Test takers now v. Later

[medlaw06]

I am posting this thread here b/c by mistake I posted in on the Step 1 portion without realizing there is a step 2 sub-forum...anyway, I have my Step 2 in exactly 2 weeks and i am getting a little nervous since I am taking the q-bank (kaplan) and getting 56% on 1 test and then a 72% on the next which COMPLETELY baffles the hell out of me....anyway, that was NOT the reason for this post, but something I just wanted to get off my chest!!!


the REAL reason for this thread is that i am hoping someone can answer this question for me since i am confused (apparently, that's the theme of the day)..is there a difference in scores b/w test takers who take their step soon (i.e. july-september) v. those who take it later (i.e. jan-mar)...in other words, lets say i get 70% right on the exam and i get a 220 if i took it in july v. taking that SAME exam with the same questions and percentile correct and such, will my score be higher/lower if i had taken it in feb? in yet another words, is there a difference in "grading/scoring/curving" the exam based on when you take it...

this MAY be a repeat thread, i don't know and i am not even sure if anyone would know the answer to such a thing, but i figured i would throw it out there anyways...if this IS a repeat thread, could someone tell me where i would find the OTHER thread....

and, oh by the way, would anyone know approximately how a 70% right ON THE ACTUAL exam correlates to on the 3 digit score? just curious....

THANKS FOLKS!!!!

Need all your help/advice/input especially in these last few days (and more so considering I have no idea why i get 56% on 1 test and then a 72 on the next!?!?!?)
__________________

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Gfunk6]

Your score is based on performance of medical students over a multiple year period (I believe three). Therefore, the NBME tries to make a bell-shaped curve with the median around 210-220 or so. So it would not matter when you took the exam this year.

Re: Qbank, I wouldn't worry too much about the score discrepancies. When I was using Qbank and USMLEWorld, I would get similar outliers. However, after you take a few hundred questions I think you'll find that your average becomes tighter.

 

[medlaw06]

Your score is based on performance of medical students over a multiple year period (I believe three). Therefore, the NBME tries to make a bell-shaped curve with the median around 210-220 or so. So it would not matter when you took the exam this year.

Re: Qbank, I wouldn't worry too much about the score discrepancies. When I was using Qbank and USMLEWorld, I would get similar outliers. However, after you take a few hundred questions I think you'll find that your average becomes tighter.

thanks g...i appreciate the info....it is really irritating that i get these odd scores....i feel better now....

anyway....would you (or anyone) know what a 70% correct on the ACTUAL exam "translates" to for a 3 digit scale....

I know...I know... I am asking a question that may have been beaten to death already on these forums, but a quick response won't hurt, right?