What Is a Passing Score on the NY Regents? Scoring Explained
If you're studying for a New York State Regents exam, the first question is usually the simplest: what score do I actually need to pass? The short answer is 65 — but there's important nuance behind that number that's worth understanding before exam day.
The passing score: 65
On every Regents exam, a scaled score of 65 or higher is a passing grade and earns the credit toward a Regents diploma. A score of 85 or above is considered “mastery” level on many exams and counts toward an Advanced Regents diploma with honors. So the key thresholds to remember are 65 (pass) and 85 (mastery).
Raw score vs. scaled score
Here's the part that surprises students: the 65 you need is a scaled score, not a raw score. Your raw score is the total points you earn. NYSED then runs that raw score through a conversion chart — published separately for every exam and every administration — to produce your final scaled score out of 100.
Because the conversion changes each session, you often need fewer raw points than you'd think to hit 65. On many exams a raw score around 55–65% converts to a scaled 65. Don't try to guess the exact cutoff, though — focus on maximizing raw points, since the curve is out of your control.
Regents vs. Advanced Regents diploma
A standard Regents diploma requires passing (65+) a set number of exams across English, math, science, and social studies. An Advanced Regents diploma requires passing additional exams — typically three math Regents, two science Regents, and a world-language assessment. Both require a 65 to pass each exam; the difference is how many exams you take.
How to hit your target score
Whatever your goal — a safe 65 or an 85+ for honors — the path is the same: practice with real past exams, review every question you miss, and target your weakest topics. Knowing roughly how many raw points you need lets you budget your effort: nail the multiple-choice for a reliable base, then pick up constructed-response points strategically.
Regentify makes this concrete with a predicted score that updates as you practice authentic NYSED exams — so you always know whether you're tracking above or below your target, and exactly which topics to fix to get there. It's free for every NY student.