A score of 75 is not necessarily the 75th percentile

Before comparing two personality scores, find out what their scales mean. A number can describe your own answers, a percentage of correct answers, or your position in a comparison group. Those are different quantities.

Follow the calculation

For PickAQuiz's personality and interest profiles, a dimension mean runs from 1 to 5 after the applicable scoring direction is applied. We display its position on a 0–100 scale using (mean − 1) × 25. A mean of 4 becomes 75 because it is three quarters of the way from 1 to 5.

That calculation requires only your answers. A percentile requires information about other people: which sample was used, how it was collected, which test version they completed and how your score was ranked against theirs. We have not collected an appropriate reference sample for these reports, so we do not display percentiles.

Two examples that look alike

In a ten-item practice exercise, eight correct answers would mean 80% accuracy. In a five-point self-report dimension, a mean of 4.2 would produce an 80 scale position. The first number counts correct responses. The second describes responses on a scale with no correct personality answers. Neither number, by itself, means “better than 80% of people.”

What to compare instead

Compare dimension descriptions and your examples before comparing numbers across websites. Even two tests using a 0–100 display may use different questions, reversed directions or reference groups. On this site, save the questionnaire version with the report so you know what produced the result.

A useful statement is “My answers were closer to this end of this scale.” If you need a population-based interpretation, look for an instrument and report that clearly identify their norms and intended use. Do not infer that information from a colourful bar alone.