At the open house, we were given a USMLE score range of 82-94%

does anyone know what years these figures cover? I mean Ross has graduated over 3500 students!

was it 94% in 1982 and 82% in 2002?

thanks!

Well, you probably know that you can really fool people by playing with the statistics. The have been around for so many years, that they want to show people that there is a range to the pass rate. Instead of averaging out the pass rate over the best years, or over all the years, they give a range. If they just gave one passing score for all the semesters, that would be decieving. The September class not only gets the highest scores, but they have the most students. Their scores would pad the statistics in the favorable direction away from the May class for example. But the University has decided to be honest with you anyways.

For example, another un-named school says that their current first time pass rate is 80%. However, just 8 months ago, their estimated pass rate was 70% or less (some reputable graduates said it was actually more like 50%). So the figure they currently quote may have been for the last time students took the test, not an average over several years. That statistic, without explanation, is quite deceiving. Hope this makes sense.

Here is a more helpful statistic - if you finish 4th semester with a cummulative GPA of 2.9 or above, your chances of passing the USMLE Step 1 are greater than 98%. 3.5 or above? very close to 100% pass rate.

MitchDC

__________________
MitchDC/MD
RUSM 2006 Graduate

Schools in the Carib already have an attahced stigma, don't they realize padding the scores or withholding the whole truth about the accuracy of their information only makes them less credible with students? #%@!

Regarding your more helpful stats, however, (thanks for that btw, that's a clever alternate way of looking at things)

"Here is a more helpful statistic - if you finish 4th semester with a cummulative GPA of 2.9 or above, your chances of passing the USMLE Step 1 are greater than 98%. 3.5 or above? very close to 100% pass rate."

Which Carib schools are more likely to provide the kind of teaching and education that will help you "get there" (considering the big 3: SGU, Ross, AUC) Is there much of a difference in education and teaching between them?

I've definitely picked up a lot of info on these forums... current students obviously give the more accurate, albeit subjective, info on the schools...

They all have approval of NY (1/3 of total US residency spots)

Clinicals in US

USMLE pass rates are above 80% (AUC-81%, Ross-82-94%, SGU 90%)

All seem to have updated technology and facilities, 4-5 people/cadaver

So what's the catch? Is there really much to distinguish between the big 3 if the stats are buffered anyway? If not, then it seems the living conditions and class size would be the ultimate influences on deciding between them...

help

I take it that Ross was giving you the most recent or most consistent range of scores using the two digit score from the USMLE. One of the most common mistakes people make is misinterpreting the two digit score on the USMLE as a percentage. This two digit score is neither the percentage one gets correct nor a percentile! So when you hear someone say,"hey I got a 225 on step 2 which is 88%! you need to correct them and say: there is a two digit and three digit score; a score of 175 ( passing for step 2) is equivalent to a two digit score of 75 ( not 75%); a score of 200 is equivalent to a two digit score of 82 (not 82%). These two scores represent a "scale" that is used to score the exam depending on what the passing score is for that particular year.

Whew!!! That said, if the range that you were given for two digit scores was 82-94 that corresponds to three digit scores well above passing which speaks very well for the school!!

__________________
CDMD

For the people in my class who rely on the Bell Curve, a 2.6 gpa = 97% chance of passing the USMLE I on first try. The 2.9 for MitchDC class and beyond reflects the + and - system they use now (B+,B-). Either way, the USMLE is still very difficult.

Thank you for clearing that up...those things are always confusing...what about for step I?

Also, I'm pretty sure the range that was given was a percentage...

can anyone else confirm that? (I went to the NY open house just a few weeks ago)

tanks!

CLARIFICATION:

the 82-94% given is for the USMLE step 1 pass rate for first time takers over a period of time.

it is NOT the two digit score for a particular exam.

beware of statistics! pass rate isnt everything either!

a school with EVERYONE scoring a 75 on the USMLE will have a 100% pass rate. conversely, a school that has ninety-nine people scoring a 85 and one person scoring a 50 will have a 99% pass rate.

which is the better school? the school that has 99% scoring the 85!

thus, a better set of questions might be: how many people make it to the USMLEs on time?, what is the avg USMLE score? and what is the first time pass rate?

of these questions, only the first time pass rate is known: 82-94%
this statistic would have greater potency if we knew the answers to the other two questions.

Thanks for the clarification Daniel. Sorry about my long diatribe about the two and three digit scoring system.

Take care

__________________
CDMD

as suggested above:

how many people make it to the USMLEs on time?

what is the avg USMLE score?

and what is the first time pass rate?

thank you!

I just spoke with Tim Foster, CEO of Ross University yesterday. The average USMLE scores fall on a range between 82%-94%. Why the range? He said there is a large difference between those in the September class in contrast to the May class. The May students typically come to Ross with lower qualifications, lower grades, less experience, lower MCATs, etc.

In summary, why such a huge range in scores? There is a huge difference between the May and September class.

If another school doesn't give you the range, they are only quoting you their good semester.

What percent makes it to the boards with their class? I'm told its greater than 75%. That number was from Dean Wagner (2nd hand). Most of that 25% has either failed at least one class and fallen behind, transferred out, or decided that medicine was not for them. Very few actually fail enough courses to fail out.

Average USMLE. I'm not positive, but I don't think that schools are allowed to publish this data. The only way Ross finds out whether you passed the boards, is that you fax them your score report. As a result, your score is your business and can only be released on your signature(which is not requested).

Hope this helps!

MitchDC

__________________
MitchDC/MD
RUSM 2006 Graduate