Pros and Cons of starting at 730am

[mrmandrake]

Hey guys,

For those of you who started the test at 730am, what were the pros and cons of starting early? . I am planning to start at 730am this coming Friday. Here are my initial thoughts:

Pros: Don't have to listen to people type their writing section while you are doing verbal

Cons: From 730-8am, people will be walking in and setting up during your PS section.

Thanks for any input guys.

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[wizenedone]

There was similar thread recently:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=505257

 

[smeagol]

Hey guys,

For those of you who started the test at 730am, what were the pros and cons of starting early? . I am planning to start at 730am this coming Friday. Here are my initial thoughts:

Pros: Don't have to listen to people type their writing section while you are doing verbal

Cons: From 730-8am, people will be walking in and setting up during your PS section.

Thanks for any input guys.

There are a few concerns:

1) Will they even let you start earlier than allowed?

2) So if you finish the verbal section early, and everyone else starts 30 minutes later, YOU will be the one typing and annoying everybody else, and destroying their verbal concentration. Please, please don't do this.

There was similar thread recently:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=505257

That thread is debating AM or PM start time as opposed to 7:30 am vs. 8:00 am start time.

 

[wizenedone]

That thread is debating AM or PM start time as opposed to 7:30 am vs. 8:00 am start time.

I thought there were only two MCAT administrations (8 AM and Noon). I didn't know that there was another time start which started at 7:30. I thought maybe the OP meant 8 AM.

 

[JA Prufrock]

I thought there were only two MCAT administrations (8 AM and Noon). I didn't know that there was another time start which started at 7:30. I thought maybe the OP meant 8 AM.

no, I think he's referring to the fact that you can start the 8 AM administration 30 minutes early, if you arrive ahead of time.

 

[iA-MD2013]

I thought there were only two MCAT administrations (8 AM and Noon). I didn't know that there was another time start which started at 7:30. I thought maybe the OP meant 8 AM.

some test centers allow you to start earlier. you're right, there are only 2 administration times though.

 

[iA-MD2013]

no, I think he's referring to the fact that you can start the 8 AM administration 30 minutes early, if you arrive ahead of time.

haha you beat me to it!

 

[mrmandrake]

Sorry about the ambiguity. I am referring to starting at 730am for the 8am administration time because some centers, including mine, allow you to start at 730am if you arrive this early.

 

[wizenedone]

Sorry about the ambiguity. I am referring to starting at 730am for the 8am administration time because some centers, including mine, allow you to start at 730am if you arrive this early.

I would say just start at regular 8 AM time. You don't want to be distracted if you start early at 7:30 AM. If you start that early, people are likely going to be coming in and your break would end at a different time than theirs. From that perspective, I would say stick with 8 AM start time since you will be less distracted.

 

[SN2ed]

I liked starting at 7:30. I didn't mind people walking in, but them typing during the verbal would have sucked. It wasn't fun during the BS, fortunately, that was one of my better sections.

 

[travelbug73]

I'm obviously very confused but if everybody starts at 8:00 AM, why would somebody be typing away while you are doing your verbal? Doesn't everybody start and end each section at about the same time?
How do you find out if your test center allows you to start at 7:30 AM?

 

[EuroPhysician]

Your day is over a lot earlier, you don't have to be there until the late afternoon. I took an early appointment, got up 5 in the morning, and stood in front of my testing site in the freezing cold. I wound up doing well enough on the MCAT to get into medical school.

 

[Lankadragon]

Does anyone know when people usually get out of the 8am administration? Do we actually have to take the survey and all that nonsense? Im just curious because I have to book a train ticket.

 

[mrmandrake]

I'm obviously very confused but if everybody starts at 8:00 AM, why would somebody be typing away while you are doing your verbal? Doesn't everybody start and end each section at about the same time?
How do you find out if your test center allows you to start at 7:30 AM?

If your testing center allows people to start at 730am, someone may be on their writing section while people are still on the VR section. Google prometric and your city and it should have a number to the center you can call and find out.

 

[spazzz]

I would say just start at regular 8 AM time. You don't want to be distracted if you start early at 7:30 AM. If you start that early, people are likely going to be coming in and your break would end at a different time than theirs. From that perspective, I would say stick with 8 AM start time since you will be less distracted.

That isn't going to be as big a problem as people banging away at their writing section while you're doing PS. I'd rather take it early. People coming and going isn't as bad as it seems. Someone banging away typing at an essay is.

 

[stephm85]

I don't know why everyone seems to be bothered by people typing. It's always had a calming effect on me and has helped me concentrate. I guess I associate it with classroom settings.

For these reasons, I left my headphones off during the exam, even though everyone else had theirs on. Someone in the room didn't realize I had mine off, though, I guess, because they were ripping huge farts while I was taking the exam. It was more than distracting and I attribute it to part of the reason I didn't score as well on VR as I usually do.

So, regardless of when you start... I would still put on the uncomfortable headphones.

 

[Sparda29]

I'm gonna take the 12PM. I really have no concentration in any of my classes until like 10-11AM.

 

[spazzz]

I'm gonna take the 12PM. I really have no concentration in any of my classes until like 10-11AM.

Thats exactly what I did.

 

[yerfdog]

I just took my first MCAT yesterday...arrived at the testing center at 7:20AM, they set me up and I started at 7:30AM. I thought the headphones, while uncomfortable, were pretty effective. I really didn't notice anyone coming or going, and the "typing noise" factor was not a problem at all.

Also, I finished at 12:22PM (taking all breaks, including the brief survey).

 

[olemissbabydoc]

I started at 730. it was great. got finished about 1045.