Question on my AA percentile

[PlasticSurgeon3]

I dont get it, most people that got a 20AA have between a 87-91%tile. but my 20AA percentile was a 93.4, and other peoples 21TS are like 91-93%tile and mine was 96.1%tile. So what im saying is shouldnt my like TS score be higher?? because now wont ADCOMS think my 21TS is like a 92%tile and not know that it was actually 96%TILE? and doesnt this mean my test was harder? Im really wondering how i only got a 21 TS with a 20 on bio, 22 in gen chem and a 25 in orgo. Could this be possible? Thanks SDN

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[vicsin]

I dont get it, most people that got a 20AA have between a 87-91%tile. but my 20AA percentile was a 93.4, and other peoples 21TS are like 91-93%tile and mine was 96.1%tile. So what im saying is shouldnt my like TS score be higher?? because now wont ADCOMS think my 21TS is like a 92%tile and not know that it was actually 96%TILE? and doesnt this mean my test was harder? Im really wondering how i only got a 21 TS with a 20 on bio, 22 in gen chem and a 25 in orgo. Could this be possible? Thanks SDN

I got the same percentile for my 20 AA. Yep, the test was harder but adcoms won't see the percentile and won't know that. It's unfair but nothing we can do about it. The TS is not an average of the 3 scores but depends on how many questions you got right out of 100 for the sciences. You must have been borderline 22 but just barely missed it (1-2 questions). Google a score conversion chart and you can see how they count it. Scores are still great so don't fret about it!

 

[Golfguy]

I really wouldn't put too much stock in those percentages. They don't seem to change much, and in fact I still see the same ones I had on my test. So, it's obvious they aren't adjusted in real-time or even remotely close.

 

[LetsGo2DSchool]

You had a harder version as indicated by your higher percentile. It's unfortunate because if you had an easier version you probably would've scored a 21.

 

[PlasticSurgeon3]

but since the TS was a 96.1 percentile, shouldnt my 21 be like a 22 or 23? i know its based off how many you got right out of 100 questions, but shouldnt the rubric be adjusted based off the percentile? because then these grades dont really make sense if me and someone else got a 20AA and their percentile was 90 and mine was 96

 

[Golfguy]

but since the TS was a 96.1 percentile, shouldnt my 21 be like a 22 or 23? i know its based off how many you got right out of 100 questions, but shouldnt the rubric be adjusted based off the percentile? because then these grades dont really make sense if me and someone else got a 20AA and their percentile was 90 and mine was 96

That's why I said those percentages are crap. I'm sure they're in the ballpark, but it's obvious they aren't adjusted very often to reflect current trends.

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

You guys aren't getting the shaft. Your scores are standardized so you can be compared against test takers who took different versions of the DAT.

The ADA knows what they are doing. They know how to fairly compare the results of all test takers.

Leave it to predents, the majority of whom have never taken a stats course, to interpret their own scores.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

i got a 20 TS and i think it was 92%. it def sucks man

 

[invictusx]

I dont get it, most people that got a 20AA have between a 87-91%tile. but my 20AA percentile was a 93.4, and other peoples 21TS are like 91-93%tile and mine was 96.1%tile. So what im saying is shouldnt my like TS score be higher?? because now wont ADCOMS think my 21TS is like a 92%tile and not know that it was actually 96%TILE? and doesnt this mean my test was harder? Im really wondering how i only got a 21 TS with a 20 on bio, 22 in gen chem and a 25 in orgo. Could this be possible? Thanks SDN

What can you do, right? I feel the same. My 23 AA was 99.7% whereas for others, a 23 may be 97%. My 25 TS was 99.9% Unfortunately schools do not see the percentiles. It's inevitable. If they did consider the percentiles, then analyzing you as an applicant will be exponentially harder because they have to consider how well you would perform if you were given an easy exam, but what if you hypothetically scored lower on the easier one? Could you have scored higher? All these questions are roaming in their heads and it's probably best that they eliminate all those external factors because that would just elongate the application process. That's the purpose of the DAT. It helps normalize any GPA discrepancies

 

[doc toothache]

You guys aren't getting the shaft. Your scores are standardized so you can be compared against test takers who took different versions of the DAT.
The ADA knows what they are doing. They know how to fairly compare the results of all test takers.
Leave it to predents, the majority of whom have never taken a stats course, to interpret their own scores.

At times, logic on the DAT scores is about as effective as a fan in a hurricane.

 

[rmm30]

You guys aren't getting the shaft. Your scores are standardized so you can be compared against test takers who took different versions of the DAT.

The ADA knows what they are doing. They know how to fairly compare the results of all test takers.

Leave it to predents, the majority of whom have never taken a stats course, to interpret their own scores.

Well since everybody is misguided and ignorant, maybe you could explain it instead of insulting people.

 

[ROCOCO8]

Well since everybody is misguided and ignorant, maybe you could explain it instead of insulting people.

+1

perhaps I really am misguided, but it just seems like there should be a better correlation between standardized test scores and percentiles.

 

[AlbinoPolarBear]

Well since everybody is misguided and ignorant, maybe you could explain it instead of insulting people.

Haha, okay let me explain it the best I can. The last time I explained it, most people completely ignored what I said, and went on to complain about how, judging on how their percentiles look, they got the shaft.

This is all from the DAT User Manual, so follow along as well as we can kids. Mr. Bear will explain once and for all, in layman terms, on how the DAT is scored.

1. Not all question you answered on the DAT will be marked. There are experimental questions that will be asked, and are eligible to enter into pool of marked questions on future tests. For example, only 75 out of the 90 questions on the PAT is marked. The 15 will be assessed on the difficulty, judging by how many people get it right or wrong. A difficulty parameter is assigned to every question, and questions that have difficulty parameters of 0.4 to 0.7 will be used as future test questions, with questions closer to the 0.7 being preferred.

2. So from these questions, a test is constructed, and scored. The sum of the difficulty parameters is used to gauged the difficulty of the test. There are multiple versions of the test, and if you have a certain version, then ALL of the questions, from the natural sciences to QR, will be the same.

3. You get a raw score from your performance on the DAT. The percentiles are relative to test takers who took the exact same test as you and received the same raw score.

4. Your individual score for each section is then standardized. Let's use Biology as an example. If person A got 37/40 on Biology, they would get a higher percentile than someone who took test B and got 35/40. But what if the sum of the difficulty parameter on test B is higher, should person B be punished for getting a harder test? of course not. When they do the standardization, the numbers will be closer together.

That's why percentiles are there, just to give a measuring stick on how you performed on that particular test. Standardizing will adjust for test difficulty, giving adcoms numbers so they can compare applicants who took different versions of the test.