*The Official May 14, 2016 MCAT Thread*

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

Doctor_Faith07

Full Member
7+ Year Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2014
Messages
167
Reaction score
81
Hi guys! I haven't seen an "official" thread for this test date so I decided to create one. I will be taking the exam on this date. Good luck!

Members don't see this ad.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Do you guys/gals know how exactly this exam is scored? Its really confusing because if the curve is predetermined before each exam, why does it take a month for the scores to come out? Also, if a lot of people don't do well in C/P, would there be another curve to take this into account? I really can't stop thinking about C/P and how much I guessed on it.
I have never understood the "curve", unfortunately. Hopefully, someone understands it and can give some insight!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
Do you guys/gals know how exactly this exam is scored? Its really confusing because if the curve is predetermined before each exam, why does it take a month for the scores to come out? Also, if a lot of people don't do well in C/P, would there be another curve to take this into account? I really can't stop thinking about C/P and how much I guessed on it.

They must do *something*... what it is, I'll never know. Hopefully someone who knows can chime in.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
This may be a dumb question, but is there a timer on the exam? Or do you have to keep track of time based on the time that you started each section?
 
C/p was definitely easier then the section bank..just much different then expected. had to know a bunch of calculations and equations but I could make sense of most of it at least, as a non-trad who didn't take biochemistry.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
C/p was definitely easier then the section bank..just much different then expected. had to know a bunch of calculations and equations but I could make sense of most of it at least, as a non-trad who didn't take biochemistry.
Nice try, AAMC. I'm not revealing the questions, just like I promised!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
Last edited:
Maybe I got a different test than yall folks but I have a different view on it. C/P was easy...lots if calculations, but simple. Cars was easy. B/B was insane.....at least 6 passages that reflected section bank, I was marking and guessing on questions like it was my job. P/S was ok, some convoluted / confusing terms that looked similar to all answers, but ok. But man that BB section left me feeling worthless...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Members don't see this ad :)
possibly the hardest part of comparing all of our experiences is that we don't know if we all had the same test. nice job aamc! aamc: 1
premed students around the world: 0
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
possibly the hardest part of comparing all of our experiences is that we don't know if we all had the same test. nice job aamc! aamc: 1
premed students around the world: 0
Im pretty sure we all had the same test
 
I'm not so sure. Someone on here mentioned a specific problem/passage that I'm 100% sure I did not have on my exam.
lol well I'm 101% sure we had very similar tests. There would be no point in curving if everyone had completely different tests.
 
lol well I'm 101% sure we had very similar tests. There would be no point in curving if everyone had completely different tests.
The curve isn't compared to all the people who took the test that day it's compared to all the people who have ever taken the test. That's why taking it one day doesn't give you any better chances than any other day.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
On the CARS section in the test, does it show you the source of the passage at the end like it does in the AAMC material? I've always wondered.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
On the CARS section in the test, does it show you the source of the passage at the end like it does in the AAMC material? I've always wondered.
I remember seeing it in the other sections. Can't remember if it was present during CARS.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
On the CARS section in the test, does it show you the source of the passage at the end like it does in the AAMC material? I've always wondered.
I used examcracker strategy, so I made sure I checked the text source. I remember seeing the source on all the passages. AAMC is very cautious citing the source.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
I used examcracker strategy, so I made sure I checked the text source. I remember seeing the source on all the passages. AAMC is very cautious citing the source.
Okay, good to know. Sometimes seeing where the passage is from or what it's title was can help, so I wasn't sure if I should expect that or not.

Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Wtf. B/B was extremely hard. Like 6-7 of the passages were as difficult as the section bank, if not even harder im0. I literally felt like I had to mark/guess on a majority of the questions. And bio is my strongest subject...

C/P was pretty easy...lots of calculations though. A LOT. Good thing I wrote down all the formulas during the tutorial.

CARS- Fairly straightforward, albeit the passages were considerably longer than practice exams.

P/S- Nothing like the section bank or other AAMC materials. Was surprisingly easy. Difficulty was on par to AAMC sample test, but I felt like it tested WAY different materials.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Maybe I got a different test than yall folks but I have a different view on it. C/P was easy...lots if calculations, but simple. Cars was easy. B/B was insane.....at least 6 passages that reflected section bank, I was marking and guessing on questions like it was my job. P/S was ok, some convoluted / confusing terms that looked similar to all answers, but ok. But man that BB section left me feeling worthless...
I second that opinion. This was my experience as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Does anyone else keep waking up in a panic in the middle of the night trying to solve test questions they might've missed? I think this test gave me PTSD. It's 4am and I need to be up in a few hours. I did this last night too. Ugh
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Okay, I don't know what y'all are talking about with there being "a lot of calculations" on the C/P. Maybe 10 questions with very basic calculations? Idk. I thought C/P wasn't bad.

CARS I think I did ok on. The passages were interesting and I feel as though I understood them very well.

B/B was insane and intimidating as hell. Scary questions and I feel like I did horrible.

P/S felt like it normally does with an emphasis on sociology. But it felt like a lot of common sense too.

I just hope I did good enough to get into a DO school lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Does anyone else keep waking up in a panic in the middle of the night trying to solve test questions they might've missed? I think this test gave me PTSD. It's 4am and I need to be up in a few hours. I did this last night too. Ugh
Yeah I remembered about 7 of the questions on C/P and B/B i was unsure on and looked them up. 5 of them im sure I got right. But the rest I got wrong I feel, or I can't remember the question stems.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Okay, I don't know what y'all are talking about with there being "a lot of calculations" on the C/P. Maybe 10 questions with very basic calculations? Idk. I thought C/P wasn't bad.

CARS I think I did ok on. The passages were interesting and I feel as though I understood them very well.

B/B was insane and intimidating as hell. Scary questions and I feel like I did horrible.

P/S felt like it normally does with an emphasis on sociology. But it felt like a lot of common sense too.

I just hope I did good enough to get into a DO school lol.

That pretty much sums up my experience. My B/B was much closer to the Section Bank than the Scored FL and I had only a handful of calculations on C/P that were mostly unit conversion type stuff. CARS and P/S were typical CARS and P/S.

And there were at least 2 versions of the test because I had nothing at all related to the Mediterranean. I did have a strong urge to play video games when I got home, though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
That pretty much sums up my experience. My B/B was much closer to the Section Bank than the Scored FL and I had only a handful of calculations on C/P that were mostly unit conversion type stuff. CARS and P/S were typical CARS and P/S.

And there were at least 2 versions of the test because I had nothing at all related to the Mediterranean. I did have a strong urge to play video games when I got home, though.

ahahaha...let's hope you don't become aggressive.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
You know what though, I think we've all accomplished a feat. Because I've read articles online and heard from medical students that the new MCAT is meant to be a bit harder than the old one. Especially with the introduction of Biochemistry and Psych/Sociology and the passages that are heavy with experimental data!
7 hours on the new vs. 4 hours on the old definitely says something about our dedication.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I swear if I did well on this past MCAT exam, I'm going to try tutoring for it for aspiring physicians that I feel like are deserving.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Lord, get me into medical school please! I'm so tired of this roller coaster ride! Lol.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Does anyone else keep waking up in a panic in the middle of the night trying to solve test questions they might've missed? I think this test gave me PTSD. It's 4am and I need to be up in a few hours. I did this last night too. Ugh
I do that all day even at work lol. the PTSD is real!
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
The curve isn't compared to all the people who took the test that day it's compared to all the people who have ever taken the test. That's why taking it one day doesn't give you any better chances than any other day.
Then why does is take one month for the scores to be released?
 
Is it worth signing up for another exam just incase? I was thinking of doing the june 18th. Just i get sick even thinking about having to continue studying


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Maybe there wasn't a trash can in the restroom. Or did I miss that part? Maybe this is why I perform poorly in CARS!


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile app
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Top