Why There's No Three-Digit Step 1 Conversion Anymore, and What NBME Gives You Instead

• What changed
• The four scenarios
• A few practical points
• The takeaway

If you search for “NBME to Step 1 conversion,” you will still find charts that turn a practice score into a number like 230 or 245. Those charts belong to a system that no longer exists. Here is what changed and how to read the report you actually get now.

§What changed

Step 1 results have been reported as pass/fail for exams taken on or after January 26, 2022. With no three-digit Step 1 score to predict, NBME changed its Comprehensive Basic Science Self-Assessment (CBSSA) report as well.

Today the report shows:

• an equated percent correct (EPC), adjusted for how hard each form is;
• a likely range of about ±4 points around that EPC;
• a Step 1 low-pass range, about 62–68% on NBME’s April 2026 sample report;
• an estimated probability of passing if you were to test within roughly a week.

Any three-digit Step 1 figure you see online is an unofficial estimate based on the old reporting system. It cannot be checked against a current Step 1 result, because Step 1 no longer gives one.

§The four scenarios

NBME’s CBSSA readiness guidance sorts results into four situations by comparing your likely range with the low-pass range:

1. At risk. Your likely range is entirely below the low-pass range. NBME strongly recommends additional preparation.
2. Borderline. Part of your likely range is below the low-pass range. You may still be at risk of failing, and additional preparation is strongly recommended.
3. Close to passing. Your likely range sits within or just above the low-pass range. You are near the minimum level, and more preparation may be recommended.
4. Likely ready. Your likely range is entirely above the low-pass range. This suggests readiness, though NBME notes it is not a guarantee.

§A few practical points

• Compare EPC, not raw percent. EPC is equated, so a 70% on one form means the same as a 70% on another. Raw percent correct does not have that property.
• Use current forms. Forms 28–34 are on sale now. Forms 26 and 27 were retired in September 2026, but older reports from them read the same way.
• Look for repetition. NBME notes that more than one result in the “close to passing” zone gives more reassurance than a single one.
• Lead with the probability. The pass probability on your report comes from NBME’s model and is the most important number on it.

If you want a plain walkthrough of how to interpret your NBME Step 1 score against the low-pass band, this free, independent guide (no sign-up, not affiliated with NBME or USMLE) explains how to interpret your NBME Step 1 score and shows which scenario a given EPC falls into.

§The takeaway

Stop looking for your “Step 1 score” on a practice test. Read your EPC, its likely range, the low-pass band and the pass probability together, and use NBME’s four scenarios to decide whether to test or keep preparing.