??? All percentile ranks are based on the 2007 norms

[Monsterdaddy]

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All percentile ranks are based on the 2007 norms (see Appendix A, “Sample Personal Score Report”). Percentile ranks earned before June 2008 (when the 2007 percentile ranks were introduced) have been converted to equivalent 2007 percentile ranks.​

The personal Score Report lists the scaled score and the percentile rank for each of the five multiple-choice subtests and for the total multiple-choice test (Composite). These five subtest scores and percentile ranks are based on the number of core items answered correctly in relation to the performance of the norm group—all first-time examinees who took the test between October 2004 and May 2007.​

What the heck? If I read this correctly then our current scores are not measured against the folks who actually took our test but against folks in 2004-2007 when the test was helluva lot easier???

Am I missing anything?

 

[diastole]

What the heck? If I read this correctly then our current scores are not measured against the folks who actually took our test but against folks in 2004-2007 when the test was helluva lot easier???

Am I missing anything?

How do you know the test was easier? I see a lot of 90+ composites here so it would seem that plenty of people are doing just fine against the competition.

 

[Monsterdaddy]

How do you know the test was easier? I see a lot of 90+ composites here so it would seem that plenty of people are doing just fine against the competition.

I know from 2 sources, the people who have taken the tests and from taking the 2 Pearson practice tests. How do you know it wasn't harder?

(Sorry, just being testy. But I think my original question is still a valid concern to test takers.)

 

[busyizzy]

I can't say for anything beyond my experience: I took the test last August and this October. I studied a LOT harder this time than last year, and I feel it did pay off. However, I did feel that the test was a lot harder this year. Of course, there was a year break inbetween, so time may have skewed my memory. This is just a note from personal experiences....

 

[desmoulins45179]

I know from 2 sources, the people who have taken the tests and from taking the 2 Pearson practice tests. How do you know it wasn't harder?

(Sorry, just being testy. But I think my original question is still a valid concern to test takers.)

So you took a couple practice tests and that's your source? I think that's rather subjective. I don't think it was harder. I took it in october 2006 and this year. The individual subject matter may change (more orgo than gen chem) but overall I do not think it was harder

 

[socalpharm86]

This can explain why people have been getting killed on the RC section as of late. I think I'm onto something!

 

[PharmOl]

This actually plays to our advantage since, I've read on some schools websites, people are doing progressively better on the PCAT. So that pool must have been a little behind. Good stuff.

 

[TibialplateauFx]

I took the PCAT June 2007, and I can say for a fact that it was harder.

The Verbal was the same - if you have seen one you have seen them all.

The Biology had a lot more specific questioning - quite a few from genetics - overall I would say slightly more difficult.

The Chemistry was slightly harder as well, a lot more Organic! In 2007 I'd say it was 70:30 in favor of General Chemistry - Saturday I'd say more like 50:50 maybe 55:45 - but a lot more Organic.

Reading Comp was by far more difficult. The passages were a little longer. But the PCAT reading comp is cake compared to the MCAT Verbals! ( I took the MCAT last month )

Quant was wayyyyy more difficult this time around! There was a lot more CALCULUS! I'd say probably 20 calc/precalc type questions - if not more! When I took the 2007 PCAT I had not even had CALC/preCALC, or Stats and still got a 59 - I will be HAPPY as H*LL if I get a 59 on yesterdays QUANT!!!

Overall, the PCAT is trending toward a more difficult test!!!

Just study and do your BEST - and by the way, the online practice PCATs do not resemble the REAL deal at all - except for the Verbal, and a little of the Quant.

Good luck to all!

 

[diastole]

I know from 2 sources, the people who have taken the tests and from taking the 2 Pearson practice tests. How do you know it wasn't harder?

(Sorry, just being testy. But I think my original question is still a valid concern to test takers.)

I'm not sure why it matters if it is harder. For the most part, you are competing with people who have taken the exam recently. Even if average scores were to drop by ten points, you would be competing with the same people who also experienced a ten point drop. Now if you were competing with hoards of people who took the "easy" version, I could see your point but I doubt there are lots of people trying to get into school who are using PCAT scores from 2004 to 2007. The experience might be a little more stressful but you are still being graded on the curve.

 

[Monsterdaddy]

I'm not sure why it matters if it is harder. For the most part, you are competing with people who have taken the exam recently. Even if average scores were to drop by ten points, you would be competing with the same people who also experienced a ten point drop. Now if you were competing with hoards of people who took the "easy" version, I could see your point but I doubt there are lots of people trying to get into school who are using PCAT scores from 2004 to 2007. The experience might be a little more stressful but you are still being graded on the curve.

Then I am not sure you read the original post. It's in plain English and what it tells me is our results are NOT compared to the same test takers but those in 2007 based on RAW correct answers.

I have no problem getting scaled scores vis a vis my peers who took the same test.

 

[diastole]

Then I am not sure you read the original post. It's in plain English and what it tells me is our results are NOT compared to the same test takers but those in 2007 based on RAW correct answers.

I have no problem getting scaled scores vis a vis my peers who took the same test.

No I read it and I still don't see why it matters. You are being compared to people who took the test years ago but you are competing for pharmacy school admissions with people who took the test recently. What's wrong with that?

 

[delano2000]

I took the PCAT June 2007, and I can say for a fact that it was harder.

The Verbal was the same - if you have seen one you have seen them all.

The Biology had a lot more specific questioning - quite a few from genetics - overall I would say slightly more difficult.

The Chemistry was slightly harder as well, a lot more Organic! In 2007 I'd say it was 70:30 in favor of General Chemistry - Saturday I'd say more like 50:50 maybe 55:45 - but a lot more Organic.

Reading Comp was by far more difficult. The passages were a little longer. But the PCAT reading comp is cake compared to the MCAT Verbals! ( I took the MCAT last month )

Quant was wayyyyy more difficult this time around! There was a lot more CALCULUS! I'd say probably 20 calc/precalc type questions - if not more! When I took the 2007 PCAT I had not even had CALC/preCALC, or Stats and still got a 59 - I will be HAPPY as H*LL if I get a 59 on yesterdays QUANT!!!

Overall, the PCAT is trending toward a more difficult test!!!

Just study and do your BEST - and by the way, the online practice PCATs do not resemble the REAL deal at all - except for the Verbal, and a little of the Quant.

Good luck to all!

That is a matter of opinion.

 

[Monsterdaddy]

No I read it and I still don't see why it matters. You are being compared to people who took the test years ago but you are competing for pharmacy school admissions with people who took the test recently. What's wrong with that?

See below:

These five subtest scores and percentile ranks are based on the number of core items answered correctly in relation to the performance of the norm group—all first-time examinees who took the test between October 2004 and May 2007.

Do you see the logical fallacy in that? Harder test = less number of core items answered correctly = lower scores and percentile ranks vs the norm group. You also assume no one in the norm group is currently applying now to pharmacy schools. In addition, let's assume the tests are getting progressively harder from 2007 to now. Test takers who took older tests should scale better than more recent test takers.

This is also a simple statistical principle, you if change your sampling conditions, the results will be skewed compared to the norm group.

Their methodology will certainly produce a skew in the results. How much is debatable but it certainly seems to be a very unnecessary skew. Simply scaling results by using only the population who actually took any one test should be simple enough to do.

Perhaps someone who is a better statistician could explain this.

 

[plastictrees]

I honestly don't know how the PCAT is scored. If someone could explain it to me that would be awesome. I just went in and took the test and prayed that I did really really well...

 

[roziak]

I honestly don't know how the PCAT is scored. If someone could explain it to me that would be awesome. I just went in and took the test and prayed that I did really really well...

Your PCAT is scored based on how many you got right vs. wrong - also called the scaled score. This scaled score is compared to the scaled scores of the "norm group" (people who were first-time test takers between the years of 2004-2007). And from that comparison you get something called a percentile. So, for instance, if you get an 80th percentile, that means you did better than 79% of those people in that "norm group".

When you hear people say "I got a 90 on my PCAT", they are saying their percentile score. There actual scaled score is probably around 435 or so. But when people ask what you got on your PCAT, you say your percentile. I used to think that the percentile score was your scaled score based on everyone in the nation that took the exact same version of the test that you did that date, which makes more sense to me, but I guess not.

If I am incorrect, then I am sorry. This is just what I have heard throughout the years. Hope it helps.