How is the CBT MCAT scored?

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ramakul

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How does a raw score get converted to a scaled score? How do they come up with percentile for CBT? I took the online 3R, and it seems like I need to get every question right to get 15. I remembered that we don't need to get every questions correct to get 15 when it was old paper exam.

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That's a strange avatar, dude.

And the scaled scores are just estimates, maybe a bit steep, who knows?
 
And btw, that EK verbal question was pretty strange, too.
 
How does a raw score get converted to a scaled score? How do they come up with percentile for CBT? I took the online 3R, and it seems like I need to get every question right to get 15. I remembered that we don't need to get every questions correct to get 15 when it was old paper exam.

no one knows! hence: they don't release their scales.
 
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The reason that they don't release their scales is that, unlike the SAT or ACT, there is no constant correlation between your raw score and your scaled score. The AAMC scores each test on an individual basis, setting a 24 as the mean, with point difference correlating to roughly one standard error of measurement. It's a decently fair system, preventing a large discrepancy between tests simply because one was "easier" or harder. It's also the reason that the pre-CBT August MCAT was considered somewhat easier - since a large number of those taking the August MCAT were trying to raise low April scores while those who got higher scores abstained, the scale worked in their favor by a point or two.

If you're interested in more detailed information about percentile scores and other scoring data for the MCAT, you'll probably find these two links somewhat helpful:

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/examineedata/table0403.pdf

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/sendscores/exofscores.pdf

Hope this helps!
 
So, basically, our raw scores will get scaled by comparing to other who take the test on the same day? Since there are 22 test dates, there will be 22 different scales that AAMC used to score us this year. Is this right?

If this is the case, then it's better to take exam when there are more people taking it, so the statistic of percentile will bell-shape curve. right?

Thanks
 
If this is the case, then it's better to take exam when there are more people taking it, so the statistic of percentile will bell-shape curve. right?

Given that each section is only scored out of 15, you'll be as bell-shaped as you need to be no matter when you take it.

Even if it mattered, I'm not sure how a less-than-perfect curve is going to affect you. There are questions re-used in every administration where they compare past performance to current performance. Therefore, if everyone in your test group is really smart, then you could all potentially get 40s. You're not going to be penalized because there were more smart or dumb people in your group than normal.
 
How does a raw score get converted to a scaled score? How do they come up with percentile for CBT? I took the online 3R, and it seems like I need to get every question right to get 15. I remembered that we don't need to get every questions correct to get 15 when it was old paper exam.

I dont know what you are talking about dude. You need to just study instead of wasting time on sdn.
 
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