Written Clinical Exam Pass / Fail Summary

The Virginia Board of Social Work posts the pass/fail data for the Clinical Exam by graduates of Virginia Masters of Social Work (MSW) programs as a public service to potential LCSW candidates. The Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) provides this data to the Virginia Board of Social Work. ASWB is the sole source provider for the Clinical Examination and provides the Examination to 49 states, including Virginia, based on nationally researched clinical social work skills and functions.

In reviewing the data, please keep in mind the following information:

• The results for the first time group taking the examination give the most accurate indication of ability and are the best indication of a true pass rate for the MSW program and nationally.
• Inferences and suppositions cannot be reliably made from pass rate data for groups of fewer than 100 candidates. Data for groups with small numbers only reflect the ability of those particular candidates.
• Once a candidate fails, the chances of failing again are greater than for candidates taking the examination for the first time.
• Candidates who have failed before and are taking the examination again affect results for the total group of candidates taking the examination, lowering the overall pass rate for the total. Therefore, only the pass rate for candidates taking the clinical exam for the first time should be considered.
• The national percentages of passing candidates for first-time, repeat, and total examinees are provided for comparative purposes.

Please click here for the current Virginia MSW programs pass/fail summary of the clinical examination for George Mason University, Norfolk State University, Radford University and Virginia Commonwealth University.