Home Field Advantage?

[Holderlin]

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I just wanted to express my joy that I'll be taking the May, 21st MCAT 1 mile from my house in the same building complex as my gym.

I was thinking this was worth at least 3 points. So if I perform poorly or I'm just not as smart as I would like to think, what would have been a 27 will become a 30.

Thoughts?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

..."full ******"...

Thoughts?

Is this a non-traditional issue or is there a question in this somewhere?

 

[Holderlin]

Yeah Ima non-trad with a job, a new baby, and a thesis to defend in March, so it's been hard to study.

I'm really thinking that a familiar location will ease pretest anxiety and offset some of these disadvantages and I was curious as to what other people thought.

 

[ChE04]

Yes. I have just canceled my lease, and will be moving in to a storage closet in the Prometric facility that I will be testing in come March. I figure that's good for minimum 5 points. Minimum...

 

[mauberley]

Yeah Ima non-trad with a job, a new baby, and a thesis to defend in March, so it's been hard to study.

I'm really thinking that a familiar location will ease pretest anxiety and offset some of these disadvantages and I was curious as to what other people thought.

I would certainly think there's some benefit to not being in an unfamiliar location, but it is what you make of it. That you are asking this question suggests to me that yes, taking the test in a familiar place will help you.

 

[DrMidlife]

Other than avoiding traffic you might not have any advantage.

You still want to visit the test center and figure out logistics ahead of the test. Things like whether you get a locker, whether there are seats that are truly bad (next to a constantly opening door or under a blasting air conditioning vent), whether ear plugs are provided, whether you'll have to wait in line to use the bathroom with the clock ticking, etc.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Holderlin]

Yes. I have just canceled my lease, and will be moving in to a storage closet in the Prometric facility that I will be testing in come March. I figure that's good for minimum 5 points. Minimum...

pfft, yeah, minimum......

 

[Holderlin]

Other than avoiding traffic you might not have any advantage.

You still want to visit the test center and figure out logistics ahead of the test. Things like whether you get a locker, whether there are seats that are truly bad (next to a constantly opening door or under a blasting air conditioning vent), whether ear plugs are provided, whether you'll have to wait in line to use the bathroom with the clock ticking, etc.

Best of luck to you.

Great advice. Additional recon could garner another point. That's 31 minimum.

But seriously for me 75% of test anxiety is unfamiliarity of location. I'm just pumped and wanted to share. There's also a Starbucks in the same building. This just keeps getting better.

 

[Helen Wheels]

I was able to take the MCAT at a location just 3 miles from my residence. I was happy about that because I didn't have to deal with an unfamiliar area and/or a long drive on test day.

IMHO, I would say that an optimal test site will probably not result in more points but at least it shouldn't mean a loss of points due to being stressed out by test site factors.

But I am a glass half empty kind of person. 😉

 

[JKinSC]

I think that in general, just feeling better about taking the test can only be a help. 3 pts worth? That might be stretching it.

Good luck to you!