Kaplan Q Bank & your Board Score

[EctopicFetus]

I am wondering if someone can compare their Q Bank percentage (scores they were getting) prior to taking the boards and how that compared to their actual score.

Someone I know told me that a 70% on Q bank translated roughly to a 230.

Wondering if anyone has heard differently?

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[southerndoc]

I see this topic comes up year after year. (Don't worry, I wondered the same thing when I took Step I 2 years ago.)

I scored a 70% and ended up with a 246/99. Most people I know who were >65% had scores >230.

 

[Idiopathic]

I hope thats true...it is stated, over and over again, that 55-65% QBank should be right near passing. To hear 65-70% QBank scores coming up with 230-240 USMLE scores would certainly make me feel better with my chronic 74%. (yes, I know that everyone is different).

 

[EctopicFetus]

Southern Doc just curious what your score was when you started?

 

[neilc]

i was averaging at least 65% overall, and 70% in the last couple of weeks. i got a 192/78....i was surprised, to say the least.

the moral of the story...it does not matter at all what anybody tells you they got. what matters is that you prepare as best you can, and pray for a good set of exam questions in your strong areas. all indications pointed to me beating the mean, and as you can see, it didn't happen....

 

[giznut12]

I am just curious. Did you take the Qbank ?'s randomly or did you take them by system/subject? I could see how one could do very well on Qbank and do poorly on the actual exam by doing only subject/system tests (i.e. If you just finishing studying renal path and you took you exam on exclusively renal path, you should do very well.)

 

[musicman1991]

Yeah it comes down to test day performance and luck unfortunately. I mean I know 2 people with >70 on Qbank for Step 1 and I got 250/99 and the other person got 225. I'd say you are sure to pass at least!

 

[Gauss]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Q-bank score is NOT predictive of board score. It is not designed to be, it is an educational tool, not an evaluation tool. THey guesstimate your potenital board score.
Q-bank is overrated as is 1st aid

 

[giznut12]

Gauss....What would you consider to be a good source then if FA and Qbank are overrated?

 

[southerndoc]

Southern Doc just curious what your score was when you started?

I think I was at 65% when I started? I really can't remember. It's been 2 years since I took the exam.

Everyone in my class passed step I (with the lowest score being a 200 if I remember correctly). I think the lowest qbank score I hear from anyone was around 55%, and that person made in the 200-210 range.

 

[12R34Y]

I think Gauss is definately in the super duper tiny minority on that statement. FA and Qbank rock.

 

[neilc]

I am just curious. Did you take the Qbank ?'s randomly or did you take them by system/subject? I could see how one could do very well on Qbank and do poorly on the actual exam by doing only subject/system tests (i.e. If you just finishing studying renal path and you took you exam on exclusively renal path, you should do very well.)

i did it randomly, and with no repeated questions. i tried to get it as close to the real exam circumstances as possible. needless to say, i was disappointed.

but, everything is a bell shaped curve, right? the vast majority of us that scored between 65-60% did good, some did excellent and those of us that were less fortunate scored at the bottom of the curve. such is life, eh?