How many questions can you miss per section?

[cardmagi]

---

Members do not see this ad.

What is the maximum amount of questions I should be missing (per section) when aiming for a 30 or above? I know its graded on a curve, but what do you think is a good number to be comfortable with?

 

[MadEvans]

What is the maximum amount of questions I should be missing (per section) when aiming for a 30 or above? I know its graded on a curve, but what do you think is a good number to be comfortable with?

About 10. Try to get >80% right if you're shooting for 30+.

 

[stixx]

If you go on e-mcat.com it gives you the precise scale for each exam. And yep, generally a 41-43 out of 52 gets you a 10.

 

[unsung]

About 10. Try to get >80% right if you're shooting for 30+.

That's about right. 80% (raw score) or above will usually give 30+ unless the test is just super easy and there's not much of a curve. Actually, on one of the AAMCs, I got a 78% which was still a 30, so there's some wiggle room there. If you hit 85-86% you're looking at 35+ range, and 90%+ range brings you into like 40 territory. So as you can see, you can miss a bunch and still get a good score.

In general on practice passages, if you're getting some totally right, and some with only 1 or 2 wrong, you can be pretty confident you're at a 10+ level on that section. As long as it's a consistent thing, if you're averaging <1 wrong per passage, you'll get a 10+ score.

 

[BlueElmo]

That's about right. 80% (raw score) or above will usually give 30+ unless the test is just super easy and there's not much of a curve. Actually, on one of the AAMCs, I got a 78% which was still a 30, so there's some wiggle room there. If you hit 85-86% you're looking at 35+ range, and 90%+ range brings you into like 40 territory. So as you can see, you can miss a bunch and still get a good score.

In general on practice passages, if you're getting some totally right, and some with only 1 or 2 wrong, you can be pretty confident you're at a 10+ level on that section. As long as it's a consistent thing, if you're averaging <1 wrong per passage, you'll get a 10+ score.

Sigh. That just seems so hard.

 

[Vihsadas]

Just a small correction, 95%+ is usually about 40 territory. (At least on the practice exams)

 

[ncguy2005]

I think the curve for the real MCAT has to differ at least slightly. Some of the questions on the test are field test questions:

"How does the MCAT get test questions?
A large pool of content experts writes the items. New items are included in each administration of the MCAT as "field test" questions. Field test questions are not scored, but they are assessed for their performance and, if they are approved, are used on a future MCAT."


So... I would guess that you could miss all the field test questions plus a few real ones and still get a ten... I may be wrong though.

 

[supafield]

While one shouldn't count on experimental questions doing anything different to your score... it may be an effective mental technique to deal with a horrendous passage on the mcat.... between finishing and moving onto the next passage remind yourself that a passage that radical must have been experimental so you decide not to worry about it... and proceed with confidence....


Ignorance is bliss, isn't it?

 

[futuredoctor10]

That is a good strategy to use- any passage or even discrete that seems overly difficult can be deemed an experimental. Can only boost your confidence and can't hurt you thinking this way.

WHICH reminds me, maybe all the June/July test-takers who say it was harder than they expected just had 5 or 6 really hard experimental questions?