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UKCAT 2018 scoring system

Couldn't anyone help me out I don't really understand how the UKCAT is scored like do you get a mark per question and why are the scores such high numbers like 700 and 600 like there isn't 700 questions I'm confused af someone help please lol

Reply 1

usycool1

Original post by Chemgenius00

No one really knows how it's scored. In general though, a score of about 600 is average, 700 is excellent and 800 is outstanding. That's in general though and will vary from year to year.

Reply 2

Chemgenius00

Original post by usycool1

No one really knows how it's scored. In general though, a score of about 600 is average, 700 is excellent and 800 is outstanding. That's in general though and will vary from year to year.

what is it relative to though like I just don't get it can you get a few questions incorrect and still get a 700 and is a 800 almost all marks correct ?

Reply 3

usycool1

Original post by Chemgenius00

what is it relative to though like I just don't get it can you get a few questions incorrect and still get a 700 and is a 800 almost all marks correct ?

As I said, no one really knows how it's calculated or what it's relative to.

It is frustrating when it comes to revision but just focus on your exam technique and getting as many right as possible.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 4

UKCATrocks

Basically it works as follows: Back in 2006 they piloted the exam on 3000 people. That enables them to see how people fared. So let's say there were 30 questions in one tes and that the lowest score was 5/30 and the highest score was 28/30. They would allocated a score of 300 to those who scored 5/30 and 900 to those who scored 28. Then they worked out the average and those who scored the average were given 600. Then you spread all the intermediates by extrapolating the scale.

The following year, they used that scale, so anyone who had more than 28/30 correct would get 900. and anyone who scored less than 5/30 would get 300. and then the scale was used for the rest.

So basically you cannot say that one question = 10 points of whatever because it all depends on how the test cohort did. That is why they need to pilot sections before launching them live because they need to build the scale.

The reason it starts at 300 is because if it started at 0 it would screw up the way their statistical analyses work. but in the end if makes no difference whether it starts at 30,000 or 300. So stop worrying about it and make sure you get as many correct answers as possible!

Reply 5

xJessScott

when doing questions, lot of people work out their score by using this; if you got 20 out of 30, do 20/30 x 600 then + 300, which would give a score of 700. lot of people use this to get a good idea of where theyre up too. try to concentrate on how many you can get right though rather than the score

Reply 6

iNicole14

How is BMAT scored then?

Reply 7

usycool1

Original post by iNicole14

How is BMAT scored then?

The boundaries vary each year, and are found at the end of the markschene for past papers.

Reply 8

6med

Hey :-) So four of the UKCAT sections (VR, QR, AR and DM) are marked on a scale of 300 to 900 with 600 said to be average and everything over 700 being good. Nobody really knows how the raw scores relate to the final score out of 900 but many people use the technique of working out a percentage of 600 and adding 300 during their practice. However, to confuse matters further, it is possible to get a 'perfect' score of 900 without getting all the of questions correct! It's a bit like UMS in that way.

The SJT section of the UKCAT is marked very differently using a banding system. Band 1 is the best and band 4 is worst. Everybody should be aiming for band 1 or 2.

Hope that helps,

Alex, 4th year UCL medic
6med