CritiCall Scores Explained: What Is Considered a Good Score on the CritiCall?

The first thing to understand is that CritiCall isn't one big test. It's a library of over 20 possible modules, and your agency picks only the ones relevant to the job. You might see things like:

You probably won't get all of these. And here's a twist: some agencies include modules they don't even score, just to see how you handle them - info that can resurface later in your interview. If that applies to you, they're supposed to tell you.

Takeaway: Don't assume every section "counts" the same way, but prepare for all of them anyway. You won't know which ones are just for show.

Most modules use a straightforward percentage: correct answers out of the total number of questions. Two modules work differently:

• Data Entry is scored on Keystrokes Per Hour (KPH)
• Typing is scored on Words Per Minute (WPM)

These are called "throughput" metrics because they measure the amount of work that "comes through" in a limited amount of time.

Both of these use a "net" version of the score, meaning your errors get factored in. Typing fast with a lot of mistakes won't save you - accuracy matters as much as speed.

This is the single most important thing to know.

There's no universal national passing score, and most agencies don't average your modules together. Instead, they expect you to clear a cutoff on each module independently - often somewhere around 80% for percentage-based sections, or specific thresholds like 3,000 KPH or 35 WPM for the throughput ones.

So if you're wondering what counts as "good," 80%+ on each module is a reasonable benchmark to aim for, though your specific agency sets the real bar.

What that means in practice: acing reading comprehension does not make up for bombing cross-referencing. You need to be solid everywhere, not just strong on average. That single fact reshapes your entire study plan. Don't focus too hard only on your strong areas and start spending real time on the modules you wish you could avoid.

Here's something a lot of guides get vague about: skipping a question and guessing wrong both cost you. The official material from Biddle, the makers of CritiCall, is clear that skipping is penalized unless a section specifically says otherwise. So the safest general strategy is to answer everything, even if you're not 100% sure.

One exception worth knowing: emergency-message items have a strict 15-second response window. Miss that window, or answer wrong, and you get no credit either way. So for those specifically, speed and decisiveness matter more than careful deliberation.

A rule of thumb going in: treat every unanswered, late, or wrong response as equally costly. Just keep moving and commit to an answer.

This surprises some candidates.

Most agencies don't release your exact scores. You'll typically just learn whether you advanced, landed on an eligibility list, or didn't pass.

What you will not receive is a breakdown of where you lost points. So don't walk in planning to "diagnose" your performance after the fact. Treat the test like a final exam, not a practice run you'll get feedback on.

There's no single nationwide retake policy. It depends entirely on the hiring agency.

As examples: one agency required a six-month wait before reapplying; another set a 70% minimum score with a two-hour time limit. These numbers are not universal, they're just proof that policies vary a lot.

Before test day, find your own agency's specific rule (it's usually in your test notice or available from HR). Don't assume either of those numbers applies to you.

A good CritiCall score is generally 80% or higher on each percentage-scored module, plus around 3,000 KPH on Data Entry and 35 WPM on Typing. There's no official national standard, but most agencies use these as informal benchmarks - and they typically score each module on its own rather than averaging your results together.

In addition:

• Expect a mix of modules pulled from a list of 20+ possibilities - you won't know exactly which until test day.
• Answer every question. Skipping and wrong guesses both cost you, and emergency-message items have a hard 15-second limit.
• You likely won't get a detailed score report - just a pass/advance/eligibility-list result.
  Retake rules are agency-specific. Ask, don't assume.

Going in with this picture will likely make the whole process feel a lot less like a mystery and a lot more like something you could actually prepare for.

Good luck — you've got this.