Saddleback Pre-Med ClubMCAT Information

Meeting Summary:● To discuss the changes to the MCAT

● MCAT preparation and tips

● Discuss when to take exam

● Provide tools to prepare for the MCAT

New MCAT protocol1. Most schools will accept old MCAT score until 2018

2. Both old and new MCAT scores may be submitted

3. All MCAT scores will be viewed by med schools

4. Admissions will weigh new MCAT scores by comparing to old and new MCAT averages

-use data from the first few administrations of the new exam to create the percentile rank tables that your admissions committee can use for 2016 selection

The new MCAT advantages- “The new MCAT exam is a better test for tomorrow’s doctors. The

blueprints for the new exam shift the focus from testing what applicants

know to testing how well they use what they know.”

- It will “assess test takers’ knowledge and problem-solving skills in the

natural, behavioral, and social sciences.”

- “The new exam will place greater emphasis on scientific reasoning and

analysis skills.”

- “The new exam also will include a section that underscores the roles that

behavioral and sociocultural factors play in health and illness.”

- “Test takers who sit for the new exam will study the same introductory science concepts, but they also will study concepts taught in first-semester biochemistry, psychology, and sociology courses. They will practice the analysis and reasoning skills that scientists use to bring together information from multiple disciplines, and they will practice using the research methods and statistical tools that natural and social scientists use to do their work.”

The new MCAT details

The new MCAT scores● Total scores for the new exam will be centered at 500

● Total scores will range from 472 to 528

● Individual section scores will be centered at 125

● Section scores will range from 118 to 132.

● There are four sections of the exam

MCAT Section 1-21) Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological System2) Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

Will ask test takers to bring together what they know about biology, general and organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry to solve problems about biological and other living systems

MCAT Secion 33) Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

Will test reasoning and analysis skills using passages from population heath, studies of diverse cultures, ethics and philosophy, and other humanities and social sciences disciplines

MCAT Section 44) Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

will be formatted like the two natural sciences sections and test the ways that psychological, sociocultural, and biological factors influence people’s perceptions and reactions to the world, behavior and behavior change, individuals’ opinions of themselves and others, cultural and social differences that influence overall health, and the relationships between social stratification, access to resources, and well-being.

Test OrderApplicants will take the four new test sections in the following order:

• Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems

• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior

How long is the MCAT?- the new MCAT: the total administration time for the MCAT exam will be

about seven and a half hours, including time for breaks and other test day activities.

- The longer exam will provide more accurate and reliable section scores. Admissions committees will be able to weigh applicants' strengths and weaknesses in comparison to other academic information in their applications

- The new MCAT exam is also longer than the previous exam because it gives examinees more working time per question. Examinees will have between 10 and 20 percent more time across the sections to review passages and questions, and to decide on their answers. https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/faq/421650/why-is-the-mcat-exam-longer.html

When should I take the MCAT?WHEN YOU ARE READY!

- Do not rush to take the exam- Prepare well in advance- Remember all medical schools will see every score, not just the highest- Scores released 30-35 days after taking the test- you should take the MCAT exam in the calendar year prior to the year in

which you plan to enter medical school- Understand your potential to retake the exam so test early

How many times may I retake the MCAT?1 Year: 3 times over the span of one year

2 years: 4 times over the span of two years

Lifetime: 7 times total*

*The only way to prevent scores from appearing in your MCAT testing history is to VOID your exam at the end of your testing session. If you VOID your test, it will not be scored at all, and your participation in that administration of the MCAT will not be reported to any schools at all. You cannot void scores at a later date for any reason. A VOID counts towards one of your limits. *

Should I retake the MCAT?● Any score under 22 indicates need for retest● Medical schools expect scores to have an upward trend● Some schools will screen by MCAT and then by GPA, take this into consideration● If your score is lower than the accepted range for desired medical school admission

Use MSAR website* to see what range your desired medical school accepted MCAT scores are to gauge whether you should retake

*Purchase access here: https://members.aamc.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Action=Add&ObjectKeyFrom=1A83491A-9853-4C87-86A4-F7D95601C2E2&WebCode=PubDetailAdd&DoNotSave=yes&ParentObject=CentralizedOrderEntry&ParentDataObject=Invoice%20Detail&ivd_formkey=69202792-63d7-4ba2-bf4e-a0da41270555&ivd_prc_prd_key=1A75D150-DE30-4855-

9C87-391C15D1884D

How long are MCAT scores valid? (old or new)Medical schools generally accept scores dating back two or three years. If you have taken the exam

previously, we recommend that you consult the Medical School Admission Requirements to check

the application policies of each school to which you intend to apply.

The AAMC will continue to report scores from the prior version of the exam (administered from 1991

through January 2015) through the 2019 AMCAS application cycle. However, whether an individual

medical school will continue to accept these scores through the 2019 AMCAS application cycle will

depend on that individual medical school.

source: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/scores/421110/howlongarescorevalid.html

MCAT Preparation: Courses to take- General Chemistry- Organic Chemistry- Biochemistry- Biology- Physics- Sociology- Psychology- Statistics and Research Methods

1) In which of the following cases will the normal force on a box be the

greatest?

a. When the box is placed in a stationary elevatorb. When the box is placed in an elevator moving upwards at constant

velocityc. When the box is placed in an elevator accelerating downwardd. When the box is placed in an elevator accelerating upward

MCAT Sample questions - Physics

MCAT Sample questions - PhysicsAnswer: D

Looking at the answer choices, we know that we want to find out how the normal force varies with the motion of the

box. In all cases listed in the answer choices, there are two forces acting on the box: the normal force and the force of

gravity. These two act in opposite directions: the normal force, N, in the upward direction and gravity, mg, in the

downward direction. Taking the upward direction to be positive, we can express the net force on the box as N – mg.

From Newton's Second Law, this is also equal to ma, where a is the acceleration of the box (again with the upward

direction being positive). For answer choices (A) and (B), the net acceleration of the box is zero, so N = mg. We can see

how the acceleration of the elevator (and, hence, of the box) affects the normal force. The larger the acceleration (in

the positive, i.e., upward, direction), the larger the normal force is to preserve the equality: N – mg = ma, N = ma+ mg.

Answer choice (D), in which the elevator is accelerating upward, results in the greatest normal force, since in that case

the magnitude of the normal force is greater than gravity by the amount ma.

*question from kaptest.com

MCAT Sample questions - Organic Chem2) Which of the following addition reactions occurs the fastest?

A. I, because a primary cation is formed in the rate-

determining step

B. II, because the cation formed in the rate-

determining step is stabilized through an inductive

effect

C. III, because a secondary cation which is resonance-

stabilized is formed in the rate-determining step

D. II, because a secondary cation which is resonance-

stabilized is formed in the rate-determining step

MCAT Sample questions - Organic ChemAnswer: (D)

Here's a question about reaction rates. The answer choices give some hints here, because they all

mention "cation" formation in the "rate-determining step." The relative rates of three addition

reactions are controlled by their rate-determining steps, all of which involve carbocation formation.

Now remember some carbocation chemistry. The most stable carbocation is formed wmost quickly

because its formation has a lower energy of activation. Primary carbocations are less stable than

secondary carbocations so we can eliminate choice (A). All three reactions result in secondary

carbocation formation in their rate-determining steps. Only the carbocation formed in reaction II has

the extra stabilitly afforded by resonance. Choice (D) therefore is the correct answer.

*question from kaptest.com

MCAT Sample questions - Sociology

3) Structural theories of stratification predict that groups with low positions in social hierarchies experience high rates of mental health problems. The “double jeopardy” or “triple jeopardy” hypotheses postulate that groups that are subordinate in multiple stratification systems such as gender, race, and class are especially high risk.These hypotheses best demonstrate which of the following concepts:

A. IntersectionalityB. Cultural biasC. Symbolic interactionismD. Social constructionism

MCAT Sample questions - SociologyAnswer: A

The theory of intersectionality proposes that we need to understand how all these discriminations (double or triple jeopardy) can simultaneously exist.

*Question from khanacademy.org

AAMC Website for students:

https://www.aamc.org/students/services/343550/mcat2015.html

MCAT – Official MCAT Question Pack Bundle (Online): ($72)

https://members.aamc.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Action=Add&ObjectKeyFrom=1A83491A-9853-4C87-86A4-F7D95601C2E2&WebCode=PubDetailAdd&DoNotSave=yes&ParentObject=CentralizedOrderEntry&ParentDataObject=Invoice%20Detail&ivd_formkey=69202792-63d7-4ba2-bf4e-a0da41270555&ivd_prc_prd_key=1D9F6B43-336B-4D27-BF87-42B8309DAF4E

MCAT – Official MCAT Sample Test: ($25)

https://members.aamc.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?Action=Add&ObjectKeyFrom=1A83491A-9853-4C87-86A4-F7D95601C2E2&WebCode=PubDetailAdd&DoNotSave=yes&ParentObject=CentralizedOrderEntry&ParentDataObject=Invoice%20Detail&ivd_formkey=69202792-63d7-4ba2-bf4e-a0da41270555&ivd_prc_prd_key=A989862D-11E9-40C2-B745-9DF7FB4D269B

MCAT Preparation Websites

MCAT Preparation WebsitesAAMC - A Roadmap to MCAT Content in Sociology and Psychology Textbooks: (free)

https://students-residents.aamc.org/search/?q=psychsoctextbook.pdf

AAMC- Pre-health Collection in iCollaborative: (free)

https://www.mededportal.org/icollaborative/190142/search.html?q=mcat&p=1&t=p

MCAT Preparation CoursesKhan Academy: (free source)

https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat

Kaplan: ($1999-$3999)

http://www.kaptest.com/mcat/kaplan-mcat-prep/october?&mkwid=svBA3sCFa_dc&pcrid=76028534796&pmt=e&pkw=kaplan%20mcat%20prep&gclid=CjwKEAjw-vewBRDH1-b52Lig1hkSJACTPfVFFi7LtZpUNqWEulsmYCkz0uZ-l9AK7ZEbKNKYdZA1eBoC4oLw_wcB

Dr. Flowers: ($559-$689)

http://drflowersmcat.com/

Information SourcesMCAT Essentials:

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/63060/data/mcatessentials.pdf

The New Score Scales for the 2015 MCAT® Exam:

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/378098/data/mcat2015scorescaleguide.pdf

Summary of Total and Section Scores from the MCAT Exam Based on Results for Tests Administered in April and May 2015:

https://www.aamc.org/students/download/434504/data/percentilenewmcat.pdf

AAMC MCAT FAQ:

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/faq/