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MCAT security
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tbh the only thing that REALLY bothered me about the security was how they only give you 10 minutes to go to the bathroom during breaks but it took ~9 minutes to go through the exit and re-entry procedure.
Besides that, I didn't mind proving that I wasn't cheating on an exam that I had spent the previous 2 months preparing for.
Besides that, I didn't mind proving that I wasn't cheating on an exam that I had spent the previous 2 months preparing for.
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I like the part where she was miffed that even though she could converse on a given topic at great length, the MCAT forced her to choose a conformant concrete answer.
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Uhhh.... There is a metal detector? I was unaware of this. Anyone know what happens if you have metal in your hip that always sets off metal detectors? Am I going to have to show off more than my knowledge in a few months?
K
kpcrew
lmfao she makes it sound like it's soviet russia or something
"The security measures took away my coffee and probably cost a few points in the added stress, but the real insult was to my dignity."
hahaha are you serious? google and facebook recording all of your internet activity is insulting to your dignity. the tsa taking pictures of your junk is insulting to your dignity. the monitoring of your movements, purchases and conversations by the government is an insult to your dignity. making sure that you aren't cheating on a test by asking you to empty your pockets and waving a metal detector around you is not an insult to your dignity.
"At first shaken, then indignant, I took the heightened security measures as a personal affront."
hyperbole much? try living as a palestinian working in israel. how sheltered can you possibly be?
"The security measures took away my coffee and probably cost a few points in the added stress, but the real insult was to my dignity."
hahaha are you serious? google and facebook recording all of your internet activity is insulting to your dignity. the tsa taking pictures of your junk is insulting to your dignity. the monitoring of your movements, purchases and conversations by the government is an insult to your dignity. making sure that you aren't cheating on a test by asking you to empty your pockets and waving a metal detector around you is not an insult to your dignity.
"At first shaken, then indignant, I took the heightened security measures as a personal affront."
hyperbole much? try living as a palestinian working in israel. how sheltered can you possibly be?
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Over privileged ivy league kids going to get a reality check when they enter the world.
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It's all relative. Unlesa you are doing take-home exam based on honor code, there will always be some level of security. Even here, tests maybe scrutinized for similarities. Does taking an exam in lecture hall offend her too? All of college was based on trying to prevent cheating anyhow, whether the professor was present, TAs were there, or up to the insane security at Prometric.
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If she had read the MCAT Essentials document that you agree/say you read when you register, then she would have known well in advance that drink/food isn't allowed in the testing area. So I'm not sure why she's surprised her coffee wasn't allowed. For someone touting professionalism a lot, she sure doesn't bother to read the instructions/rules of the exam she's about to take.
Whining afterwards because you didn't know something that was written in the document you were supposed to read =/= professionalism.
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Are you serious? What has been the experience of others on the MCAT?
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Mine didn't take as long. I sat through the tutorial at the beginning, so my breaks didn't overlap much with others. I still have 7-8 minutes of break time, though I would get back earlier due to paranoia of missing the end of break lol.
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I can picture her in large sunglasses carrying a starbucks in her hand at head level with a giant bag in the bent elbow of that arm thinking that she is an exception to the rule.
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It sounds pretty normal.
Although, I get pretty nervous if I know I'm being filmed. Even at grocery stores, if they have one of those round camera things I normally just look down, look up, turn left and right, act like I'm a normal person, when in fact I am but I don't seem like it on camera.
Although, I get pretty nervous if I know I'm being filmed. Even at grocery stores, if they have one of those round camera things I normally just look down, look up, turn left and right, act like I'm a normal person, when in fact I am but I don't seem like it on camera.
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Pinhole camera and real time MCAT answering? That's sort of badass, mission impossible ****. That's almost more impressive than a high MCAT score.
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Or Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I bet something like this happens every year and they get away with it.
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To check out of the examination room, you have to present your ID, get wanded (eg the metal detector), fingerprinted and then have to sign out. The computers at my testing center were extremely slow, it probably took around 2 minutes just to load my profile up. The machine can take multiple attempts to read your fingerprints, so that's additional time off the clock. You also have to go through the entire procedure when you get back inside.
When I checked out at the end of the VR section, it took me about 13 minutes to get back in, because my time on the first writing section was already at 27m when I sat down. That was the only break I took.
**** sucks, but I dealt with it. It's the reality of the situation that such measures have to be taken.
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Your experience is highly dependent on which testing facility you choose. Mine was excellent. Their procedure was to take your picture when you first want to enter the test room, fingerprint you, sign in/out, and turn your pockets inside out. No metal detector. I'd say it took 2 minutes total roundtrip, leaving me 8 minutes to do what I needed during my break. It doesn't hurt to read up on which testing facilities in your area are best. I chose mine based more on word of mouth from a friend who took his CPA exam there than on proximity.
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I had a bunch of tissues in pocket that they didn't take away from me. I'm sure I couldve come with some way to use that to cheat. They didn't let take my shoes off while taking the test though lol.
And I don't see why they give a crap so much. Sneaking in a cheat sheet would hardly help at all.
And I don't see why they give a crap so much. Sneaking in a cheat sheet would hardly help at all.
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Keep in mind you're video recorded at all times as well. They see your every move.
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Moving to the MCAT discussion forum.
For all of the security measures that Prometric puts in place to prevent cheating it could still be accomplished.
I'm not gutsy enough to try it but cheating can be done.
For instance, I was first into my MCAT testing center, at 12:30 I started the exam. After I finished the Physical Sciences there will still about 10-15 people waiting to be checked in just to start.
It's also my understanding that even once the 10 minute break window expires the Verbal Reasoning 70 Minutes page will remain on the screen indefinitely.
I could have easily stayed a section ahead of a friend who I was helping cheat, met with them in the bathroom during breaks, and given them answers to the more difficult questions.
Of course to make this work you have to know an MCAT expert willing to help you cheat, which probably makes it a bit more difficult. But its certainly possible.
I'm not gutsy enough to try it but cheating can be done.
For instance, I was first into my MCAT testing center, at 12:30 I started the exam. After I finished the Physical Sciences there will still about 10-15 people waiting to be checked in just to start.
It's also my understanding that even once the 10 minute break window expires the Verbal Reasoning 70 Minutes page will remain on the screen indefinitely.
I could have easily stayed a section ahead of a friend who I was helping cheat, met with them in the bathroom during breaks, and given them answers to the more difficult questions.
Of course to make this work you have to know an MCAT expert willing to help you cheat, which probably makes it a bit more difficult. But its certainly possible.
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The staff keep track of how long you take during a break. There have also been a few threads where people took overly long breaks and got reported to the AAMC. Not sure what happened since they never returned. From my personal experience taking the MCAT, I got a warning from the staff a few minutes before my break would end to sign back in.
