GAMSAT score - the definitive answer?

[Rich]

Can anyone provide the definitive answer on how the GAMSAT score is produced?

The GAMSAT info talks about scores for each section which are from 0 to 100 but state that these are not percentages. Eh? So how do they work them out then if they're not percentages? I'm guessing they are scaled according to the overall standards they get each year or something. I think it's pretty bad that they don't explain the process more fully to be honest. It is, after all, (in their words) a 'high stakes test'.

Thanks for any help
Rich

[Rich]

Just read this on the Yahoo talk-GAMSAT forum. Any thoughts or comments are welcome...

"I'm not an authority on this but having done GAMSAT
> last yr I suspect
> that you are correct, the score you get do not
> directly translate to
> a percentage ie if you get 55 / 110 in section III =
> 50% this does
> not necessarily equate to a score of 50.
>
> Based on my practices and the fact they issue a
> percentile curve
> relating to your score, i'd say the score you get
> (whilst derived
> from the mark you get) is actually a score allocated
> to your rank
> after they moderate all scores on a curve to an
> average or something
> like that. That is I think they scale everyones raw
> scores to an
> average then issue a score that your scaled mark
> relates to the
> percentile rank on the curve. I do not know this for
> sure but suspect
> it.
>
> To give you some heart, I was consistently getting
> around 60% on the
> section I english in all blind practices / medprep
> tests etc however
> in the end I got a score of 67, I did not feel I did
> any better than
> my pactices during the test. I had a similar
> situation with Science
> score."

Thanks to 'Burko' for the posting.

[simran]

Section II u need 55% to pass it

and you need 55% in either section I or III, and 50% in the remaining section.

The ACER people then multiply your percentage in section III by two, and then add on your percentages for section I and II. the total is then divided by 4 to get a score out of 100, ie as a percentage.

when the scores are sent to england, the GAMSAT scores are worked out again, they add your percentage scores from each section, and then divide by three. Your best score is used to determine whether or not you scored high enough

[chrismed]

The Gamsat are norm referenced not criterion referenced so I am afraid to say it depends on how others do on the day

[simran]

yes, but the actual percentages they give you for section I and III are based entirely on your actual score.

section II, someone stated is relative to how other people did in their essays.

the GAMSAT actual score, and whether you pass or not is calculated how i mentioned above.

the cut off point, and whether you achieved above thecutt off point is calculated based on how other people did at the GAMSAT

[chrismed]

Exactly.

[Rich]

So we're saying that the scores for sections I and III are definitely simple percentages?

[Parker]

Do all of the schools require the same GAMSAT score in order to be invited to interview?

[jackboy]

i've got a picture of the overall score chart from 2002 that i can post if this site has an uploader??

Last year sghms were interviewing ppl with overall scores 58+

The curve i have is from 2002. If you got a score of 58 in 2002 then that meant you were in the top 45%.

That actually doesn't sound too bad, does it???

[simran]

Originally Posted by jackboy

Last year sghms were interviewing ppl with overall scores 58+

The curve i have is from 2002. If you got a score of 58 in 2002 then that meant you were in the top 45%.

YES YES YES!

I love you for telling me that!!!


But we gotta remember that 50% of the people who failed to get an interview failed to because they failed the essay section.