Mcat curve

[Guest iac549]

Hi, I was wondering if anybody knew whether the Mcat is curved per section (ie: physical science) or per form, ie:BM)

thanks.

[Guest Saberial]

Your only curved against the people who wrote the same version as you (i.e. BM).

[Guest kaymcee]

Thanks, Saberial, although that didn't answer iac549's question.

 

I don't have the definitive answer, but I believe the individual sections are scaled, which will inevitably lead to a normal overall score distribution. If you go to the AAMC's MCAT website and take a look around, you'll find the score reports for each administration of the MCAT. Although they aren't separated by the many different versions of the test, the averages of each section have been consistent over the past few years (around 8).

 

I, like you, had test BM. That PS section was not friendly at all, so I'm definitely hoping for the individual-section scaling.

[Guest Kirsteen]

Hey there,

 

All those who write the same test form are scaled against one another, and no-one else. So if there are only 5 different test forms used in one location, then you are scaled against potentially only one fifth of the test-writers at that location. The test forms don't change from section to section, so presumably, you are scaled against all the other folks who wrote that form, for each of the sections.

 

I wouldn't be suprised, however, if all of the test questions are the same at each location, but perhaps in a different order. The reason I say that is that I don't recall the invigilators paying too much attention to the test forms that they were handing out to each test-writer. That's just a personal speculation though.

 

Cheers,

Kirsteen

[Guest leviathan]

Hey Kirsteen,

 

The test forms do include different questions, though the degree of difference between test forms is something we can only speculate on. I know friends who had test forms that sounded completely different, but other friends who had some of the same passages as I, and then of course a friend who had the same test form as me, which is obviously identical. They stressed the importance of receiving the same test form throughout the day at my test site.