How many questions can you miss?

[aries12r40]

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Hey guys,
Can someone tell me how many questions can you miss for each section if you want to get a 10 for each one? How about for getting 11, 12, and 13? I guess to get a 14, you can probably miss 1-2 questions? And for 15, probably have to get perfect? Thanks!

** I am referring to the real CBT MCAT.

 

[Ibn Rushd]

^ Unfortunately, there is no static, fixed cut-off for the scales. It varies from exam to exam. I believe the AAMC creates a curve after the exam is administered, and that according to that curve, the test is scored. I think as a general rule, missing no more than 12, 10, and 12 in PS, VR, and BS, respectively, should correlate with a 10+ in each section.

 

[SN2ed]

Even though every test is curved, the curve doesn't move much. This is the scale from AAMC CBT #10, it should serve as a good reference point.


PS VR BS
15 52-52 40-40 51-52
14 50-51 39-39 50-50
13 49-49 38-38 47-49
12 46-48 37-37 46-46
11 44-45 34-36 43-45
10 41-43 31-33 39-42
9 38-40 29-30 35-38
8 33-37 27-28 32-34
7 28-32 24-26 29-31
6 23-27 21-23 26-28
5 19-22 19-20 23-25
4 15-18 15-18 20-22
3 11-14 12-14 16-19
2 8-10 9-11 14-15
1 0-7 0-8 0-13

 

[jh8cw]

More interesting question is, how many can you miss on the real (actual) test and get a certain score? I bet some people are aware of questions they know they missed. I mean who cares about the curve on the practice AAMCs, if they deviate from the real exam right?

 

[aries12r40]

Thanks for all the nice feedbacks. Especially SN2ed, that information is really helpful because I haven't sign up for the online practice AAMC MCAT. So I don't know how the curve looks like in general. I understand that the number of questions you can miss varies because of the curve. But I do agree that the curve wouldn't vary much especially for scores beyond 10.

 

[SN2ed]

More interesting question is, how many can you miss on the real (actual) test and get a certain score? I bet some people are aware of questions they know they missed. I mean who cares about the curve on the practice AAMCs, if they deviate from the real exam right?

The practice AAMCs were past MCATs and the curve barely moves.

 

[jh8cw]

The practice AAMCs were past MCATs and the curve barely moves.

There have been a few people on this forum who knew they missed at least 5-6 on a given section after the test, and they ended up getting 13-14s. I am aware that it is not objective to say you've gotten so-so many right on the test. But I think people have a stronger case when they claim to be aware of those questions they've missed -- and that's an underestimate of the questions they've missed in the section.

 

[SN2ed]

I wouldn't count on those whatsoever. Coming out of the test, your mind is a blur. Going off of the curve the AAMC publishes is a much better idea. The only way one knows they missed a question is if they left it blank. That's it.

 

[jh8cw]

I just wanted to following point: do your best and take what the test gives you. You may feel you did terribly on the actual test compared to the practice exams, or vice-versa. But you never know for sure.