The question nobody seems to know

[chevellerolet]

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I think it's been asked a ton of times, but does anyone know the percentage of correct answers that qualify as a passing score on both the COMLEX and USMLE?

 

[Jonathan13180]

I think it's been asked a ton of times, but does anyone know the percentage of correct answers that qualify as a passing score on both the COMLEX and USMLE?

I cannot speak of the USMLE, but I think for comlex you need 75% correct, but I might be wrong.

 

[Raryn]

I think it's been asked a ton of times, but does anyone know the percentage of correct answers that qualify as a passing score on both the COMLEX and USMLE?

No one knows because the NBME doesn't release that information. It probably varies slightly from exam to exam based on the difficulties of the questions.

 

[kryptik]

the number floating around for the usmle is ~65%

 

[pedzplz]

the number floating around for the usmle is ~65%

well.. I will tell you one thing is for sure. UW and Kaplan are a waste if you are looking to gauge your score. If you get a 55% on UW, according to all sources out there, that is a 208. 55% of Kaplan, is a 219.

Keep in mind, getting in the mid-50s is not stellar, but for alot of people out there, if your in the neighborhood of 55-65%, your really sitting veryyyyy pretty for the real thing. right??.. no, WRONG!!!!

NBME 6, I paid for the extended version. I received 110/200. Nbme score, 168. How in the world is 55% a 208 according to UW, but 55% is a 168 on the nbme???!! Another example, nbme 4. I score 126/200. Score was a 174.

I unfortunately cannot compare getting a 240 on nbme to a 240 on kaplan, because I have not gotten that high. However, my average on Kaplan is a 64%, and my UW average is a 62%. So explain that? Regardless if I am extra nervous on the nbme or not, 63% correct on the nbme will only earn you a 174. 63% on UW or kaplan however?? well above a 220.

Please keep this in mind, and do not get burned! I definetly did

 

[kryptik]

the OP wanted to know the % of questions to get right on the real thing to get a pass, not the % correlation of uw or kaplan to the real exam

with regards to getting 110/200 and scoring 168 i think its been established that the nbme have a less generous curve than the real exam

 

[FranklinBluthMD]

well.. I will tell you one thing is for sure. UW and Kaplan are a waste if you are looking to gauge your score. If you get a 55% on UW, according to all sources out there, that is a 208. 55% of Kaplan, is a 219.

Keep in mind, getting in the mid-50s is not stellar, but for alot of people out there, if your in the neighborhood of 55-65%, your really sitting veryyyyy pretty for the real thing. right??.. no, WRONG!!!!

NBME 6, I paid for the extended version. I received 110/200. Nbme score, 168. How in the world is 55% a 208 according to UW, but 55% is a 168 on the nbme???!! Another example, nbme 4. I score 126/200. Score was a 174.

I unfortunately cannot compare getting a 240 on nbme to a 240 on kaplan, because I have not gotten that high. However, my average on Kaplan is a 64%, and my UW average is a 62%. So explain that? Regardless if I am extra nervous on the nbme or not, 63% correct on the nbme will only earn you a 174. 63% on UW or kaplan however?? well above a 220.

Please keep this in mind, and do not get burned! I definetly did

I also imagine the UW/Kaplan curves are projecting since they are studying tools. People who were scoring 55-60% on those were still learning from 100% of the questions ideally, and when they went on and got 70-80% of the questions right on the actual exam, it wasn't just because they were getting 55% on practice blocks but because they had learned from those blocks. So when USMLE World or Kaplan are projecting your score, it is based off "well you knew this much (your percentage) through this many questions, and this is how you should perform unless you've just been guessing this entire time"

 

[H2DO]

UW is also >2000 questions while NBME only has 200