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The Daily OrangeMCAT to be significantly shorter, completely computerized in 2007
By John Ray
Posted: 10/18/06, 1:03 AM EST Section: News
Syracuse University students taking the Medical College Admissions Test this coming January will notice several significant changes, including full computerization and a significant shortening, from eight-and-a-half hours to five-and-a-half hours.
The test will also be administered on 22 dates scattered across the year, as opposed to the previous two testing dates, said Amjed Mustafa, manager of the MCAT preparatory program for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.
"Many students will see this as good news, that there are more testing options," Mustafa said. "(But) they also need to realize that although the test dates have changed and now there are 22 days, the medical admissions timeline has not. So, students are still encouraged to take the test as early as possible so they can still apply along with the med school process."
Because the test will be fully computerized, the results will be available in 30 days as opposed to the 60 days required for the old, paper exam, Mustafa said. This allows students greater flexibility when deciding when to take the test.
John Russell, professor and chair of the biology department, said the biology curriculum is constantly reviewed, but the department will not revise the curriculum to address the MCAT changes. The content of the MCAT itself won't change, so the same curriculum used for the previous test will still apply.
Pre-med students themselves - facing a shorter test, a less tedious, computerized version and no changes to their curriculum - seem unconcerned.
Pat Gonzales, a freshman pre-med student, said he was unconcerned so long as it didn't mean having to relearn a semester of classes.
"The more detailed test could prove beneficial for future medical students, as long as current pre-med instructors know how to prepare students for it," he said.
Mustafa, however, cautioned that the computerized version may prove daunting to students unaccustomed to computerized testing, particularly since the test is five and a half hours long.
The test will also be administered on 22 dates scattered across the year, as opposed to the previous two testing dates, said Amjed Mustafa, manager of the MCAT preparatory program for Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions.
"Many students will see this as good news, that there are more testing options," Mustafa said. "(But) they also need to realize that although the test dates have changed and now there are 22 days, the medical admissions timeline has not. So, students are still encouraged to take the test as early as possible so they can still apply along with the med school process."
Because the test will be fully computerized, the results will be available in 30 days as opposed to the 60 days required for the old, paper exam, Mustafa said. This allows students greater flexibility when deciding when to take the test.
John Russell, professor and chair of the biology department, said the biology curriculum is constantly reviewed, but the department will not revise the curriculum to address the MCAT changes. The content of the MCAT itself won't change, so the same curriculum used for the previous test will still apply.
Pre-med students themselves - facing a shorter test, a less tedious, computerized version and no changes to their curriculum - seem unconcerned.
Pat Gonzales, a freshman pre-med student, said he was unconcerned so long as it didn't mean having to relearn a semester of classes.
"The more detailed test could prove beneficial for future medical students, as long as current pre-med instructors know how to prepare students for it," he said.
Mustafa, however, cautioned that the computerized version may prove daunting to students unaccustomed to computerized testing, particularly since the test is five and a half hours long.
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