This is how the UKCAT is scored...

i'm not sure how many people know this but basically our scores are generated on how well we do in comparison to a large comparison group, I.e, all of last year's applicants.

Last night i checked out the team focus website - the guys that develop these tests - and found this on http://www.profilingforsuccess.com/products/scorin.php

With ability tests, your performance is compared with that of a large number of other people have taken same test previously. For example, to know that you got 22 questions correct out of 30 doesn't actually tell you very much. Rather more interesting would be to know, for example, that only 5% of the large group of people who had taken the test previously had obtained a better score than this. In technical terms, we would say your score was "at the 95th percentile" – in other words, you have done as well or better than 95% of the other people who had taken the test previously. If you score was at the average level for the group, then we would say that you had scored at the 50th percentile – i.e. you have done as well or better than half of the group who had taken the test previously.

Generally speaking, an ability test report will explain your performance in such comparative terms and this will give you a basis for finding out how well you have done in comparison with other people.

I did my UKCAT today and got:

Verbal - 570
QR - 660
AR - 710
DA - 740
AVERAGE - 670

so for verbal, i got a lower score than the average applicant last year.
I guessed the last 10 and just about ran out of time on guessing the very last question. On my practice i got 26/44 but i reckon i got about 22/44 on the real thing today - so to get 600 or more, you really need to get more than 22/44 and make sure you finish all questions.

In my practice if got 7/40 for QR so my score gives hope to everyone! everyone last year must have sucked at QR, thank god!!

AR was insane today, i couldnt really find any patterns but made some educated guesses and got a score of 710 which shocked me.

in my practice, i got 20/26 in DA nd i reckon i got a similar score today so to get 600+ you probably need about 15+/26

SO IN OTHER WORDS, DONT WORRY, JUST MAKE SURE YOUR BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE APPLICANT LAST YEAR! :P

hope this helps.
oh and btw, for anyone debating how to practice - i never bothered getting and books or online subsciptions- i just used the free online questions. Ijust hope my score is good enough..

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Reply 1

Degausser

Congrats on the result :yy:

You shouldn't have any problems with those

Reply 2

carcinoma

I don't think its based on last year, its based on the first day or week of testing! Or a Certain number of people who take the test first.

(The Above is my understanding and not world renowned fact)

Reply 3

FinalFlash

Congratz on the results, I'm really not getting Abstract reasoning aswell and my exam is like 2 weeks away.

Reply 4

lekky

Well done on your result :smile:

Sitting mine sept 1st (Yup I know I'm an idiot) ... nervous :o:

Books are good.

Cheers guys, im glad i've got it over and done with at least :smile:

vas876

I don't think its based on last year, its based on the first day or week of testing! Or a Certain number of people who take the test first.

But then what about the people's scores on the first day? they've got to come from somewhere - and the comparison group has to be huge to compare our results to.

Reply 7

loveisjustasong

What the hell! AR is a joke!!!

Reply 8

carcinoma

Seb01

Cheers guys, im glad i've got it over and done with at least :smile:

But then what about the people's scores on the first day? they've got to come from somewhere - and the comparison group has to be huge to compare our results to.

It cannot be compared to the year before as we have to be ranked among each other, not in comparison.

After the first large set or results in the first few days of testing, some form of Marking scheme/comparison group/control data must be produced.

Which is used to score all the other candidates.

Reply 9

Degausser

The people who sit the test first have to wait until enough people have sat the test for a normal curve to be produced. Their results are then posted to them.

Reply 10

Ammar21

wow tats really good the average is 600ish soo ull be fine - i went to a dentistry course in the imperial college and they said there that UKCAT is just a competance test. How did u go go about preparing for it and how did u manage to time things coz iv done a mini test and verbal reasoning and shapey 1 i only managed to answer 3/4 of the questions.

Also can u do it again or is it a one-shot thing ?

and... (soz).. jus wanna say that ur such a legend for doing this test soo early - it takes real guts to tat :smile:

well done!! do u wanna be in medicine or dentistry?

ooh i know u might not b able to answer this one very well but i got my predicted grades for A2 as AAAC (the C is the subject im dropping) tat shud be okay yeah? coz loads of my friends have got this A* buisness and im not too sure bout my As now :s-smilie:

Reply 11

Phalanges

That doesn't really answer the question of how the UKCAT is scored. You still don't know whether you get marks based on amount right, amount right in a row, quickest time, or the amount of circles on your clothing.

:woop:

lekky

Well done on your result :smile:

Sitting mine sept 1st (Yup I know I'm an idiot) ... nervous :o:

Why not sit it on 31st Aug and pay £15 less? :p:

Reply 14

reems23

Link to the website would be nice.

jonnyofengland

It doesn't give proof, but it gives a hypothesis; that every mark is equal and you are scored relative to all others that have taken the same set, i.e 33/40 might score you in the top 5%. Similar to the BMAT. Although people speculate that things such as amount right in a row etc are used to calculate scores, surely such techniques would be rubbish for comparing candidates, whereas a relative score to the average is useful.

Reply 17

Ammar21

wisdom-tooth

Why were Imperial doing a Dentistry course when they don't even offer Dentistry?

it was just a gathering point really - we didnt go around the uni or anything we jus used the comfy chairs and the lecture theatre :smile:

Reply 18

_lynx_

wisdom-tooth

Why not sit it on 31st Aug and pay £15 less? :p:

Haha- is the extra day worth £15? That is the question. Or you could obviously take it later in September. Personally, I think that I wouldn't have enough time to practice for it properly in September, so I'm taking it in late August.

Reply 19

carcinoma

wisdom-tooth

I'd go with the OP's post as he/she has used a source from the people that develop these tests, whereas your understanding is just your understanding.

Go to the link and you will see that that scoring system is for THEIR tests NOT the UKCAT.

So my understanding is actually more valid as its based around the UKCAT from the UKCAT website and the three most popular UKCAT books.

So to be honest (SUCK OUT) that's the kindest way i can put it, and you already hate me so i don't care!

I mean no offence what so ever btw it just they way i talk being a dick and what not, so don't be offended. (not that you should I'm just some person on the Internet), but if you would like proof ill type the stuff up from the book and the site, or just tell you the page number.