What is the definition of a percentile score?

A percentile score is a statistical measure that indicates the relative standing of an individual score within a group. Specifically, it represents the percentage of a group that scores lower than the given score. For instance, if a student has a percentile score of 75, it means that the student performed better than 75% of the test-takers in that particular group, highlighting their relative performance.

This definition is important because it provides context about an individual's performance in comparison to others, rather than merely indicating a raw score or average performance. The focus on the percentage of a group that scores lower emphasizes how an individual's score compares to the overall performance of peers. As a result, understanding percentile scores is crucial for assessing individual performance within standardized testing frameworks and making informed decisions based on those assessments.