For those that took the CBT...

[monaheel]

Hey,

First off, congrats to everyone reading this who just took the MCAT; it's over, and I'm sure your hard work will pay off . For those of us taking the MCAT in January, if you could offer any advice about the CBT (advantages, drawbacks, what do you wish you had known earlier, would you have altered the way you studied any, and so forth), I would greatly appreciate it!!

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[moomar]

i liked the cbt, easy to click things, mark through, highlight. u dont have to wait for boring instruction readings by a proctor or waiting for everyone to start and finish. u go at ur own pace. essay writing is easy.

 

[shaggybill]

Hey,

First off, congrats to everyone reading this who just took the MCAT; it's over, and I'm sure your hard work will pay off . For those of us taking the MCAT in January, if you could offer any advice about the CBT (advantages, drawbacks, what do you wish you had known earlier, would you have altered the way you studied any, and so forth), I would greatly appreciate it!!

Huh? I didnt know you could take the MCAT in January.

 

[monaheel]

Huh? I didnt know you could take the MCAT in January.

Yep, they're offering it a bunch of times now that the test is computer-based (I think something like 20+ times a year). The next one offered is the end of January.

 

[QofQuimica]

Huh? I didnt know you could take the MCAT in January.

Starting in 2007, you can.

 

[toothless rufus]

Well, I am not a stellar typist, so my essays were a bit short, I think. Also, somehow when I inserted the cursor into a written paragraph, it started typing over the other stuff until I figured out a way around that. I did not like the essay typing. Almost 2.5 hours shorter overall, which is nice.

 

[MJB]

Only problem I had was the fingerprint reader, and they were a little slow checking me in...I was only the 2nd one through..and this was their first time...but it only took like 5-10 minutes.

Overall, I was very happy with my decision to go CBT.

The only drawback I can think of is that they could make it easier to skip around...if you didn't have to click through every passage and could just click on what passage you want to do, or the discretes, etc....that would be good.

If I have to take it again, I'll be more than happy taking it CBT, and will be glad it's shorter.

 

[bigwilee]

Hey,

First off, congrats to everyone reading this who just took the MCAT; it's over, and I'm sure your hard work will pay off . For those of us taking the MCAT in January, if you could offer any advice about the CBT (advantages, drawbacks, what do you wish you had known earlier, would you have altered the way you studied any, and so forth), I would greatly appreciate it!!

The writing section was much easier to complete since I could go back and edit my essay after I finished typing it with time to spare. Although the writing score may not mean much, it was still nice to feel good writing/typing a good essay as opposed to frantically writing, scribbling an essay with a cramped hand. Then you realize you forgot to mention a point earlier in the essay.

You don't have to deal with proctors, which is nice. You start whenever you go in, and you don't have to take the required breaks. I took a 20 minute lunch break and was ready to move on.

The highlighting feature was pretty useful, particularly for the verbal passages. I hated bubbling into scantrons, so just clicking A,B,C,D was convenient.

I THOUGHT the noiseless headphone were going to be useful, and maybe they were. I used them for the PS and VR sections, no problems. The AC vents at the testing center were loud as hell, and I had been practicing exams in essentially complete silence. I didn't use the headphones on the WS. Then I put them back on for the BS, and by the time I got to my 3rd passage, I developed a headache. I took it off and felt better, went to the 4th passage and put the headphones back on. The headache came back, so I just left them off the rest of the BS section. So I don't know if using them for a long period of time causes headaches.

If you are ahead of the other test takers and move to the BS section while everyone was working on the WS, then you have to listen to everyone type on their keyboards which was pretty annoying.

Overall, I liked the CBT version.

 

[txlioness]

This was my first time taking the MCAT. I thought it was nice and easy to take on the computer. I am used to taking most exams on the computer. The only problem I had was someone repeatedly clearing their throat. Even the earphones wouldn't block them out. I had to mention something to the proctor about the noise.

I liked that you had options for your breaks and lunch. I took all of the 10 minute break but took a short lunch (about 45 minutes). I started about 8:10 am and finished around 2:40 pm.

to future test takers.

 

[Summer Sweet]

For the writing section, is it like a word document or something, where you can go back and edit stuff, etc? I mean, for the paper one, if you write in pen, then changing anything requires blocking stuff out, which makes the essay look messy.

For questions, how are they presented? I checked out an online practice test, and they give me a passage on the left side, and on the right side of the screen, I get one question at a time. For the real one, is it all the questions in a page-like format, or one at a time? What about the discreets? Do you get to flip around? Did you computer lag?

Wow I have a lot of questions

 

[metastasis]

Was there a search function?

 

[toothless rufus]

If you never hit "save", and time ran out, did it save your writing sample anyway? (Boy, I sure hope so!) They said it did, but...

 

[monaheel]

If you never hit "save", and time ran out, did it save your writing sample anyway? (Boy, I sure hope so!) They said it did, but...

I'm sure it did =). I've seen that question around here before and someone else said they didn't hit save but got a relatively good writing score. Relax and enjoy the evening... it's over!!

 

[toothless rufus]

I'm sure it did =). I've seen that question around here before and someone else said they didn't hit save but got a relatively good writing score. Relax and enjoy the evening... it's over!!

This is good news! Thanks!

 

[monaheel]

This is good news! Thanks!

Glad I could help calm your nerves a little =).

 

[shaggybill]

Yep, they're offering it a bunch of times now that the test is computer-based (I think something like 20+ times a year). The next one offered is the end of January.

Oh, sweetness. That's the best news I've heard all week. How'd that get by me...?

So, since it now extends past the regular August test, when is the last date you can take it and still make it in for the following Fall.

 

[freelancer865]

If anyone who took the CBT can answer these questions, THANKS! Hope all of you aced it.

How was the CBT version?
Is it like the GREs...once you click on your answer choice, you can't change it?
Can you go back to previous passages if you have time left over?
Can you take breaks longer 10 minutes?
Is it easy to navigate through?
Can you view the questions and the passage simultaneously or do you have to flip back and forth?
How much scratch paper do you get?

 

[Jeenie]

If anyone who took the CBT can answer these questions, THANKS! Hope all of you aced it.

How was the CBT version?
Is it like the GREs...once you click on your answer choice, you can't change it?
Can you go back to previous passages if you have time left over?
Can you take breaks longer 10 minutes?
Is it easy to navigate through?
Can you view the questions and the passage simultaneously or do you have to flip back and forth?
How much scratch paper do you get?

Hey, It was my first time taking MCAT and it was done in CBT.


1. It's not like GRE and you can change your answers multiple times.
If you do the AAMC practice tests on computer rather than on paper than you will probably be able to see what CBT's like since they are almost in the same format.

2. Yes, you can go over to previous passages to review them.
There is also a "mark" function in CBT. That is, if you are unsure of the answer and want to review it afterwards, then you mark it.
When go through all the questions, at the end, there will be a "review page" which is a summary table of which questions were "marked", which questions you left out etc. You can go back to them and review them accordingly.

3. You can only take 10 minutes off. Once you finish one section, then the computer has its automated timer on and it will automatically start after 10 minute's up.

4. It's real easy to navigate through. had no problem.

5. Passage always appear on the left half of the screen and all the questions related to the passage on the right. You can scoll up and down.

6. You can get UNLIMITED supply of scartch paper.

Hope this info helps.

 

[Dr. Gigglez]

Was there a search function?

bumpin' this up.

 

[koneko523]

Is there any difference between the online AAMC practice full length tests taken on www.e-mcat.org and the CBT? Is so, can some of you explain what are the differences? Thanks!

 

[AWhitehair]

Is there any difference between the online AAMC practice full length tests taken on www.e-mcat.org and the CBT? Is so, can some of you explain what are the differences? Thanks!

Yes, this is a great question. Anyone? Sounds about the same to me.

 

[monaheel]

Also, can anyone comment on how close this Kaplan CBT practice test is to real thing -- http://66.39.15.240/MCAT/TestDirections.htm? Thanks!!

 

[Mutt]

Do you guys/gals that took the CBT get your scores sooner than us paper-takers?

 

[Knickerbocker]

Do you guys/gals that took the CBT get your scores sooner than us paper-takers?

It is unlikely. If CBT takers started getting scores in the next 30 days, AAMC would be flooded with calls and emails from paper test takers who want their scores.

 

[supersash]

also, the curve is based on all test takers, so us CBT-er's have got to wait for paper/pencil tests to be graded so we can get in on that curve!! even though i am PRAYING i don't have to retake, the all CBT wait will be SOO much nicer!

 

[commuter9]

Also, can anyone comment on how close this Kaplan CBT practice test is to real thing -- http://66.39.15.240/MCAT/TestDirections.htm? Thanks!!

i'm curious about this too.

 

[choklad]

When I was a seniori n high school I took a CBT-based TOEFL and I got my scores estimations right at the end of the exam after I finished. True, the exam was not based on a curve like MCAT, but I thought it'd be great if CBT MCAT could give us at least the estimation of how many questions we got right, right at the end

For those who are wondering about how different the CBT is, it's not. Early morning check-in may take a long time (something they'd probably work out in the future), but you do it at your own timing, so I felt really comfortable.

 

[PapaDosh]

Also, can anyone comment on how close this Kaplan CBT practice test is to real thing -- http://66.39.15.240/MCAT/TestDirections.htm? Thanks!!

I would say its pretty similar- the real layout is more intuitive I think though. The mark button is little bit different instead of being a check box, its a button on the bottom like the periodic table. So you can't tell a question is marked unless it is selected (kinda difficult to explain, but when you select a question, a box with a black border appears around it, and when you mark the question the box has a red border). This is annoying b/c when I was reviewing my answers to see which ones I marked it was much quicker to hit review find one that i marked, double click on that number, think about it, and then hit review so i could find the next one. I don't know if it was just my prometric center, but every time i hit review the computer made audible sounds- hard drive i think.

Somebody else already mentioned this, but the AAMC is not as nice about formating the passages- almost all of them required scrolling. The other annoying thing is the periodic table. Using it was extremly annoying as the window it opens up in is pretty large- I don't think you can resize it either, but I'm not sure about that.

The discrete questions also appear together and are not seperate like they are on Kaplan's. This is a much better system.

I've taken both the paper version and the CBT, and I can say that the CBT is a vast improvement. You didn't have to worry about filling in bubbles before and after the test so that saved a bunch of time- they did have a short survey at the end. The time counter was extremely helpful in timing (although it would nice if it told you how many questions were left as opposed to just how many passages you had left). I think writing with a pen is easier, but editing was a lot easier and neater with the typing. I don't know if it was just my center, but I wasn't allowed to use a calculator- but there wasn't any questions that required any complex math as far as I can remember- no trig functions at all. I thought it was a lot more relaxing to take the test at your own pace and only use breaks if you need it. I was able to finish the test in 6 1/2 hours I think, using all the time for the passages and about 5 minutes of a break, which is pretty good I think.

Okay thats about all I can think of right now off the top of my head, but I'll try to answer any other questions that come up.

 

[H0tSh0tZ1627]

Since the CBT had less questions than the Paper-Pencil format, you guys should have either had a different test or missing questions.

How did the questions fair in terms of difficulty on the CBT?

And how was the new timing system? Did you find it relatively easy to finish the section, or do you think you needed more time?

 

[AWhitehair]

Since the CBT had less questions than the Paper-Pencil format, you guys should have either had a different test or missing questions.

How did the questions fair in terms of difficulty on the CBT?

And how was the new timing system? Did you find it relatively easy to finish the section, or do you think you needed more time?

The CBT they took was NOT shorter. Starting in Jan the MCAT will be shorter.

 

[PapaDosh]

Since the CBT had less questions than the Paper-Pencil format, you guys should have either had a different test or missing questions.

How did the questions fair in terms of difficulty on the CBT?

And how was the new timing system? Did you find it relatively easy to finish the section, or do you think you needed more time?

The CBT we took had the same amount of questions- we are graded against the paper takers- same curve. I didn't know this until I started taking the test, however.