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Extra time on the MCAT?
- Thread starter nybrian
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Maybe, but I wouldn't count on anything. The AAMC accommodations people are really inefficient and irrational in a lot of ways. They look for any reason to say no to extra time and require ridiculous/extensive testing and report cards from elementary and middle school. If they give any extra time out, it is usually for learning disabilities or ADHD (even though there are plenty of other psychiatric disorders that need extra time) and you have to prove that it has impacted you academically. The whole thing makes no sense because if someone were that impaired they wouldn't be applying to medical school. One another thing - with an impairment you can be successful in all other areas of life but the time constraint of the MCAT can be a problem.
If you apply for them, good luck.
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no *****
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even if you do manage to get provisions, med schools will see them. if you think you can still be a competitive applicant with that in mind, good luck!
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Do you start swearin at the screen when you see orgo passages, and then cry during discretes? I almost cry during immuno passages...damn antibodies.
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I disagree. I'm impaired (not psychologically), never had accommodations in high school or college. My impairment became worse during the spring, and thus now I do require accommodations, which I receive for the MCAT. My entire college career, I've been in the top 5 in all my classes without any additional help, but now I need it. So your statement that if someone is impaired then he or she wouldn't be applying is a little presumptuous and ignorant.
You make it sound like an arbitrary process, it's not. The people that review your files are all MDs and DOs. Also, google "blind medical student."
Also, I didn't ask for extra time, but my doctor did, and I got extra time. I don't know what you're basing your comment on.
I truly believe that if you have a legitimate reason for accommodations, and can prove it then you will get them. You have to start this process months in advance OP.
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Again, no you're wrong. They simply put an * by your score do designate the test was taking under "nonstandard conditions", which can literally mean you were allowed a bathroom break during a section, or allowed to check your blood sugar, or anything. They don't report what accommodations you received or why you received them. Therefore, they can't assume anything. I've also talked to 2 very important people from 2 different med schools, and both encouraged me to apply for accommodations, since I was a little worried about what statements like the above from people who don't actually know, but find it necessary to assume about what they don't know.
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From the AAMC Accommodations FAQ:
How is the score of a non-standard MCAT reported?
For some accommodations, primarily those that involve a change in the timing of the test, we do not know if the scores obtained will be comparable to scores obtained under standard testing conditions. Therefore, tests that are administered under non-standard conditions will be noted as such on score-reports. In no case are score recipients notified about the nature of the impairment or disability that led to the administration of a non-standard MCAT. In addition, score recipients are not notified about the specific type of accommodation that was used.
How is the score of a non-standard MCAT reported?
For some accommodations, primarily those that involve a change in the timing of the test, we do not know if the scores obtained will be comparable to scores obtained under standard testing conditions. Therefore, tests that are administered under non-standard conditions will be noted as such on score-reports. In no case are score recipients notified about the nature of the impairment or disability that led to the administration of a non-standard MCAT. In addition, score recipients are not notified about the specific type of accommodation that was used.
I see your point. I'm glad to hear that you got accommodations. I was talking about the idea of getting accommodations for psychological reasons like the OP said, not physical. The trend seems to be that it's easier to get accommodations for physical reasons. ADHD and learning disabilities are recognized as neurological conditions so they are more likely to be treated as "legitimate". But there's still no guarantee. I've heard of many people being denied when they applied for accommodations due to psychological impairments - depression, anxiety, etc.
I'll clarify what I meant. If someone were so severely psychologically impaired that their grades and academic achievement were really low compared to the general population (this is required by the AAMC for them to grant accommodations), then they probably wouldn't be a competitive applicant for medical school. So there would be no point in even taking the MCAT, let alone applying for extra time, because they would probably not be able to get into medical school anyway. The AAMC is oblivious to the fact that you can do well in other academic areas while having a psychological disorder. They assume that the MCAT is like every other test you've taken in your life (SAT, ACT, tests in school, etc.) and it's not. So basically anyone who applies for accommodations for psychological reasons will have a tough time getting them and it's because of how they illogically set up their requirements.
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They offered me extra time on every section of the MCAT, along with showing me the answer to any 20 questions of my choosing. They said they did it because I am "Astoudingly beautiful with unparralled intellectual capacity" but I turned them down then released a statment in which I explained that my good looks and superior intelligence should not allow me to get a free ride.
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You're on a roll man. Keep those funnies coming. Really.
