Stuck once again because of the AAMC…what to do?

[tavokeri9]

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I was originally planning to take the September MCAT after studying for it all summer with no other commitments (except some light research). However, I just realized that the 2nd AAMC practice test will most likely not be released before then! I expect the additional practice materials will come in by January. However, that means I will have to study during the semester with my 18 credit course load. I could take summer classes to lighten the load, but still, it would be juggling the MCAT with heavy summer classes (Calc I, Bioethics, intensive writing course) and a heavy semester course load + the research I am currently pursuing.

What should I do? 🙁 Should I just forgo the 2nd AAMC practice MCAT and take it in September? Also, I am graduating this fall, so I can't take any spring classes to finish my degree (I will be starting a job in another city then).

Please help!

 

[NorthOfBroad]

No one else has a practice test so you are not at a disadvantage. I found the AAMC practice tests helpful for the old MCAT but only because I did like 8. An extras one will not help significantly, but a whole summer of uninterrupted studying will.

 

[HCHopeful]

You're completely over thinking this.

Take the test in September.

 

[Goro]

This would be extremely foolish. Why would you take a career-deciding, high stakes exam when you weren't fully ready?

In med school, good time mgt is required, so learn how to do this now.

What should I do? 🙁 Should I just forgo the 2nd AAMC practice MCAT and take it in September? Also, I am graduating this fall, so I can't take any spring classes to finish my degree (I will be starting a job in another city then).

Please help![/QUOTE]

 

[Affiche]

Assuming I'm reading this correctly, for the first time ever, I respectfully disagree with @Goro (sorry!)

Study all summer and take the September test. You don't need the second practice test to be prepared for the MCAT. No one else will have the second practice test in September. Everyone who has taken the new MCAT, myself included, has prepared without the extra practice test. There is already one practice test released, a mini-test released, a super mini 12-question sample released, and question packs released for verbal, physics, chem, and bio. There is more than enough material released for you to be fully-prepared by September, granted you use your summer wisely.

I would highly advise against waiting 5 months to take the test just so you have one more piece of material.

 

[HCHopeful]

Having the entire summer to study and taking in September > studying during a heavy semester just to get one extra practice test.

 

[premed010101]

This would be extremely foolish. Why would you take a career-deciding, high stakes exam when you weren't fully ready?

In med school, good time mgt is required, so learn how to do this now.

What should I do? 🙁 Should I just forgo the 2nd AAMC practice MCAT and take it in September? Also, I am graduating this fall, so I can't take any spring classes to finish my degree (I will be starting a job in another city then).

Please help!

you are aware the test is scored on a curve?

 

[Goro]

So?

you are aware the test is scored on a curve?

 

[Mad Jack]

you are aware the test is scored on a curve?

The MCAT is a normalized exam, it is not scored on a curve. They are entirely different methods. You could, hypothetically, have an entire administration where everyone scored 28+. The reason for this is that the questions are assigned a scaled difficulty based on prior data to estimate how many people will get them wrong, and thus the exam will theoretically naturally have a bell curved normal distribution. They do not scale the test based on how people do against one another in a given administration.

I'm so tired of this "MCAT is a curved exam" myth persisting, despite the AAMC specificly stating it is not curved repeatedly in multiple materials. Read the official AAMC exam guide, it is provided as an excellent tool to help you understand things like this, so you're not being misled by pointless questions like "are there easier times of the year to take the MCAT" and the like.

 

[premed010101]

So?

so none of his "competitors" will have had access to that second test either. He has had all summer to prep. If he waits until later he will be throwing away what could be a huge advantage in favor of what is probably a small or non-existent one.

 

[Goro]

I'm unimpressed with this logic.

so none of his "competitors" will have had access to that second test either. He has had all summer to prep. If he waits until later he will be throwing away what could be a huge advantage in favor of what is probably a small or non-existent one.

 

[premed010101]

The MCAT is a normalized exam, it I not scored on a curve. They are entirely different methods. You could, hypothetically, have an entire administration where everyone scored 28+. The reason for this is that the questions are assigned a scaled difficulty based on prior data to estimate how many people will get them wrong, and thus the ecam will theoretically naturally have a bell curved normal distribution. They do not scale the test based on how people do against one another in a given administration.

I'm so tired of this "MCAT is a curved exam" myth persisting, despite the AAMC specificly stating it is not curved repeatedly in multiple materials. Read the official AAMC exam guide, it is provided as an excellent tool to help you understand things like this, so you're not being misled by pointless questions like "are there easier times of the year to take the MCAT" and the like.

neat

 

[premed010101]

I'm unimpressed with this logic.

I'm unimpressed with you as a human being. Nice canned answer; you almost convinced me you're not some pseudo-intellectual snob who is embarrassed they gave bad advice and are trying to save face.

 

[Donald Juan]

This would be extremely foolish. Why would you take a career-deciding, high stakes exam when you weren't fully ready?

In med school, good time mgt is required, so learn how to do this now.

What should I do? 🙁 Should I just forgo the 2nd AAMC practice MCAT and take it in September? Also, I am graduating this fall, so I can't take any spring classes to finish my degree (I will be starting a job in another city then).

Please help!

Are you implying that everyone who is planning to take the MCAT anytime the rest of the year should postpone until a second practice test is released? Should those people then postpone until a 3rd practice test is ready?

 

[Goro]

I believe that practice makes perfect, and that the MCAT should be taken only once. OP's post doesn't imply that s/he will be at that point yet in Sept.




Are you implying that everyone who is planning to take the MCAT anytime the rest of the year should postpone until a second practice test is released? Should those people then postpone until a 3rd practice test is ready?

 

[HCHopeful]

I'm unimpressed with you as a human being. Nice canned answer; you almost convinced me you're not some pseudo-intellectual snob who is embarrassed they gave bad advice and are trying to save face.

Goro's advice may not have been spot on, but he is right questioning your logic. The test is not scored against "competitors." While the OP should take the test in September, your reasoning for doing so is quite mistaken and could further lead to the spread of false information.

Mad Jack's post about the scoring should be its own damn thread.

By the way, there is no reason to attack someone. Goro is entitled to his opinion, as are you.

For argument's sake, you're both wrong.

 

[Affiche]

I think Goro's advice in general is spot on: you should not take the test unless you are absolutely ready.

While I agree with @Goro in that aspect, I disagree that the OP requires another practice test to be released to be fully prepared. The OP may or may not be prepared in September, but it won't be because of access to that one extra test.

To be absolutely clear: take the test in September if you are ready. The fact that this additional test won't be released by then has no influence on your readiness to test in September. If you aren't ready in September, then postpone your test date. But for the love of god, you aren't stuck because of AAMC, you're stuck because you haven't studied enough.

 

[Affiche]

I'm unimpressed with you as a human being. Nice canned answer; you almost convinced me you're not some pseudo-intellectual snob who is embarrassed they gave bad advice and are trying to save face.

Don't be immature.

 

[Gandyy]

I was under the impression that the people under the impression that the test is scored based on a curve (how well everyone does) were actually wrong. I was also under the impression that AAMC already has their scoring rubric made before the test is released so how everyone else does is not relevant to your score.

Edit: Ah I see Mad Jack already addressed this.

 

[Gandyy]

Don't be immature.

Yes, that post escalated quickly.

 

[Goro]

It's OK rachie. banhammer is swinging into action. Loose cannons are easily spotted on SDN and have short life-spans.

If premed had actually attended the required Chapel at his school, he might have learned to turn the other cheek.

Don't be immature.

 

[Affiche]

#batmanreturns

 

[premed010101]

It's OK rachie. banhammer is swinging into action. Loose cannons are easily spotted on SDN and have short life-spans.

If premed had actually attended the required Chapel at his school, he might have learned to turn the other cheek.

Sorry if I went off on you, but you come off as passive aggression incarnate.

 

[Gandyy]

Sorry if I went off on you, but you come off as passive aggression incarnate.

No he doesnt. Usually Goro is pretty down to earth and straightforward. You've only been here since Friday. lol

 

[sliceofbread136]

Goro is wrong here, if you devote a whole summer to the MCAT you will never be more ready than at the end of summer. Delaying it further will hurt not help, especially if it is during a busy semester. Doing that for 1 practice test is just not worth it.

 

[Goro]

Many thanks, colleague, but that poster will be leaving long before I will. Check out his other thread. I don't believe in bringing knives to gunfights, either.

There's far more good people here that appreciate the advice. They come here for reasonable advice, not hugs and kisses.

Dont be 'dissing @Goro. Telling him ur unimpressed with his logic is one thing or even his advice is wrong. But getting personal with one of the few adcoms willing to spend significant time on SDN is just uncalled for and gives a high-level person more reason to leave due the toxicity on this site

 

[DrDorianTurkleton]

I love how this premed010101 kid received very good advice from Goro and lots of other people on his thread about his many F's in college and has been completely rude to Goro and many others since then. If you want to see the toxic side of SDN, may I present to you everyone premed010101! 😀

 

[Goro]

As I pointed out in a different thread, that satisfying 'splat" you heard off in the distance was the guy getting nailed by the banhammer. Good call, eh?

I love how this premed010101 kid received very good advice from Goro and lots of other people on his thread about his many F's in college and has been completely rude to Goro and many others since then. If you want to see the toxic side of SDN, may I present to you everyone premed010101! 😀

 

[tavokeri9]

Thank you all for the advice! However would you still recommend not waiting for the second test if I already took the first one?

To clarify, I took the first test already in prep for an earlier test that I voided. So now I don't really have much of an honest evaluator of where I stand. That's why I was hoping for the second test to be released by September 🙁

 

[Holmwood]

I would check the MCAT prep section of SDN. Plenty of people have gotten 70-99 percentile simply studying off old and new test prep materials, khan academy passages, and the new FL provided by a variety of test prep companies. And from what I heard, you should not be aiming for any particular score for the new full lengths as those don't have much predictive value, but rather hone your test taking and passage reading skills.

Okay? Don't take it unless you yourself feel ready. . . September or not. And trust me, after a couple hundred passages, you shouldn't be shabby. : /

In my opinion, it may be better to continue studying for your test during your new job as well. You have a year from now to take it for the next application cycle, so take as much time as you need to do well.