2013/2014 MCAT Changes

[KraftyKid]

Hi all,

I was reading around the forum and hadn't come across any topics covering this yet, but I had seen on the AAMC site that the MCAT was going to be changing in 2013 and 2014 in preparation for the 2015 overhaul. I guess the gist of it is that the Writing Sample section is going to be taken out completely and a voluntary crash course of a new section will be available with some sort of compensation if one chooses to go that route.

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/reserving/276580/differentexam.html

My question was how this may effect an applicant taking these tests? Because of the fact that previous exam scores will be taken as well, how can these scores, containing no writing section score, be fairly compared to the previous years' exams? I may be jumping the gun a bit with these concerns, but I was just curious about it all.

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[bananaz]

From what I understand, most schools don't place much (if any) emphasis on the writing score now and I'd have to think that with that section being removed it will stop being a consideration altogether, so I don't see how having a letter or not having a letter is going to really make a difference in terms of fairness.

 

[KraftyKid]

Ah, I wasn't sure how heavily the writing score even weighed on the test. Thanks!

 

[kryptonian]

I think what should be concerned in terms of fairness is that 2013/2014 test takers who are not worn down by the writing section may do better in the BS section compared to the 2012 test takers and the prior. Well, but we don't know what's going on in those AAMC people's mind. They may raise the difficulty level of the BS section ?

 

[couldabeenadoc]

Does anyone know where this voluntary section will be...between the PS/BS or at the end? I would hope they will place it at the end, so test takers would not have to switch gears from psychology & sociology to orgo.

Also, I'm curious as to what the compensation will be?


What will be different about the MCAT exam in 2013 and 2014?

"If you plan to take the MCAT exam in 2013 or 2014, please note that the Writing Sample section will no longer be part of the exam. In its place, a voluntary, unscored trial section will be added to the MCAT exam starting in January 2013. These unscored questions within this trial section will come from one of the content areas that will be added to MCAT in 2015. These include psychology, sociology, and biochemistry. Including the trial section, the 2013 and 2014 total testing times will be the same as 2012. The trial section will be administered under standard conditions for all examinees. Examinees that volunteer to participate, and put forth a good faith effort, will be compensated. Please note that admissions officers will continue to receive Writing Sample scores from exams taken in 2012 and prior."

 

[MDwannabe09]

I was also just looking at this! I'm content with the temporary change as I never have done amazingly on any practice writing prompts. I wouldn't think the writing scores for past MCAT takers would have made a huge impact on medical schools reviewing them, which this change further suggests.

And I'm guessing by compensation for taking the voluntary section would be money???