Where to take the MCAT

[Col_4:14]

I am a new member so, if this has been covered before then EXCUSE...ME!!!
Anyway, I would like to offer some advice to students on how to choose a location to take the MCAT. This advice given to me, helped immensely.
For some of you out there, you may not have much choice, but for the city folk in this forum, this should help you.
Years prior to taken the MCAT, some guy in my school told me to take the test at a community college. I followed his advice to testing heaven.
A lot of students automatically consider the location closest to them or their home school. This is not always the wisest choice. Before you choose consider several things:

Do you (or will you) get intimidated by large testing crowds (300+)?

How much testing space (arm desk or table) will you need?

Does testing atmosphere affect you (hurry up and go here, etc)?

If you answer yes to any these questions the closest place may not be your answer. I had the choice of taking the MCAT with 800 other students at my home university or traveling 40 minutes to a community college. I chose the latter!
Here was my testing experience.
I booked a hotel room at a local Days Inn for 35 $ and stayed the night before. The next morning, I woke up early read the paper and drove to the testing site. I followed the handwritten signs to a room guarded by sweet old lady with a pen and paper. She checked me off and allowed me to enter. There were only 5 other people in a room made for 30 and we had huge tables to select from!!! Contrary to my experience, my fellow school chums were taking the test at our home university with 800 other people, tight little arm desks and an army of proctors. In the end, I did well and got in. Remember, you can?t control what?s on the MCAT, but you can have a say in where you take it. Regardless of what type of test taker you may be, I highly recommend researching your testing location.

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[Wasabi]

Regardless of what type of test taker you may be, I highly recommend researching your testing location.

That's ridiculous. The best thing to do is to be well-prepared and get a good night's sleep before the exam.

 

[sheils]

Yeah, so the night before I took the MCATs over a year ago, there was a concert in my dorm. Hardly anyone showed up, so I went down at 11pm and asked them to turn down the bass volume a bit, and I explained to them that I was taking a SEVEN HOUR EXAM the next morning. The biotches would NOT turn it down, even though there were like 8 people there for the concert. I took the MCATs at MIT, and it was a great place. I went there a few days before hand and sat for a few hours doing practice problems. The proctor kept calling it the M-C-A-T (as opposed to M-CAT) it was so annoying!

 

[Col_4:14]

Wasabi, you are foolish to think that my advice about the MCAT ends with where to take it. I would assume you have prepared for it!!
If this adivice does not apply to you then that's terrific!!! It is not "ridiculous" to research the choices of locations you have to take one of the most important exams of your life.

 

[Wasabi]

Wasabi, you are foolish to think that my advice about the MCAT ends with where to take it.

I didn't necessarily suggest that. I just feel that you really can't determine how the testing conditions would be like. For example, I took my exam at Northwestern and when I first arrived, they assigned me to a large auditorium that offered very little comfort. Luckily, they decided to change the room assignment at the very last minute and move to a room with nice large tables and ample space. It was very nice. Others experienced worse conditions and it kinda suprised them since they expected something better than a thin slab of wood to take their exam on, especially knowing that Northwestern has one of the nicest facilities in the Chicagoland area. Anyways, so what I am trying to get at is that you really can't predict anything about the testing location. The best thing is to try your best and simply deal with the situations you are placed in.

 

[Col_4:14]

Wasabi, now I certainly agree with your point that you can't totally prepare for the conditions. However, you can make some reasonable conclusions as to choosing a location. My area of testing has MANY choices but most people end up going to their home university without much thought. This is not wise considering how many community colleges are in the area that offer much better facilities with considerably less attendence. Your "tough it out whatever it takes" philosophy obviously applies once you are there, but why not use some of your intellect to find a location that offers the best chances for good testing conditions. There ARE such places. I don't know why so many premeds avoid community colleges for the taking the MCAT. Maybe they think their scores will be weighed less because they took the test at a *my goodness* a community college!!

 

[moo]

I took the MCAT at my home university, simply because I knew where I was to meet, and I was familiar with the area. My other alternative was to have taken it at a community college. I did not want to have to worry about where to park, where the rooms are, etc. I did not have any problems with the room in which I wrote the exam, and I thought the conditions were optimal.

 

[Jamier2]

I think it's great that some people have options about where to take the MCAT, and those people might as well choose a location that suits them. If you don't like large groups in the test center, take it at a CC. If you don't care, then don't worry about it.

I had never considered this option, but the next closest center to me was another hour away, so I picked for the travel time. Luckily, I had a great experience.

I bet lots of people wish this had been suggested before the MCATs.

 

[Col_4:14]

Moo that's wonderful. Sometimes your home university is the best place to take it. Sometimes it may not be. . .

 

[punkin2]

Another related tip regarding location - send in your registration online as soon as possible to get your first choice location. I sent mine in by mail shortly after receiving it, and I got my 2nd choice location. I believe if I had done it online I may have had better luck. Some people sent it in later and had to travel over an hour away even though there are 3-4 testing centers within the Boston area.

 

[Murat]

Although this may help some people... I would think the negatives that accompany sleeping in an unfamiliar hotel the night before, not to mention going to an unfamiliar college outweigh the positives of having more free space, and a sweet old lady to greet you. I was taught to not change a thing when taking the exam... take the exam as you practiced it, including getting a good night's sleep at home. But that's just me.

MD

 

[Col_4:14]

That is just you... and some others
Days Inn was not a strange hotel. Now had it been the bates motel then maybe it would have been different. Going away 40 minutes did not affect my sleep, and it was actually good to remove me from all the pressures I have surrounded myself with.
Most CC's do not have sprawling campuses. But, hey, whatever works for you. What is important is that you begin thinking about where you are going to take it.

 

[Big Bill]

I thought the same thing about the hotel idea and when I did I had a terrible nights sleep. My morning was a disaster. Thats why I will sleep in my own bed next time and make sure I take it close to home at my first choice. I will definately take it on sunday to. A little more relaxing.