keyboard typing distractions during Verbal

[dray5150]

Im taking the MCAT again July 2nd and want to bring up an issue that made me lose alot of focus on verbal the day of exam. I was one of the last ones to be seated for the exam so when I started Verbal 80% of the room was typing away which was a HUGE distraction!!! What can be done about this???
I dropped 3 points from my average in Verbal and I'm not going to point any fingers but I remember having to struggle to focus.


Anybody else have this problem??

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[MDman87]

I plan to send a personal letter to AAMC about this. The MCAT is too important for this type of distraction to be tolerated. Whoever thinks the "noise-reducing" headphones offered in the testing center are adequate is only kidding himself. I'm not sure how they'll fix it, but this problem definitely needs to be addressed

 

[dray5150]

I mean really!! I cant believe this hasn't ever been discussed. 20 people banging on the keyboard in one room is more than just a minor distraction. On top of that you have students coming back and forth during their brakes... doors opening and shutting.

I think I'm going to right a letter as well.

 

[capn jazz]

The best thing you can do (since AAMC can't change anything very quickly, if they even change it at all) is to spend some time practicing verbal in noisy areas. You'll get used to it if you do it enough but I don't know if a week is adequate.

 

[G1SG2]

I plan to send a personal letter to AAMC about this. The MCAT is too important for this type of distraction to be tolerated. Whoever thinks the "noise-reducing" headphones offered in the testing center are adequate is only kidding himself. I'm not sure how they'll fix it, but this problem definitely needs to be addressed

I mean really!! I cant believe this hasn't ever been discussed. 20 people banging on the keyboard in one room is more than just a minor distraction. On top of that you have students coming back and forth during their brakes... doors opening and shutting.

I think I'm going to right a letter as well.

Excellent. They need to become aware of this problem. I definitely think you guys should write them a letter, I'm surprised no one has done this before, this is a HUGE disadvantage to students who are affected.

 

[Red Leader]

What are you guys whining about ? It's the same for everyone. Additionally, what even is your alternative to this? Better headphones? Allow people to bring ear plugs? Little sound proof cubicles? No breaks?

The only way to make it decent is for people to start everything at once, and end everything at once, kind of like the paper exams and what not. But then the people that get there early have to wait there for a longer time than everyone else.

Realize that while you are complaining about people typing during the verbal exam, others are proably complaining about your typing during their bio exam.

 

[phEight]

What are you guys whining about ? It's the same for everyone. Additionally, what even is your alternative to this? Better headphones? Allow people to bring ear plugs? Little sound proof cubicles? No breaks?

The only way to make it decent is for people to start everything at once, and end everything at once, kind of like the paper exams and what not. But then the people that get there early have to wait there for a longer time than everyone else.

Realize that while you are complaining about people typing during the verbal exam, others are proably complaining about your typing during their bio exam.

Further supporting the OP's complaints. It's not a question of what his typing is doing to others, nor is the OP blaming the others for typing while doing his verbal, rather he's pointing out it's really not fair for people to have to suffer through the excessive noises during a test that is this important. It would be nice, and it's certainly not too much to ask for to find some solution to this.

Earplugs sound like a decent option, as does starting the test at the same time. If you're going to get there early then you're going to have to wait till the start time you selected when you registered for the MCAT. There's no reason to allow people to start early when it causes these types of distractions for people that are starting on time.

 

[G1SG2]

Further supporting the OP's complaints. It's not a question of what his typing is doing to others, nor is the OP blaming the others for typing while doing his verbal, rather he's pointing out it's really not fair for people to have to suffer through the excessive noises during a test that is this important. It would be nice, and it's certainly not too much to ask for to find some solution to this.

Earplugs sound like a decent option, as does starting the test at the same time. If you're going to get there early then you're going to have to wait till the start time you selected when you registered for the MCAT. There's no reason to allow people to start early when it causes these types of distractions for people that are starting on time.

Agreed. I think everyone starting at the same time is a great idea. It actually seems a bit disorganized not to do so. And, earplugs are allowed.

 

[dr seuss]

What are you guys whining about ? It's the same for everyone. Additionally, what even is your alternative to this? Better headphones? Allow people to bring ear plugs? Little sound proof cubicles? No breaks?

The only way to make it decent is for people to start everything at once, and end everything at once, kind of like the paper exams and what not. But then the people that get there early have to wait there for a longer time than everyone else.

I think that is what they should do.

Realize that while you are complaining about people typing during the verbal exam, others are proably complaining about your typing during their bio exam.

Everyone starting at the same would get rid of this too.

 

[G1SG2]

Im taking the MCAT again July 2nd and want to bring up an issue that made me lose alot of focus on verbal the day of exam. I was one of the last ones to be seated for the exam so when I started Verbal 80% of the room was typing away which was a HUGE distraction!!! What can be done about this???
I dropped 3 points from my average in Verbal and I'm not going to point any fingers but I remember having to struggle to focus.


Anybody else have this problem??

I plan to send a personal letter to AAMC about this. The MCAT is too important for this type of distraction to be tolerated. Whoever thinks the "noise-reducing" headphones offered in the testing center are adequate is only kidding himself. I'm not sure how they'll fix it, but this problem definitely needs to be addressed

Maybe you guys can suggest the possibility of everyone starting at the same time in your letters. Good luck!

 

[Demas567]

What are you guys whining about ? It's the same for everyone. Additionally, what even is your alternative to this? Better headphones? Allow people to bring ear plugs? Little sound proof cubicles? No breaks?

The only way to make it decent is for people to start everything at once, and end everything at once, kind of like the paper exams and what not. But then the people that get there early have to wait there for a longer time than everyone else.

Realize that while you are complaining about people typing during the verbal exam, others are proably complaining about your typing during their bio exam.

LMAO

 

[sv3]

i've always wondered why the MCAT staggers start times. When I took the GMAT we all had to start at the same time. I was actually shocked when I heard this is how it happens for the MCAT. And yes people who got there super early did have to wait to start, but that's what happens to people who get to places early........they wait. Hence the whole point of being on time.

 

[Red Leader]

Yes, this could all be solved with a set start time which is what I suggested. I don't know why they do not implement this, but perhaps it is because with so many people taking the exam, the security would take too long for the break and some people would get more time. Additionally, I think the Prometric centers do not only do MCAT meaning some people in the room are taking their GRE and what not.

 

[Doodl3s]

ummm... wow, Im new to this, but I assumed at the VERY LEAST there was a set start time... you mean there ISNT?? can someone go through the process of what happens when you get there? like why there isnt a set time when you sign up for a time...

 

[iwant2doctor]

ummm... wow, Im new to this, but I assumed at the VERY LEAST there was a set start time... you mean there ISNT?? can someone go through the process of what happens when you get there? like why there isnt a set time when you sign up for a time...

I arrived around 12 for a 2pm test. I didn't start until 2:50pm as I was the last to be called in a 'random' order. So I could've saved myself almost 3 hours doing something else instead of sitting in that lobby with all the neurotic premeds.


A dude arrived around 2:20pm for the same 2pm test. He didn't get a chance to put his bag down before he was called in to start.


I was furious.

 

[FutureScaresMe]

Just show up early. At my testing center it wasn't a random draw to get seated. We could begin 30 min before our scheduled time. Since my exam began at 8 am, I showed up at 7:15. I was the third one seated and when I got to the writing portion, I was one of the annoying ones typing away. If you can't change the system, adapt. Better than getting stuck on the verbal with *tick* *tick* *ticking* coming from every direction. By the time I got to the bio section, I got so used to hearing ticking from everywhere it didn't bug me anymore. But I would have surely been severely annoyed if I had to do vernal with all that.

 

[cher25]

Perhaps I was so focused that I was able to tune it all out but for me, the headphones did work. I was an early bird, started around 7:40, and when I got to Bio, people were typing away. I put on the headphones and it was literally mute around me. I didn't hear any typing during my Bio after putting on the headphones. Maybe different testing centers have different quality headphones? Also, some students brought earplugs. Maybe for you guys taking tests soon you can put earplugs and headphones on together. That should definitely make a difference.

 

[ldnk]

Perhaps I'm being a little insensitive, but seriously? Typing is a distraction? What the heck are you going to do when you have a patient bleeding to death in the ER with a screaming relative in your ear? Or when someone goes into cardiac arrest and there is a flurry of activity around you.

There are always distractions and you don't get sound-proof guarantees in life. My suggestion would be that you need to prepare for the MCAT knowing that there will be background noise. Have a radio on in the background while you write to train yourself to tune out distractions.

 

[sv3]

Perhaps I'm being a little insensitive, but seriously? Typing is a distraction? What the heck are you going to do when you have a patient bleeding to death in the ER with a screaming relative in your ear? Or when someone goes into cardiac arrest and there is a flurry of activity around you.

There are always distractions and you don't get sound-proof guarantees in life. My suggestion would be that you need to prepare for the MCAT knowing that there will be background noise. Have a radio on in the background while you write to train yourself to tune out distractions.

LOL. I hate it when people always bring up the "But you wanna be a doctor so get used to it" routine. That's still a long way away for anyone still writing the MCAT and that's what the medschool/residency experience is for - to get you used to all the stuff that can happen. Granted we've all written many tests, but probably not in these circumstances.

Also, not to attack your point or anything, but I'm pretty sure that the doctor in your example is thinking in his head "Will this effing relative shut up so i can focus!!". Of course by that time he/she would be sensitive enough to not say it, but still possibly thinking it (as are we here about MCAT noise)......doctors aren't perfect.

 

[partinerns]

I think that you can bring your own earplugs to the center, and then wear the headphones over them. Might work

 

[ldnk]

LOL. I hate it when people always bring up the "But you wanna be a doctor so get used to it" routine. That's still a long way away for anyone still writing the MCAT and that's what the medschool/residency experience is for - to get you used to all the stuff that can happen. Granted we've all written many tests, but probably not in these circumstances.

Also, not to attack your point or anything, but I'm pretty sure that the doctor in your example is thinking in his head "Will this effing relative shut up so i can focus!!". Of course by that time he/she would be sensitive enough to not say it, but still possibly thinking it (as are we here about MCAT noise)......doctors aren't perfect.

I'm not so sure about that. Learning to tune out noise isn't something that you need medical school to accomplish. I just don't see what the difference is between say, writing an exam in the middle of winter when 20 kids have the flu while writing (coughing, sneezing, blowing noses, etc.) throughout the exam.

You can bring your own earplugs to the exam. You just have to show them to the administrators. They also provide the headphones to drown out noise. If you are still getting distracted by the clicking from a keyboard at that point, I think there is a problem with your ability to concentrate.

 

[Dr Gerrard]

Just show up early. At my testing center it wasn't a random draw to get seated. We could begin 30 min before our scheduled time. Since my exam began at 8 am, I showed up at 7:15. I was the third one seated and when I got to the writing portion, I was one of the annoying ones typing away. If you can't change the system, adapt. Better than getting stuck on the verbal with *tick* *tick* *ticking* coming from every direction. By the time I got to the bio section, I got so used to hearing ticking from everywhere it didn't bug me anymore. But I would have surely been severely annoyed if I had to do vernal with all that.

I am sure this is a stupid question, but can someone tell me what a "vernal" is???

I am taking the test soon, and I am freaking out here.

 

[ldnk]

I am sure this is a stupid question, but can someone tell me what a "vernal" is???

I am taking the test soon, and I am freaking out here.

It's a typo of Verbal.

 

[P0tat0dude]

The best thing you can do (since AAMC can't change anything very quickly, if they even change it at all) is to spend some time practicing verbal in noisy areas. You'll get used to it if you do it enough but I don't know if a week is adequate.

This. I purposely took several of my practice tests in a school computer lab where many people hang out. In one case, I was working on the verbal section while a couple of my friends were having an intense shouting political argument in the background . If you can learn to focus in that type of environment, the actual test day should be a piece of cake.

On another note, I'd like to say that I actually thought the earmuffs I got at my test center were very helpful. I had the opposite case of the OP (I came in really early so everyone else were typing their essays when I was on the biology section) but I barely heard any background noise at all.

 

[phEight]

Perhaps I'm being a little insensitive, but seriously? Typing is a distraction? What the heck are you going to do when you have a patient bleeding to death in the ER with a screaming relative in your ear? Or when someone goes into cardiac arrest and there is a flurry of activity around you.

There are always distractions and you don't get sound-proof guarantees in life. My suggestion would be that you need to prepare for the MCAT knowing that there will be background noise. Have a radio on in the background while you write to train yourself to tune out distractions.

I really think the two are COMPLETELY different atmospheres. Completely. I honestly can't even begin to relate focusing on verbal reasoning of the mcat, and focusing on someone about to die in front you. Vastly different situations. You may gifted with some amazing test-taking focus some us mere mortals have trouble with, but I really don't think because I have a hard time focusing with clacking keyboards all around me during a verbal reasoning test, I'll struggle keeping focus as a physician on the job.