USMLE Official 2018 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

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RxC8H10N4O2 said:
USMLE is very tight-lipped about how they determine their curves so it's hard to say. However I believe that each question has its own curve, which is determined around now when they tweak the question pool (which is why so many of us are waiting a while for scores). Because of that, I don't think it really matters where and when you take it. It isn't like the SAT/ACT/MCAT/etc where everyone who takes it on a single day gets the same questions, everyone gets different questions from I assume a 10,000+ question pool, and each individual is scored independently based on how everyone has previously done on that question. Hopefully that answers your question!
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Ive actually heard that the exam is more "form" based where you get a form like NBME x and the persom next to you might get NBME y. So there arent so much just random but that their are several forms that they rotate. This is my understanding from speaking to students who recently took the exam. I could be totally off.
 
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pbrocks15 said:
Ive actually heard that the exam is more "form" based where you get a form like NBME x and the persom next to you might get NBME y. So there arent so much just random but that their are several forms that they rotate. This is my understanding from speaking to students who recently took the exam. I could be totally off.
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I guess you can't really predict the kind of test you will get. I've seen people say its easier than Uworld and others say its harder and some say its nothing like it. That's whats frustrating there is really no true practice test for it. You get what you are served and that somewhat intimates me!
 
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Usmle mania said:
I guess you can't really predict the kind of test you will get. I've seen people say its easier than Uworld and others say its harder and some say its nothing like it. That's whats frustrating there is really no true practice test for it. You get what you are served and that somewhat intimates me!
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Haha Me too, trust me! I think that's why its better sometimes to not stress about it because this is SO far out of our hands that we have to leave it up to God (or luck/whatever you believe in) because there is NOTHING we can do differently. Even if someone tells you everything on their exam (even though, yes, we know its wrong, but speaking hypothetical) then it isn't even worth preparing for that stuff because you might get a form that has NONE of that material. So that's why its best just doing your part and working as hard as you can and in the end what happens, happens. *shrugs*
 
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Usmle mania said:
Hey guys! Congratulations to all who have slayed this crazy monster of a test lol
I just have one question, rather stupid one I guess. Does the location at where you take the test or the months when you take it effect the score curve?
e.g when americans are taking it, I heard the curve is more generous rather than when its IMG season who tend to usually aim for higher scores. I plan on taking it in New York in a months' time. Just a random thought!
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“who tend to usually aim for higher scores”

lol
 
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vamuaya said:
So I take the test next saturday (June 30) and my goal is a 250. My scores on practice tests are the following:

NBME16- 242
NBME17- 246
UWSA2- 258
NBME18- 240

UW mixed average- 81%

How realistic is a 250 based on my scores?
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Do you really hope that there is a person in this world who can predict your score?
 
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pbrocks15 said:
Ive actually heard that the exam is more "form" based where you get a form like NBME x and the persom next to you might get NBME y. So there arent so much just random but that their are several forms that they rotate. This is my understanding from speaking to students who recently took the exam. I could be totally off.
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Highly unlikely. They would be risking the entire integrity of the exam doing this. Identical forms would be easily regurgitated from memory and posted somewhere on the dark/deep web for bitcoins or whatever.

However, I do think that since the experimental questions are new and before they obtain enough data on them, one person’s exam may have more “hard” ones because that’s the point of putting experimental questions: they don’t know which ones will perform how.
 
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Integral said:
“who tend to usually aim for higher scores”

lol
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Lol Yeah i see IMG's with crazy scores. Even though I'm an IMG myself, my aim is pretty modest. Anything between 225-235 will make me happy. Started with an ambitious aim but I can't keep up with step 1 😛 so I caved in
 
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Integral said:
Highly unlikely. They would be risking the entire integrity of the exam doing this. Identical forms would be easily regurgitated from memory and posted somewhere on the dark/deep web for bitcoins or whatever.

However, I do think that since the experimental questions are new and before they obtain enough data on them, one person’s exam may have more “hard” ones because that’s the point of putting experimental questions: they don’t know which ones will perform how.
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Good point. I have heard though of people having very similar exams within the same week which has hedged me into thinking more of the "Form" theory than otherwise. Anyways, it's all speculation. Doesnt change how I would prepare or anything. Kinda fun to think about sometimes though lol
 
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Anyone who took their exam in the afternoon session? How was the experience? Worth it? or should stick the morning timings? and do you guys know of a good center in NY that offers afternoon sessions?
 
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Integral said:
Except we don’t know what “early” June means.
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Oh I guess I was just thinking that everyone who took it before ~June 23rd would get it July 11th, since anyone who takes it after the 23rd would normally get their score after July 11th even without the delay. And it would seem weird if someone who took the exam say June 15th would get their score before someone who took it May 10th, you know? But that could definitely be wrong, what do I know.
 
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According to some previous threads, NBME 18 was released on March 26, 2016 and NBME 19 was released on March 1, 2017.
With the recent test pool questions change, was just wondering that it is possible that NBME 20 can be released soon or before August?
 
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Highlander™ said:
According to some previous threads, NBME 18 was released on March 26, 2016 and NBME 19 was released on March 1, 2017.
With the recent test pool questions change, was just wondering that it is possible that NBME 20 can be released soon or before August?
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Word around the street is that one is either coming late this year in/September or it will be out next year around March. (My source is the ultra reliable reddit).

Ps. I'm kidding that reddit is reliable... it's really not THAT reliable at all so take that with a grain of salt. I think in the end no one really knows.
 
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So here is what I got in my assessments uwsa 1 (243)baseline
Nbme 16 (240)
6 weeks out
Nbme 17 (240) 1 month out
Nbme 19 (240) 2 weeks out
Uwsa1 2 (249) 1 week out
Nbme 18 (240) yesterday
Exam in 2 days.. Really wanted to cross 250 , now seems impossible thing for me
 
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AlexPol said:
I guess the night before July 11 will be exactly the same as that before exam.. may be one difference is that we can get drunk:wacky: to fall asleep😴
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Seeing as I'm on call the day before, I will probably have no issues falling asleep even without alcohol haha.
 
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pbrocks15 said:
Good point. I have heard though of people having very similar exams within the same week which has hedged me into thinking more of the "Form" theory than otherwise. Anyways, it's all speculation. Doesnt change how I would prepare or anything. Kinda fun to think about sometimes though lol
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Friend and I took the exam at the same time at the same location. We got many of the same Qs but also many that werent the same. I believe we speculated that some of those were experimental given the difficulty/randomness but who really knows.
Also, fwiw, the DAT has "forms" that rotate and its the stupidest thing ever bc students literally cheat their faces off.
 
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Newyawk said:
Friend and I took the exam at the same time at the same location. We got many of the same Qs but also many that werent the same. I believe we speculated that some of those were experimental given the difficulty/randomness but who really knows.
Also, fwiw, the DAT has "forms" that rotate and its the stupidest thing ever bc students literally cheat their faces off.
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My friend is too nervous to check her scores. Any idea what time they are posted eastern time on Wednesdays?
 
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Newyawk said:
11 AM promptly. July 13th it will def crash tho cuz way too many people will be checking
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July 13th is a Friday, i swear it is always Wed right unless it has changed due to the delay or something. Also, I have heard it is even posted before the email sometimes by 1-2 hr.
 
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finalpsychyear said:
July 13th is a Friday, i swear it is always Wed right unless it has changed to the delay or something. Also, I have heard it is even posted before the email sometimes by 1-2 hr.
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Yep. It’ll be released on July 11 and we do get a mail. I don’t think they will release on july 4th also so I guess all of us are gonna have to wait 13 days more.
 
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finalpsychyear said:
July 13th is a Friday, i swear it is always Wed right unless it has changed due to the delay or something. Also, I have heard it is even posted before the email sometimes by 1-2 hr.
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Whatever the date is idk. And nah it always comes out at 11. The email is stupid. I got my email at like 3 pm
 
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AlexPol said:
I know that results will be only in two weeks, but I've checked my email several times today anyway:laugh:
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I'm taking my exam on june 30th and knowing my self...I am 100 percent going to check my email on july 11th! … even though it makes no logical sense...but hey they said "everybody" gets their score that day right?
 
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Here is how my cat was studying for step 1
MyCollages.jpg
 
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Final Scores:
NBME 15: 205 (2.5 months out)
NBME 13:236 2 weeks out
NBME 16: 236 1.5 weeks out
NBME 17: 223 1 week
NBME 18: 232
NBME 19: 223 6.27
Game day : June 30th
86% free 120

UWSA1:243 (40 days out)
UWSA2: 237 2 weeks out

Score predictions anyone?
 
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finalpsychyear said:
would this also apply for people who took it on Friday June 22nd. July 11th would be the 3rd Wed if that rule is still correct?
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I always thought it was 4 weeks (or slightly more if you took it thursday or friday since your score is reported on the next Wednesday)

I took it 6/22 and wasn't expecting mine back until 7/25
 
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