Better DAT score during school year

[patricklin27]

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Is it true that you can get a better score during the school year since more people taking the DAT at this time will be studying for school as well? the scale for the DAT will be more "lenient"??

 

[krysta1]

hmm good question. I always wondered about that too.

 

[ryansgs]

No. There is no scale. And schools don't see your percentile. They only see your scores 1-30 and this score does not depend on how others do, it only depends on how many questions you get right.

 

[patricklin27]

No. There is no scale. And schools don't see your percentile. They only see your scores 1-30 and this score does not depend on how others do, it only depends on how many questions you get right.

well the "harder" the test, the more questions you can get wrong and still achieve the same score as an "easier" test. the test may seem "harder" for other people b/c more people will not do as well at this time b/c of other priorities during the school year. So your 1-30 score still would depend on how others do.


is this a fair assumption to make? im just wondering b/c i have other friends that want to take it at this time and i told him its better b/c more people would be concentrating on other stuff than the DAT at this time so its easier to attend a high score.

 

[Ari Rezaei]

Lol this isn't true at all. The ADA is smarter than that. It doesn't matter when or what version of the exam you take, you're going to get the same score. Check out the validity and reliability studies in the examiner guide if you're interested.

 

[patricklin27]

Lol this isn't true at all. The ADA is smarter than that. It doesn't matter when or what version of the exam you take, you're going to get the same score. Check out the validity and reliability studies in the examiner guide if you're interested.

how is it not true? I was under the impression that if one takes a harder exam (or when more people get it wrong nationwide), your score will be scaled accordingly? I dont think they will penalize you for taking a harder exam by giving out the same score (in terms of right/wrong) as an easier exam.

 

[Ari Rezaei]

Your question was taking the exam at different times of the year could yield a different score, which isn't the case. But yes, the different versions of the exam are scaled accordingly so that it doesn't matter your region, race, sex, time, harder versions, etc., you'll still get the same scale score if you retook the exam 10 times that day. All that matters is how much you studied.

 

[patricklin27]

all that matters is how much you studied... ok i get that. but the performance of the people that took the same test as you matters as well. so, like i said before, since the performance of these people may be affected by schoolwork at this time, your score may be scaled "better" at this time? yes?

 

[Ari Rezaei]

Oh, do you mean if other peoples scores matter at the time you take the exam? No, the dat is scaled, compared, and scored independent of the group taking it, the grading scale is already in place. Otherwise they couldn't give you your score the same day at the end of the exam.

 

[patricklin27]

Oh, do you mean if other peoples scores matter at the time you take the exam? No, the dat is scaled, compared, and scored independent of the group taking it, the grading scale is already in place. Otherwise they couldn't give you your score the same day at the end of the exam.

that makes sense.. thanks