11.1 Confirming Your Hiring Agency's Module Selection & Passing Scores

Why This Step Comes Before You Study Another Minute

CritiCall is not one fixed test — it is a bank of up to 15 possible modules, and every hiring agency assembles its own module roster (the specific subset of modules a candidate will actually be tested on) and sets its own cut score (the minimum score required to pass, commonly 70% to 80% per module, sometimes higher for a particular module such as data entry or decision making). Two candidates applying to two different 911 communications centers in the same state can sit down to genuinely different tests — one might face ten modules with heavy map-reading and cross-referencing content, while the other faces eight modules that skip map reading entirely because that agency's call-takers never handle live map-based routing. Studying every module in this guide equally, without first finding out which ones your specific agency actually uses, wastes hours on content you will never see while under-preparing the modules you will.

This section is the single highest-leverage action you can take before opening any other chapter: contact your hiring agency, or read the job posting and testing notice closely, and get answers to a short, specific list of questions. Treat it as intelligence-gathering, not a formality — the answers change how you allocate every study hour that follows.

What Varies From Agency to Agency

Read the scoring model row carefully, because it changes your entire strategy. Some agencies use a compensatory model, where your module scores are combined into a single composite and a strong result on one module (say, 95% on cross-referencing) can offset a weaker one (72% on map reading) as long as the average clears the cut score. Other agencies use a conjunctive model, where each module has its own independent pass/fail line, and you must clear every single one — a 95% average is irrelevant if even one module falls a single point under its own floor. Ask which model applies. Under a compensatory model your last week of prep should be a broad review; under a conjunctive model it should be a targeted rescue of your single weakest module.

The Six Questions to Ask Before You Study

1. "Which specific CritiCall modules will I be tested on?" (Ask for the module names, not just "the CritiCall test.")
2. "What is the minimum passing score, and is it the same number for every module?"
3. "Is my overall result scored as one composite, or must I pass each module individually?"
4. "What is the typing-speed minimum, and is accuracy scored separately from words-per-minute?"
5. "Will I also complete CritiCall 3D's Behavioral or Situational Judgment sections, and how are those used in the hiring decision?"
6. "If I don't pass, how long before I can retest, and is there a cap on the number of attempts?"

Write the answers down. They become the direct inputs for the personalized prep plan you will build in section 11.3.

Worked Example

A candidate applying to a county sheriff's communications center receives a testing notice reading: "CritiCall pre-employment testing — passing score 75% per section; typing minimum 35 net WPM." That single sentence already tells the candidate three things: the cut score is 75% rather than the more commonly cited 70%, there is a hard typing floor, and the phrase "per section" strongly suggests a conjunctive model (each module scored on its own) rather than a blended composite — though the candidate should still confirm this explicitly rather than assume it. What the notice does not say is which modules from the 15-module list are actually included. The candidate's next move is a short follow-up call or email to human resources asking specifically which modules will be administered, because "CritiCall" alone could mean anywhere from six to fifteen distinct tested skills, each with its own preparation approach.

Common Traps

• Assuming every agency tests all 15 modules — most agencies test a subset, often eight to twelve.
• Assuming a 70% passing score by default when the posting or recruiter has stated a different number.
• Confusing the typing-speed minimum, which is often a hard pass/fail floor on its own, with the data-entry module's overall passing score, which may combine speed and accuracy into one number.
• Skipping the retake-policy question, then being blindsided by a 6-12 month wait if the first attempt falls short of a single module.

Key Takeaways

• CritiCall administers up to 15 possible modules, but each hiring agency selects its own subset — confirm your agency's exact module roster before building a study plan.
• Passing scores commonly run 70%-80% per module, and typing-speed minimums commonly run around 35 net WPM, but both are agency-set and can differ from these norms.
• A conjunctive scoring model requires passing every module independently; a compensatory model averages module scores into one composite — ask which applies, since it changes your final-week priorities.
• Retake waits of 6-12 months are common, which raises the stakes of confirming your specific module list and cut scores accurately the first time.