Gradual introduction of 2015 MCAT?

[2tim17]

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I met with my premed committee advisor a few weeks ago and she kept stressing how the recommendations for the 2015 MCAT exam may go into effect gradually... starting in 2012 ; she was encouraging me to complete my math requirements and take more humanities classes because of this. I haven't heard of this before, but she just said I should refer to the links on the AAMC website--still didn't find any info on this claim.

Has anyone else ever heard of this before? I'm just concerned because I plan on taking the MCAT sometime next spring

 

[sector9]

I met with my premed committee advisor a few weeks ago and she kept stressing how the recommendations for the 2015 MCAT exam may go into effect gradually... starting in 2012 ; she was encouraging me to complete my math requirements and take more humanities classes because of this. I haven't heard of this before, but she just said I should refer to the links on the AAMC website--still didn't find any info on this claim.

Has anyone else ever heard of this before? I'm just concerned because I plan on taking the MCAT sometime next spring

I've never heard of this. I think your premed advisor is full of it

 

[2tim17]

MrBean-

Thanks, I saw that page before...and this pdf posted on it was the only thing that led me to believe that perhaps my advisor was right (possibly the "test development" means gradually changing the exam starting Spring 2012?)

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/262752/data/mcat2015timeline.pdf

Sector9- I hope so...

 

[Stumpyman]

MrBean-

Thanks, I saw that page before...and this pdf posted on it was the only thing that led me to believe that perhaps my advisor was right (possibly the "test development" means gradually changing the exam starting Spring 2012?)

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/262752/data/mcat2015timeline.pdf

Sector9- I hope so...

Don't quote me on this, but I'm pretty sure when it says "test development," they either mean starting to practice for people taking it directly in 2015 and beyond, or they mean they start to release specific info on the test (questions, practice, etc.).

But either way, I don't think it'd apply to you since you're not taking the new one.

 

[gettheleadout]

The only way I can imagine this would make sense is if they want to have a baseline performance level on the new material questions with which to curve the first administration of the new 2015 test (as all MCAT exams are curved relative to past performance, the whole reason why experimental questions are present on tests.) However, even if they are phasing in experimental questions over the material to be newly included on the 2015 test, experimental questions aren't factored into your score, so there's no reason to worry about it.

 

[Knocked Up]

The closest thing in similarity to what you are describing ["gradual bla bla"] was that, on my MCAT administration, there were a couple passages that were biochemistry-focused...

👍 Same here.

 

[chiapet874]

It's highly unlikely they will phase in new questions that count from 2012-2015.

It's more likely that from 2012-2015, the test will be effectively the same and simply starting 2015, a new test will be implemented. MCATs always have a few experimental questions thrown in them, so you may see some new school questions, but they will not be counted towards your real score.

 

[235788]

I heard that the new MCAT is going to make it so you almost have to follow a strict pre-med guideline to be somewhat prepared. Bye bye humanities majors. So thankful i don't have to deal with it.

 

[chiapet874]

I heard that the new MCAT is going to make it so you almost have to follow a strict pre-med guideline to be somewhat prepared. Bye bye humanities majors. So thankful i don't have to deal with it.

Where did you hear that? Medical schools WANT diverse students- the MCAT is designed specifically so that even students without a major in the life sciences can stand the chance to do reasonably well on them with standard preparation.

 

[MT Headed]

I heard that the new MCAT is going to make it so you almost have to follow a strict pre-med guideline to be somewhat prepared. Bye bye humanities majors. So thankful i don't have to deal with it.

Not sure if srs... you do realize that the new 2015 MCAT is throwing out the writing section, and replacing it with a multiple choice humanities (psych/soc/etc) section instead?

 

[raltima07]

Not sure if srs... you do realize that the new 2015 MCAT is throwing out the writing section, and replacing it with a multiple choice humanities (psych/soc/etc) section instead?

👍