Schools that use 240 Step 1 as a screen threshold

[SphereGlobe]

There's been talk on this forum that 240 on Step 1 is a new screening threshold. I spoke with my Program Director, who confirmed that "some" schools are using this, but she is unsure how many. Ours does not use this as a threshold.

To assist everyone who is applying at targeting their applications, I thought I'd start a list of schools that use this cutoff. Based on the forum, the only one I have found so far is:

1. Indiana University.

Please add to the list!

Thanks all!

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[DrZeke]

There's been talk on this forum that 240 on Step 1 is a new screening threshold. I spoke with my Program Director, who confirmed that "some" schools are using this, but she is unsure how many. Ours does not use this as a threshold.

To assist everyone who is applying at targeting their applications, I thought I'd start a list of schools that use this cutoff. Based on the forum, the only one I have found so far is:

1. Indiana University.

Please add to the list!

Thanks all!

When I matched in 2013 the major cutoff was 220. I spoke to several programs about this. Therefore I imagine most program have a soft cutoff of 225-230.


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[eye love lamp]

There's been talk on this forum that 240 on Step 1 is a new screening threshold. I spoke with my Program Director, who confirmed that "some" schools are using this, but she is unsure how many. Ours does not use this as a threshold.

To assist everyone who is applying at targeting their applications, I thought I'd start a list of schools that use this cutoff. Based on the forum, the only one I have found so far is:

1. Indiana University.

Please add to the list!

Thanks all!

To all out there applying in the future with a 239, I would still definitely apply to Indiana

For this kind of stuff I would never trust a forum.

 

[pasquals]

Its ridiculous b/c Indiana does not have the quality of an ophtho program to be demanding 240 step 1 applicants which is the basically the mean score now (244). It makes sense for a program to have a cut off of 1 sd below the mean (examples include utmb, slu- 230). 240+ people are going to be ranking IU 5th on their list and the residency class will be comprised of people that don't "really" want to be there.

 

[spriteone]

Its ridiculous b/c Indiana does not have the quality of an ophtho program to be demanding 240 step 1 applicants which is the basically the mean score now (244). It makes sense for a program to have a cut off of 1 sd below the mean (examples include utmb, slu- 230). 240+ people are going to be ranking IU 5th on their list and the residency class will be comprised of people that don't "really" want to be there.

One evaluation metric programs can clearly influence is their residents' statistics when they're trying to improve their program's reputation/residents. You can recruit applicants with 240+ scores who want to stay close to home on one end of the spectrum, or are trying to overcome redflags on the far other end.

Although statistics aren't available for the SF match, you can look at NRMP outcomes to see that there are a number of 240+ students who go unmatched in competitive specialties. There are applicants who might not be the total package and competitive at elite programs, but they have a high score to help them overcome either a lack of ophtho experiences or certain redflags. Lower tiered schools may be more open to dealing with these issues if the program is rewarded in numbers.

Despite playing devil's advocate, I would be very surprised if 240 was a hard cutoff. It's much more likely it's a soft cutoff with higher steps preferred when there's no other clear winner based on applicants' strengths/weaknesses.
What programs publicize or tell you =\= reality.... holds true with score cutoffs.

 

[HappyOphthoDude]

Just wanted to chime in here: I had a step one score in the mid 230's and received an interview at Indiana (no personal connections, not my home program, no away rotation, not from Indiana, didn't even separately contact them). So that 240 cut-off rumor for IU isn't true. At least not last year.