You’ve just walked out of your NCLEX exam. Brain fried. Palms sweaty.
Stethoscope dreams dangling by a thread. You took the test on a Friday, and now the waiting game begins.
But how long do you have to wait? Will Pearson post your quick results on a Sunday? Or will you have to white-knuckle it until Monday?
You’re not the only one asking this question—Reddit, TikTok, and nursing forums are bursting with the same anxious inquiry. Let’s break it all down with facts, personal stories, and a no-B.S. look at the 48-hour window after your exam.
Do NCLEX Quick Results Get Released on the Weekend?
Short answer: Yes.
Despite what some candidates have heard, the NCLEX quick results system does not take weekends off.
“It comes exactly 48 hours after your scheduled time to take the test, no matter what day it is on.”
— Reddit user, took NCLEX on Friday and got results on Sunday
If you tested at noon on Friday, you can expect your quick results to show up at noon on Sunday—to the minute. The 48-hour clock starts ticking from your scheduled start time, not when you finish.
No “business hours” nonsense here. Pearson VUE releases results 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Even if your anxiety doesn’t take weekends off—luckily, neither does the results system.
Real-Life Examples: Friday Testers Who Got Results on Sunday
Straight from the trenches of Reddit:
- Tested Friday at 12 PM → Got quick results Sunday at 12 PM.
- Tested Friday 2 PM → Results came in Sunday at 2 PM.
- Multiple users confirmed getting results on Sunday down to the minute of their exam time.
- Even candidates in New York (which has its own quirks) reported 48-hour turnaround times over the weekend.
One user even commented:
“I didn’t get any of the topics I studied—just OB and psych, my weakest areas. I was convinced I failed… but 48 hours later, I passed. On a Sunday.”
What About the Pearson VUE Trick (PVT)? Should You Do It?
Ah, the infamous PVT—the nursing student’s digital tarot card.
Here’s the gist:
Good Pop-Up = Likely Passed
When you try to re-register for the exam after finishing, a “good pop-up” looks like this:
“Our records indicate that you have recently scheduled this exam. Another registration cannot be made at this time.”
This usually means you passed.
Bad Pop-Up = …Unclear
If you get prompted to enter your credit card or choose another payment method, that’s often seen as a “bad pop-up” and can signal a fail—but not always.
What About Charges?
As of recent updates:
- Some users are charged $200, even with a good pop-up.
- Those who passed often reported being refunded within hours.
- Those who failed stayed charged and received confirmation emails for a new ATT.
“I got the good pop-up and a refund four hours later. All of us who got refunded passed. Those who weren’t refunded failed.”
Important: If you try this, use a card with available funds and know that you might temporarily be charged.
“It’s not that deep for me—I’ll just wait for the official result.”
— A wise Reddit user avoiding unnecessary heart attacks
Feel Like You Failed? You’re Not Alone.
If you’re spiraling after the exam, take heart in this raw honesty from someone who passed:
“My exam was brutal. I guessed on most questions. Only got OB and psych—my weakest subjects. I warned my hiring ER I might fail. I don’t know how I passed. Nothing short of a miracle.”
You’re not the only one who walked out of the testing center ready to write a eulogy for your nursing dreams.
But remember: NCLEX isn’t about perfection. It’s about clinical judgment—and clearly, many who second-guessed themselves still came out with a pass.
Your NCLEX Result Timeline If You Took the Exam on a Friday
| Time You Took the Exam | When to Expect Quick Results |
| Friday at 9 AM | Sunday at 9 AM |
| Friday at 2 PM | Sunday at 2 PM |
| Friday at 5 PM | Sunday at 5 PM |
Pearson VUE’s clock doesn’t care about weekends or holidays—it runs on a strict 48-hour countdown.
Final Words: Trust the System, and Trust Yourself
Waiting for results can be more excruciating than the exam itself. But you’ve done the hard part. If you took the NCLEX on a Friday, go ahead and set your alarm for exactly 48 hours later—even if that lands on a Sunday.
And if you’re still in the trenches, prepping for test day?
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You’re closer than you think to those two little letters: RN.
Stay steady. Stay focused. Sunday’s coming.
