AAMC RELEASED NEW DATE

[Thirteen1993]

Hey guys! For those who need to sign up again and can't do so in Jan there is a date newly released by the AAMC for 12/6

SDN has always been so helpful. Thought id pass some important information along for those who are booking tickets to Guam.

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[radian313]

Thank you sweet jesus! 1 pm exam, 5 min away from my house.....could it have gotten any better?

 

[Thirteen1993]

I agree. Got a 31 in my MCAT result yesterday. 12 in verbal 12 in bio and 8 in physical sciences and have to do a redo because the scores aren't balanced and my GPA is barely crossing 3.0
Spent hours yesterday giving up on my life.
I was so happy. I almost cried

 

[Thoroughbred_Med]

AND they are going to add more seats to the existing text dates! Go follow AAMC on Twitter to get the latest news!

 

[connie95]

Wow if only they did this sooner! Now, I don't know whether I should study for only two months or three months =(

Do you know if the AAMC will be nice enough to open up Feb and March seats for the old MCAT right before the new one comes out?? Maybe if we all send a petition or keep calling/emailing them?

 

[wuhsabee]

Wow if only they did this sooner! Now, I don't know whether I should study for only two months or three months =(

Do you know if the AAMC will be nice enough to open up Feb and March seats for the old MCAT right before the new one comes out?? Maybe if we all send a petition or keep calling/emailing them?

I'M GOING TO CRY IF THEY OPEN UP SEATS IN FEB/MARCH, but on twitter, one guy asked if they are going to add more seats in February, and AAMC (firmly) replied saying, "No, we won't be adding any dates in February. The last date for the current exam is January 23, 2015."

So. Woe is me.

 

[radian313]

Wow if only they did this sooner! Now, I don't know whether I should study for only two months or three months =(

Do you know if the AAMC will be nice enough to open up Feb and March seats for the old MCAT right before the new one comes out?? Maybe if we all send a petition or keep calling/emailing them?

I honestly don't think they will, they were pretty firm from the get go of things, that Jan 2015 would be the last month for the old MCAT....so don't count on it....if anything count on possibly more seats opening up for dates already given out...

 

[connie95]

I'M GOING TO CRY IF THEY OPEN UP SEATS IN FEB/MARCH, but on twitter, one guy asked if they are going to add more seats in February, and AAMC (firmly) replied saying, "No, we won't be adding any dates in February. The last date for the current exam is January 23, 2015."

So. Woe is me.

I honestly don't think they will, they were pretty firm from the get go of things, that Jan 2015 would be the last month for the old MCAT....so don't count on it....if anything count on possibly more seats opening up for dates already given out...

I know right! I would be SO happy if they opened up seats in Feb and March! I wouldn't have to have nightmares about taking a gap year because of the new MCAT

I'm not going to count on it, but I wish there was some way we could convince the AAMC to open up seats! It would hardly take them like five minutes to do so. I called them yesterday to ask about new testing sites/dates for the old MCAT and they said they would not open seats under any circumstances….but they did just now. So maybe there's a slight chance? lol

 

[runner28]

AND they are going to add more seats to the existing text dates! Go follow AAMC on Twitter to get the latest news!

Thoroughbred_Med, you are the light of my life today. I was about to cry thinking that I would have to take this exam in December.

Now the question is, should I stalk AAMC's site for more seats to open up, or should I use this time to study?

 

[dial1010usa]

Everyone should call them and ask for more dates or open up more dates/centers for 12/2014 & 1/2015

 

[connie95]

Everyone should call them and ask for more dates or open up more dates/centers for 12/2014 & 1/2015

Yeah I really think we should do this…I feel like if enough people call, AAMC will consider it. Really wish they had opened up a test date for end of Dec instead of Dec 6th (which is during finals week!!!)

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

Yeah I really think we should do this…I feel like if enough people call, AAMC will consider it. Really wish they had opened up a test date for end of Dec instead of Dec 6th (which is during finals week!!!)

I suppose it can't hurt, but remember that the ultimate drivers of the AAMC's behavior are essentially three things: 1. What the med schools want, 2. Money, 3. Internal dynamics

The needs of pre-med students just aren't on their radar. I don't mean to be cynical about it, but remember we are not the AAMC's real clients. The medical schools are. They have to keep admissions committees happy, not us. If they told us that the MCAT required a hula-hoop assessment while singing the Romanian National Anthem, we'd just have to do it and no amount of complaining would matter :/

My guess here is that the AAMC heard from admissions committees that they'd like to be able to evaluate the old MCAT scores for any kids who want to take the old test, and more importantly that they saw what an ABSURD amount of money they're making from test registrations and selling prep materials. Remember that with the new MCAT, the gravy-train that is practice test and SAP sales goes right out the window. I can't imagine how they're going to be filling the budget gap created by the loss of all those sales. They're essentially dropping from selling $250 worth of prep materials to each kid, to selling $25 worth of prep materials. Multiply that by tens of thousands of test-takers and the AAMC is going to have to cut an entire department worth of staff.

Having said that, the real thing that matters for us is: PHEW! THANK GOODNESS!

Here at Next Step, we've been getting calls for the past two months of kids freaking out b/c they can't get a test seat. More seats and more times is a huge relief!

b.

 

[Jack Westin]

It just shows you how many people want to take it before the test changes. But realistically, the test is not changing as much as you think....the new exam will definitely be longer but the same principles apply. The MCAT tests whether you can think on your feet using basic, fundamental concepts.

For those of you who do not like physics or ochem, there will be less of it on the new test. Although they are testing new concepts from biochem/psych/sociology, I doubt it'll be anything other than the absolute basic stuff learned in the first semester/quarter of the discipline.

But of course, passage based deduction/ verbal is becoming a more prevalent theme on the exam

Jack

 

[TactFR44]

It just shows you how many people want to take it before the test changes. But realistically, the test is not changing as much as you think....the new exam will definitely be longer but the same principles apply. The MCAT tests whether you can think on your feet using basic, fundamental concepts.

For those of you who do not like physics or ochem, there will be less of it on the new test. Although they are testing new concepts from biochem/psych/sociology, I doubt it'll be anything other than the absolute basic stuff learned in the first semester/quarter of the discipline.

But of course, passage based deduction/ verbal is becoming a more prevalent theme on the exam

Jack

An extra 3 hours is not something I or most individuals want to do. The test is already a big weed out as it is and 4 hours is enough. I just tried to register, as I just got paid, and well Guam is the only option...lets pray more seats and call people! All my friends and I did

 

[TactFR44]

Probably the only time I ever had the thought "if I only lived in Guam" lolz

 

[seabiscuit31]

I've been registered for jan for like months now and I actually wouldn't mind taking the new one the problem I have is that the April score isn't released until June 18 or something so you either do well that one time or apply late and I hate that! Also my schools committee won't write the letter until they have an MCAT score and that seems so late. Ugh which means I get to study during my last and surprisingly hardest semester!
But if anyone else isn't worried about their letters or cutting it close app timing wise then go for the new one! Seriously probably better than all this stress lol

 

[wuhsabee]

I've been registered for jan for like months now and I actually wouldn't mind taking the new one the problem I have is that the April score isn't released until June 18 or something so you either do well that one time or apply late and I hate that! Also my schools committee won't write the letter until they have an MCAT score and that seems so late. Ugh which means I get to study during my last and surprisingly hardest semester!
But if anyone else isn't worried about their letters or cutting it close app timing wise then go for the new one! Seriously probably better than all this stress lol

Do you have a link that shows when the new MCAT's score is going to be released? I remember reading that it's before the AMCAS submission date opens, but have no idea the date.

 

[seabiscuit31]

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/398880/data/mcat2015calendar.pdf

So yes it is before but like I said if you don't do well you apply late, so that kinda sucks! Just do well the first time I guess!

 

[sunshine02]

Wow if only they did this sooner! Now, I don't know whether I should study for only two months or three months =(

Do you know if the AAMC will be nice enough to open up Feb and March seats for the old MCAT right before the new one comes out?? Maybe if we all send a petition or keep calling/emailing them?

Email them.

I emailed them 3 days ago begging for them to open up seats. Today, I got a personal email from them saying they opened 12/6

 

[sunshine02]

If more people email and press for openings, maybe they might reconsider... Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.

 

[TactFR44]

If more people email and press for openings, maybe they might reconsider... Sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands.

This. Call them and be firm.

 

[sunshine02]

This. Call them and be firm.

Yep. Strength in numbers. Do you think they would have opened up more dates if there were no complaints? Nope.

I'm really glad I emailed them about this earlier. I didn't expect them to actually listen to me, but it goes to show that if you don't ask for what you want, you are definitely not going to get it. 12/6 is actually not too convenient a time since many have finals. Maybe they might consider opening more if enough people ask for it.

 

[wuhsabee]

I want them to open up spots in Feb/March soooo bad, but I don't think they will. They have already established that all the practice exams purchased will expire Jan 31st, 2015.

 

[TactFR44]

Yep. Strength in numbers. Do you think they would have opened up more dates if there were no complaints? Nope.

I'm really glad I emailed them about this earlier. I didn't expect them to actually listen to me, but it goes to show that if you don't ask for what you want, you are definitely not going to get it. 12/6 is actually not too convenient a time since many have finals. Maybe they might consider opening more if enough people ask for it.

12/6 was just not a good time. I just started a week ago (lol a week ago) and it's just not gonna fit in my schedule well. I was just flabbergasted that they would not have enough seats. When my friend told me today I thought she was joking.

 

[sunshine02]

I want them to open up spots in Feb/March soooo bad, but I don't think they will. They have already established that all the practice exams purchased will expire Jan 31st, 2015.

Oh my god me too. But you never know. Maybe they might! I didn't expect them to open up a date in December. There's NEVER an MCAT date in December, and they were willing to make this exception.

 

[TactFR44]

Off topic but is anyone else using EK bio content review and then BR passages? TBR bio passages are so gnarly…their physics is fine but damn these bio ones are hurting my soul lol

 

[radian313]

Off topic but is anyone else using EK bio content review and then BR passages? TBR bio passages are so gnarly…their physics is fine but damn these bio ones are hurting my soul lol

I agree with you on this....even with my previous medical school background as I was a matriculate at a MD school....I can't score past 12 on those....freaking hard....The worst is metabolic pathways....I still gave it a read but no way I'm going back to read it....only ek or tpr review