CAT Score vs Percentile: What You Need to Know for Top B-School Admissions

CAT stands for Common Admission Test and is regarded as one of the most competitive examinations in India through which candidates can get into IIMs and other MBA programs. Considering that every year thousands of candidates sit for the exam to get into a handful of top B-schools, it is important to understand the matter of CAT scores vs percentile. Virtually all candidates aim at their scores, but it is actually the percentile, a relative criterion that determines the results of the admission process. 

CAT score and percentiles vary in terms of what is measured, although both are essential for performance evaluation. A high score may provide a low percentile in case other people also received a high score, or, vice versa, a low mark may provide a high percentile when students sat for a tough exam. In the journey of attaining MBA, it is important for a candidate to learn the difference between CAT score and percentile to set the right goals and work towards improving both.

What is CAT Score?

The CAT score is the raw score a candidate earns based on their answers in three key sections: Quantitative aptitude, data interpretation logical ability, and verbal ability and reading comprehension tests, respectively. every correct answer earns three marks while every wrong answer reduces the total score by one mark. This scoring system enables candidates to build up points out of their strong areas with the accuracy intact because it has negative marking system. The CAT scores are not relative and present a clear picture of a candidate’s performance as to number of questions answered correctly, accuracy of test and comprehensiveness of knowledge.

How Important is the CAT Percentile?

The CAT percentile indicates a candidate’s relative position among all test-takers, showing how many candidates scored below them. For instance, the achievement that places a candidate above 90 percent of the others means a candidate scored in the 90s percentile.

The percentile rank is different from the raw score as it is a ranked-based descriptive measure that changes yearly depending on the general performance of students. 

The percentile system also benefits business schools in that they are able to know the comparative standing of the candidate, which is important where competition is stiff and every few points can take candidates to a new level in the rankings.

CAT Score vs Percentile Comparison Table 2023

The table below shows the comparison between CAT Score vs percentile.

Percentile	Scaled Score
100	142.9
99.99	118.67
99.95	106.95
99.9	101.43
99.83	95.96
99.5	84.29
99.37	81.75
99	76.02
98.5	71.15
98.37	70.31
98	66.68

Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC) Section

The table below shows the percentile vs score comparison for the VARC section of the CAT exam.

Percentile	Scaled Score
100	61.66
99.99	57.32
99.87	51.02
99.5	44
99.26	41.76
99	39.7
98.21	35.88
96.72	31.47
95	28.68

Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

The table below shows the percentile vs score comparison for DI-LR section of the CAT exam.

Percentile	Scaled Score
100	50.6
99.99	42.7
99.9	36.58
99.71	32.78
99.43	29.71
99.14	27.56
99	27.39
98.37	24.58
96.83	20.88
95.53	19.6
90	15.63

Quantitative Aptitude (QA)

The table below shows the percentile vs score comparison for quants section of the CAT exam.

Percentile	Scaled Score
100	49.46
99.98	41.87
99.9	37.83
99.5	31.39
99	28.18
98.5	25.73
98	24.31
97.5	23.71
97	22.7
96.5	21.69
96	21.41
95.5	20.44
95	19.68

CAT Score vs Percentile: How are they different?

While the CAT score and percentile are related, they measure different aspects of a candidate’s performance. 

• The score is an overall number of correct answers provided individually, and the percentile ranks candidates against one another. 
• This means that if the exam is difficult, the chances are high that a low score will draw a good rank, for the same reason low scores are likely to draw a high rank, implying that most candidates scored low marks.
•  On the other hand, a high score may not place one in the highest percentile in case the exam is easy, and many people score high. 
• For this reason, among others a candidate needs to discern the difference between application and admission rates such factors contribute to one’s probability of being admitted.

Section-wise CAT Score vs Percentile

In CAT, the scores and the percentiles are reported at the section as well as test levels, so candidates receive two percentiles. 

• For example, 80% in Quantitative Aptitude could get a very great percentile in that section but 60% in Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning will give a very low percentile. 
• This breakdown is particularly useful for students focusing on particular sections as one may easily gain a specified amount of percentiles by improving on certain areas. 
• Candidates can get to know their peculiarities of performance in each section and adjust their study plans to improve sectional as well as overall percentage, which ultimately will help them get better percentile which is required for admissions.

Factors Affecting CAT Score Percentile

Several factors affect how a CAT score translates into a percentile, with the exam’s difficulty level, overall competition, and scaling adjustments playing key roles. 

• Each year, the CAT is designed to challenge candidates, but the difficulty level can vary, impacting how scores convert to percentiles. 
• Additionally, since percentiles are relative, a large number of high scores can compress the percentile scale, making it harder to secure a high percentile. 
• To maximize percentile, candidates should prioritize consistency across sections rather than focusing solely on one strong area.
• Each section contributes to the overall percentile, and weak performance in even one area can drag down the overall ranking.
• Effective preparation should balance all sections, focusing on time management, accuracy, and test-taking strategies that align with the CAT’s specific format.

Knowing these factors can help candidates better understand the variability in percentile rankings year by year and adjust their preparation accordingly.

CAT Score & Percentile Relative Comparison

Here’s a table breakdown for CAT Percentile Insights & How to Interpret Your Score for MBA Success:

CAT Aspect	Description	Impact on MBA Admission
Raw Score	The total score is calculated based on correct and incorrect responses across all sections.	Higher scores can improve the percentile but are not the sole factor in securing top ranks.
Percentile	A metric showing a candidate’s rank relative to others, indicating how many candidates they outperformed.	Percentile determines how well a candidate fares among competitors, influencing chances of admission into top institutes.
Sectional Percentiles	Individual percentiles for Quantitative Aptitude, Verbal Ability, and Data Interpretation sections.	Many top institutes require minimum sectional percentiles, so excelling in all areas is crucial for competitive ranking.
Normalization & Scaling	Adjustments made by CAT to ensure fairness across different slots or test times.	Ensures no candidate is advantaged by easier slots, helping maintain percentile reliability for admissions.
Competition	The number of candidates taking CAT, which influences percentile distribution.	Higher competition demands higher scores to maintain percentile rankings, impacting chances for selective MBA programs.

This table provides a clear understanding of how each aspect affects CAT performance, helping candidates see how to interpret scores and rankings in the context of MBA admissions.

Conclusion

Altogether, the CAT score and percentile perform the critical function of admission to MBA as each of them offers a view of the candidate’s ability in a different way. If all the possible scores in the different sections are to be maximized and time well controlled, then the candidate’s percentile position can improve. 

If weakness is worked on, more mock tests are taken, and accuracy is improved then both score and percentile improve consistently. In conclusion, recognizing and good understanding of these metrics helps the aspirants in a better direction towards achieving their target business school admission while transforming their preparation into quantified achievement.

Similar Blogs to Read

1. JEE Mains Marks Vs Percentile
2. CAT Exam
3. GMAT vs CAT

FAQs