CAT Score vs CAT Percentile: What’s the Major Difference Between Them?

CAT Score vs. CAT Percentile: Many students get confused between the CAT Score vs. CAT Percentile. However, understanding the basic difference between the score and percentile is absolutely important for anyone aiming for admission in an MBA program in any Top MBA College in India Accepting CAT Scores. Continue reading this blog to know more about the CAT Score and CAT Percentile. 

What is a CAT Score?

The CAT 2025 Score is simply the total number of marks candidates secure in the CAT 2025 examination. It's calculated based on how many questions they have answered correctly and how many incorrectly. 

How is CAT Score Calculated?

The CAT 2025 exam has a clear marking scheme. For every correct answer, candidates’ are awarded three marks. If every incorrect answer, one mark is deducted from the total marks. There is no negative marking for unattempted questions.

Let's look at an example. Suppose in one section of the CAT, a candidate answered 20 questions correctly and 5 questions incorrectly, while leaving the rest unanswered:

• Marks from correct answers: 20×3=60
• Marks deducted for wrong answers: 5×1=5
• The total score for that section: 60−5=55

The final CAT score is the sum of candidates’ scores across all three sections: Verbal Ability and Reading Comprehension (VARC), Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning (DILR), and Quantitative Aptitude (QA). 

Check CAT 2025 Exam Pattern 

What is CAT Percentile?

The CAT percentile is a very important figure required during MBA Admission. It indicates the rank or standing among all the students who appeared for the CAT exam in that particular year. For instance, if candidates have achieved a 90 percentile, it means that they have performed better than 90% of all the students who took the exam. 

How is CAT Percentile Calculated?

The CAT 2025 exam is typically conducted in multiple shifts or "slots." To ensure fairness across these different slots, a process called normalization is used. This process adjusts scores based on the difficulty level of each slot, making sure that a score from an easier slot is equivalent to a score from a tougher slot. After scores are normalized, candidates’ CAT percentile is calculated using a specific formula:

• Percentile=(Total CandidatesTotal Candidates−Your Rank​)×100

Here, 'Your Rank' refers to the number of candidates who scored equal to or more than your scaled score. For example,

• Suppose 2,00,000 (2 lakh) students appeared for the CAT exam, and your rank (meaning the number of people who scored equal to or higher than you) was 20,000. So, in this scenario, your CAT percentile would be 90%.

Key Differences Between CAT Score vs. CAT Percentile

Understanding the fundamental differences between CAT Score and CAT Percentile is important. Here's a simple table summarizing them:

Why do Students get Confused Between CAT Score vs. CAT Percentile? 

The main reason for confusion is that students often assume a high score will automatically guarantee a high percentile. While a good score is necessary for a good percentile, it's not the only factor. The CAT percentile also heavily depends on how all other candidates performed that year. Additionally, due to the normalization process across different exam slots, the exact same raw score might sometimes lead to a slightly different percentile for different students who took the exam on different days or times. 

Check CAT 2025 Results

CAT Score vs CAT Percentile: Which is Important?

This is the most common question among CAT aspirants, and the answer is clear: CAT Percentile matters more for MBA admissions. While the CAT score is the raw measure of the performance, it is the percentile that MBA colleges, especially the top ones like the IIMs. The Percentile score is primarily used to shortlist candidates for the subsequent rounds (like Written Ability Test and Personal Interview). Colleges announce minimum percentile cut-offs, not raw score cut-offs. For example, here’s an indicative table of typical minimum percentile cut-offs (for the General Category) for some IIM campuses:

Tips to Improve CAT Score and CAT Percentile

Since both CAT Score and CAT Percentile are important, here are some simple yet effective tips to improve both of them:

• Practice regularly with mock tests: This helps to understand the exam pattern, time management, and identify strengths and weaknesses.
• Work on accuracy to avoid negative marking: Every wrong answer will be awarded with negative marking. Focus on answering correctly, even if it means attempting fewer questions.
• Manage time well in each section: Each section is timed, so efficient time allocation is key to attempting enough questions and maximizing the overall score.
• Focus on weak areas: Identify subjects or question types where you struggle and dedicate extra practice to improve them.
• Understand the exam pattern thoroughly: Knowing the structure, types of questions, and scoring system will help in preparing smarter.

Conclusion

In simple terms, the CAT Score is the raw marks a candidate secures on the CAT 2025 test. The CAT Percentile, on the other hand, is a relative measure that shows the performance compared to all other test-takers, essentially the rank among them.

While the score forms the basis, it is the CAT percentile that truly matters for MBA admissions. Top Business Schools primarily use the CAT Percentile 2025 to shortlist candidates. So, as candidates prepare for the CAT 2025, aim not just for a high score, but strategize to perform better than the vast majority of other test-takers to secure a high percentile.