previous MCATers... how is the break?

[OnMyWayThere]

For those of you who took the MCAT before, does the 10 minute break include the picking up the test forms, scantrons, counting them, etc.?

Or, after they do that, do they give you 10 minutes?

trying to reduce the anxiety as much as possible

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[relentless11]

Oh god no. Hahaha. If it did you would never get a break. Sometimes it takes a LONG time for the procters (sp?) to collect and count the exams. You may get some old lady, and boy that could take forever. So no, it doesn't cut into your break time. You get the full 10min, or whatever it is.

Oh yea, and relax. I take it you're schedule for next Saturday. Best wishes, but really, the worst thing you can do is get anxiety. Let me ask you this:

1) Did you get a score that was adequate to YOU on the practice tests?

2) Did you get consistant scores?

If yes to those two then you are fine, no worries, and go get'em!

As the days get closer also remember:

1) You will never feel ready for this test.

2) Most people that never feel ready but did well on their practice exams do well on the real thing.

3) Don't think that by me saying "most" excludes you. You are the one that knows yourself the best. If you don't think you are ready, whole heartedly, then take your time. Doesn't help you or anyone by rushing

 

[Buckeye(OH)]

The worst part is when other classrooms finish their stuff before you so everyone is outside talking and stuff and you are stuck trying to cram in the last few questions.

Enjoy your hour break, its like heaven



Adrian

 

[lyragrl]

During my lunch break, I could not handle all the anal pre-meds talking about each question. It was a cold but sunny day, so I sat in my car in the parking lot and ate my lunch and listened to NPR. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself until I heard a story on "This American Life" about a cop and a squirrel. It was one of the funniest stories I'd ever heard and made me laugh. It was the best thing I could have done, I think.

 

[ad_sharp]

Break during the MCAT is like making it into the eye of the hurricane. I used my between-sections break solely for the purpose of waiting in line for the restroom. During lunch, get yourself outta there. I ate some pizza at a small establishment with one of my good friends during the hour break to relax a little. Also, don't freak out if you don't think that you did well. I thought that I bombed it and ended out with a pretty descent score. Don't dwell on the ghosts of incorrrectly answered questions.

 

[Wardens]

Yeah, I would suggest not talking about the MCAT during the break if at all possible. It is after all a break. I just kind of walked off by myself and ate lunch under a tree. It was an awesome day outside. The ten minute breaks aren't much other than a refocusing point, but the lunch break is sweet sweet relief.

 

[felipe5]

i also suggest that during the break, don't let people try and psych you out........when I took the MCAT, some people will walked out and said "man, that section was pretty easy!!!!!!!".........remember, that there are like 6 (or more???) versions of the test, so each person's test will be challenging in other ways. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lukeday99]

Biggest MCAT advice I can give:

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, PAY ANY ATTENTION TO ANYONE IN THE TEST AT ALL!!!!!!!!

They'll psych you. Be like a prize fighter, stay quiet and contained. If you have it, take along a walkman with some music (no lyrics, don't want lyrics in your head during the day) and just sit quietly and listen to music during the breaks.

To get to the bathroom, be one of the absolute last people to go into the test room on the day of, because they'll sit you all from the front back. So you can be first out the door when break time comes.

Stay hydrated and alert. Chewing gum is thought to keep the braina little snappier. Eat a good breakfast, oatmeal with raisins (raisins have a high boron content, which has been shown to improve memory), and some protein like eggs. You have to eat before the test, or your score will dip because baby, this is a long test. Don't want to crash out. And eat a really healthy lunch, with both protein and carbs (complex, not simple. Stay away from candy all day. I suggest a bag of fruit and nuts with maybe some M+M's thrown in, that'll hold ya real well).

Relax. It's not so bad. Just really consciously take really good care of yourself. Oh, and start stocking up on sleep TODAY.

 

[Alexander99]

During my 10 minute and lunch breaks, I was going through my notecards getting that last minute studying in. Coincidentally, one of the bio questions that I went over on my break (concerning ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm) came up during the test and I was able to get it right. I guess I never take other people's advice and just do what I want to do (everyone says to relax, don't think about the test, etc.)

 

[jhk43]

During my 10 minute and lunch breaks, I was going through my notecards getting that last minute studying in. Coincidentally, one of the bio questions that I went over on my break (concerning ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm) came up during the test and I was able to get it right. I guess I never take other people's advice and just do what I want to do (everyone says to relax, don't think about the test, etc.)

thats pretty lucky.

but i think overall, 1 question wont make or break your applications. i'm gonna try doing some yoga meditation jedi mind trick stuff during the break.

 

[irie]

During my lunch break, I could not handle all the anal pre-meds talking about each question. It was a cold but sunny day, so I sat in my car in the parking lot and ate my lunch and listened to NPR. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself until I heard a story on "This American Life" about a cop and a squirrel. It was one of the funniest stories I'd ever heard and made me laugh. It was the best thing I could have done, I think.

I didn't want to sit w/ a buncha people studying note cards so I took my car to the top of a parking garage to eat lunch. I was up there thinking about how important that day was in the world until I noticed that freeways hadn't stopped nor had the huuuuuge group of Harley Davidson enthusiasts that drove by every 10 minutes. Apparently the rest of the world doesn't care about MCAT day.

 

[SaltySqueegee]

...Apparently the rest of the world doesn't care about MCAT day.

Yep! .

 

[Blade28]

I agree with the above posters...just relax during your break, don't worry too much about discussing the MCAT! You all have different tests anyway, no?

 

[relentless11]

Yea the rest of the world seems to really not care what pre-meds do.

Anyway, funny story. When I took my MCAT, we got to the Physical Sciences Section (this was when it was after the Verbal). This girl was glaring at her test, and then started to do that laugh associated with "how the hell am I supposed to know that?" type situation. Then she started to cry. I was like wow. She sat through the whole section and ended up voiding it, but I'm like geez. I was actually waiting for her to jump out the window, and run off screaming.

Some people....

Anyway, for me, during my breaks. I sat, and reflected at how NOT BAD the test was. If it makes you feel any better, the first question on my Physical Science section asked me what the shape of CO2 was. It was a good omen.

 

[jlee9531]

since it was 4.20

this girl i knew was gonna smoke a joint, but i suggested she might wanna reconsider doing that after the test

my breaks were pretty long since it was a huge place in SF. i snacked, talked, if i was bored looked at some physics formulas...

you should just chill and relax and get your mind ready and focused for the next section.

 

[jaboy]

During my lunch break, I could not handle all the anal pre-meds talking about each question. It was a cold but sunny day, so I sat in my car in the parking lot and ate my lunch and listened to NPR. I was feeling pretty sorry for myself until I heard a story on "This American Life" about a cop and a squirrel. It was one of the funniest stories I'd ever heard and made me laugh. It was the best thing I could have done, I think.

NPR helped me during the break to calm down. This American Life may have saved my soul.

 

[SoulRFlare]

i also suggest that during the break, don't let people try and psych you out........when I took the MCAT, some people will walked out and said "man, that section was pretty easy!!!!!!!".........remember, that there are like 6 (or more???) versions of the test, so each person's test will be challenging in other ways. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

I found, after many practice tests (as well as normal college exams), that there is an inverse relationship between the impression of ease of a given section and performance. in other words, when I thought a section was easy, I didn't do so hot...but when I thought I got butchered, I did well. If ppl think a given section is easy, by and large (there are exceptions to this of course...you know geniuses with photographic memories and the ability to calculate 4 digit by 4 digit multiplications and divisions in their heads) they are not picking up on the subtle tricks that are thrown into the test for good measure. if you do pick up on a lot of the tricks, you feel uncertain and drained by the end of the section. that's been my experience anyway, and I did a huge number of practice tests before the real thing.

 

[basupran]

Hee....if you can, try to sit as close to the bathroom as possible. Either that, or rush out during breaks....everyone is too slow/in a daze to react, but they will think you have the runs or something.

 

[kaikai128]

Hee....if you can, try to sit as close to the bathroom as possible. Either that, or rush out during breaks....everyone is too slow/in a daze to react, but they will think you have the runs or something.

The bathroom is definately the key. There were 4 womens stalls for several hundred females taking the test...BAD situation. It was on my campus, so I ran to another bldg...many did not have time to go.