When is the curve generally the best toward the late-summer mcat?

[leaveit2rani]

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I know this is kind of a weird question. But would you guys think that smarter people (taking mcat late-summer) tend to take the mcat on the last available date, the one before the last available, or late august? Thanks!

 

[411309]

thats a tough question..I dont think anyone can give you a definite answer...The difficulty of the test also depends on what topics you get too. You may get tested on your strong points..maybe your weakpoints. Thats why it's good to minimize your weakpoints...I would think the "smarter" people take it around august maybe april, but prob not late may or june. But I could be wrong..

 

[PingPongPro]

There is no curve on the MCAT based on when you take the test. The curves are pre-determined using data from past examination sample questions. Whether or not smarter people take it a specific date has no influence on the curve.

 

[leaveit2rani]

There is no curve on the MCAT based on when you take the test. The curves are pre-determined using data from past examination sample questions. Whether or not smarter people take it a specific date has no influence on the curve.

Can anyone confirm this?

 

[LifeTake2]

Can anyone confirm this?

Yes, anyone capable of reading the AAMC website, and using Google will easily find confirmation that the test is pre-scaled and when you take it is irrelevant.

How you score on the MCAT exam, therefore, is not reflective of the particular exam you took—including the time of day, the test date, or the time of year—since any difference in difficulty level is accounted for when calculating your scale scores (see above for information about scaling).

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/85436/preparing_understandingscores.html

 

[411309]

Is the scaled score conversions generally more lenient than aamc practice tests conversions? Im assuming since the test became harder they made conversions slightly easier.

 

[NickNaylor]

I love these threads: the people that come up with this idea every two weeks must think they're an absolute genius. Why would anyone think that the scoring for a national, standardized exam would change with the time of the year?

Is the scaled score conversions generally more lenient than aamc practice tests conversions? Im assuming since the test became harder they made conversions slightly easier.

Most people that take the test on SDN seem to say that the real exam is more difficult than the practice exams yet usually get around their AAMC practice test average. I guess that makes it more "lenient."

 

[Big Dog]

...is that folks smart enough to be applying to med schools have zero common sense. (Or, they failed to take AP Stats or any stats for that matter.)

Think about it OP....if your sugggestion was true, that each test was curved, and a certain test administration was 'easier' year after year, ya' think that hundreds of thousands of folks would not notice? Ya' think that the masses of premed wannabes would not flock to that one test ('late summer", for example), thus driving that test mean down of that test?