50 point increase rule

[PistonFan531]

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My friend took the PCAT in October and got a 38 composite. He just got the results of his August PCAT and ended up with a whooping 97. Have his scores just been disqualified since he went over the 50 point increase? I wanted to ask here first because I did not want to break his heart.

 

[RaneyNi]

I have a friend as well. I don't think it matters. As long as the person can see the score, that's what he/she is getting. Congratulations to your friend!!!

 

[Shimmery]

My friend took the PCAT in October and got a 38 composite. He just got the results of his August PCAT and ended up with a whooping 97. Have his scores just been disqualified since he went over the 50 point increase? I wanted to ask here first because I did not want to break his heart.

From my understanding his scores has NOT been disqualified. Normally you cannot see the scores if it has been invalidated, but since he did receive his scores, it was validated.

See, what I would do is that on the Personal Score Report, it says this....

"* If a test date is displayed as ‘NA’, then it is not available due to either a no-score or invalidation. "

Now, if his current August 2009 scores are up there, it means that it has not been invalidated.

 

[PistonFan531]

From my understanding his scores has NOT been disqualified. Normally you cannot see the scores if it has been invalidated, but since he did receive his scores, it was validated.

See, what I would do is that on the Personal Score Report, it says this....

"* If a test date is displayed as ‘NA’, then it is not available due to either a no-score or invalidation. "

Now, if his current August 2009 scores are up there, it means that it has not been invalidated.

So my friend has nothing to worry about?

 

[Soon2BPharmacst]

My friend took the PCAT in October and got a 38 composite. He just got the results of his August PCAT and ended up with a whooping 97. Have his scores just been disqualified since he went over the 50 point increase? I wanted to ask here first because I did not want to break his heart.

Do you know what your friend used to study? What helped make the score increase that much?

 

[PistonFan531]

All I know is that he purchased a Kaplan class.

 

[pharmRxn]

i am expecting a 60 point increase after all that time studying.

 

[diastole]

You should convince your friend to post here and tell everyone how he did it. That kind of improvement is impressive.

 

[pharmRxn]

You should convince your friend to post here and tell everyone how he did it. That kind of improvement is impressive.

if my composite increases by 60 percentile then i will post exactly how i did it.

 

[Pre Pharmer]

I actually spoke to a person from Pearson today. She told me that your scores can be invalidated if you completely bombed it the first time and completely aced it the second time. HOWEVER, you can appeal it by telling them why you did so much better the second time around, and almost always your appeal gets approved, so even if his scores are invalidated, he has nothing to worry about! Good job to your friend!👍

 

[jackal head]

congrats to your "friend" 😉

 

[Electrode]

I actually spoke to a person from Pearson today. She told me that your scores can be invalidated if you completely bombed it the first time and completely aced it the second time. HOWEVER, you can appeal it by telling them why you did so much better the second time around, and almost always your appeal gets approved, so even if his scores are invalidated, he has nothing to worry about! Good job to your friend!👍

That only means that I have to start preparing my appeal for the October PCAT. My word...😎

 

[LABruin4Life]

Can someone please explain this rule to me? I read page 21 of the Testing Booklet, but I'm still a little unclear about this rule. It says "If Composite scaled score and percentile rank earned on the test date in question are 50 or more points greater than the most recent Composite scores earned within the previous 13 months, an invalidation automatically occurs (including the Writing scores) due to the large score gain." Composite scaled score and percentile rank? Is this to be taken as meaning if you increase your Composite %ile from say 20 to 70, then they'd invalidate your scores? To me it seems that a 50-pt increase on your scaled score is possible and not that alarming if you really studied to improve on a section...correct me if I'm wrong. I guess what I'm trying to ask is: I should only be worried about my scores being canceled this time around if I increase my %ile by 50 points, right? (cuz the scaled score is not really what schools look at?)

 

[busyizzy]

Can someone please explain this rule to me? I read page 21 of the Testing Booklet, but I'm still a little unclear about this rule. It says "If Composite scaled score and percentile rank earned on the test date in question are 50 or more points greater than the most recent Composite scores earned within the previous 13 months, an invalidation automatically occurs (including the Writing scores) due to the large score gain." Composite scaled score and percentile rank? Is this to be taken as meaning if you increase your Composite %ile from say 20 to 70, then they'd invalidate your scores? To me it seems that a 50-pt increase on your scaled score is possible and not that alarming if you really studied to improve on a section...correct me if I'm wrong. I guess what I'm trying to ask is: I should only be worried about my scores being canceled this time around if I increase my %ile by 50 points, right? (cuz the scaled score is not really what schools look at?)

It's not a 50% increase in a section. It's the 50% composite increase, which means you needed to AVERAGE a 50% increase on EACH section. Which, to be honest, is a little eye-raising. Possible? Of course. You can appeal their decision to invalidate your scores, and from what's stated in this thread, it doesn't seem too difficult, nor do they seem so picky. But I think the rule is reasonable. It's just a warning to not take the exam on a whim and to deter cheaters.

 

[LABruin4Life]

It's not a 50% increase in a section. It's the 50% composite increase, which means you needed to AVERAGE a 50% increase on EACH section. Which, to be honest, is a little eye-raising. Possible? Of course. You can appeal their decision to invalidate your scores, and from what's stated in this thread, it doesn't seem too difficult, nor do they seem so picky. But I think the rule is reasonable. It's just a warning to not take the exam on a whim and to deter cheaters.

Thanks a lot! That def cleared things up for me. I def don't think I'm gonna average a 50% increase on EACH of my sections, cuz I'm only looking to improve my Chem score by [hopefully] 50%. Thanks again! 🙂