. The second examination then serves as a post-test to determine the amount of progress and the relative degree of preparedness for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. The growing number of academic programs utilizing the pre-test and post-test scenario led to the creation of a second academic examination.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE STUDENT VERSION?

The academic and student versions of Online Advantage are completely distinctive products that utilize independent examination questions. The academic version consists of two examinations and is designed solely for the use of academic programs electing to offer comprehensive examinations to their graduating students. The student version of Online Advantage consists of two examinations and is designed to assist students with their preparation for a comprehensive examination or the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination.

ARE THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN YOUR REVIEW BOOKS OR REVIEW COURSES THE SAME AS THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN THE ACADEMIC VERSION OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE?

Each of our products utilize independent examination questions.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO TAKE SAMPLE EXAMS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES?

It is important for students to answer sample examination questions from a variety of resources. Each examination resource tends to have a slightly different style and difficulty level. Students exhibiting a level of comfort with the questions in multiple resources tend to feel more comfortable with the diversity of questions offered on the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination.

DO THE QUESTIONS UTILIZED IN ONLINE ADVANTAGE CHANGE EACH YEAR?

An item analysis is performed annually on each of the examinations. As part of the process selected items are removed and new questions are added. Items are also removed and added to make sure the questions remain consistent with changes in the examination content outline. On average 10-30 questions will be replaced annually in each of the examinations.

DO THE EXAMINATIONS CONSIST OF 140 OR 180 QUESTIONS?

The NPTE-PTA consists of 180 questions, offered in four sections of 45 questions. 140 of the examination questions are scored items, while 40 of the questions are pre-test items used for possible inclusion as scored items in a future examination. Since a student's maximum attainable score on the actual examination is 140, all Online Advantage examinations consist of 140 questions offered in four sections of 35 questions.

DO YOU HAVE A SUGGESTED METHOD OF HOW STUDENTS CAN ASSUME SOME OR ALL OF THE EXPENSE OF ONLINE ADVANTAGE IN THE EVENT FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT BUDGET?

Many academic programs require students to pay some or all of the expense associated with Online Advantage. Although the academic program must purchase the program using a credit card or purchase order, programs often require students to pay a predetermined fee back to the program prior to being issued their assigned ID and Password.

IS ONLINE ADVANTAGE DESIGNED TO SERVE AS A WEB-BASED REVIEW COURSE?

Online Advantage is a web-based comprehensive testing program and is not designed to serve as a review course. Our two-day On-Campus Review Course and our online review course ACE - A Competitive Edge allow students to explore all elements of preparing for the National Physical Therapist Assistant Examination. Scorebuilders offers over 300 review courses annually at many of the finest physical therapist and physical therapist assistant programs in the United States. Additional information on our review courses is available on our web site.