Megan Richardson
How is the BMAT Scored? BMAT Scoring Explained.
BMAT Scoring Explained
BMAT scoring can be a bit confusing. It’s hard to know what’s a ‘good’ score or what you should be aiming for. Let's break it down!
Sections 1 and 2 of the BMAT are individually scored on a scale of 1.0-9.0 which is a conversion of how many marks you got. For example, the markers might figure out that a ‘raw score’ of 15 marks equates to a 4.5 for that year.
Each question is worth one mark in sections 1 and 2.
There is no negative marking, so you might as well always put an answer.
You can score a maximum of 32 points in Section 1 and a maximum of 27 points in Section 2.
A general ballpark for a ‘good score’ is a 6.0 and above however, there is nothing to worry about if you score less than that, most candidates will and that is completely alright. It is all about applying strategically!
Remember that some universities like Imperial College London’s Medical School use your Section 1 and Section 2 BMAT scores combined as a cut off. For example, Imperial’s minimum combined score in 2021 was 10.9.
Section 3 is scored differently, it’s split into quality of content and quality of English scores. Quality of Content is scored from 1-5 and Quality of English is scored from A-E.
A 3.0 is generally considered a good Quality of Content score in section 3.
Roughly 70%+ of students will score an A in the Quality of English band in section 3, this means a score of 3.0A or above is what you should be aiming for.
Remember, Universities use your BMAT score differently. Just because you don’t score a 6.0, 6.0, 3.0A, doesn’t mean you are not going to get in - in fact it is really unlikely that you will score strongly in all three sections. Set these as your aim and do not fret if you fall short!
Best of luck with all of your BMAT preparation. Your academic scores do not define you. They are simply a means to you getting into medical school!
Remember, there is always help available with your BMAT preparation.