The SAT is a nationally administered, standardized test used by many U.S. colleges and universities to assess applicants’ readiness for college.  The majority of competitive U.S. colleges and universities require students to submit a score from either the SAT or the ACT (the other nationally administered, standardized college admissions test) as part of their application; all colleges that require a standardized test score will accept either. (About 60% of Kaplan students take both tests, to see which they’ll perform better on.) The exam is comprised of three scored sections (Reading/Writing, Math and an optional essay) and an unscored experimental section. The scoring range is from 400 to 1600.  Generally, students will take the SAT in the spring of their junior year, which allows them enough time to re-take the test during the fall of their senior year if they are not satisfied with their score.

Brief history of the SAT: The modern day SAT has its roots among the American soldiers who headed off the battlefields of France in World War I.  Robert Yerkes, a leading member of the new IQ testing movement, convinced the military to let him give an intelligence test to all recruits. After the war, one of Yerkes’ associates, Carl Brigham, began adapting the test for use in college admissions, as a way of eliminating bias among applicants from different socio-economic backgrounds.  The SAT was first administered experimentally to a several thousand college applicants in 1926.   In 1938 – the year Kaplan was founded, coincidentally – Harvard administrators talked all the member schools of the College Board into using the SAT as a uniform exam, but only for scholarship applicants. By 1948, the SAT was seeing widespread adoption among universities and colleges throughout the country.  Over the years, the test has seen many changes. In 2005, the exam saw the addition of a writing section, the elimination of analogies and the score ceiling being raised from 1600 to 2400. The latest changes to hit the SAT — the most sweeping in the exam’s century-long history — launched on March 5, 2016. Everything from the scoring scale, to the content, to the calculator policy, to the essay changed. Visit Kaplan’s SAT Test Change Resource Center for more details about the new, more challenging test.

Test Facts:

• Year created: 1901
• Test’s administrator: The College Board
• Number of test takers for the class of 2015: Approximately 1.7 million
• Length of test: 3 hours and 50 minutes (including the optional essay); 3 hours without it
• Test format: paper-and-pencil
• Sections on test: Reading/Writing, Math and an optional essay, plus an experimental section (ungraded)
• Score range: graded on a 1600-point scale; the optional essay receives its own separate score
• Cost of test: $54.50, with the optional essay; $43 without it
• How often the test it administered:  7 times through the school year: October, November, December, January, March, May, and June
• Interesting fact about the test: SAT originally stood for “Scholastic Achievement Test,” but in 1941, the exam’s administrator changed the name to “Scholastic Aptitude Test.”  In 1994, it just became known as “SAT,” so today the letters officially do not stand for anything!

* SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. PSAT/NMSQT is a trademark jointly owned by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with Kaplan or this website.

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The ACT is a nationally administered, standardized test used by many U.S. colleges and universities to assess applicants’ readiness for college.  The majority of competitive U.S. colleges and universities require students to submit a score from either the ACT or the SAT (the other nationally administered, standardized college admissions test) as part of their application; all colleges that require a standardized test score will accept either.  (About 60% of Kaplan students take both tests, to see which they’ll perform better on.)  Comprised of four scored sections (English, Mathematics, Reading, Science) and an ungraded, optional Writing section, the ACT includes multiple-choice questions plus an optional essay prompt. Scoring range is from 1 to 36; in 2010 only 588 of the ACT’s 1.6 million takers scored a perfect 36.  Generally, students will take the ACT in the spring of their junior year, which allows them enough time to re-take the test during the fall of senior year if they are not satisfied with their score.

Brief history of the ACT: Originally conceived as an alternative to the SAT, the ACT was created by two faculty members at the University of Iowa in 1959 in response to changing patterns in college attendance and what they saw as the need for a test that more accurately evaluated potential student performance.  Earlier versions of the test required specific information about American history and science.  The current ACT focuses on English, math, reading, science and writing.  The name ACT originally stood for American College Testing when the company was founded, but later changed its name to ACT and doesn’t technically stand for anything. For many years, the ACT was a regionally popular exam in Midwestern states, while the SAT remained stronger in more highly populated states like New York and California. As more and more colleges began accepting the ACT, however, more students in states throughout the country began taking the exam.  In 2010, for the first time, more students took the ACT than the SAT.  In 2015, the ACT will move from its current paper-and-pencil format to a computer based format, though the test maker has not said its content will change.

Test Facts:

• Year created: 1959
• Number of test takers for class of 2010: 1,568,835
• Length of test: 2 hours and 55 minutes excluding the optional Writing Test or 3 hours and 25 minutes including the Writing Test.
• Test format: paper-and-pencil
• Sections on test: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science and Writing (optional and ungraded)
• Score range: 1-36
• Cost of test: $33 (without Writing section) or $48 (with Writing section)
• How often the test it administered: 6 times per year (September, October, December, February, April, June)
• Administrator of test: ACT
• Interesting fact about the test: For many years, not all colleges accepted the ACT for admissions.  The last holdout was Harvey Mudd College, which began accepting the ACT in 2007.

* SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. PSAT/NMSQT is a trademark jointly owned by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with Kaplan or this website.

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The PSAT/NMSQT (or National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) is a preliminary version of the SAT, taken by high school juniors, sophomores (and sometimes even younger students) as a way to gauge how well a test taker may do on the SAT and compare the test taker’s skill level with students nationwide.  The PSAT mirrors the SAT in format, though a little shorter.  Scoring range is 160 to 760 points.  While the test does not have any direct impact on college admissions, data shows that students who take the PSAT score significantly higher on the SAT than students who do not. Also, juniors taking the PSAT are automatically entered into the National Merit Program, a competition for recognition and undergraduate scholarships conducted by the nonprofit National Merit Scholarship Corporation. More than $50 million is awarded to outstanding participants every year.

Brief history of the PSAT:

The PSAT launched in 1955 as part of the National Merit Scholarship Program with the goal of awarding scholarship money to academically gifted students.  A vastly different PSAT launched in fall 2015, largely to mirror the new SAT that was to launch in March 2016. For more information about new PSAT, please visit here.

• Year created: 1955
• Number of test takers for class of 2015: approximately 4  million
• Length of test: 2 hours and 45 minutes
• Test format: paper-and-pencil
• Sections on test: Reading/Writing and Math
• Score range: 160-760
• Cost of test: $15
• How often the test it administered: Annually, in October
• Administrator of test: The College Board
• Interesting fact about the test: Recent data from The College Board shows that students who took the PSAT in their sophomore or junior years scored a combined 233 points higher than students who did not take the PSAT at all.

* SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc. PSAT/NMSQT is a trademark jointly owned by the College Board and the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, which were not involved in the production of, and do not endorse, this product. None of the trademark holders are affiliated with Kaplan or this website.

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The Graduate Record Examination (GRE®) General Test is designed to provide graduate schools with a common measure for comparing the qualifications of applicants. Schools also use GRE® scores to determine eligibility for merit-based grants and fellowships, as well as teaching and research assistantships.  According to Kaplan’s 2010 survey of 108 graduate school admissions officers at top programs in education, engineering, psychology and public administration, the GRE® is the most important admission factor and 66% say that a high GRE® score can help an applicant win coveted financial aid.

On August 1, 2011, the GRE® changed – virtually every aspect of it experienced some kind of revision.  The type of test, the timing, the scoring scale, how often you can test, the question types.  The 675,000 aspiring graduate and business school students in your audience who take the exam every year likely have a lot of questions, many of which are answered below.  Below, you’ll find several PDFs and JPEGs illustrating the changes to make them as clear as possible for you and your audience.

The Current GRE® vs. The New GRE® (Feel free to drop the below image into any story you do, crediting Kaplan Test Prep.)

The downloadable images below illustrate the new kinds of question types that test takers are seeing on the new GRE®.  Please feel free to feature them in any of your stories, crediting Kaplan Test Prep.

Click here for a PDF with the most FAQ on the new GRE®.

For a 5-minute video featuring a Kaplan Test Prep expert talking through the highlights of the new GRE® and how test takers are reacting to it, visit: httpvh://www.youtube.com/kaplangradprep

Brief history of the GRE®: In 1949, ETS, the GRE’s® administrator, launched the exam for grad schools to have a better yard stick by which to measure applicants’ potential success in graduate school.  In 1993, the exam moved to a computer-based format – one of the first exams to do so.  In 2002, the exam’s Analytical Ability section was replaced with a Analytical Writing portion.  In 2006, the test maker announces further revisions to the exam, including enhanced focus on reasoning skills and critical thinking skills, but a year later, cancels the changes citing concerns about accessibility and test security.   Since 2006, a growing number of business schools, including Harvard Business School, have been accepting the GRE® as a substitute for the GMAT.  In fact, Kaplan research shows that about 40% of business schools now accept the GRE®, though many don’t actively publicize it or encourage students to submit a GRE® score.  In 2009, the test maker announced the most sweeping changes to the exam in its 60 year history, with almost every facet of the exam seeing revisions, including a new scoring scale, content, format, timing and the addition of an online calculator.

• Year created: 1949
• Number of tests administered in 2010: 700,000
• Length of test: 4 hours
• Test format : multi-stage test (MST) – level of difficulty adapts only after you’ve answered a section made up of 20 questions.  Based on your performance on this section, you will see another section of 20 questions geared to your ability.
• Sections on test: Verbal, Quantitative and Analytical
• Score range: 130-170 scale in 1-point increments.  This is supposed to make small differences in scaled scores look less important to admissions departments and highlight larger differences between scores.
• Cost of test: $160, but expect the test maker to revisit this.
• How often the test it administered: almost every day of the year
• Administrator of test: Education Testing Service (ETS)
• Interesting fact about the test: There are more GREs® taken every year than there are of GMATs, LSATs and MCATs taken combined.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) – the admissions exam required by most business schools  – is probably unlike any test a student has ever taken in their academic career. Its purpose is to provide a common yardstick by which business school admissions committees can measure applicants’ ability to succeed in their MBA programs.

Brief history of the GMAT: In March 1953, deans from top-ranked MBA programs like Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Rutgers, Seton Hall, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University (St. Louis) met to create an objective, national entrance exam for business schools. Originally called the Admissions Test for Graduate Study in Business (ATGSB), the name was changed to the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) in 1976.  The pilot was administered in February 1954 to 1,300 students – for all of 1954 it was taken by only 4,300 test takers and required by only eight business schools.  In 1997, GMAT moved from a paper-and-pencil format to a computer format.  In 2005, the original developer of the exam, ETS – the GRE’s developer – lost its contract to ACT, the administrator of the ACT.    In June 2012, the GMAT saw a major change to its content with the addition of the  Integrated Reasoning section, meant to measure data analysis and balanced decision-making skills that are important for success in business school and the business world.    

• Year created: 1953
• Number of tests takers in 2011: 258,200
• Length of test: 3 and a half hours, plus breaks
• Test format: computer-adaptive test (CAT) – level of difficulty adapts after each section.  If you answer a question correctly, the next question is more difficult.  If you answer a question incorrectly, the next question is less difficult. The new Integrated Reasoning section is NOT adaptive – the difficulty level does not change based on how you answer each question.
• Sections on test: Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical WritingAssessment
• Score range: 200-800; Integrated Reasoning section given its own distinct grade
• Cost of test: $250
• How often the test it administered: almost every day of the year
• Administrator of test: Graduate School Admission Council (GMAC)
• Interesting fact about the test: Test takers cannot bring personal items, including wallets, watches, purses, hats, bags, or coats into the testing room.

*GMAT is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

The LSAT (Law School Admission Test) is a skills-based exam designed to test the critical reading and analytical thinking skills that are crucial for success in law school.  According to Kaplan Test Prep’s annual survey of law school admissions officer, it remains by far the most important admissions factor, followed by undergraduate GPA.

Brief history of the LSAT: George D. Stoddard, a psychologist at the University of Iowa, and Merton L. Ferson, a dean at the University of North Carolina, developed the first standardized test for law schools in the 1920’s.  In 1930, Yale created its own law school admissions test.  These early prototypes of the modern day LSAT focused on exercises of synonyms and antonyms, verbal analogies, reading comprehension and recall.  It wasn’t until the late 1940’s when law schools across the country came together to create one standardized exam for all law schools across the United States.  Of all the standardized exams for graduate level education, the LSAT remains the only one not administered by computer and has seen relatively few changes over the years.

Test Facts:

• Year created: 1947
• Number of tests administered in 2011-2012 cycle: 129,925
• Length of test: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Test format: paper-and-pencil
• Sections on test: Logical Reasoning (2 sections), Logic Games, Reading Comprehension, Experimental Section (unscored) and Writing Sample (not scored but it is sent to law schools along with your LSAT score)
• Score range: 120-180
• Cost of test: $160
• How often the test it administered: 4 times per year, generally February, June, October and December
• Administrator of test: Law School Admission Council
• Interesting fact about the test: Although more students take the October administration of the LSAT more than any other administration, there is no advantage to taking the LSAT during one time of the year versus another.

*LSAT is a registered trademark of the Law School Admission Council, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a computer-based, multiple-choice examination used by medical school admissions officials to predict future success. It’s currently required by approximately 150 accredited medical schools across the the United States and Canada.

Brief history of the MCAT: With dropout rates in U.S. medical schools soaring in the 1920’s, physician F.A. Moss and his colleagues developed a standardized test to evaluate aspiring doctor’s preparedness for medical school.  Originally called the “Scholastic Aptitude Test for Medical School,” it consisted of true or false and multiple choice questions in topics like visual memory, memory for content, scientific vocabulary, scientific definitions, understanding of printed material, premedical information and logical reasoning. At the time, it was criticized for testing only memorization.  Coupled with stricter medical school admissions standards, the national dropout rate among freshman medical students decreased from 20% in the 1920’s to 7% in 1946.  Between 1946 and 1948, today’s MCAT was called the “Professional School Aptitude Test” before finally changing its name to the “Medical College Admission Test.”  In the 1970’s and 1980’s, content was added including more science, reading skills analysis and quantitative skills analysis.  In the 1990’s, the exam was divided into its current four subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and a Writing Sample section.  In 2007, the MCAT transitioned from a paper-and-pencil to a computer-based format and test-taking time shortened from eight and a half hours to five and a half hours.   In March 2011, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the exam’s administrator, announced a redesign for the MCAT, which would take effect in 2015.  These eventually became the biggest changes to the exam in 25 years. Read more about what the new exam means for pre-med students and medical education as a whole here.

Year created:

• Number of tests administered in 2014: 126,803
• Length of test: 7  hours; On the new MCAT, test takers face 230 questions.
• Test format: computer-based test (CBT)
• Sections covered: Physics, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, Sociology, Psychology, Verbal
• Score range: Each of the four sections on the new will be scored 118-132, for a total possible score of 528. This differs from the old 1-15 per section and 1-45 total scale. The first administration of the new MCAT took place in April 2015.
• Cost of test: $300
• How often the test it administered: Approximately 25 times throughout the year
• Administrator of test: Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
• Interesting fact about the test: According to Kaplan’s 2015 survey of medical school admissions officers, a low MCAT score is the biggest application killer.

*MCAT is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

Graduating law school doesn’t guarantee your ability to be a lawyer.  The Bar Exam is likely the most important test of an aspiring lawyer’s legal career.  It’s a rigorous and intensive exam held over the course of two or three days (depending on the test taker’s jurisdiction). Passing a state’s Bar Exam is a key step toward being licensed to practice law within that state.  Essay questions requiring detailed answers to complex fact patterns, testing the test taker on both general legal principles and that state’s particular laws.   The Multistate Bar Examination, or MBE, which is currently given in 48 states,  is made up of 200 multiple choice questions that test  knowledge of common law principles in seven substantive areas – Torts, Contracts, Real Property, Constitutional Law, Evidence, Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure.

Brief history of the Bar Exam: The first state to introduce a Bar exam was Delaware in 1763 – 25 years before it was the first state to ratify the Constitution.   This milestone set into motion the process of other states instituting a legal careers entrance exam. The MBE was introduced in 1972 to test subjects based upon principles of common law and Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code (covering sales of goods) that apply throughout the United States.

• Number of exams administered in 2009 (most recently recorded year): 68,887
• Length of exam: varies by state
• Exam format: paper-and-pencil
• Sections on exam: varies by state
• Score range: pass or fail, though some give exact grading for MBA section.
• Cost of exam: varies by state
• How often the exam it administered: twice a year in every state – the last week of February and the last week of July
• Administrator of exam: Each state bar organization administers own exam
• Interesting fact about the exam: The only states that do not administer the MBE are Louisiana and Washington.

The National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN exam) has one purpose: To determine if it’s safe for a test taker to begin practice as an entry-level nurse. It is significantly different from any test in nursing school. While nursing school exams are knowledge-based, the NCLEX-RN tests application and analysis using the nursing knowledge learned in school. Test takers are evaluated on how well they can use critical thinking skills to make nursing judgments.

Brief history of the NCLEX-RN: From 1870 through 1944, each state wrote its own rules, regulations and licensure examinations for aspiring nurses.  Because this made it difficult for nurses to move from state to state, in 1944, the National League for Nursing created the State Board Test Pool Examination (SBTPE), which by 1952, all states had adopted – though they each mandated different passing scores.  In 1978, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) assumed responsibility for the exam.  In 1982, the NCSBN reduced the number of questions from 720 to 480.  In 1983, it was reduced further to 370.  Today, each test taker answers a minimum of 75 questions to a maximum of 265 questions. Regardless of how many questions a test taker answers, each will be given 15 experimental questions.  In April 2010, the NCSBN raised the passing standard by increasing the number of questions that NCLEX-RN® test takers must answer correctly.  While this will make the test somewhat harder to pass statistically, the questions themselves will not become any more difficult.  The NCBSN votes on a proposed raising of the bar every three years and in the past 15 years has voted to raise the passing standard four times.

Test Facts:

• Year created: 1944
• Test’s administrator: National Council of State Boards of Nursing
• Number of test takers in 2010 (projected): 140,000
• Length of test: Maximum of six hours to complete, though most test takers finish in less time.
• Test format: computer-adaptive test (CAT)
• Sections on test: There are four major categories: Physiological Integrity; Health Promotion and Maintenance; Safe, Effective Care Environment; and Psychosocial Integrity
• Score range: Pass/Fail – there is no numerical score
• Cost of test: $200
• How often the test it administered: Throughout the year
• Interesting fact about the test: The exam has no “Except” or “All of the Above” questions.

*NCLEX-RN® is a registered trademark of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc.

Completing medical schools doesn’t automatically guarantee that a graduate can practice medicine.  Another challenging phase comes next.  The USMLE (United States Medical Licensure Exam) assesses an aspiring practicing doctor’s ability to apply knowledge, concepts, and principles, and to demonstrate fundamental patient-centered skills, that will be important parts of effectively carrying out their duties.  It comes in three steps, spread out over a period of about 2 years – beginning in a medical school student’s third year and going into their first year of residency.  All three steps need to be completed successfully in order to obtain a license to practice medicine in the U.S. 

Brief history of the test:

USMLE Step 1

The USMLE Step 1 is a one-day computer exam taken by most medical students at the end of their second year of medical school. It is also taken by thousands of international medical graduates (IMGs) who wish to practice medicine in the United States. Step 1 includes 322 questions and spans 8 hours of testing, broken down into seven 1-hour blocks of 48 questions each.  

• Year created: 1915
• Number of tests takers in 2008 (most recently updated year): 41,576
• Length of test: 8 hours
• Test format: computer-based test (CBT)
• Sections on test: Emphasis on basic science principles, specifically anatomy, behavioral science, biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pharmacology, and physiology.  Interdisciplinary areas such as genetics, immunology, and nutrition are also tested. 
• Score range: When you take Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 3, the computer records test takers’ responses. After the test ends, their responses are transmitted to the National Board of Medical Examiners for scoring. The number of test items the test taker answers correctly is converted to two equivalent scores, one on a three-digit score scale and one on a two-digit score scale. On the three-digit scale, most Step 1, 2 CK, or 3 scores fall between 140 and 260. The mean score for first-time examinees from accredited medical school programs in the United States is in the range of 210 to 230, and the standard deviation is approximately 20.  
• Cost of test: $525
• How often the test it administered: administered by appointment on a year-round basis.
• Administrator of test: National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®)
• Interesting fact about the test: A combined 94% of American and Canadian test takers pass USMLE Step 1, though only 71% of non-American or non-Canadian test takers pass it. 

USMLE Step 2 CK

The USMLE Step 2 CK is a multiple-choice exam designed to determine whether the examinee possesses the medical knowledge and understanding of clinical science considered essential for the provision of patient care under supervision. The Step 2 CK includes 352 questions and spans 9 hours of testing, broken down into eight 1-hour blocks of 44 questions each.  The USMLE Step 2 CK includes two multiple-choice formats: Single Best Answer and Single Answer Matching. The exam may also contain patient-centered vignettes with associated questions.

• Year created: 1915
• Number of tests takers in 2008 (most recently updated year): 34,308
• Length of test: 9 hours
• Test format: computer-based test (CBT)
• Sections on test: Topics are presented randomly. For example, there is no unique pediatrics section. Test takers face the challenge of having to switch from one topic to another without skipping a beat.
• Score range: When you take Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 3, the computer records test takers’ responses. After the test ends, their responses are transmitted to the National Board of Medical Examiners for scoring. The number of test items the test taker answers correctly is converted to two equivalent scores, one on a three-digit score scale and one on a two-digit score scale. On the three-digit scale, most Step 1, 2 CK, or 3 scores fall between 140 and 260. The mean score for first-time examinees from accredited medical school programs in the United States is in the range of 210 to 230, and the standard deviation is approximately 20.  .
• Cost of test: $525
• How often the test it administered: The test is administered by appointment on a year-round basis.
• Administrator of test: National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®)
• Interesting fact about the test: The USMLE Step 2 CK score is one of many factors considered by residency programs in selecting applicants.

USMLE Step 2 CS

The USMLE Step 2 CS is a 8-hour, live exam that resembles a physician’s typical work day in a clinic, doctor’s office, emergency department, and/or hospital setting in the United States. Examinees have 15 minutes to examine each “standardized patient” (11 total), who is an actor chosen from a broad range of age, racial, and ethnic backgrounds and trained to portray a real patient. 

• Year created: 1915
• Number of tests takers in 2008 (most recently updated year): 34,573
• Length of test: 8 hours
• Test format: live exam, clinical
• Sections on test: Test takers will be assessed on your ability to communicate with the patients in a professional and empathetic manner, elicit important historic information, perform an exam, answer any questions, inform them of any diagnoses, and inform them what tests will be ordered.  After each patient encounter, examinees must record pertinent history and findings, list diagnostic impressions, and outline plans for further evaluation. 
• Score range: Pass or Fail
• Cost of test: $1,120
• How often the test it administered: The test is administered on a first-come, first-served basis during a 12-month eligibility window.
• Administrator of test: National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®)
• Interesting fact about the test: Historically, US students have taken Step 2 CS late in their senior year, prior to graduation. However, some residency programs (such as those at the University of California, San Francisco) now require students to record a passing score for both Step 2 CS and CK prior to February 15th of the application year.

USMLE Step 3

The USMLE Step 3 is a 2-day computerized examination with approximately 500 multiple-choice questions, as well as computer-based case simulations (CCS) which assess your ability to evaluate history and physical exam information, order diagnostic tests, select initial therapies, and manage the patient. 

• Year created: 1915
• Number of tests takers in 2008 (most recently updated year): 30,931
• Length of test: Taken over a 2 day period
• Test format: computer-based test (CBT)
• Sections on test: Primarily focuses on patient management (45-55% of questions). Other topics include history and physical; lab and diagnostic studies; diagnosis; prognosis; and pathophysiology—each consisting of about 8-12% of the exam questions. In addition, each question falls into one of three clinical encounter frames: initial workup; continued care; and emergency care.
• Score range: When you take Step 1, Step 2 CK, or Step 3, the computer records test takers’ responses. After the test ends, their responses are transmitted to the National Board of Medical Examiners for scoring. The number of test items the test taker answers correctly is converted to two equivalent scores, one on a three-digit score scale and one on a two-digit score scale. On the three-digit scale, most Step 1, 2 CK, or 3 scores fall between 140 and 260. The mean score for first-time examinees from accredited medical school programs in the United States is in the range of 210 to 230, and the standard deviation is approximately 20.  .
• Cost of test: $730
• How often the test it administered: The test is administered by appointment on a year-round basis.
• Administrator of test: National Board of Medical Examiners® (NBME®)
• Interesting fact about the test: A test taker has to have secured his or her MD before taking the exam.

*USMLE is a registered trademark of the National Board of Medical Examiners, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.