A learner is at the 84th percentile on a standardised test. What does this most defensibly mean?

Correct answer: About 84% of the reference group scored no higher. The 84th percentile means that about 84% of the reference group scored at or below the learner.

• The learner answered exactly 84% of the items correctly. Percentile rank is not the percentage of items answered correctly.
• The learner's raw score is 84 points above the mean. A percentile is not a number of points above the mean.
• Exactly 84% of all test items were easier for the learner. A percentile does not describe how many items were easier.