how many can you get wrong and still get >230?

[liger]

i'm not sure how the scoring works on this thing--but wondering roughly how many you can get wrong and still get >230? thanks

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[docmd2010]

No one knows. I was just kind of wondering, how many people marked (meaning if you mark something, you're not sure about the answer) per section and what scores they got?

I marked on average of 15 per block. Any feedback?

 

[DrFraud]

i'm not sure how the scoring works on this thing--but wondering roughly how many you can get wrong and still get >230? thanks

approximately 54, not including the experimental questions. Since this is a speculation thread, this is my guess.

 

[45408]

72, including a few experimental questions.

 

[osli]

336 - 230 = 106.

So you can miss up to 105 and get > 230.

 

[DwyaneWade]

No one knows. I was just kind of wondering, how many people marked (meaning if you mark something, you're not sure about the answer) per section and what scores they got?

I marked on average of 15 per block. Any feedback?

averaged 10-15 per block...

 

[Helo]

averaged 10-15 per block...

I averages between 9-16 per block, which was way more than my NBME's. NBME's would be approx 5-7 per block, so that was a bit of a shocker!!!

 

[doctorFred]

336 - 230 = 106.

So you can miss up to 105 and get > 230.

actually, since it's out of 800, you could answer 570 questions wrong and still get a 230.

 

[anon-y-mouse]

actually, since it's out of 800, you could answer 570 questions wrong and still get a 230.

snap

 

[samnite]

I wonder if there are NBME spies that post here who can enlighten us...

 

[osli]

Oh, was this thread about the NBME's? I thought it was about the USMLE. oops.

 

[liger]

oh yeah..sorry i didn't specify...i meant this thread to be about the usmle

 

[DrFraud]

oh yeah..sorry i didn't specify...i meant this thread to be about the usmle

that's what I thought

 

[thedrjojo]

I found myself marking and skipping many fewer on the actual and the NBME3 (2-6) than i did with USMLEWorld (typically like 10 per 50Q block) and got a 254 on Step1 and 250 on NBME3...

I love the responses of 336-230=106... LOL, someone doesn't know how this is graded (i mean, no one does, but that guy really doesn't )

Since you are compared to everyone else who took the same questions as you, if you had a harder test that most people struggled on, than you can miss more than someone who had an easier test that most people did good on and still get the 230...

 

[osli]

I love the responses of 336-230=106... LOL, someone doesn't know how this is graded (i mean, no one does, but that guy really doesn't )

That was a joke. Too dry?

 

[barasch]

My best understanding is that the scoring of this exam is a dark and arcane art. Past test writers are burned alive ala viking funeral pyre when they try to leave the nbme.

Seriously though, the most compelling rumor I've heard is that hard questions count more for getting a high score than easy questions. So, if you get a lot of easy questions right, but miss hard questions, you pass. If you get hard questions right, but miss easy questions, you choked, but will probably pass.

If you get all the easy questions right and all the hard questions right, you get to skip third and fourth year and go straight to intern year.

 

[Nodelphi]

I heard that if you send $5,000 to PO Box 22051 in Baltimore you will definitely pass...

 

[doctorFred]

I heard that if you send $5,000 to PO Box 22051 in Baltimore you will definitely pass...

ummmmmmm.. is it just a coincidence that USMLEWorld is also based, out of all places, in maryland?

edit: nevermind, they're based out of philadelphia. however, i should point out that if you whois the USMLEWorld domain, only the webmaster is based in maryland. the IP address localizes to.. philadelphia!

 

[Nodelphi]

ummmmmmm.. is it just a coincidence that USMLEWorld is also based, out of all places, in maryland?

Shhhh.

 

[hsans23]

i think i marked on average around 12-16 per block. i am one of those markers where things i didnt mark are most likely right, some of what i mark is right but alot is wrong, but of course a few unmarked ones are always wrong too - haha it is not really an accurate science is it i remember on my last nbme with 50 q's/block i marked exactly 11 each block and got a 245 - real deal was 246

 

[UditNarayan]

i marked like 10-18 per block (ya i know, ridiculous) but every person has their own style of marking (i may overmark, you may undermark, haha). i was only marked 5-6 per NBME block so that was a shocker. As for how many you can get wrong, probably not quite know, but it must be a fair amount. I took the mock boards 12 weeks out and score an 86/240 on it without having done any studying, and I knew that I got numerous easy questions wrong just bc i cudnt remember the difference btw guanethidine and cocaine let's say. it all depends because you can increase your content base by studying, but you should just as equally increase your test taking ability by continually trying to improve your ability to interpret questions. Some NBME questions (and on the real deal) can be answered with no real knowledge but with interpretation and analysis of info THEY give you in the stem. keep up the solid work everyone!!