MCAT accommodations no longer get flagged

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pithy84

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It looks like people who receive accommodations on the MCAT will no longer have their score flagged:

AAMC website announcement

I make no value judgment about whether score flagging is good or bad (not at present). However, I invite other people to post their opinions.

Interestingly, I don't see any news stories about this. Prior to this policy change, which takes effect in "late March of 2015", people who received MCAT accommodations for a disability got an asterisk or something similar stating that the test was "administered under non-standard conditions". Although this asterisk sometimes meant the student got extended time, it could also appear if the proctor fell asleep during the test (true story) or if there was a power outage during the test (also a true story). Same asterisk in all cases.

Of note, the MCAT is the last major exam in the US to abandon the policy of flagging scores. The LSAT (law school admission test) had to stop flagging scores in 2014 because they lost a lawsuit, it was a somewhat major news item. The LSAT was also fined several million dollars. News stories at that time pointed out that the MCAT was the only holdout, and their policy probably would not withstand a lawsuit.

The SAT had to stop flagging scores in 2002, also because they lost a lawsuit.

The GRE (for grad school) is not flagged. The TOEFL (test of English as a foreign language) is not flagged. The GMAT (for business school) is not flagged. I have grown bored of looking up standardized tests, it is apparent that none of them are flagged anymore.

Receiving accommodations on the MCAT is still extremely difficult. The MCAT has a reputation for setting the bar extremely high, relative to other standardized tests. According to the latest data I can find, less than 1% of MCAT examinees are approved for extended time, stop-the-clock breaks, extended breaks, or other accommodations that change the timing. Accommodations for personal medical items (such as food, water, or medication) are more common and apparently easier to get. Other accommodations include increased font size for poor vision. All these accommodations used to get an asterisk (a flag), now none will.

Whether it is fair to grant extended time is a difficult question, but it is possible to address this question with science. Unfortunately, this research has not been done in the case of the MCAT. Research does exist for the SAT, and it seems that extended time on the SAT is indeed fair. The disabled students who receive extended time go on to do well in college, their SAT scores remain a valid predictor of college grades.

From a legal standpoint, it seems rather clear that score flagging was a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Every time this question was tested by a court, the court ruled that score flagging is illegal (see the LSAT decision in 2014 and the SAT decision in 2002). The ADA makes it very clear that employers and schools cannot ask applicants if they are disabled (with limited exceptions). If you cannot ask, then why should you be notified?

The ADA is actually an interesting law. A man applying for a job was asked if he was disabled, and he lied and said no. Upon learning of his disability, the employer fired him for lying in his interview. This went to court, and the court ruled that the man had been wrongfully terminated. The man had a right to lie, because the question itself was illegal. The opposing lawyers argued that the man should have told his interviewer, "that question is illegal, I will not answer it," but the court found that answering in that manner would potentially bias the interviewer. Lying was legally permissible under those circumstances.

As I mentioned in another post, the ADA does not protect people with temporary disabilities such as broken bones. The MCAT doesn't allow you to have a cast on, and they are not obligated to bend this policy, even with advance notice and a doctor's note. This seems rather silly to me, but in theory you could hide a cheat sheet inside your cast. Also in theory, you can wait until your bone heals and then take the MCAT.

Laws are weird.
 
I will say while I generally agree with what elfe's saying(and I'm in the minority in SDN where I don't really support how AA is used in medical school admission for a variety of reasons) I do find a certain humonr in how we will literally turn ANY thread into an affirmative action one
 
I will say while I generally agree with what elfe's saying(and I'm in the minority in SDN where I don't really support how AA is used in medical school admission for a variety of reasons) I do find a certain humonr in how we will literally turn ANY thread into an affirmative action one
Iirc Efle supports AA for med school admissions, just not for college admissions.

It is pretty damn comical😛
 
Iirc Efle supports AA for med school admissions, just not for college admissions.

It is pretty damn comical

Yeah I wasn't saying me and elfe say eye to eye on AA lol, most of SDN seems to be strongly in support of Affirmative Action. It really is a comedy and the types of reactions AA draws from people never ceases to amaze
 
Zed is correct I only take issue with undergrad AA and the resulting overmatch effects. I didn't mean to derail the original argument its just a good example of how a progressive and socially supported policy can actually be nonsense
 
Should fire academy students get accommodations for their disabilities during their examinations as well? That would make it fair...
 
Well documented on here, no new news:

I have ADHD. Bad. 99% percentile which when tested again last May was told by the Psy.D that she'd never seen one that high. I take Concerta. Does wonders. My GPA from u-grad is a C. My premed prereqs+, after ADHD diagnosis and on medication = almost a 4.0. Top 25 university. (30 years between ugrad and prereqs, btw).

I am also accommodated taking my tests in private room. MCAT granted me accommodations as well. AAMC is not easy to get them from but I did.

Funny thing about "stress induced" events and ADHD: *I* am stable-unfrazzled mode in emergency situations (think fatal traffic accidents, plane crashes, tornado victims, fires and other sorts of manmade and natural disasters). Logical, stable, unstressed, calm.

BUT, here is the thing I've come to believe, *I* am in control of the situation and how I handle it. *I* control how to react and am not being tested on my abilities or random factoids. I'm trained to handle those situations (ARC disaster services volunteer now 5 years in). AND *I* know when something exceeds my abilities or capabilities ... I stabilize victims until the real experts come. ADHD does not affect that. ADHD does not affect my ability to think when things are under MY control.

Give me a test? and I doubt myself. Greatly. ADHD kicks in and I'm down the bunny hole of thinking I'm a failure, of thinking I am stupid, of thinking I don't deserve to be in a class with others who are *obviously* much smarter than me. IF that happens during a test, Concerta helps keep me focused on the question and not how dumb I am as does the private room.

FWIW, I will also not be an ER doc. Heck, I may never be a doc at all!! BUT, if I am, I will be in an exam room, with a patient, and a nurse where it is quiet. AND ...

I'll be in control and on Concerta.

Last, I've always said this in every thread on flagged MCAT scores. I do not care if they are or are not. Everything about the ADHD is in my personal statement. How else does one explain the @#$Sy GPA from 1982 and the near 4.0 now?
 
down the bunny hole of thinking I'm a failure, of thinking I am stupid, of thinking I don't deserve to be in a class with others who are *obviously* much smarter than me.
how dumb I am
Obviously this isn't a forum for medical advice, but gotta point out this sounds like a very separate/additional issue than attention deficit
 
thoughts of inadequacy is a typical symptom for ADHD? good you know to ignore the thoughts!
I'm not licensed to render an opinion on DSM-IV symptoms.

I am capable of speaking to how ADHD affected my life pre-diagnosis and how that affected my internal thoughts. Subsequently, I can also state that living with ADHD is more than just taking a simple pill. Much like diabetics must learn different strategies in life and change certain attributes of their daily living, so must those diagnosed with ADHD.

Self doubt comes from a substantial part of one's life never understanding why a train of thought turns to "SQUIRREL" in the middle of exam, only to receive an "F" ...
 
Just my opinion...but this thread has kind of devolved into people passing judgment on others with nothing more than the "massive" level of insight gained from reading a few posts in an internet forum.

I've never had ADHD or any other learning disability, so I assume I have neither the expertise nor the experience necessary to judge whether or not accommodations should be given--or to what degree they do or do not confer an unfair advantage.
 
I would agree with you...or at least what I think you're implying...fairness does matter. I just have no confidence that I can decide what is fair. Life is unfair. It's unfair for someone else to have ADHD when I don't. It's unfair to get extra time on the exam. If you pair the unfair disadvantage of ADHD with the unfair advantage of extra time do you get closer to overall fairness? I don't know. That's above my pay grade!
 
I was just approved to receive accommodations on the MCAT through 2017. I was given 50% extra time due to having ADHD that was diagnosed when I was 5. I had previously taken the MCAT without accommodations and got a 495 because I ran out of time on every section. I did not have accommodations in HS because my school was a joke and I did not have them on the ACT . I thought I had no chance at all of being accommodated after already taking the MCAT, but i'm glad that I will now be able to show my true knowledge of the material. I had accommodations throughout college and graduated with a 3.6C/3.5S GPA.

Key to getting accommodated.
I had documentation of diagnosis from physicians when I was 5 and every doctor I've seen since then.
Neuropsych testing done when I was 13 with all the percentiles and all.
Recent Neuropsych testing done within last year that showed nothing has changed. (have your physician follow the AAMC accommodations guidelines for testing) Insurance paid for it all besides my $25 copay
Documentation of college accommodations.
Personal statement that emphasized not only ADHD with regard to the classroom, but how it affects my everyday life.

Bottom line have great documentation and don't give up hope. Don't listen to what every1 says on SDN and that you can't get extra time for ADHD.
 
I was just approved to receive accommodations on the MCAT through 2017. I was given 50% extra time due to having ADHD that was diagnosed when I was 5.

Extra time for each section so rather than an 1.5 hrs for each you get 2.25 hrs for each section?

OR

did you get 50% more time to use as you see fit ... stop the clock breaks, etc?
 
Is this for real? I also have ADD and take a relatively low dose of Aderall. I wasn't diagnosed until graduate school (physician I was working for diagnosed me and I went through all the testing). I went to a top university and studied twice as much as everyone else.

Last I checked you don't get time and a half plus a private room to save a life! You are not going to get special treatment for testing in med school or on boards. Man up, the entitlements are over.
 
Is this for real? I also have ADD and take a relatively low dose of Aderall. I wasn't diagnosed until graduate school (physician I was working for diagnosed me and I went through all the testing). I went to a top university and studied twice as much as everyone else.

Last I checked you don't get time and a half plus a private room to save a life! You are not going to get special treatment for testing in med school or on boards. Man up, the entitlements are over.
Yes, if you qualify under ADA, you do get extra time or other accommodations under the law.
 
Yeah, this is simply incorrect.

I wasn't aware a student could be given extra time for boards. Regardless, you won't get extra time when you're out practicing. Do what ever you can justify in your mind. I wonder how many of these "special" people are really granted time and a half. Also, I have to believe that you will be "flagged" on boards. I personally would fear residency programs being biased. Considering everyone these days has ADD they might as well administer the MCATs with no time limit. Then everyone can be treated fairly.
 
Hmm, so M.D. peds and family practice folks are giving out the meds and diagnoses like candy, and child psychiatrists are giving everyone the ADD or ADHD diagnosis?
I'll let my Dad know that his MD/PhD is going to waste as a Child Psych. because everyone has it. My Learning Disability must all be in my head, which is true, just can't take a pill to solve it.
I guess I should have a badge sewn on my white coat, labeled "Special".
 
Hmm, so M.D. peds and family practice folks are giving out the meds and diagnoses like candy, and child psychiatrists are giving everyone the ADD or ADHD diagnosis?
I'll let my Dad know that his MD/PhD is going to waste as a Child Psych. because everyone has it. My Learning Disability must all be in my head, which is true, just can't take a pill to solve it.
I guess I should have a badge sewn on my white coat, labeled "Special".

Absolutely not Zebra! That is not what I said, read my post again!

I'm not risking asking for anything from the AAMC or med schools but an acceptance.

You and your father must be aware of the fact that meds ARE being given out like candy. I fought not to take them and don't when I'm not in classes. I probably didn't test out as bad as some (10mg 2x per day).

Doesn't it occur to you that many students do believe it's made up and some MAKE it up to get extra time. I choose not be grouped for the MCAT and absolutely not in a class of my peers. That's my choice. I don't condemn anyone for their choices.
 
You and your father must be aware of the fact that meds ARE being given out like candy.

Wrong. All Class II narcotics (the ADHD drugs like Adderall, Concerta, generic methylphenidate, etc) ... are tracked by the DEA along with the physician prescribing them. Getting the prescription has become substantially more difficult in the last few years because what you stated WAS true... I went to a doc for something else and he pulled up the list of my prescriptions being filled.

The argument that people who need Concerta for the ADHD won't be able to get the time treating a patient indicates a truly lack of understanding about what ADHD and ADD is.

Some people CAN and DO navigate life with some degree of it without any issue. I, myself, graduated high school in 10th grade; failed out of ugrad with a 0.02, eventually graduated with a 2.197 and somehow, after diagnosis at age 44, now carry a near 4.0 at a top 15 university... on Concerta, taking exams in a private room.

The person who diagnosed me is a family doctor - he was my bf at the time. He further said I should talk to the ortho in his clinic because the ortho was similarly diagnosed with ADHD and took Concerta. That ortho is a top notch hand doc... Concerta, ADHD, ADD, Adderall does not = failure as a physician.

Finally, the extra time? I wish I didn't need it. I wish I could take a test like you and sit in the room with everyone else and take the exam, under the same circumstances. I can't. I pass out. Faint.

So, your next question is "how the @#$ will I handle an emergency situation?"

Well, suffice to say, I'm calm as can be when the issue is in MY control, and *I* can make the decisions. How do I know?

I saved someone's life. Actually, three people... in different accidents. I did not quake until about 2 hours post accident when it hit me.

When it is someone else testing me, I pass out... performance anxiety at it's finest coupled with ADHD = disaster on exams... unless accommodated.
 
I wasn't aware a student could be given extra time for boards. Regardless, you won't get extra time when you're out practicing. Do what ever you can justify in your mind. I wonder how many of these "special" people are really granted time and a half. Also, I have to believe that you will be "flagged" on boards. I personally would fear residency programs being biased. Considering everyone these days has ADD they might as well administer the MCATs with no time limit. Then everyone can be treated fairly.

You'd better tell med schools they have no idea what they're doing.
 
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