inconsistency of scores, am I doing something wrong?

[mRhazes]

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Forgive the neuroticness of the post, but how do you guys do UWorld Questions?

I'm around 50% through and I'm starting to get worried because of the inconsistency of my scores. I started doing a lot of U world questions right in the beginning more so than I should have b/c a lot of my basics were hazy. In retrospect I probably should have distributed time more evenly and studied a bit more and done the questions b/c I think I needlessly demoralized myself.

But now, my U world Average is stuck at 50%+/-3 and my individual test score range from 45-67%.

I don't know if its b/c my previous tests from when I studied jack are skewing the averages or that I really do suck.

I noticed I get into the high 60s range whenever I do tests systemically, and if I do them randomly it drops down. I also noticed whenever I do random blocks, I always get a a good 15 of those "huh?" 30-40% answered correctly questions, of which many of those I get wrong so I don't know if I should be alarmed if I'm getting those questions wrong.

Also Im doing better on the NBMEs, but I dont know if its b/c they're "easier" since I didn't do them in order. I did form 3,4,2. I'm just really confused right now. I did ok on form 3, bombed 4, and I did decent on 2 but I'm wondering if it was easier, the questions seemed easier but is it because I studied.

I feel like I'm doing something wrong b/c I cant seem to consistently score in the 60s/70s, it's very touch and go. I know a lot of people post on here that they're averaging 70s+ but is that systems or random? Very nervous here, exam is in like 34 days 🙁

 

[SeekerOfTheTree]

I wouldn't fret too much. If you are looking for a predictive score from Uworld, don't! Everyone that has taken step 1 from my school told me that the Uworld score was much different. The NBME practice test was the best one to take. I would take that and see where you stand.

 

[blueskyline]

With 46 max questions to a block, I think you're bound to have quite a bit of variation between blocks. The good news is that the actual test has 7 blocks, which means that variability is smoothed out a bit.

I just finished UWorld. I've only done timed, random blocks of 46 questions, and the absolute difference between my highest and lowest was ~30%, but the standard deviation was ~8%. My two UWSA scores came out to be within 1 point of one another. Take that for what it's worth.

Basically, just look at trends over larger numbers of questions/blocks, and don't worry about the individual variations so much.

 

[physics junkie]

I'm apparently a pretty emotional test taker because my uworld scores were all over the place. I fluctuated between 91 and 63(was feeling pretty down and out) on random blocks of 46 in the three weeks leading up to the test.

34 days is plenty of time. I did questions by subject when I was going through first aid and after my final pass through FA I did random blocks. Looking back, I wish I did a clean 30 sectional and 20 random. Something is lost when you do random blocks because you won't put together concepts like how acute tubular necrosis differs from interstitial nephritis.

Good luck!

 

[nocturnal55]

I wouldn't fret too much. If you are looking for a predictive score from Uworld, don't! Everyone that has taken step 1 from my school told me that the Uworld score was much different. The NBME practice test was the best one to take. I would take that and see where you stand.

which # NBME test is the one that you are referring to? im still trying to decide which one to buy/do in preparation for the exam. also, for people who have done the UWSA, is the three digit score they give you reflective of the fact that uworld questions are very hard?

 

[mRhazes]

thank you everyone, I think I should hit systems more, final 20 or so days Ill do random untimed, thank you again.

which # NBME test is the one that you are referring to? im still trying to decide which one to buy/do in preparation for the exam. also, for people who have done the UWSA, is the three digit score they give you reflective of the fact that uworld questions are very hard?

they most likely don't factor that in, you'd have to judge for yourself. From the NBMEs I've taken, I don't see too many "tricks". UW questions in my opinion have a lot of twists in turns and some questions make me think some of the question writers are writers from House.