How to Tackle SATA Questions on the NCLEX: 5 Tips Every Nursing Student Should Know

"Select All That Apply" (SATA) questions strike fear into the hearts of many nursing students. Unlike standard multiple-choice, there’s no partial feedback during the test—and each choice could be right, wrong, or both. On the NCLEX, SATA isn’t just about content knowledge. It’s about critical thinking, confidence, and knowing how to approach these tricky items.

Here are five test-smart strategies that can boost your SATA performance—and reduce anxiety—on exam day.

Tip #1: Always Select at Least Two Answers

One of the most important rules to remember is this:
👉 There is never just one correct answer in a SATA question.

Even if a question includes 4–6 choices, the NCLEX expects you to choose at least two. It’s called “Select All That Apply,” not “Select One That Applies.” If only one answer seems right, look again. You’re likely missing something.

🧠 Pro Tip: Review each option carefully—even when two seem obvious—just to be sure you don’t overlook a third correct response.

Tip #2: Use the True or False Strategy

Feeling stuck? Use the “true or false” method to analyze each answer choice independently.

Here’s how it works:

🗸 Read each option as a complete statement.
🗸 Ask yourself: Is this TRUE or FALSE about the disease or condition?
🗸 Select it if it’s true. Leave it if it’s false.

📘 Example:

Question: “Which findings are expected in a patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD)?”
Option: “Hypertension” → ✅ TRUE
Option: “Polycythemia” → ❌ FALSE (anemia is more common)

Breaking SATA down this way helps you stay focused and reduces the guesswork.

Tip #3: When in Doubt, Leave It Out

Many students make the mistake of over-selecting options. But SATA questions on the NCLEX are often scored using partial credit or plus-minus grading:

✅ Picking a correct option = gain points

❌ Picking an incorrect option = lose points

That means guessing incorrectly can hurt more than skipping. If you’re not sure whether something is right, don’t select it.

💡 It’s better to miss a correct one and lose potential points than to pick a wrong one and lose guaranteed points.

Tip #4: It’s Rarely All Options—But It Can Happen

While it’s uncommon, sometimes all five or six answer options are correct. Most of the time, though, only two to four are right.

If you're confident about more than four answers, go ahead and select them. Just don’t assume “it’s never all” and skip correct answers. Let your knowledge guide you—not your assumptions.

🧠 Test-smart rule: “Rarely all—but possible if justified.”

Tip #5: Don’t Panic If You See a Lot of SATA

Seeing 10, 15, or even 25 SATA questions on your NCLEX exam? Don’t freak out—that’s not necessarily a bad sign.

The NCLEX uses Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT). If you’re doing well, the system may give you more SATA questions because they’re higher-level items that require critical thinking.

📣 More SATA ≠ you’re failing.
It often means the computer is testing your ability to think clinically, not just recall facts.

Our Take: SATA Success Comes from Strategy, Not Guesswork

SATA questions don’t have to be a nightmare. When you use strategies like the true-false method, avoid wild guesses, and trust your reasoning, you’ll find that these items are manageable—even predictable.

Keep these five strategies in your NCLEX toolkit:

🗸 Always pick at least two
🗸 Use the true-false method
🗸 Skip what you don’t know
🗸 Be open to selecting all
🗸 Stay calm if SATA shows up often

In the end, the NCLEX isn’t looking for perfection. It’s looking for safe, thoughtful, clinically-sound judgment—and that’s exactly what these tips help you build.