Canadian DAT - PAT section questions not scored?

[dcwong]

Hey guys, I just had a quick question regarding the PAT section for the CDAT.

I'm writing the CDAT this November, and I noticed that in the preparation manual that they gave me this year, in the answer key for the PAT section (page 127)  it says that "as part of the testing methodology, there are 15 questions on the Perceptual Ability Test that are not scored."
 

I've written the DAT before and I've looked back at my old preparation manual and this isn't written in the the back in previous years. Does anyone know if this is something new? Does this mean you automatically get 15 questions free in a sense? Thanks!

[aspdent1]

It was also in the manual last year so it's not the first year they have implemented this. And unfortunately, no, it doesn't mean free questions, that would be great! It just means the PAT is essentially out of 75 questions instead of 90.

[MrDrEvil]

I think they choose 15 questions (not sure how they determine which ones) and exclude those to make the PAT out of 75 instead of 90. It was in the manual 2 years ago too so it's not something new

[Super Nova]

It has been a thing for many many years now! the thing is that no one knows which ones they take off and if they use statistics to do so. They simply state that it is part of the methodology and so it is very vague. As a test-taker though, it makes no difference. Do the exam as if it is out of 90. These are things that are done behind the scenes and have no bearing on what we do as students to prepare.