Noise on the MCAT

[HelloGoodbye]

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I was just curious from past testtakers. How noisy is the CBT MCAT? I am very noise sensitive, so I tend to study on the quiet floor in the library and wear earplugs. I know you are not allowed earplugs, so I bought some of those industrial noise canceling headphones. I find these extremely uncomfortable (I can hear my heartbeat in my ear). So basically how did you feel about sound/distractions? Was it really bad?

 

[rocketbooster]

I was just curious from past testtakers. How noisy is the CBT MCAT? I am very noise sensitive, so I tend to study on the quiet floor in the library and wear earplugs. I know you are not allowed earplugs, so I bought some of those industrial noise canceling headphones. I find these extremely uncomfortable (I can hear my heartbeat in my ear). So basically how did you feel about sound/distractions? Was it really bad?

yep, really bad. imagine having to do verbal with clattering of old, noisy keyboards 2 feet behind your ears since the person behind you started on their writing as you started your verbal. i didn't have the issue on my 1st test but did on my retake. made my VR score drop from a 10 to a 7! 👍

they give you headphones for noise, but i think you can bring your own, too.

 

[ksmi117]

Starting this year, you can bring your own earplugs as long as they are in an unopened package when you check in. If that's what you are used to, go with that. From the MCAT Essentials on the AAMC website:

"Earplugs are permitted, but upon arrival at the test center they must be presented​

to the Test Center Administrator for inspection in their original sealed packaging."
Besides those headphones look ridiculous... haha 😀

 

[HelloGoodbye]

Starting this year, you can bring your own earplugs as long as they are in an unopened package when you check in. If that's what you are used to, go with that. From the MCAT Essentials on the AAMC website:

"Earplugs are permitted, but upon arrival at the test center they must be presented​

to the Test Center Administrator for inspection in their original sealed packaging."
Besides those headphones look ridiculous... haha 😀

Does it say this on the AAMC website??? Could you show me the link, I swear I would flip out if I found out I coul bring my own earplugs!!!!!!!!😍

 

[rocketbooster]

Does it say this on the AAMC website??? Could you show me the link, I swear I would flip out if I found out I coul bring my own earplugs!!!!!!!!😍

don't you think you would be bothered during your test having something lodged into your ears??

i haven't tried it yet in practice because i just assume i'll hate it. maybe i should?

 

[HelloGoodbye]

Nevermind ksm117, I found out where it is on the AAMC website!!!

About the earplugs.....I wear earplugs 99.9% of the time I study, so I am already used to it.

 

[LaCasta]

I called my testing center last week and asked them about earplugs and they said they were not allowed

The MCAT essentials however does not say it depends on the testing center, it just says they are allowed, period.

Maybe I should print that part of the essentials out and bring it with me tomorrow?

 

[ksmi117]

I called my testing center last week and asked them about earplugs and they said they were not allowed

The MCAT essentials however does not say it depends on the testing center, it just says they are allowed, period.

Maybe I should print that part of the essentials out and bring it with me tomorrow?

Can't hurt...

 

[HelloGoodbye]

I would print it out and bring it with you to the testing center.



I am going to call my test center and double check with them. If they say that earplugs are not allowed, then I am going to refer them to the MCAT essentials.

 

[HelloGoodbye]

Has anybody else had problems with your testing site not letting you use earplugs? The aamc site itself says no earplugs, but the MCAT essentials says you can use them. What's up with this discrepency??? Does anyone know???

 

[SAEbrodel]

i wasn't allowed when i tried to bring em last year, probably cuz the lady was just being mean and unhappy.

what kind of earplugs do u all use to block out noise? i tried the yellow foam ones, but they dont do anything really in my opinino, i need something that blocks ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING out

 

[Black Adder]

They had headphones that were pretty decent at blocking noise at the test site I went to last week. But they were pretty uncomfortable though, and they made my ears sweat. I'm pretty noise sensitive too, wish they had noise proof booths or something... that would be sweet.

 

[BlueElmo]

They had headphones that were pretty decent at blocking noise at the test site I went to last week. But they were pretty uncomfortable though, and they made my ears sweat. I'm pretty noise sensitive too, wish they had noise proof booths or something... that would be sweet.

Installing noise proof booths would be too expensive for the Prometric, I guess.

Unless you are super duper sensitive to noise, I don't think it will be a problem. Of course it depends on your test center, but I found it to be quiet enough that I could work without getting distracted.

 

[TooMuchResearch]

The provided headphones worked well for me. The only noise I heard was what sounded like the nervous guy next to me hitting the table and bumping into the divider between us.

 

[ksmi117]

The provided headphones worked well for me. The only noise I heard was what sounded like the nervous guy next to me hitting the table and bumping into the divider between us.

My lovely orange headphones worked for the most part. Except for the typing... curse that typing...

 

[TooMuchResearch]

My lovely orange headphones worked for the most part. Except for the typing... curse that typing...

I was the second person checked in, so there probably wasn't that much typing going on. Unfortunately, that doesn't help me explain my below average (my averages, anyway) verbal performance 😛

Oh, and the headphones were surprisingly comfortable.

 

[Freezer]

a problem i have had with the mcat was being checked in early... if you show up early, some sites will process you immediately and get you going... sometimes 30-45 minutes prior to your scheduled time... this may sound like a good plan because you can leave earlier than expected... however, during the first part of your exam, you have to deal with test takers getting to their seats all around you, asking questions, clearing their throat, getting oriented, etc... the PS is hard enough without all the distractions! anyways, if you arrive early, your best bet is to either take your exam on time, or a few minutes after the fact(if you can swing it)... dont let them check you in early!!!!

 

[SAEbrodel]

i had the headphones as well, but they were terrible, i was right next to the door, so i heeard everything going on outside, does anyoen know of any good earplugs that block sound really well?

 

[ksmi117]

a problem i have had with the mcat was being checked in early... if you show up early, some sites will process you immediately and get you going... sometimes 30-45 minutes prior to your scheduled time... this may sound like a good plan because you can leave earlier than expected... however, during the first part of your exam, you have to deal with test takers getting to their seats all around you, asking questions, clearing their throat, getting oriented, etc... the PS is hard enough without all the distractions! anyways, if you arrive early, your best bet is to either take your exam on time, or a few minutes after the fact(if you can swing it)... dont let them check you in early!!!!

Well if you start later, then you'll have to deal with people working on the WS while you are doing your VR. I'd rather the noise during PS than VR.

 

[rocketbooster]

Well if you start later, then you'll have to deal with people working on the WS while you are doing your VR. I'd rather the noise during PS than VR.

agreed. caused my drop in VR from a 10 to a 7!!

i didn't think about the ppl being checked in during the PS. man, makes me unsure of when to start now. i don't want to mess up my PS!! i know i can do the best in PS out of any section. hmmmmmm

ppl being walked over to their comp and getting settled can't be all that noisy, can it? i'm trying to think back to my tests last year and i don't think it was a problem...anyone else remember how it was for them?

 

[ksmi117]

agreed. caused my drop in VR from a 10 to a 7!!

i didn't think about the ppl being checked in during the PS. man, makes me unsure of when to start now. i don't want to mess up my PS!! i know i can do the best in PS out of any section. hmmmmmm

ppl being walked over to their comp and getting settled can't be all that noisy, can it? i'm trying to think back to my tests last year and i don't think it was a problem...anyone else remember how it was for them?

I was one of the first people to start. I used those nifty little headphones, and I didn't even know people were wandering around in the room. Now the typing, I could hear that... drove me up the wall.

 

[LaCasta]

I printed out the MCAT essentials part that said earplugs are allowed and the testing center people let me use them.

 

[robrobbberts]

I brought earplugs, and they said I could use them, but I used their supplied noise canceling headphones instead. They were pretty good. And my center had everyone sectioned off into cubical type things.. so I didn't even notice if people were getting up or sitting down. I was also pretty focused on the test.

 

[SAEbrodel]

what kind of earplugs u bring?

 

[robrobbberts]

what kind of earplugs u bring?

http://hearos.com/

You can find them at walgreens or any other similar store. 🙂

 

[Longshanks]

How about the person behind you is taking the GRE and happens to get their writing section first, you hear them typing like mad while you're trying to do PS!

 

[mkj07]

The testing center let me use my earplugs. I tried to put their noise-cancelling headphones on afterwards, but then I realized how ridiculous and uncomfortable it was since I have a big head. The bad part was that I was doing this during one of my PS passages. haha I wasted a good 15-20 seconds

 

[tima]

Where do you find earplugs in a store?

Thanks.

 

[SBR249]

Any Walgreens, Target, CVS, Eckerds, chain grocery stores should have something like that. It might be in the pharmacy section but I can't be sure.

 

[vickpick]

hmmm... to me, anything foreign on my body feels uncomforting when taking exams... noise doesn't matter much as lond as I try not to distract myself...

lol.. i remember during the kaplan diag.. i took my watch off, glasses off (nearsighted) and my shoes off...

well.. i dont mind my clothes..lol.. thats cuz i always wear em... 😛..

So remember, u dont need a watch.. or earplug unless -like some of u said- u are very noise sensitive...

a good way to get used to the noise is to study in a public library or the first floor of ur School's library.. these areas are very frequented and thus slightly noisy..

 

[SBR249]

You can't bring a watch or any other timing device into the testing room anyway. In fact, the only things you can bring are your ID and your locker key.

 

[cablen64k]

They let me keep my watch on. It just couldn't be a digital one with an alarm. Also, the headphones they gave were really good in eliminating outside noise, I never heard anyone typing around me at any point.

 

[SBR249]

I guess you must allow for some variable from test center to test center. Mine was pretty strict.

 

[Longshanks]

You can't bring a watch or any other timing device into the testing room anyway. In fact, the only things you can bring are your ID and your locker key.

you can bring a watch. It just can't be a watch that beeps or have any electronic storage functions. Basically, any old school dial watch is fine.

 

[SBR249]

From the 2009 MCAT Essentials p14 third bullet:

"You may not bring a timer or watch into the test room. A timer is provided on-screen during the exam."

As I said before, YMMV for different test centers just as some will let you bring earplugs and some won't.