Rescore

[mintendo]

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Has anyone ever tried a rescore and had it work out for them? I'm almost speechless after seeing my score. It's almost 30 points lower than my last practice test. It's really a sincere question and I could really use some advice. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[MedicalMan132]

How do you know? 15% difference --> 30 points seems about right. Isn't that about right for the NBMEs? The conversion is all speculation and certainly test dependent.

Does anyone know whether they count each question as one point or they are weighted for difficulty or what? All of the USMLE World and Kaplan exams are just % questions you get correct. All of the calculators to estimate grades are based on the scores from these exams. I know for the SAT you get a certain percent off for guessing (wrong answers) and one point per right answer. Are there other standardized exams where the scoring system is not transparent?

 

[Teee]

any news? is there a time limit on when we can ask for a rescore?

 

[gildas]

any news? is there a time limit on when we can ask for a rescore?

You have to request it within 90 days.

 

[Gute]

I only took one NBME practice test, which was administered to my entire class before we began our Step 1 prep period. I scored in the top quartile in my class. After 2 months of studying, my actual Step 1 score was 15 points below my baseline. My performance profile was really odd for me too. I did FA and Kaplan Qbank. I figured it was the result of crazy stress in my personal life over the past couple months, but this is making me reconsider. I took it May 26th, so I was in the group that had to wait 7-8 weeks for our scores because of the software switch, and I'm sure they'd be loathe to admit that, with so much time, they still managed to miscalculate our scores.

I hate to say this, but...you should've done usmle world instead of Kaplan and you should have done all the NBMEs as well. Its ridiculous that people come on this board and complain about how they did poorly after they don't follow the almost universal consensus on this board about how to do well (i.e. world is more like the real thing and is the best qbank, nbmes will reappear on the test and are thus freebies).

This whole rescoring business won't change anything, its a computerized test not a scantron that has a theoretical chance of getting misgraded. Do you really think the algorithm was screwed up? Otherwise, the NBME would be in such deep slit since the whole batch of scores would be completely off. Your only chance is if you remember some egregious questions that may have been graded incorrectly, but after such a time period it will be difficult to even remember more than a question or two that was just that off the wall. Even if do find questions to challenge, it is likely going to be an experimental question that wasn't counted anyway.

Just face the fact that you got arrogant off the results of one NBME and didn't work as hard as you should have.

FWIW, all my friends and myself got scores near pre-test predictions or significantly (i.e. >6 pts, the SEM espoused by the NBME) higher.

 

[Zoom-Zoom]

I hate to say this, but...you should've done usmle world instead of Kaplan and you should have done all the NBMEs as well. Its ridiculous that people come on this board and complain about how they did poorly after they don't follow the almost universal consensus on this board about how to do well (i.e. world is more like the real thing and is the best qbank, nbmes will reappear on the test and are thus freebies).

This whole rescoring business won't change anything, its a computerized test not a scantron that has a theoretical chance of getting misgraded. Do you really think the algorithm was screwed up? Otherwise, the NBME would be in such deep slit since the whole batch of scores would be completely off. Your only chance is if you remember some egregious questions that may have been graded incorrectly, but after such a time period it will be difficult to even remember more than a question or two that was just that off the wall. Even if do find questions to challenge, it is likely going to be an experimental question that wasn't counted anyway.

Just face the fact that you got arrogant off the results of one NBME and didn't work as hard as you should have.

FWIW, all my friends and myself got scores near pre-test predictions or significantly (i.e. >6 pts, the SEM espoused by the NBME) higher.

That's not necessarily true. If, as others have speculated, a computer error caused one to submit an entire section blank or the like, it might warrant some sort of action...it depends on whether the program also logs computer errors.

It does seem likely though that there is a scoring discrepancy between UW and the real deal.

It would be interesting to know whether they'll receive a statistically significant increase in regrade requests this year. That'd be a pretty quick and sure way of knowing there's something weird going on. Not that they'll ever share that info or do anything with it if they had it, but it'd be interesting to know.

 

[Gute]

That's not necessarily true. If, as others have speculated, a computer error caused one to submit an entire section blank or the like, it might warrant some sort of action...it depends on whether the program also logs computer errors.

It does seem likely though that there is a scoring discrepancy between UW and the real deal.

It would be interesting to know whether they'll receive a statistically significant increase in regrade requests this year. That'd be a pretty quick and sure way of knowing there's something weird going on. Not that they'll ever share that info or do anything with it if they had it, but it'd be interesting to know.

If that is the case then I would suspect that the test was submitted with essentially a blank section. Automatic -48 with no record of how you did, if thats the case then I truly feel sorry because NBME probably isn't going to care.

 

[Dr0917]

I hate to say this, but...you should've done usmle world instead of Kaplan and you should have done all the NBMEs as well. Its ridiculous that people come on this board and complain about how they did poorly after they don't follow the almost universal consensus on this board about how to do well (i.e. world is more like the real thing and is the best qbank, nbmes will reappear on the test and are thus freebies).


Well I did USMLE world and all the NBME's, and my score was 30 points lower than predicted. And I don't get test anxiety. And I didn't get arrogant- I studied my ass off for two more weeks after making a 247 on one of the practice exams. This isn't really your place to be getting on here and criticizing people. We already feel like we have been blind-sighted and kicked in the stomach. Maybe you should be spending your free time learning how to be compassionate. I'm sure your patients will appreciate that one day.

 

[Gute]

I hate to say this, but...you should've done usmle world instead of Kaplan and you should have done all the NBMEs as well. Its ridiculous that people come on this board and complain about how they did poorly after they don't follow the almost universal consensus on this board about how to do well (i.e. world is more like the real thing and is the best qbank, nbmes will reappear on the test and are thus freebies).


Well I did USMLE world and all the NBME's, and my score was 30 points lower than predicted. And I don't get test anxiety. And I didn't get arrogant- I studied my ass off for two more weeks after making a 247 on one of the practice exams. This isn't really your place to be getting on here and criticizing people. We already feel like we have been blind-sighted and kicked in the stomach. Maybe you should be spending your free time learning how to be compassionate. I'm sure your patients will appreciate that one day.

I wasn't responding to you. The poster I was responding to stated that he only used kaplan and took only one NBME, which I see to be a study plan that sets oneself up for underperformance. In case you didn't realize it, the purpose of the quote box is to avoid such confusion about who a post is directed to.

I'm sorry you didn't do as well as you wanted, especially considering your drop in performance. Good luck with your rescore.

 

[alwaysaangel]

FYI rescores don't take very long. Submitted Monday 7/20 received response today 8/3.

So not a long turn around at least, if they wanted to drag it out 6 weeks like the original score I'm sure they would.

 

[gildas]

FYI rescores don't take very long. Submitted Monday 7/20 received response today 8/3.

So not a long turn around at least, if they wanted to drag it out 6 weeks like the original score I'm sure they would.

So did they change your score?

 

[drknowing]

FYI rescores don't take very long. Submitted Monday 7/20 received response today 8/3.

So not a long turn around at least, if they wanted to drag it out 6 weeks like the original score I'm sure they would.

I am guessing by the lack of enthusiasm nothing happened, but what did they actually send you, a new score report? Any explanation?

 

[alwaysaangel]

So did they change your score?

It wasn't mine. And I don't know if it changed. It was a friend of mine and she just said that she received the response and I figured the people around here would like to know the approx. turn around time.

 

[laputan]

Can you imagine all the mayhem on SDN if someone actually got their score changed after a re-score. I.e. how rich NBME would be if they actually changed *one* person's score and that person posted were to post on SDN about it.

All it would take is one troll to make about 90% of SDN drop $55 to the NBME.

But yeah, if you're gonna do it, do it for closure, don't get your hopes up.

 

[wake5233]

Rescore back: No change
"investigation" back: "yes you submitted your last section"

oh well

 

[sd1984]

I hate to say this, but...you should've done usmle world instead of Kaplan and you should have done all the NBMEs as well. Its ridiculous that people come on this board and complain about how they did poorly after they don't follow the almost universal consensus on this board about how to do well (i.e. world is more like the real thing and is the best qbank, nbmes will reappear on the test and are thus freebies).


Well I did USMLE world and all the NBME's, and my score was 30 points lower than predicted. And I don't get test anxiety. And I didn't get arrogant- I studied my ass off for two more weeks after making a 247 on one of the practice exams. This isn't really your place to be getting on here and criticizing people. We already feel like we have been blind-sighted and kicked in the stomach. Maybe you should be spending your free time learning how to be compassionate. I'm sure your patients will appreciate that one day.

👍

 

[PuppyKicker16]

So much for uncovering that huge Fred V2 conspiracy, ya'll. I assume no news is bad news.

 

[clement]

So much for uncovering that huge Fred V2 conspiracy, ya'll. I assume no news is bad news.

really truly no word? i took in nyc, script error at the end of my sixth block as i opted to take a break...and 20-30 points lower than practice exams.. AND felt like my test was very fair.
i guess i can blame the curve as well? somehow i get the vibe re-scoring is a bogus venture?

 

[greg1184]

I hate to say this, but...you should've done usmle world instead of Kaplan and you should have done all the NBMEs as well. Its ridiculous that people come on this board and complain about how they did poorly after they don't follow the almost universal consensus on this board about how to do well (i.e. world is more like the real thing and is the best qbank, nbmes will reappear on the test and are thus freebies).

This whole rescoring business won't change anything, its a computerized test not a scantron that has a theoretical chance of getting misgraded. Do you really think the algorithm was screwed up? Otherwise, the NBME would be in such deep slit since the whole batch of scores would be completely off. Your only chance is if you remember some egregious questions that may have been graded incorrectly, but after such a time period it will be difficult to even remember more than a question or two that was just that off the wall. Even if do find questions to challenge, it is likely going to be an experimental question that wasn't counted anyway.

Just face the fact that you got arrogant off the results of one NBME and didn't work as hard as you should have.

FWIW, all my friends and myself got scores near pre-test predictions or significantly (i.e. >6 pts, the SEM espoused by the NBME) higher.

There is no universal consensus. SDN does not reflect the entire medical student population. Period. There are more than enough people who did NOT use USMLEWorld and did fine. Not everybody studies the same, and what works for you does not necessarily work for other people.

 

[theman1990]

I agree, given that no one who posted that they were paying for a rescore posted a result, in passive med student lingo that translates to "no change."

 

[Gute]

There is no universal consensus. SDN does not reflect the entire medical student population. Period. There are more than enough people who did NOT use USMLEWorld and did fine. Not everybody studies the same, and what works for you does not necessarily work for other people.

Thank you Mr. CLASS OF 2012, for your opinion about how to best study for Step 1, you surely should be the one preaching this "no universal consensus/ SDN isn't representative of actual students/study for step 1 how you want without listening to others' opinions" crap to people.

Good luck trying to max your score not using usmleworld though. Comparing world to other qbanks isn't a matter of 'what works for you vs. other people", its a matter of it just being superior in question content and style to the other qbanks. Period.

 

[greg1184]

Thank you Mr. CLASS OF 2012, for your opinion about how to best study for Step 1, you surely should be the one preaching this "no universal consensus/ SDN isn't representative of actual students/study for step 1 how you want without listening to others' opinions" crap to people.

Good luck trying to max your score not using usmleworld though. Comparing world to other qbanks isn't a matter of 'what works for you vs. other people", its a matter of it just being superior in question content and style to the other qbanks. Period.

You're welcome. I truly admire your ability to insult and patronize people who are venting on this thread. It takes real skill to hurl around insults on an internet message board, especially SDN. But hey, as long as you put "Period." at the end of your sentence, it is fact. Pardon me.

I am also amazed at how smart you are that you have already deciphered my study plan even when I NEVER said that I was not going to use USMLE World for my studies. I especially enjoyed the assumption that I was giving USMLE studying advice instead of simply saying that there ARE people who didn't use World and did fine. You must be psychic. Props to you. 👍

 

[Gute]

You're welcome. I truly admire your ability to insult and patronize people who are venting on this thread. It takes real skill to hurl around insults on an internet message board, especially SDN. But hey, as long as you put "Period." at the end of your sentence, it is fact. Pardon me.

I am also amazed at how smart you are that you have already deciphered my study plan even when I NEVER said that I was not going to use USMLE World for my studies. I especially enjoyed the assumption that I was giving USMLE studying advice instead of simply saying that there ARE people who didn't use World and did fine. You must be psychic. Props to you. 👍

Look at the experience thread and find me the percentage of people who score >250 and did not use World. You will find that they are the exception.

 

[Lamotrigine]

Can you score go DOWN after a score recheck?

 

[clement]

Can you score go DOWN after a score recheck?

This thread is a ghost town. I assume we can interpret the silence as 99.9% of the time NOTHING happens after the 55 dollars leaves your possession or else it'd be the talk-of-the-town. I'm so tempted to blow my 55 on this because of the script error but the prevailing opinion is that it's an inconsequential nuisance at most.

 

[jeg5q]

Look at the experience thread and find me the percentage of people who score >250 and did not use World. You will find that they are the exception.

I had never heard of USMLE World when I took it.

 

[clement]

I had never heard of USMLE World when I took it.

if anything the uwsa's screwed me over because they were way the hell off.
ps: people, i know a decent number of img's that are devoted kaplan qbank fans who have never heard of uworld (and this is common depending on where the img is from)... they got 250+

 

[Gute]

I had never heard of USMLE World when I took it.

I'm sorry you didn't use sdn before step 1. I didn't say it was impossible to do well without world. I could've done well without it too, my point is that you are doing yourself a disservice by not doing world if you want to achieve the highest score you are capable of.

 

[jeg5q]

I'm sorry you didn't use sdn before step 1. I didn't say it was impossible to do well without world. I could've done well without it too, my point is that you are doing yourself a disservice by not doing world if you want to achieve the highest score you are capable of.

Oh, I was on SDN before I took Step I, it just didn't seem that popular of an aid then, or maybe I wasn't focused on what people were using. Don't really know. My point, similar to those above is that everyone is different and everyone will find what works best for them. I thought Kaplan Qbank was a great resource of questions, had I known about UWorld I would have done those questions when I finished Qbank instead of the other question bank I was using, but I doubt if it would have improved my score to use UWorld.

 

[HPSPpayissues]

I think something might be strange with the scoring too. Here are my stats:

UWorld= 69% (48 questions, random, timed, ~70% complete)
NBME 2 (2 months prior)= 216
NBME 4 (1 month prior)= 247
NBME 6 (1 week prior)= 244

Step 1(5/27, V2)= 232

It's obviously a fine score, but I was shocked that it was so much lower than my two prior practice tests. I'm normally a good test taker (scored a 36 on the MCAT). I walked out feeling like it was a fair test and felt the same way I did after I took the practice tests. My performance profile looked completely different than the ones on my practice tests too. It seriously looks like another person took that test.

I'm going to spend the $55. It may be extremely rare to have a score changed and I doubt they actually re-analyze the scoring with much effort or rigor, but I figure it's worth a try.

By the way, where/when did you guys take the test? I was on 5/27 in NYC. Maybe we can see if there's a trend for scores in a particular region.

Maybe, the students got smarter and the curve went up ? 😉

 

[aashkab]

man this thread freaks me out. i hope i didn't get some crazy drop on my test

 

[FranklinBluthMD]

Don't let it psyche you out. People put way too much faith into these practice exams/qbank estimations. This test, more than anything I've ever encountered, is a crap shoot. If you left your exam feeling ok, you more likely than not did well.

 

[jeg5q]

completely anecdotal, but my final NBME was 3 points lower than my actual score. i consider them a decent assessment of your preparedness.

 

[jahbrony]

.

 

[ChimpanzeeMinky]

Guess I'm an exception to the rule then. I walked out thinking I crushed the exam and I did. 👍

That is exactly what he said. 😕

 

[DivCurlZero]

My real score was pretty close to the last NBME I took before the real test. Did any of you feel any "different" when taking the real thing versus the practice tests? And did you take them under "test like" conditions? (I'm assuming the answer is yes otherwise you probably wouldn't be complaining). I did NOT have any script errors on my test... what happened when you got one?

Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to guess that the $55 is really just a "donation" as many of you are alluding to / joking, especially since you don't even get your answer sheet back... it's not even clear what they're doing differently for the re-grade process.

Anyways, good luck! I agree that a 30 pt drop from practice tests is very bizarre.

 

[hrandani]

Just a heads up to anybody reading this and freaking out; the thread is from last year - 2009.

 

[aashkab]

lololololol OMG. i DEFINITELY WAS FREAKING OUT, hahahaha

 

[DivCurlZero]

Just a heads up to anybody reading this and freaking out; the thread is from last year - 2009.

Oh man I totally didn't catch that and even replied to the OPs ...

 

[topscorer]

Oh, I was on SDN before I took Step I, it just didn't seem that popular of an aid then, or maybe I wasn't focused on what people were using. Don't really know. My point, similar to those above is that everyone is different and everyone will find what works best for them. I thought Kaplan Qbank was a great resource of questions, had I known about UWorld I would have done those questions when I finished Qbank instead of the other question bank I was using, but I doubt if it would have improved my score to use UWorld.

when i was curious about this

i checked out the ratings at the back of first aid from 2005 til 2010

and even in the past 3 yrs. you'd be amazed at how rapidly they change. i dont remember the exact years, but i was shocked at how uworld was a B- very very recently, and the year before that, WAS NOT EVEN LISTED.

and the BIBLES that we discuss on 2010, like goljan rr was poorly poorly rated recently. and kaplan qbank was one of FEW A's and was standard.

I guess my point is, the amount a qbank can change in a single year does not reflect its relative rating changes and popularity (fad factor) for that current year.

 

[FadingPromise]

Just as a question, what is the most accurate self-assessment to predict the real score? UWSA, or NBME practice test (I hear 7 is the best, but not sure)?

Also, I keep hearing that the real test actually recycle "some" questions from the NBME practice exams. Is it just with the latest test (7, 6), or is it with all of them?

 

[dtwalrus]

Have any of you folks considered fatigue as an explanation?

For example, in my practice tests I was pretty consistently scoring in a narrow range the weeks leading up to the test. But on NBME's I'd miss more questions on section 4 than section 3 and more there than section 2, and so on. Also was missing more late in a block than early in a block. When my scores come back I'm prepared for the possibility of a score significantly lower than the practice scores because who's to say my performance on block 7 won't be flat out terrible.

Just because you're getting 70% of UWorld while doing 48 questions at a time, doesn't mean you'd get a 70 percent average of 350 Step 1 questions. And unless you were doing back-to-back NBME's, there's a good chance even that may overshoot an actual score.

Fatigue could definitely be the explanation. Still, I would rescore. At the very least it's peace of mind.

 

[DOCTORSAIB]

bump.

 

[vvinodbabu]

I am one of those very few unfortunate doctors who got a 30 point drop from my usual baseline and got a 200 in the main exam. Submitted for a recheck and after going through this thread which has been here for years, I began thinking I spent another 55$ on the USMLE gamble. Goodbye USA and goodbye USMLE. Thanks for your great standards.

 

[JelloBrain]

I am one of those very few unfortunate doctors who got a 30 point drop from my usual baseline and got a 200 in the main exam. Submitted for a recheck and after going through this thread which has been here for years, I began thinking I spent another 55$ on the USMLE gamble. Goodbye USA and goodbye USMLE. Thanks for your great standards.

Vinod,
Before you call it quits, please read my post in response to your original post about possible Step 1 score error. If you have read it, I suggest reading it again with a calm mind. Then just answer these questions honestly to yourself:

1. Do I want to be a quitter?
2. Am I going to accept defeat by one setback in my life?
3. Did my dream only mean that much to me?
4. Am I ever going to forever wonder "what could have been"?

Then decide your next move. Do remember that you have been presented with a challenge in your life where you can either fight it or succumb to it. What you choose to do will define what you are made of, and not some score testing stuff that majority of us will never need to use in our lifetime as physicians!

Good luck,

JB

And please don't say or think that I don't know or don't understand what you are facing. I have fought for my dreams with all I had, and am still fighting. If I had given up, I would still be a married mother of who knows how many serving her extremely orthodox in-laws!

 

[hrandani]

Is it possible that many of the people that get a 30 point drop are taking the ECFMG exam rather than the NBME administered version? I keep hearing that there is both a soft and a hard curve applied to trend ECFMG scores downward about 10-20 points.

 

[JelloBrain]

Is it possible that many of the people that get a 30 point drop are taking the ECFMG exam rather than the NBME administered version? I keep hearing that there is both a soft and a hard curve applied to trend ECFMG scores downward about 10-20 points.

Can you please elaborate what you mean by ECFMG v/s NBME administered versions?

AFAIK, ECFMG is just an administrative portal for foreign medical students and graduates, whereas NBME is the Board responsible for setting the questions for all the exams, including the practice versions NBME 1-7, and USMLE is the organization that actually conducts the exams via Prometric test centers.

Thanks

 

[vvinodbabu]

ECFMG conducts USMLE exams abroad for IMGs and NBME conducts exams meant for US-based students. I dont think partiality is shown by ECFMG to discourage IMGs from applying to US residency positions.

 

[JelloBrain]

ECFMG conducts USMLE exams abroad for IMGs and NBME conducts exams meant for US-based students. I don't think partiality is shown by ECFMG to discourage IMGs from applying to US residency positions.

I didn't think ECFMG actually conducts anything, i.e., it doesn't set the questions, etc. It merely is an agency to process applications for foreign candidates and verify their credentials, and release their scores.

Are you saying that ECFMG sets separate questions for IMGs who take the exams in their home country? What about IMGs who take it in the USA (like myself)? After all, we all seem to study the same stuff for the exams-FA, UW, etc.

Or are you saying that IMGs' scores are calculated by ECFMG and US medical students' scores are calculated by NBME, though the questions arise from the NBME team? The score calculating software should be the same though, right?

I would really like to know for myself before I get into this whole long process myself.

 

[vvinodbabu]

Basically, ECFMG just organizes exams for IMGs and then certifies them. Apart from that there are no real big differences if you take exam in USA or outside USA.

 

[topscorer]

so NOBODYS score has changed, correct

and seems risk of going down too?

and 90 day deadline, where is the rescore otpion, i cant find it, if ur img, u cannot do it thru nbme??