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Noise Level during MCAT?


michael.10

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Recently realized I do a lot better on my CARS passages if I can verbally read out loud (i.e. not like a crazy person, but more like a person whispering kinda loudly to a friends ear during a lecture) compare to if I read it quietly (i.e. no sound at all).

How much sound is often permitted when a person is on CARS section at the testing site? Has anyone actually heard someone read out loud during the exam?

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The noise level in the room kind of depends on the site - I've written the MCAT in two different locations and at both of them there were noise cancelling headphones or earplugs offered, which most people used. One of the locations also had a white noise machine going while the other was completely silent. I personally don't remember hearing anyone talk/whisper out loud during either test. 

Between the headphones/earphones and everyone being very focused and maybe a white noise machine, most people probably wouldn't notice a quiet whisper. However, I would definitely recommend working on getting better at CARS without having to loudly whisper because it's not guaranteed that you won't be disturbing someone around you and you definitely don't want to annoy someone or cause any trouble!

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Very dependent on the site. At my site there was one person tapping their pencil on the desk (this is what it sounded like, at least) for the entire CARS section. It was extremely annoying. Although we were provided ear plugs, it was not enough. I had no idea why they didn't take the effort to stop this individual.

I've also heard stories where people were writing their MCAT in the same room as people writing another standardized test (don't quote me on this, but I think it was a test for MBA?) where they were typing the entire morning (their test ended halfway through the MCAT). Of course, you could imagine how annoying this would be. But this was last year and I assume they would have taken the effort to avoid this from happening. 

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At my site at least, you could bring your own earplugs (and I think they also provided some). If anything, I think invigilators would be less concerned about noise levels from your whispering, and more about the fact that you're talking during an exam (even if it's just a loud whisper).

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8 hours ago, seventeenfour44 said:

Very dependent on the site. At my site there was one person tapping their pencil on the desk (this is what it sounded like, at least) for the entire CARS section. It was extremely annoying. Although we were provided ear plugs, it was not enough. I had no idea why they didn't take the effort to stop this individual.

I've also heard stories where people were writing their MCAT in the same room as people writing another standardized test (don't quote me on this, but I think it was a test for MBA?) where they were typing the entire morning (their test ended halfway through the MCAT). Of course, you could imagine how annoying this would be. But this was last year and I assume they would have taken the effort to avoid this from happening. 

omg yesss someone was writing their GRE during my physical sciences and CARS sections. Soooo annoying having them typing loudly right behind you. 

I don't think you're allowed to talk. If it's under your breath and no one can hear you then that's fine, but if anyone would be able to make out what you're saying that could get you in trouble. 

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