By Mike Golz
This August, University pre-med students will be taking a new version of the MCAT test. The Association of American Medical Colleges has made the decision to convert the exam to a computer-based format.
Pre-med students still have the opportunity to take the written test until August when all of the tests thereafter will be taken using a computer.
“First, the exam is moving to a computer-based exam that will allow students to be more self-paced in going through the exam.” Karin Spencer, a University advisor, said. “The exam is also about one-third shorter than the previous exams – it used to be an all-day ordeal; now it can be done in a morning or in an afternoon.”
While the switch from paper to computer is the most obvious change made to the MCAT, the redesigned exam has also undergone scheduling realignment.
“There will be 22 administrations a year – that’s up from two a year. Up through this August 2006, when the last paper-and-pencil test will be administered, there are only two times to take the test – April and August.” Spencer said.
Spencer added that a third advantage to the new exam is faster score returns.
“The paper-and-pencil test takes two months to score,” she said. “Students taking the computer-based test will get their scores back in about a month.”
The company contracted by the AAMC to create the digital exam, Thomson Prometric, which specializes in fully integrated testing systems with clients all over the world.
“Our goal is to enhance the testing experience for examinees and the usefulness of the results for the medical schools and other professionals schools that use the MCAT,” said Ellen Julian, associate vice president for the AAMC and director of the MCAT, in an AAMC press release.
Students who have taken the written exam usually did so in the spring of their junior year and would have to wait two months for the results until they were able to apply to a medical school.
“If they did poorly on the April exam, they may re-take it in August, but that puts them at some disadvantage in the timing of the application process, since they don’t get back their scores until October. Students in the strongest position have their applications all done by September,” explained Spencer.
Spencer said students taking the new version of the exam have better chances of applying to medical school because of the frequency of the exam and the quicker turn around time for getting their scores back.
“Studying for the MCAT is the equivalent in time of taking a regular course, so it deflects from the courses taken during the spring semester,” Spencer said. “We don’t have all the dates of the new computer-based testing, but it is likely that the student will have the option of taking the exam during a less-busy period – perhaps in January or early June, not interrupting a semester-in-progress.”
Since they have been studying for a written test, students who do not feel comfortable with taking the digital exam have been rushing to take the written MCAT. Now students must realign their studying techniques to ensure adequate preparedness.
“I am worried about computer errors. Sometimes you have to click submit a bunch of times to get the answer through,” Alexander Parpas, a senior biology major, said.
Parpas said that students fear the possibility of errors in the grading of the new exam because there is no paper trail left by the digital process.
“I personally think it is a bad idea, you should have the option to take the computer or the paper version,” Max Kortun, a senior biology major, said. “Like the recent glitch with the SAT’s, you never know what happens.”This August University pre-med students will be taking a new version of the MCAT test. The Association of American Medial Colleges has made the decision to convert the exam to a computer-based format.
Pre-med students still have the opportunity to take the written test until August when all of the tests thereafter will be taken using a computer.
“First, the exam is moving to a computer-based exam that will allow students to be more self-paced in going through the exam.” Karin Spencer, a University advisor, said. “The exam is also about one-third shorter than the previous exams – it used to be an all-day ordeal; now it can be done in a morning or in an afternoon.”
While the switch from paper to computer is the most obvious change made to the MCAT, the redesigned exam has also undergone scheduling realignment.
“There will be 22 administrations a year – that’s up from two a year. Up through this August 2006, when the last paper-and-pencil test will be administered, there are only two times to take the test – April and August.” Spencer said.
Spencer added that a third advantage to the new exam is faster score returns.
“The paper-and-pencil test takes two months to score,” she said. “Students taking the computer-based test will get their scores back in about a month.”
The company contracted by the AAMC to create the digital exam, Thomson Prometric, which specializes in fully integrated testing systems with clients all over the world.
“Our goal is to enhance the testing experience for examinees and the usefulness of the results for the medical schools and other professionals schools that use the MCAT,” said Ellen Julian, associate vice president for the AAMC and director of the MCAT, in an AAMC press release.
Students who have taken the written exam usually did so in the spring of their junior year and would have to wait two months for the results until they were able to apply to a medical school.
“If they did poorly on the April exam, they may re-take it in August, but that puts them at some disadvantage in the timing of the application process, since they don’t get back their scores until October. Students in the strongest position have their applications all done by September,” explained Spencer.
Spencer said students taking the new version of the exam have better chances of applying to medical school because of the frequency of the exam and the quicker turn around time for getting their scores back.
“Studying for the MCAT is the equivalent in time of taking a regular course, so it deflects from the courses taken during the spring semester,” Spencer said. “We don’t have all the dates of the new computer-based testing, but it is likely that the student will have the option of taking the exam during a less-busy period – perhaps in January or early June, not interrupting a semester-in-progress.”
Since they have been studying for a written test, students who do not feel comfortable with taking the digital exam have been rushing to take the written MCAT. Now students must realign their studying techniques to ensure adequate preparedness.
“I am worried about computer errors. Sometimes you have to click submit a bunch of times to get the answer through,” Alexander Parpas, a senior biology major, said.
Parpas said that students fear the possibility of errors in the grading of the new exam because there is no paper trail left by the digital process.
“I personally think it is a bad idea, you should have the option to take the computer or the paper version,” Max Kortun, a senior biology major, said. “Like the recent glitch with the SAT’s, you never know what happens.”