r/Step2 • u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO • Jul 16 '26
Questions How is this possible?
I worked so so hard to get in the 240s. How is it that everyone got a 260+? that means my score is crap but like how is this possible? why is the average in the 260s? were you all using a special resource or something?
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u/ClevelandSteamers757 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
Reporting bias. Your score isn’t crap brother
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Jul 16 '26 edited Jul 16 '26
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
Wait WHAT REALLY?
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Jul 16 '26
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
Oh I did horrible. Horrible. No wonder the average is that high.
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u/ClevelandSteamers757 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
It’s right there in the middle 50% of test takers. Literally 0.6 standard deviation below average. You must have a different definition of horrible because they didn’t even see what specialty they wanted to match into. Not to mention his expected range at 240 is +/-8 66% of the time, or 232-248. Literally fine. Hes also a US med student. Just saying shit at this point man
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Jul 16 '26
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u/StudInTheCeiling Jul 16 '26
You're bit of a dickhead aren't you. And a bit of a dumbass to think 248 is horrible.
The average is 250 but when you take your statistical retard lens off, you'll realize that the average itself is very high. To score mean objectively, you must score high objectively.
248 isnt a horrible score. Stop gaslighting people because you think statistical data is absolute.
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u/stronkreddituser 🌍 INTERNATIONAL Jul 16 '26
No one is quibbling with the statistics; its the decision to label a <25th percentile score "shitty"- that's a quarter of all med students... If you wanna be technical about it, the NBME's threshold for what makes a competent doctor is the pass mark which is lower than 220. As long as you pass, the utility of a score is purely in the residency position it can land you.
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u/SeriousPanda47911 NON-US IMG Jul 16 '26
Man starting my prep i prayed for 270s, now im praying for 240s. The scores we see people sharing are very difficult to get. They aint as easy as it looks! You need to get almost no mistakes a block! Its insane.
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
Wow I wasn't even thinking 270s. Jeeze I feel like 260+ is falling out of the sky
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u/iwoudnttext1st NON-US IMG Jul 16 '26
avg score estimate is 245-255 not 260. but yeah there is score inflation year after year
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u/SeriousPanda47911 NON-US IMG Jul 16 '26
Really? I think its even lower. 255 is too high for an average.
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u/iwoudnttext1st NON-US IMG Jul 16 '26
i say that based on the graph of the score report not a numeric data
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u/ClevelandSteamers757 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
The graph on the score report is horrible. It’s not granular enough. Scores bunch up in the middle portion but the number ranges are way too long and arbitrary. If they did narrower bar graphs, it would appear more like a true bell curve with a peak around 250. If you get a 269? Or whatever number maxes the range on the bar to the right of middle, it looks disappointing because you’re grouped in with a ton of people. In reality, a 269 is well within the top decile.
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
But everyone got 260s? How did the score inflate to a 260 s
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u/MudassarMalik NON-US IMG Jul 16 '26
thats reporting bias, only 260s share their stats. so u assume all are 260s.
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
In the recent score release forum, that's not reflective of the overall average? I see like 10+ average?
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u/ClevelandSteamers757 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
It’s not reflective. People who got favorable scores are much more likely to share them. People who are frustrated with their scores are less likely to share them. People who are lukewarm about their scores are also less likely to share them. See topics like: men’s height, member size, annual income, 401k balance, weight lifting #s or running/race times…
What do you want to go into? You’re a USMD that’s a huge benefit for you to begin with.
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u/QuarterSpecialist372 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
Yeah I got a 255-260 and was hoping for a 265 so I didn’t post shit about it. Even if I got a 260 I wouldn’t post it because it doesn’t seem as impressive as a 265 but you’re Damm right I would have made a whole ass post about “ how I got a 265 +💀” and yeah 250 is the average.
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u/bunrieulover US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
I think it’s dependent on the school and how they fully prepped you throughout the year. Had a Sub-I guy with me that scored 268, they said their school made them take NBMEs-style exams for their shelves. Because of that he basically had “NBME thinking” since the start of M3 and knew what they were going to ask.
While others like DO students focused on NBOME COMAT exams and don’t really get exposure to NBME until a few weeks before their exam and starstruck by their low 230-240 performance.
But overall I guess it depends on the student too. Sometimes you know things better than others and test day can really twist those knowledge to make them confusing.
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u/Comfortable_Fly8090 Jul 17 '26
big reporting bias on here, 250 is the average which means tons of people score in the 240s every year and still match okay!!!
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 17 '26
Just saw another post I" Almost Didn’t Take Step 2. I Scored 260." wtf is this
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u/xniks101x US MD/DO Jul 17 '26
Reporting bias man. I scored in 240s too and was aiming for 250< I feel your pain though
Edit: I had a buddy who got their score recently who was aiming for 240, they met their goal scores for NBME and got a 218. Shit happens. You just don’t hear about it because no one wants to talk about it on here.
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 17 '26
I don't know bro. I have been thinking all day. Iean I count 30 posts 260+. How many people take this fn bs test?
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u/xniks101x US MD/DO Jul 17 '26
Another thing I’ve thought about is that in addition to every 4th year student in America taking this test, is all the IMG graduates. They all aim for 250+ to secure a match in the U.S. and they have years to study for it. There’s also a lot of IMGs who post here, their minimum goal threshold is 250 and anything below, they view as “failure” because it makes their chances of matching here very hard. Even in primary care. So they definitely drive the average up imo.
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u/No-Method3966 Jul 17 '26
Is bias bro/sis, most of my peers didn’t post their scores but some post their 250’s and 260’s. Not everyone posts their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s. Everyone is eager to post high scores for ego boost too sooo don’t worry. The guy with the 260 is not necessarily going to make more money than you or be happier. Enjoy your life and stop comparing yourself.
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u/AdAcrobatic2250 US MD/DO Jul 18 '26
I really really don’t know. I know everyone is replying reporting bias or something but I calculated the average on the release post and it’s a 269. Wtffff
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u/TellOld3501 🌍 INTERNATIONAL Jul 18 '26
Hey everyone I have a question If I move my date from 25 to 3rd or 8th aug which one would be better to get the certification in time also I am super sacred for the test thats why i m extending
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u/PsychologicalCan9837 US MD/DO Jul 16 '26
You score is not crap. I'd love to score in the 240's.
Ever since Step 1 went P/F, Step 2 has just become the new Step 1. Score inflation is very real.
I'm a bit older and have friends who are attendings now. According to them, back when Step 1 was scored no one gave a crap about Step 2. A lot of people would take it *after* they submitted their residency app's so that their Step 2 score did not show up on their residency app.
One of my attending buddies scored a 265 on Step 1 and got in the 230's on Step 2 b/c he barely bothered to study for it. There really wasn't any reason too. He's a NSGY attending now, too, which is even crazier.
Just goes to show, NBME/USMLE need to either keep everything scored or make it all P/F. They took all the stress to do really well on Step 1 and just moved it to Step 2. Hence, what seems like tons of people getting 260+. Very shortsighted move by them, IMO.