MCAT scoring.

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Hi all,

Just a question. How exactly do they come up with your score on the MCAT? Do they curver the scores(correct answers) aaginst all takers of a specific test? ie: BG.Or is it x number of correct question equals x score?


Thanks,


Rob

 

[Labslave]

Hi all,

Just a question. How exactly do they come up with your score on the MCAT? Do they curver the scores(correct answers) aaginst all takers of a specific test? ie: BG.Or is it x number of correct question equals x score?


Thanks,


Rob

Not everyone takes the exact same exam. There are lots of different test forms (I forget the exact number...), each coded by two letters (mine was EM). After scoring all of the different forms, the scores are standardized according to the relative difficulty, seeing as the exams will cover different subjects and have differences in the length of each section, difficulty of questions, etc.

Hope that helps.

 

[gluon999]

Here is the reply I received from AAMC

"The MCAT is not graded on a curve. Different test forms within a
single test administration
generally vary slightly in difficulty. To ensure that no examinee
benefits or is
disadvantaged because of these differences in test form difficulty, we
do
post-scoring equating which ensures that, not only from form to form,
but also from
administration to administration, examinees are assessed according to
the same
standard. By this process, we slide more difficult and less difficult
forms in
different directions along our standard scale, aligning new-form raw
score
percentiles with those of the standard, to determine what raw score on
each new form
corresponds to each of the scaled scores on the standard. In that way
we minimize
the potential effects of differences in test form difficulty, and
ensure that for
all MCAT administrations, examinees are assessed according to the same
standard
across administrations."



How is that not a curve?

 

[Will Ferrell]

.

 

[SearsTower]

Hey gluon, what movie is your icon from?

 

[DrBowtie]

Office Space

 

[gluon999]

Office Space

the funniest movie, errr, documentary, ever 👍

 

[sweetstuff25]

Office Space

the best part of the movie was when they break all the computer equip with hardcore gangster rap in the background.

 

[JustR]

How is that not a curve?

Seems like it's curved....

 

[McGillGrad]

From my understanding it is adjusted, not curved, according to the average number of correct answers per section (or passage).

Thus, some exams will allow a 10 in physical sciences with 40-50 correct answers while other exams will only require 35-40 correct answers for a 10. I do not think they take the outlying scores into consideration as a curve usually does.

 

[SearsTower]

From my understanding it is adjusted, not curved, according to the average number of correct answers per section (or passage).

Thus, some exams will allow a 10 in physical sciences with 40-50 correct answers while other exams will only require 35-40 correct answers for a 10. I do not think they take the outlying scores into consideration as a curve usually does.

10 for 35 correct? That's ludicrous

 

[JustR]

10 for 35 correct? That's ludicrous

It can't be ludicrous when it's above 30 on the MCAT overall I believe.

 

[McGillGrad]

10 for 35 correct? That's ludicrous

Have you taken MCAT prep courses or AAMC exams and counted the number correct and the score you received in the end?

If you have't then that is why it seems odd.

 

[SearsTower]

i took a kaplan's test, and 53-55 was a 10. I think it's scaled even higher on the AAMC tests

 

[JustR]

i took a kaplan's test, and 53-55 was a 10. I think it's scaled even higher on the AAMC tests

53-55?? What do you mean by that SearsTower?

 

[McGillGrad]

i took a kaplan's test, and 53-55 was a 10. I think it's scaled even higher on the AAMC tests

Besides the fact that every exam is totally different and scaled against all that take it every exam, AAMC practice exams are known, to anyone familiar with the exam, are much easier than the real MCAT.

Also which section are you talking about?

 

[SearsTower]

JustR - 53/77 questions.

I'm talking about PS & BS. You won't like the scores on the AAMC Website... On average, in PS & BS, for a 10, you must score at least 57, 58.
So I still stand by my original statement, 35 out of 77 for a 10 is absolutely ridiculous. There is no way they'll curve it down this much.

 

[JustR]

JustR - 53/77 questions.

I'm talking about PS & BS. You won't like the scores on the AAMC Website... On average, in PS & BS, for a 10, you must score at least 57, 58.
So I still stand by my original statement, 35 out of 77 for a 10 is absolutely ridiculous. There is no way they'll curve it down this much.

First time, I agree with ya on something.....

Btw,Sears Tower,
I am sorry I did not understand it when you were talking about it last time so I was confused, so I asked about 53-55.
Anyway,
Continue talking,

 

[SearsTower]

How dare you ask me something because you were confused? In some countries, they'd lock you up in dungeons.

 

[McGillGrad]

JustR - 53/77 questions.

I'm talking about PS & BS. You won't like the scores on the AAMC Website... On average, in PS & BS, for a 10, you must score at least 57, 58.
So I still stand by my original statement, 35 out of 77 for a 10 is absolutely ridiculous. There is no way they'll curve it down this much.

The 35-40 is more true for the PS than the BS because most pre-meds are supposed to do better on BS due to biology section.

On the other hand, physics seems to be a weakness for the majority and thus has less correct answers on average.

Take a look at Kaplan's full-length exams and even though they usually test PS harder than the real MCAT, you do not need that many correct to hit 9-10. Considering that a 10 is the equivalent of a 66% (relatively speaking), it is not expected to be a great feat to score it.

After 9-10, there is a steep curve that develops where you need more and more correct to get up to 15.

 

[thesmartazz]

Remember that there are experimental sections, so the number of graded questions won't be in the 60s, not the 70s.

 

[SearsTower]

and ur point is?

 

[thesmartazz]

and ur point is?

Just that the discussion on "getting 67/77 correct" could be a bit misleading as the pool of graded questions is smaller.

 

[McGillGrad]

Just that the discussion on "getting 67/77 correct" could be a bit misleading as the pool of graded questions is smaller.

He doesn't understand that some questions are not there for grading but the question themselves are being evaluated.

Good point, BTW.