Why is the mcat so hard?

[sunyplatt]

I have not taken the mcat yet but I was just curious what exactly about it makes it so difficult to achieve a high score. Is it the difficulty itself and some questions you just do not know? Is it that you run out of time? what stops people from getting 90-100 percent of the questions right?

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[235788]

the amount of content, the circumstances, you name it.


The same reason why the SAT and ACT were hard. Not everyone can be in the 90th percentile or else it wouldn't be doing its job

 

[sector9]

Well, it's scored on a bell curve, so if everyone happened to get 90-100 percent of the questions right, then you would all get a score corresponding to the 50th percentile aka a 25. They purposely make it difficult so this doesn't happen.

% of questions right != Percentile for your score

 

[phltz]

I have not taken the mcat yet but I was just curious what exactly about it makes it so difficult to achieve a high score. Is it the difficulty itself and some questions you just do not know? Is it that you run out of time? what stops people from getting 90-100 percent of the questions right?

Consistently doing very well on the MCAT requires having a very solid understanding of a very broad range of material - at least 8 semesters of science classes. In order to score at the high end, you need to both have a great deal of information available for instant recall, as well as to have good analytical skills and an ability to apply principles that you've already learned to moderately new situations. You need to be able to do calculations either in your head or on paper reliably and quickly. You need a good eye for detail. You also need excellent reading comprehension, and a keen ability to sort out the useful information from filler and/or distractors. And you need to do all this fast - many students struggle to maintain an appropriate pace, and suffer from moderate to severe time pressure.

If you really want to understand the situation, try taking a practice test. That's the only way for you to really understand how difficult or easy it will be for you, how, and why.

 

[Tsiana]

Well, it's scored on a bell curve, so if everyone happened to get 90-100 percent of the questions right, then you would all get a score corresponding to the 50th percentile aka a 25. They purposely make it difficult so this doesn't happen.

% of questions right != Percentile for your score

Well, if you get 100% of the questions right you would get a perfect score. They can't not give you that. The issue is how they scale the score when you get 90-99% questions correct.

 

[aSagacious]

Moving to the MCAT discussions forum.

 

[typicalindian]

It's not, we are all just trolling you to make you worried.

 

[dreamweaver1988]

the amount of content, the circumstances, you name it.


The same reason why the SAT and ACT were hard. Not everyone can be in the 90th percentile or else it wouldn't be doing its job

This. They have to get a bell curve. And because you have a lot of really freaking smart kids taking the test, the test has to be hard. Otherwise everyone would do well.

 

[Duon89]

Is USMLE harder??

 

[notbobtrustme]

The MCAT is probably one of the few times you'll be tested on reasoning rather than straight content. The MCAT heavily tests your ability to apply what you already know in new and novel ways rather than a straight content exam.

 

[sector9]

Well, if you get 100% of the questions right you would get a perfect score. They can't not give you that. The issue is how they scale the score when you get 90-99% questions correct.

Well someone feels like nitpicking today

 

[valkener]

It's hard because the stakes are high! It's one of the gatekeepers of medical school!

 

[Picchu127]

Is USMLE harder??

without a doubt--particularly step 1 which is all basic science. Step 2 is easier.

Step 1 is the entire first 2 years of medical school in 1 day long marathon. Benefit is no silly passages to read.

Disadvantage MCAT is one right, three wrong.

USMLE is one BEST answer--so multiple may be reasonable BUT they want what is most likely.

Volume of material on the MCAT is also nothing compared to USMLE, particularly Step 1.

 

[XxSynapsexX]

Its hard because of the scale, Trickyness of the test, immense content, and pressure.

But to do well you have to get past all of these and you will see the MCAT is not as hard as people make it out to be

Even though only 20-25% score above a 30 realize its because the bottom 75% doesnt prepare very well not because its just unbearably hard.

Seriously anyone can break 30 in my opinion if you put the work into it.

 

[gettheleadout]

Well, it's scored on a bell curve, so if everyone happened to get 90-100 percent of the questions right, then you would all get a score corresponding to the 50th percentile aka a 25. They purposely make it difficult so this doesn't happen.

% of questions right != Percentile for your score

I realize this is years old but since this thread was bumped, I wanted to point out that this is incorrect. The MCAT is not curved in this manner. If everyone taking the test in a given year had the exact same test form (impossible, but a necessary assumption to keep the scaling constant for this hypothetical) then all examinees would receive the same, possibly high, scaled score.

Its hard because of the scale, Trickyness of the test, immense content, and pressure.

But to do well you have to get past all of these and you will see the MCAT is not as hard as people make it out to be

Even though only 20-25% score above a 30 realize its because the bottom 75% doesnt prepare very well not because its just unbearably hard.

Seriously anyone can break 30 in my opinion if you put the work into it.

I agree.