No more writing section on MCAT?

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They are doing away with the writing section for the next two years?

I read it on the MCAT faq on the AAMC website.

Did i read that right?

Yep. Not like it wasn't gone already; they only made it official.

Lucky ducks!

There will be an optional trial section instead, and it will have questions from subjects which will be added to the MCAT in 2015.

ughhh....that writing sections wears you down for the BS section.

If i've read it right, 2014 is the 'sweet spot' year for most MCAT takers. It will be the same test as we all took, minus the writing section. Then in 2015 the new MCAT is instituted, which is longer with a great deal of new and different material.

Link to MCAT 2015: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/

Glad I'm done with the process before this change happened! Good luck future applicants!

delete

I was tired out after verbal and decided to just blow off the writing section. I wrote for about 10 minutes and put my head down for the next 20 minutes; did the same for the second essay, too. I was well rested for bio after those two "power naps" (though I wasn't actually sleeping ) Ended up getting an M on the section, and I doubt it held me back any. Glad to hear they're getting rid of it. Good riddance.

Will this apply in 2013 or is 2014 the earliest?

Originally Posted by ligand

Will this apply in 2013 or is 2014 the earliest?

ditto this

So is there any point in even doing the writing section? If they are taking it out I doubt med schools are going to consider it at all. I feel like I would be better off on the other sections if I just gave myself a bit of a mental breather.

Originally Posted by AAMCAS

Changes to the MCAT Exam

2013
The Writing Sample section will be removed from the current MCAT in 2013. If you plan to take the MCAT in 2013 or 2014, the current exam will be modified and the Writing Sample section will no longer be part of the exam. In its place, a voluntary, unscored trial section will be added starting in January 2013. For more information please visit MCAT® Exam Dates and Registration FAQ.

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/

It will still be the same length of time FYI, so they're probably adding more questions to each section for those who don't do the unscored trial section.

That's definitely a relief! It will be interesting to see MCAT scores as simply numbers in the future.

So is it safe to say since it will be gone in just about 8 months that if you're taking it between now and then, it isn't really that important?

I've always heard that the WS never really held much weight....who knows? Maybe LizzyM would have some insight.

Originally Posted by Cloud 9

It will still be the same length of time FYI, so they're probably adding more questions to each section for those who don't do the unscored trial section.

From the post you quoted:

"In its place, a voluntary, unscored trial section will be added starting in January 2013."

Thus I don't think they will add more questions as they are using a test trial section.

I never met a adcom member who really cared. Maybe for something pitiful like a K or L but for the most part, adcom members would see a poor score, read the supplemental and hold up the writing on the supplemental and PS as evidence that the MCAT was not as reliable as the material the adcom could read itself (despite the fact that it might have been heavily edited or ghost written).

Moving to the MCAT discussions forum.