Standard Score VS %-tile

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DATMATT

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My reading score of 21 was the highest but had my lowest percentile (76.5%). In Bio had a 20 but was in the 89.5 percentile. My Gen Chem was my lowest at a 19 but I was still in a higher percentile than reading (Chem 78.6%).

Why is this? Is it because the reading is the easiest part?

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The percentile doesn't directly mean that reading is the easiest (although it could), but based on your score and associated percentile it means that candidates do better on reading than some of the other sections.

For instance, the 20 you received on Bio is more difficult to get (according to percentiles) than the 21 you received on reading.

For interests sake, I scored a 24 on the reading section, which gave me a 99.3 percentile. Those three points (from a 21 to a 24) represent a 22.8 difference in percentiles.
 
I scored a 21 on the reading comprehension portion of the DAT as well, however, my 21 correlated to a 88.7 percentile. I took my DAT August 17, 2002. I wonder why there is such a difference between raw score and percentiles from test to test? I figured a 21 on one particular test would be equivalent to a 21 on another test. Strange...... I guess that is just one more mystery.
 
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I think its because you're scored against everyone who took it that day....diff day, diff people....raw score can be the same, but then the percentile would change.
 
I was actually thinking that the percentile was based on the reading passage. I thought mine were easier than say tooth doctor's. So we both had the same # of questions right we have different percentiles since the passages were of different difficulty. I assume that they have a ton of passage (maybe 300-100???) And you randomly get 3. These have been used enogh so that they can base your score in comparison to the others that have gone before you. I also thought that the scores were not in relation to who took it that day, I thought it was scaled to people taking it over time that allowed them to give you instant results. (If that were the case I could take a loan and have a bunch of dummies take it at the same time I do to improve my % ranking!!)

Anyway, my % scores were given to me right after the test. Will my scores or percentiles change when I get the official results in the mail???Will my scores or percentiles change when I get the official results in the mail???
 
I could be wrong, its just what I *thought*.
 
Your scores aren't based on those who also took it the same day, but rather they are factored against a certain set of "core questions". Percentiles come about by matching your score with others who have had the same set of "core questions".
 
ahhh, i see....thanks for clearing that up gavin :)
 
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