US News Updated Step 1 scores?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
DubbiDoctor

DubbiDoctor

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2016
Messages
645
Reaction score
930
Have the step 1 scores for the ranked schools on US News' 2019 list been updated? I asked this on the official thread but received no response. If they have, can a kind, altruistic subscriber post the scores for the top 25?
Members don't see this ad.
 
An awesome individual provided me with this list. Way to go Mayo!
tTBmQFy.png
 
Members don't see this ad :)
DubbiDoctor said:
An awesome individual provided me with this list. Way to go Mayo!
tTBmQFy.png
Click to expand...

Interesting that the top 15 or so are all privates. Not saying that privates are inherently better med schools, just thinking that they’re probably just more likely to be MCAT score conscious to begin with and there’s probably a correlation between high MCAT scores and high step scores.
 
Digging around, others have listed a few other highs and lows of note: Cincy 238, UCI 236, Hofstra 236, USC 235, Rochester 232, UMass 231, Gtown 228, GWU 225
 
PreMedMissteps said:
Interesting that the top 15 or so are all privates. Not saying that privates are inherently better med schools, just thinking that they’re probably just more likely to be MCAT score conscious to begin with and there’s probably a correlation between high MCAT scores and high step scores.
Click to expand...
I was also sent these graphs showing a strong correlation between average MCAT and GPA and step 1 scores:

y0h2xmf.png
 
Members don't see this ad :)
PreMedMissteps said:
Interesting that the top 15 or so are all privates. Not saying that privates are inherently better med schools, just thinking that they’re probably just more likely to be MCAT score conscious to begin with and there’s probably a correlation between high MCAT scores and high step scores.
Click to expand...

This is an interesting study - Do MCAT scores predict USMLE scores? An analysis on 5 years of medical student data

From the discussion:
"Each of the MCAT component scores was significantly associated with USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores, although the effect size was small. Being in the top or bottom scoring range of the MCAT exam was predictive of being in the top or bottom scoring range of the USMLE exams, although the strengths of the associations were weak to moderate."
 
What's interesting to me is how for many top schools, the range of MCAT scores accepted hovers from ~94th-98th percentile, which is obviously very competitive. Yet, when we turn to Step 1, the highest reported scores of the bunch—240-245—represent the 70th-78th percentile. Step 1 is supposed to be harder than the MCAT, right? So that makes sense. Still an interesting drop in percentiles, but I'm sure their not directly comparable in reality.
 
begoood95 said:
What's interesting to me is how for many top schools, the range of MCAT scores accepted hovers from ~94th-98th percentile, which is obviously very competitive. Yet, when we turn to Step 1, the highest reported scores of the bunch—240-245—represent the 70th-78th percentile. Step 1 is supposed to be harder than the MCAT, right? So that makes sense. Still an interesting drop in percentiles, but I'm sure their not directly comparable in reality.
Click to expand...
Well tbf, 70-80th percentile is impressive considering these MD students are competing only against other US MD students - that's how the percentiles are determined. For the MCATs, the research-heavy schools have students scoring in the >95th percentile among all people taking the test, many of whom do not matriculate to US MD programs.
 
begoood95 said:
What's interesting to me is how for many top schools, the range of MCAT scores accepted hovers from ~94th-98th percentile, which is obviously very competitive. Yet, when we turn to Step 1, the highest reported scores of the bunch—240-245—represent the 70th-78th percentile. Step 1 is supposed to be harder than the MCAT, right? So that makes sense. Still an interesting drop in percentiles, but I'm sure their not directly comparable in reality.
Click to expand...

I mean, the exams arent really comparable in that way. Also the testing populations are very different. 90th percentile MCAT is top 10% of all MCAT test-takers. 80th percentile Step 1 is top 20% of all Step 1 takers (the vast majority of whom were clustered in and around the top 15% or so of MCAT test takers).
 
I don't think it's about harder/easier test, it's percentiles so the relative rarity stays the same. A 265 step1 is exactly as common, relative to the pool, as a 38 MCAT. It's the absolute numbers I think, that start becoming more important.

Say you're a school like WashU for example and you want to hit a top 1% median. Not too hard to do when that means filling 60 seats drawing from 1,000 test takers with that score (many more than needed even after accounting for the fractions that will have low GPAs, won't apply to midwestern schools, etc).

Now look at something like ENT. The median for matched is "only" at the 84th percentile...but the year had 358 applicants for 304 spots. The typical ENT program can't demand that their seats be filled by top 1% or top 5% step 1 scores while still asking for the rest of the package. Their seats would go empty. When you're dealing with a small absolute number of top x% scores, most of whom won't be interested in a given competitive specialty, it's just not possible to keep the typical percentiles the same as we see with competitive MD admissions.
 
efle said:
I don't think it's about harder/easier test, it's percentiles so the relative rarity stays the same. A 265 step1 is exactly as common, relative to the pool, as a 38 MCAT. It's the absolute numbers I think, that start becoming more important.

Say you're a school like WashU for example and you want to hit a top 1% median. Not too hard to do when that means filling 60 seats drawing from 1,000 test takers with that score (many more than needed even after accounting for the fractions that will have low GPAs, won't apply to midwestern schools, etc).

Now look at something like ENT. The median for matched is "only" at the 84th percentile...but the year had 358 applicants for 304 spots. The typical ENT program can't demand that their seats be filled by top 1% or top 5% step 1 scores while still asking for the rest of the package. Their seats would go empty. When you're dealing with a small absolute number of top x% scores, most of whom won't be interested in a given competitive specialty, it's just not possible to keep the typical percentiles the same as we see with competitive MD admissions.
Click to expand...
That's an interesting point. I would imagine for residency programs with far more seats (e.g., IM), you probably see a similar phenomenon as MD admissions in relation to test scores (in the sense that the top programs have their pick of high scorers).
 
scienceguy95 said:
That's an interesting point. I would imagine for residency programs with far more seats (e.g., IM), you probably see a similar phenomenon as MD admissions in relation to test scores (in the sense that the top programs have their pick of high scorers).
Click to expand...

yeah the top IM programs have very high Step scores; although overall IM is less competitive than say derm, it's just as competitive if you want to get into IM at one of the best programs.

There's also some self-selection that goes into this process. For example if someone is interested in both derm and IM, but they end up with a Step score that isn't competitive for derm, they may not bother applying derm and just do IM instead.
 
I think you got your MCAT vs. Step 1 analogy screwed up.

MCAT % is based on all takers of the exam. Of those 100% who took MCAT and applied to US medical schools, only 40% will get in.

According to new MSRA data, average MCAT for matriculants in US medical school is 511. That 511 would put you in 50% of all medical student.

If your entire class score 80% average on Step 1 amongst all US students, that means your entire class probably score on the top 20% of all medical schools MCAT scores, which will be 92-94 percentile or 515/516 on the new MCAT, or 35/36 on the old MCAT for the entire class.

Not too shabby.
 
Here's something I'm curious about: my school's step score as apparently reported on US News is three points lower than what our school told us the average was. And obviously it wouldn't be surprising that a school was inflating it's step score to look better...but why not be honest with the people who are already students there? Not like the difference between a 238 and a 241 is a huge deal, but I'm still curious why they didn't just tell us 238.
 
Lannister said:
Here's something I'm curious about: my school's step score as apparently reported on US News is three points lower than what our school told us the average was. And obviously it wouldn't be surprising that a school was inflating it's step score to look better...but why not be honest with the people who are already students there? Not like the difference between a 238 and a 241 is a huge deal, but I'm still curious why they didn't just tell us 238.
Click to expand...
Likely different years. Your school has data from the most recent group to take it. US News is probably a year behind them. Going up or down 2-3 points between years is common
 
What’s the national average?

Also does anyone’s have step 1 scores from USNews for UIC, Rush, Creighton, and Quinnipiac?
 
Lannister said:
Here's something I'm curious about: my school's step score as apparently reported on US News is three points lower than what our school told us the average was. And obviously it wouldn't be surprising that a school was inflating it's step score to look better...but why not be honest with the people who are already students there? Not like the difference between a 238 and a 241 is a huge deal, but I'm still curious why they didn't just tell us 238.
Click to expand...
efle said:
Likely different years. Your school has data from the most recent group to take it. US News is probably a year behind them. Going up or down 2-3 points between years is common
Click to expand...

yeah this is definitely it. what's reported for my school is also 3 points lower than what we were told from the class that most recently took Step 1
 
Last year Drexel had a 233.
 
Why is University of Washington so low (224) when it's a top 20 school??
 
tekkenman11 said:
Why is University of Washington so low (224) when it's a top 20 school??
Click to expand...
They recruit their student body very differently than other top 20s. Instead of pulling a bunch of very high-stats kids from all over the country, they're focused on admitting residents of Washington and a few neighboring states. As a result their MCAT/GPA is usually a lot lower than similarly ranked schools. For example right now it is 510/3.65 while the school ranked next to it (Yale) is 521/3.89

Their interview rates are also a ton more generous. They interviewed 50% of instate applicants last year. Compare to UCLA which interviewed 9%.
 
Lucca said:
People at Dell are reporting that the Step 1 median for the first class will be 249.
Click to expand...
Crazy if true, considering their median stats aren't that high. Did you hear this from the administration at an interview?
 
For those wondering, Drexel average was 232.
 
Just because this same topic comes up every couple months...

1. These are averages with very large standard deviations (like 10-15 pts minimum). Theres no difference between a 245 at 1 school and a 235 at the next.

2. Step is primarily an individual study method. Everyone nationally uses the same basic resources: uworld, first aid, pathoma. Lectures and stuff from school have very little part in the your studying. Thr biggest impact from your school is going to be the length of dedicated, how much required lecture time do you have, do you take it after 2nd or 3rd year. Not anything related to the quality of the education the school gives in preclinical years.

3. People base their studying and preparation for step 1 off their interests. Thia isnt like the MCAT where you always want a higher score. People who want to go into family med dont need to study for a 250. Washington has come up in this thread, and washington has a strong primary care focus to bring physicians to the wami states. If someone knows they only need a 215 to be competitive for their desired residency they dont need to spend months and months studying for a 250. There were people in my class interested in primary care who took step 1 during the 1st week of dedicated and had a month vacation. They could have studied more and gotten a higher score but it wasnt necessary.

4. These are self reported scores, I'd take them with a grain of salt. Some schools may be including people who took Step 1 late (aka needed more time to study to ensure passing) and others may not be.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Mr.Smile12
Hurricane updates: let us know of changes in plans
Replies
7
Views
1K
presenthearts
P
R
  • Poll Poll
UPDATED Pitt vs Emory
Replies
6
Views
821
Yhwach
Yhwach
L
  • Poll Poll
Updated! UColorado vs Creighton
Replies
12
Views
1K
xUnrevealed
X
dlrs123
  • Question Question
Any way to see school specific Step 1 pass rates?
Replies
1
Views
1K
Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight
just_a_bagel
UPDATED! Brody (ECU) vs Rush
Replies
10
Views
919
m1redsox
M
Top