2015 MCAT Takers - Official Thread

[YLFounder]

Any thoughts on how to begin studying for the 2015 MCAT? I'm planning on taking the April test, which gives me approximately 12 months of review.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/mcat-2015-discussion.1053559/

 

[Being]

I'm in the same boat and feeling a little bit lost at sea regarding how best to proceed. I think it would be unwise to delve into practice problems and tests this early, but I want to make sure I'm studying the content so that when test time comes closer I am completely ready to focus on "how to take the test" and not worrying about remembering formulas and definitions.

I'm currently going through the AAMC preview outline (https://www.aamc.org/students/download/266006/data/2015previewguide.pdf), cross-referencing with textbooks and online sources, and using a spaced repetition program to make flashcards for every topic. I think this is one of the best ways to retain info over a long period of time.

I think my biggest weakness is going to be the verbal section and just the sheer mental endurance necessary for this test, so I've also started reading more dense material and trying to push myself to read faster. I'm working in some actual practice passages now and then just so I can remind myself of what needs improvement, but I want to save the bulk of them for when I'm 3-6 months out from the test.


I'll start looking to the official resources when they become available and modify my flashcards based on the AAMC practice tests once they're released, but for right now working from the AAMC preview guide seems like a good place to start.

 

[YLFounder]

That sounds good! I know it is a bit early to start studying, but like you said, I want to make sure I have the resources needed to appropriately study. I'm also considering taking the January 2015 MCAT which is the older version and then possibly taking the April 2015 one if I feel my scores aren't satisfactory. Does you or anyone else have any advice on that?

 

[Kilgoretrout 65]

2015 MCAT takers, anybody preparing in a specific way for the sociology/psychology part of the test? I heard it was 25% of the test.

 

[Being]

2015 MCAT takers, anybody preparing in a specific way for the sociology/psychology part of the test? I heard it was 25% of the test.

Finding topics on the preview guide, learning about them, making flashcards in SuperMemo, reviewing flashcards every day for a year (SuperMemo automatically spaces them out for you in a way that maximizes retention and minimizes time spent reviewing).

This kind of feels like a low-yield activity given that a lot of the concepts are pretty intuitive, but there are still a handful of "you just have to know the definition of this term" questions in the samples. Feels like it will be easy to do passably well on this section, but tough to nail it 100%. Plenty of time until I have to take the test, so may as well aim high!

 

[mavric1298]

I'm assuming the VR isn't changing that much, and the old sample tests and prep material will still be good?

 

[CertainShadeOfGreen]

That sounds good! I know it is a bit early to start studying, but like you said, I want to make sure I have the resources needed to appropriately study. I'm also considering taking the January 2015 MCAT which is the older version and then possibly taking the April 2015 one if I feel my scores aren't satisfactory. Does you or anyone else have any advice on that?

I plan on doing the same thing! What classes will have taken/be taking by this time?

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

...for the sociology/psychology part of the test? I heard it was 25% of the test.

It's "25% of the test" in that the new test will have four sections, and one of those sections will be the psych section. I'd be willing to bet that admissions committees, at least for the first couplefew years, will be much less concerned about your score on the psych section than on the other three, though.

Remember that they'll want to be able to compare your performance to previous years. While they can (very roughly) compare the new bio section to the old Bio Sci section, the new chem section to the old Phys Sci section, and the new CARS section to the old VR section, the psych section is totally new.

All you have to do is look at how admissions officers have reacted in the past to test changes: when the SAT added the new writing section, lots and lots of colleges just said flat-out "we only consider your math and reading scores" and kept that policy for years. The idea was that they wanted at least 3-5 years of data about "what sorts of writing scores do we get from the kids who apply to our school, who we choose to admit, and then who chooses to attend this school?" before they started using the writing as a selection tool.

The same happened recently when the GMAT added a new "integrated reasoning" section to the exam. That was two years ago and basically all business schools still don't factor it into admissions, at all - just your verbal and math scores.

So when it comes to planning out your prep, you should be the least worried about the new psych section.

Now having said that, what should you do now?

1. Enroll in a psychology 101 class before you take the MCAT
2. Enroll in a sociology 101 class before you take the MCAT
3. Look through the outline I posted here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/mcat-2015-discussion.1053559/
4. Go through the official guide and do the dozen practice problems so you can see what they look like: https://www.aamc.org/students/download/266006/data/2015previewguide.pdf
5. Other than that, don't worry too much. More prep material will be coming, both from the AAMC and from test prep companies (Next Step's book of practice for the psych section will be coming out in about a month)

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

I'm assuming the VR isn't changing that much, and the old sample tests and prep material will still be good?

Basically, yes.

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/266006/data/2015previewguide.pdf

Go down to the CARS chapter and do the four practice passages provided. Near as I can tell, they're basically just VR passages. There's some changes to the window-dressing but the fundamental process is the same.

Two changes to take note of:

1. Humanities and Social Science only, with a specific focus on including some passages about public health policy

The old MCAT has natural science passages in the VR section. Those are gone for the CARS section.

2. OMG SO LONG.

90 minutes instead of 60 minutes and up from 40 questions to 60 questions. So if you're going to use old prepbooks, do like 10-11 of those passages.

 

[YLFounder]

I plan on doing the same thing! What classes will have taken/be taking by this time?

At the time of the January MCAT, I will be done with my General Chemistry, Bio 1 and Bio 2, Physics 1, Organic 1 and 2 and my English classes and other prereqs. I've talked to many people and the best thing seems to be to take the January MCAT before it changes because the April one is suppose to be MUCH, MUCH harder and double in time.

With the established study resources for the old MCAT, it seems to make more sense to take the older version since we can get help from upperclassmen and other tutors.

 

[mavric1298]

It's not double time, its up from 5:xx to 7:xx, but with an additional section. And from everything I've heard it's not going to be any more difficult per se.... depending if you have psych or soc done already should be the same level of difficulty for the other sections. The mental fatigue will be more, but content isn't changing THAT much.

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

the best thing seems to be to take the January MCAT before it changes

Yes, absolutely yes.

The med school admissions process is already so fraught with uncertainty the last thing you want to do is introduce yet another point of uncertainty by being part of the "guinea pig group" that takes the new test in 2015. If you can wait until 2016, then that should basically be fine. With a year of data and test administrations out of the way, any kinks in the process should mostly be worked out.

 

[txlonghorn2314]

It's not double time, its up from 5:xx to 7:xx, but with an additional section. And from everything I've heard it's not going to be any more difficult per se.... depending if you have psych or soc done already should be the same level of difficulty for the other sections. The mental fatigue will be more, but content isn't changing THAT much.

This. And to add to the whole "7 hours instead of 5" you have to also remember that there is a 30 minute lunch break on the new one!

 

[Ailleurs]

There have been so many threads and so much helpful advice from a lot of people. Why do people keep asking questions like "How do I begin studying for 2015 MCAT" or "What do I use for the 2015 MCAT?!" Questions like these have been answered in multiple ways by multiple people.