MCAT Curve

[The OC]

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Hello everyone, I talked to an adviser last week about the curve and he explained to me that there is one large curve for all versions of the exam. This is a credible source who actually used to grade the writing prompts when it was paper based. From what I understand, each version is not curved separately, all of them are put together. If this is true, and I am assuming it is, its very unfair to those people who have a hard exam because they are curved with people who had easier exams and we all know there are "easy versions." I thought I would pass this info on.

 

[lrkoehle]

having one curve defeats the purpose of a curve. The curve is to normalize the scores. If there is only one curve, then that would be no different than just using the raw scores.

 

[Medmad]

Hello everyone, I talked to an adviser last week about the curve and he explained to me that there is one large curve for all versions of the exam. This is a credible source who actually used to grade the writing prompts when it was paper based. From what I understand, each version is not curved separately, all of them are put together. If this is true, and I am assuming it is, its very unfair to those people who have a hard exam because they are curved with people who had easier exams and we all know there are "easy versions." I thought I would pass this info on.

I kinda disagree with your advisor on this point. The whole purpose of having a curve is to make it evens stevens for those who had a hard exam. So if both the harder and the easier versions get the same curve than whats the pont of even having one.

 

[Barts]

Hello everyone, I talked to an adviser last week about the curve and he explained to me that there is one large curve for all versions of the exam. This is a credible source who actually used to grade the writing prompts when it was paper based. From what I understand, each version is not curved separately, all of them are put together. If this is true, and I am assuming it is, its very unfair to those people who have a hard exam because they are curved with people who had easier exams and we all know there are "easy versions." I thought I would pass this info on.

There would be no reason to have a curve at all if this were the case. Perhaps your adviser doesn't understand what a curve is? 😉 Seriously, don't get yourself worked up over this, I think you were given some bad info. 🙂

 

[DrYoda]

Your advisor is ill informed.

 

[Ninjaface]

If you look at the grading scales given by AAMC for the practice tests they sell, they are all different. There's proof positive right there of individual test scales.

 

[nyc5614]

If you look at the grading scales given by AAMC for the practice tests they sell, they are all different. There's proof positive right there of individual test scales.

Do they list the month in which the exam was given? Based on the late starting dates of the academic years for many of the most selective colleges, I'm wondering if the curve tends to get wrecked for late August / early September test dates. I would guess that these dates would be the ones most likely for some exceptional students to sit for the exam.

 

[The OC]

I think what he meant was that that the exams are curved for each testing date. How people score relative to others will determine how well they do. Those people who get easy sections tend to luck out. As far as credibility, he is an assistant dean for an SMP and sits on the admissions committee for the medical school. He thinks it's totally unfair as well. It doesnt really matter to me, because either way you gotta do well but I think we have a right to know exactly how the exam is graded and curved and where they get their numbers.

 

[Ninjaface]

Do they list the month in which the exam was given?

Nope. 🙁

... I think we have a right to know exactly how the exam is graded and curved and where they get their numbers.

Yup. 🙁

 

[J ROD]

Hello everyone, I talked to an adviser last week about the curve and he explained to me that there is one large curve for all versions of the exam. This is a credible source who actually used to grade the writing prompts when it was paper based. From what I understand, each version is not curved separately, all of them are put together. If this is true, and I am assuming it is, its very unfair to those people who have a hard exam because they are curved with people who had easier exams and we all know there are "easy versions." I thought I would pass this info on.

I think your advisor needs to be "advised."

 

[BloodySurgeon]

A similar question has been asked in this thread if you care to look. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=505032