The MCAT is likely to substantially change in 2015

[justinbaily]

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http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/4/11/students-mcat-new-more/

Any thoughts on the proposed changes?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/4/11/students-mcat-new-more/

Any thoughts on the proposed changes?

Some good ones...in the multiple other threads on this exact topic.

 

[toff4l]

Guess I have to take it before 2015 then.

 

[samuraiR]

this thread should be on the highschool sdn section 👍

 

[NickNaylor]

This seems so familiar...

 

[circulus vitios]

A SEVEN HOUR exam? What the hell are they thinking?

 

[PanRoasted]

wasn't it like 8 hours years ago?

 

[deleted307836]

From what I've gathered it seems like the new test will de-emphasize the overall importance of the MCAT in admission selections... which of course is either good or bad depending on your perspective.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

From what I've gathered it seems like the new test will de-emphasize the overall importance of the MCAT in admission selections... which of course is either good or bad depending on your perspective.

Until schools are provided a different objective means of performing the first winnowing of grain from chaff, the MCAT will still be just as important to admissions. Is there still a number associated with it? It will be used and important then. Hence, it being the Medical College Admissions Test.

 

[patel2]

goodnight sweet non-science majors

 

[eli20]

I don't really understand the conclusion that this is bad for non-science majors... If the test is aspiring to be more diverse/holistic, I'd argue that this is a benefit to liberally educated test-takers compared to dedicated science majors. I'd also argue that most humanities candidates take more courses than the bio/chem/orgo/physics minimums, and it's easy enough to make sure that these include cellbio, microbio, and biochem. Most libarts schools already require a course each in psychology/sociology/anthro so I doubt any changes would need to be seen in those departments. The reality is that it is actually pretty easy to finish gened reqs, premed reqs, and a 30 hour humanities major in 4 years, and not too much of a stretch to round up the premed reqs to a full science major in addition to the humanities one.

I disagree with the removal of the writing sample, as I'm already opposed to how little attention is paid to it.

 

[Pons Asinorum]

I disagree with the removal of the writing sample, as I'm already opposed to how little attention is paid to it.

Something tells me you are a good writer...

 

[Adaggiote]

Cool. Finally it will be much easier...for me at least.

 

[RySerr21]

sounds like an improvement (especially demphasizing physics and ochem), but still a giant waste of time.

 

[fishbait63]

As a doctor are you going to be writing in that format; if it were a test of writing for clarity, brevity and ability to explain sophisticated theories then it be more relevant. As it stands now, I doubt the writing score other in then in the cases of the exceptionally horrid scores would really contribute to predicting your ability as a doctor. It makes sense to get rid of it especially if it removes that horrid month long wait....

 

[DoctwoB]

I disagree with the removal of the writing sample, as I'm already opposed to how little attention is paid to it.

Schools already have a writing sample from a standard prompt through which all students can be compared. Its called a personal statement. Yes there is a difference between a timed essay and an endlessly edited essay, but they do have something.

 

[RySerr21]

As a doctor are you going to be writing in that format; if it were a test of writing for clarity, brevity and ability to explain sophisticated theories then it be more relevant. As it stands now, I doubt the writing score other in then in the cases of the exceptionally horrid scores would really contribute to predicting your ability as a doctor. It makes sense to get rid of it especially if it removes that horrid month long wait....

you think the rest of the exam is a good predictor of your ability as a doctor?!?!? Its all pretty terrible.

 

[cowme]

All the mcat is good for is predicting your performance on the usmle exams.

All the usmle exams are good for are predicting your ability to pass your licensing exams.

They can change it any way they want, but good test takers will still do well, and bad test takers will do poorly.

 

[eli20]

I'm experiencing some laziness, so I'm just going to mail this one in and say my opinion is more fleshed out in the first thread on this topic instead of having the same discussion here 🙂

 

[indya]

so where would physics fall in the four categories of "molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, behavioral and social sciences, and critical analysis and reasoning"? I'm guessing biochem, but can they legitimately say that kinematic motion falls in that category?

 

[Pons Asinorum]

so where would physics fall in the four categories of "molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, behavioral and social sciences, and critical analysis and reasoning"? I'm guessing biochem, but can they legitimately say that kinematic motion falls in that category?

You pop up in the strangest places.

 

[Aaln]

Possible removal of the writing sample section? Did you guys know that a lot of people get rejected pre-interview at a couple of Canadian medical schools because they have writing sample cutoffs of R/S?

 

[UpQuark]

http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2011/4/11/students-mcat-new-more/

Any thoughts on the proposed changes?

phew, dodged a bullet... but much rather do biochem, cell and molecular over physical section

 

[MCAT guy]

Is someone reading this thread actually going to take the MCAT in 4 years?

Wow.

You better hit like 38+ or something.

 

[Endolas]

including a better understanding of cultural and social sensitivity

Yawn. What a joke.

 

[Lokhtar]

More biochem (Good)
More Statistics (Great)
More Research Methods (Fantastic)
Less Ochem (Bad)
Less Physics (Terrible)
Cultural Sensitivity (Ugh - how do you even test that on paper?)

All in all, I'm glad I took the current version.