Medical College Admission Test
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, and writing skills in addition to the examinee's knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine. Prior to August 19, 2006, the exam was taken entirely on paper with the option of taking a computer-based version at select testing sites beginning in the fall of 2005. Starting January 27, 2007, all administrations of the exam will be computer-based.
Contents |
[edit] Overview
The test was formerly administered twice a year, in April and August. Starting in January 2007, the exam will be offered 22 times per year.<ref>2007 Completely Computerized MCAT Exam. Association of American Medical Colleges.</ref> The exam will be shortened to 5.4 hours.
The test consists of four sections, listed in the order in which they are administered on the day of the exam:
- Physical Sciences (PS)
- Verbal Reasoning (VR)
- Writing Sample (WS)
- Biological Sciences (BS)
The Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, and Biological Sciences sections are in multiple-choice format. There is no penalty for wrong multiple choice answers, and thus even random guessing is preferable to leaving an answer choice blank (unlike, for example, the SAT). The Writing Sample is evaluated using two short essays that are written (typed into the computer) during the exam. Scores for the three multiple-choice sections range from 1 to 15. Scores for the writing section range from J to T. According to MSAR the standard deviation is 2.0-2.3 depending on the year and form of the exam. For example, if a student got a 10 and the standard deviation was 2, then that student tested better than 84% of the students on that section.
The science sections (PS and BS) test analytical and logical cognitive abilities and can be handled by those who are adept in these disciplines. The Verbal Reasoning (VR)section was implemented to test understanding of various subtleties involved in human communication and understanding. Surprisingly, it is the VR score which most directly correlates to success on the USMLE Step 1 exam. It seems that vocabulary, as opposed to reading rate and comprehension, is responsible for this correlation. Predictably, MCAT composite scores also correlate with USMLE Step 1 success.<ref>Adult Learners: Relationships of Reading, MCAT, and USMLE Step 1 Test Results for Medical Students. Education Resources Information Center (April 2002).</ref>
The numerical scores from each section are added together to give a composite score. For example, if one's score on the physical, verbal, and biological sections were 12, 13, and 11, respectively, then the composite score would be 36. The score from the writing sample may also be appended to the composite score (e.g. 36S). The maximum composite score is 45T but any score over 30P is considered fairly competitive, as this is the average for matriculants to medical school.<ref>Facts: Applicants, Matriculants and Graduates. Association of American Medical Colleges.</ref> Many students preparing for the exam try to balance their subscores; physical, verbal, and biological scores of 12, 13, and 11 respectively are considered better than 15, 15, and 6. An individual subscore that is significantly lower than the other two may be taken as a sign of serious deficiency in that subject area.
[edit] Exam administration
| Section | Questions | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| Physical Sciences | 52 | 70 |
| Verbal Reasoning | 40 | 60 |
| Writing Sample | 2 | 60 |
| Biological Sciences | 52 | 70 |
The Physical Sciences section is administered first (prior to the April 2003 MCAT, Verbal Reasoning was the first section of the exam). It is composed of 52 multiple-choice questions related to general chemistry and physics. Exam takers are allotted 70 minutes to complete this section of the exam.
The Verbal Reasoning section follows the Physical Sciences section and an optional 10 minute break. Exam takers have 60 minutes to answer 40 multiple-choice questions evaluating their comprehension, evaluation, and application of information gathered from written passages. Unlike the Physical and Biological sciences sections, the Verbal Reasoning section is not supposed to require specific content knowledge in order to perform well.
After the Verbal Reasoning section is an optional 60-minute lunch break followed by the Writing Sample. Examinees are given 60 minutes to compose responses to two prompts (30 minutes for each prompt, separately timed). Each essay is graded from 1 to 6 points by each of two readers, yielding a total score of 4-24; this score is then converted to a letter scale (4 = J, 24 = T).
After the Writing Samples, there is an optional 10 minute break followed by the Biological Sciences section. Examinees have 70 minutes to answer 52 multiple-choice questions related to organic chemistry and biology.
According to the AAMC, when the exam switches to computer-based testing, each multiple-choice section will be reduced in length (both in terms of time allowed and number of questions) by approximately one-third, and students will still be required to complete two essays.
[edit] Policies
Like some other professional exams (e.g. the LSAT), the MCAT may be voided on the day of the exam if the exam taker is not satisfied with his or her performance.
While wristwatches are allowed, the AAMC prohibits the use of calculators, timers, or other electronic devices during the exam.<ref>MCAT Exam Frequently Asked Questions. Association of American Medical Colleges.</ref> Wristwatches must have the alarm disabled. Cellular phones are also strictly prohibited from testing rooms and individuals found to possess them are noted by name in a security report submitted to the AAMC.
No longer will there be a rule that students must receive permission from the AAMC if they wish to take the MCAT more than three times total. The limit with the computerized MCAT will be to three times per year, with no lifetime limit. An examinee can register for only one test date at a time.
[edit] Preparation
Like most standardized tests, there are a variety of preparatory materials available. The AAMC itself offers both paper and computerized practice tests (composed of administered test questions and diagnostics) available for purchase at its website. Many test preparation companies offer classroom based courses. Approximately half of the students taking the MCAT use a test prep company. Various books are available from test preparation companies to prepare for the test.
The MCAT is scored using a scaled score out of 15, standardized to a mean of 8. The table provides a rough estimate of the scaled score from a raw score. The AAMC has never released a formula to allow students to calculate a scaled score from raw data, because the conversion is slightly different for each set of questions. However, this table is based on recent AAMC practice tests and can be used to approximate a score achieved on a practice test.
When the results of the MCAT are mailed to students, the scaled score is provided as well as a percentile score.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
<references/>
[edit] Further reading
- Julian, E (2005). "Validity of the Medical College Admission Test for predicting medical school performance". Academic Medicine 80 (10): 910-7. PMID 16186610.
