What is the difference between CAT score and percentile?

What is the difference between CAT score and percentile: The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) administer the Common Admission Test (CAT) in a randomized fashion. Twenty autonomous public business colleges of management situated in India comprise the IIMs. They are ranked among the world’s and Asia’s most prestigious management institutions.

The registration procedure was initiated on August 2, 2023, signifying the start of the application period for this year.Applicants who wished to sit for the CAT examination were granted until September 21, 2023, to finish the application process. The issuance of CAT Admit Cards, which will provide access to the examination centers, is scheduled for October 25, 2023. Aspiring management students will sit for the CAT exam on November 26, 2023, which will serve as a critical admissions criterion to prestigious business institutions and management programs.

The CAT examination is administered annually, generally in November. Typically, the results are disclosed in December, and the MBA program selection process commences shortly thereafter.The scores obtained from the fiercely competitive CAT exam are utilized by prestigious B-schools in India, including IIMs, to whittle down applicants for their MBA programs. Over two lakh candidates sit for it annually, making it one of the most competitive examinations in the nation.

The CAT is a computer-based examination divided into the following three sections:

• Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR)
• Quantitative Ability (QA)

There are 24 questions in each section, and the exam lasts for a total of 180 minutes. The exam carries no negative grading.

The IIMs and other B-schools utilize the CAT exam scores as a criterion for candidate selection in their MBA programs. Other considerations in the selection process include extracurricular activities, employment experience, and academic achievement.

CAT score denotes the aggregate point total attained by an applicant during the CAT examination. The total score is determined by summing the scores earned in the Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), and Quantitative Ability (QA) sections of the examination.

The CAT percentile ranks the performance of an applicant on the examination in comparison to all other applicants. It is computed by assigning a percentile to each candidate in the ranking of all those who sat the exam according to their total CAT score. The percentile rank denotes the proportion of applicants whose scores were below those of the candidate under consideration.

Characteristic	CAT Score	CAT Percentile
Type of Score	Absolute	Relative
Scale	Raw	Standardized
Calculation	The sum of marks obtained in all three sections	Rank among all candidates based on total score
Use	Shortlisting candidates for MBA programmes	Shortlisting candidates for MBA programmes

What is the difference between CAT score and percentile?

Nature of Measurement

The CAT score serves as a metric to quantify the candidate’s overall performance on the CAT examination, representing the precise marks acquired.

• CAT Percentile: It evaluates the performance of a candidate in comparison to that of other individuals who have taken the test.

Type of Scores

• CAT Score: This represents the direct sum of all the marks earned by a candidate and is expressed as a raw score.

• The CAT percentile, a standardized score, ranks candidates in relation to the entire pool of test-takers.

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Method for Calculating

• CAT Score: Determined by adding the points earned in each of the three examination sections.

• CAT Percentile: Determined by assigning a percentile rank to each examinee based on their cumulative CAT score.

Process of Interpretation

The CAT score serves as an exact reflection of the cumulative grade point total achieved by an individual during the examination.

• CAT Percentile: The interpretation of CAT percentiles is more complex due to the fact that they assess a candidate’s performance in comparison to others and are subject to variation depending on the performance of all test-takers as a whole.
Employed in Selection

• The CAT score may be a criterion utilized by certain institutions in the process of shortlisting candidates.

• CAT Percentile: The majority of prestigious management institutes use CAT percentiles as the primary criterion for candidate shortlisting and selection, as they provide an equitable comparison among test-takers.