8AM vs. 1PM administration statistics?

[IndianVercetti]

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Hey, I'm debating when to take the test, the 8AM administration or the 1PM administration. Does anyone know of any statistics about average scores, etc, for the 8AM vs. 1PM?

 

[swamprat]

The test is standardized, hence it doesn't really make a difference. But for me, when I took it at 8AM I wish I had a later administration available because my sleeping schedule was out of whack due to being a college student. I had to adjust for about a week before the exam.

 

[doctordaman]

The real question is "are you a morning person or not?" I personally took the later one because let's face it, a lot of us don't like getting up early when there is an option not to. If you are taking it during the school year and you have early classes, the early one may be fine because you are used to getting up. If you take it over winter break, or summer, I would suggest the later one. Take it at a time when you would normally be up, because that's when you'll be thinking best!

 

[281261]

Doesn't really matter-it depends on YOU and your preference. I'd prefer the afternoon administration, simply because I'd have trouble falling asleep the night before the big day.

 

[Compass]

Having taken both, I would say the Afternoon is much more relaxing to take, since you've had a breather, a breakfast, and burned some calories sweating.

34 in the afternoon, 2 30s in the morning.

 

[ProteinChemist]

I think your metabolism is at it's peak in the morning which is why I took it at 8am. The human body is meant to get up when the sun comes up.

Also, you don't have to sit around all morning worrying about the test.

I just woke up at 6:20 am for 6 days before my test and I wasn't tired at all.

If you're worried about not sleeping the night before due to nerves however, you may want to take the afternoon exam so you can have a safety net for sleepy time.

 

[Isoprop]

There's probably no statistic on AM vs PM. Honestly, I don't think it matters.

 

[NotSur]

i took it in the morning. i didn't want to sit around waiting for it. i was out by lunchtime. by 5 pm i get sluggish but that's individual.

 

[Longshanks]

Go with whatever you're best mentally fit schedule is. Personally, I feel brain dead at 8AM, even if I maintain good sleeping habits and get up at 6AM let's say for work. People throughout my life have commented I look miserable at that time of day, but once it hits 11 or 12 I have a ton of energy while everyone else is burning out, so go figure.

My sleep schedule was terrible this summer, so 2PM worked out best for me. The 2PM exam was actually great, got up at 10, cooked a power breakfast, relaxed a bit, ate lunch on the way to the exam, and the test center let me start at 1:30 anyway so I was out in time to have a good dinner and enjoy the night.

 

[supafield]

For me, the afternoon time lets me sleep better.

When I have something big the next that I'm anxious about, I may sleep a little lighter... and I've had a couple times in the past where I'm thinking about something a lot and have a hard time falling asleep.

The difference being when the test is at 8... having trouble falling asleep then worries me about getting enough sleep for the night because I have to wake up early and then it becomes a big cycle where I worry more about getting sleep and sleep less because of it.

On the other hand with a test at 12 or 2... I know even if it does take me until 2 am to fall asleep I can still lie in bed until 10 if I need to, to get a full nights sleep.

So while it's all in my head.... afternoon starts give me some piece of mind the night before.

 

[Lala0512]

I took mine at 8AM. It didn't seem like a wise choice when I first signed up. I had to go to bed at 9PM the night before. I actually woke up at 6AM. However, the one beneficial thing is that you don't have to wait until the afternoon comes to take the test. I know I'd be really anxious counting down until my test. So it was actually a good fit. Since I woke up at 6AM, I was able to get a good breakfast. Got to the test center about an hour early. Looked over my notes for about 30 minutes (mostly just formulas), then took the test. It was a lot better than I expected. I would recommend taking an earlier test, that way you have the rest of the day to celebrate (or cry).

 

[womp]

Hey, I'm debating when to take the test, the 8AM administration or the 1PM administration. Does anyone know of any statistics about average scores, etc, for the 8AM vs. 1PM?

I took the 12pm session, I got a 38. Woke up at 10am, ate around 11, strolled to the test center at 11:50. Was out at 5pm and drinking a cold one. Good stuff.

 

[wanderer]

If you're a morning person, take it in the morning. If you're an afternoon/night person take it in the afternoon. It really does not matter much though. I'm not a morning person at all and got my AAMC average on the real thing (>35) when I took it at 8 am.