Why not just keep the current MCAT

[ratman7]

This current MCAT is perfect, so why are they modifying it to more biochem and humanities?
Right now, it seems like an accurate indicator for med schools,

good balance of biochem, biology, reading, physics, chemistry, with some slight systems phys and anatomy. not to mention the scale to 45 max.

The removal of the essay section was great, and right now there seems like nothing to fix. the addition of biochem and humanities will tarnish its indicators, with people having to take more gap years, etc just to get the courses in before they take the test.
not to mention the absurd scale of 500 or 600 max.

"If it ain't broke, then don't fix it"
So why attempt to fix the current one being administered right now? The lack of biochem exposure prior to med school isn't surely the primary reason.

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[raiderette]

The way that the questions are worded on the new MCAT moves the test away from memorization and into a better reflection of integration. A question may incorporate physics and physiology and not be so obvious. It will be harder, but it can better identify the skills that doctors need to make connections that others miss......

Well, at least that is the BS they are slinging. I am just buckling down to take the test. In a few years it won't matter because this is the only test that people will know. They are changing the SAT soon as well. I wonder if there are high school sophomores complaining somewhere as well.

 

[GomersGoToGround]

Because it wasn't long enough.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

...

 

[cryhavoc]

Me this Saturday.

 

[Judson]

From AAMC's website:

"In standardized testing, periodic reviews of exams are considered a best practice, especially in fields with rapidly-changing knowledge bases like medicine. As the standardized test required by the majority of medical schools in the United States and Canada, the MCAT exam provides admissions committees with important information about their applicants’ readiness for success. Therefore, periodic updates help ensure that the exam is keeping pace with changes in the study and practice of medicine, such as new and innovative treatments, health care system reforms, and the challenges that come with serving an increasingly diverse population."

That's a pretty vague answer to the "why", but what else can you expect? If they tried to give specific answers to your good points they would be creating more targets for criticism.

More info here: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/faqs/

 

[allantois]

Because, just like everything in life, the current MCAT is not perfect

 

[Pierre Escargot]

As the test evolves, so will the resources available to you all. I'm sure you guys will be fine.

 

[efle]

As the test evolves, so will the resources available to you all. I'm sure you guys will be fine.

The quality prep books will lag a bit behind the first round of administrations though, so it's a crappy situation for people who have to choose between a spring test date with one/two practice test and lots of guesswork or a gap year

 

[Pierre Escargot]

The quality prep books will lag a bit behind the first round of administrations though, so it's a crappy situation for people who have to choose between a spring test date with one/two practice test and lots of guesswork or a gap year

That's certainly true. Seems I was thinking more about a couple of years down the road.

 

[aegistitan]

I think part of the reason it's being changed is because there's too many gunners, that 4.0, 36 - 39 MCAT region seems to have a lot of applicants. This new test will help set apart the gunners from the super gunners.

 

[efle]

I think part of the reason it's being changed is because there's too many gunners, that 4.0, 36 - 39 MCAT region seems to have a lot of applicants. This new test will help set apart the gunners from the super gunners.

You know the MCAT goes up to 45 right? There is already a beautiful bell curve with plenty of room to distinguish yourself up to the 99.9th percentile at 40 and people rarely break 43, and people simply do not get 45s on a regular basis the same way people get 2400 SATs. I don't think too many people beating the exam is an issue

If anything going to a totally new exam will wreak a lot of havoc with the validity of the test to distinguish the best, since people cannot predict what/how to study as well there will be a bigger element of chance in getting those critical few more questions correct at the harshly curved upper end of the bells

 

[Ace Khalifa]

People need to stop complaining about the new MCAT. It's not going to change back to the old one. Just suck it up and do it. It's not my fault you were born too late to take the old MCAT before you could begin applying to medical school.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

People need to stop complaining about the new MCAT.

Yeah, you're right. It's not very practical to complain. We'll just have to deal with it.

 

[efle]

People need to stop complaining about the new MCAT. It's not going to change back to the old one. Just suck it up and do it. It's not my fault you were born too late to take the old MCAT before you could begin applying to medical school.

What the hell, Ace. Nobody blamed you for anything and it is totally fine to vent about this stuff. I hope you go back to being pleasant and helpful when your acceptances start rollin in

 

[Ace Khalifa]

Goddamnit @Cyberdyne 101 and @efle, where's the f***ing sarcasm font when you need it?

 

[TheRhymenocerous]

I just don't understand why they made the scoring so screwy. Couldn't they just add a 15-point social sciences section and make it out of 60?

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

What the hell, Ace. Nobody blamed you for anything and it is totally fine to vent about this stuff. I hope you go back to being pleasant and helpful when your acceptances start rollin in

I agree that it's fine to vent, but there is a lot of impractical anxiety related to this exam.

Personally, I'm not yet convinced that the social science section will make much of a difference. And I'm stating this while acknowledging the importance of social science/cultural understanding in medicine (if this makes any sense).
But regardless, the test is a dragon that must be slayed.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

Goddamnit @Cyberdyne 101 and @efle, where's the f***ing sarcasm font when you need it?

Lol, I dunno. All I know is that I was born in the 80's and I still gotta deal with this test

 

[efle]

I just don't understand why they made the scoring so screwy. Couldn't they just add a 15-point social sciences section and make it out of 60?

I mean the SAT and ACT are widely understood with weird scoring like 2400 and 36, just takes getting used to

I agree that it's fine to vent, but there is a lot of impractical anxiety related to this exam.

Personally, I'm not yet convinced that the social science section will make much of a difference. And I'm stating this while acknowledging the importance of social science/cultural understanding in medicine (if this makes any sense).
But regardless, the test is a dragon that must be slayed.

There is no such thing as impractical MCAT anxiety! I wonder if med schools will start paying attention to only certain subsection scores like some colleges care about Math/Verb SAT

Lol, I dunno. All I know is that I was born in the 80's and I still gotta deal with this test

too old for this ****

 

[savithramma]

Because it'd be way too logical and helpful to keep something that isn't broken and could just be optimized a little bit. Like how about fixing the ridiculous unforgiving scaling in VR, taking out the goofy art history passages and putting some psych/socio in VR without changing the overall test, so that each section had the same number of questions and scoring?

Also, giving people a longer mcat with more requirements isn't going to magically make them more culturally-sensitive and empathetic.

 

[Cyberdyne 101]

There is no such thing as impractical MCAT anxiety!

Of course there is. It's better to focus your energy on effective studying and positive visualization. Anxiety only makes things worse.

 

[efle]

Of course there is. It's better to focus your energy on effective studying and positive visualization. Anxiety only makes things worse.

Anxiety motivates said studying for most of the neurotic types around here lol

 

[amazing tekkers]

If I get 270 on the new mcat, does that mean I'll get 270 for the board exams?