Calgary explains its 2015 MCAT Decision

[jfdes]

I have tremendous respect for Dr.W and how transparent he is, but his reasoning doesn't make sense to me.

 

There seems to be so many other ways to handle this situation in a manner that will probably please more people. For example, why not allow both MCATs but make it part of the subjective aspect of the score only? Or they could just realize that the test is marked based on percentiles and again consider both scores. Seems like UCal is just trying to be different.

 

I think what Dr Walker was saying was the main function of the MCAT is as a standardized assessment. If they were to include it in the subjective assessment, it would defeat the purpose of even using it as an evaluation tool, and so they may as well not even count it at all.

 

The fact that the MCAT is based on percentiles is only important insofar as it can be used as a tool to compare applicants in a fair (standardized) fashion. Since the new Verbal tests different things than the old Verbal (or at the very least, has the potential to test different things, since they don't fully know everything about it just yet), it wouldn't be a fair to compare applicants who have an old vs new Verbal score. Once again, it would make more sense to drop the MCAT from the assessment, rather then use it and possibly introduce bias.

 

However, they believe that some form of standardization is in fact necessary, and I think we can all see the value in that (subjective assessments by nature can introduce bias, and GPA can be very different depending on the institution you go to). Thus the logical conclusion that Dr Walker arrives at is that they only use the 2015 MCAT once it arrives.

 

If I was still applying I don't think it would bother me too much that they are requiring everyone to take the new MCAT. I decided to write the MCAT more than once in two consecutive years and I didn't find it that bad. I just did what I had to do to improve my application. Administratively I think it is much simpler for them and with the ever increasing applicant pool I don't think they are too worried if they lose a few applicants. Admission changes are always a pain, particularly when you have been preparing for years based on old criteria (personal experience) but in the end you just have to roll with the punches.

 

I don't think its just the fact that people have to write the MCAT twice in so short a timeframe that is causing all the uproar. I believe it has more to do with the 2015 MCAT being a very different test then the old one.

 

As you noted, people re-write the MCAT all the time if they need to improve their application, but for those who do the old MCAT this summer and come out with a very competitive score, they will essentially have to learn new information and spend almost the same amount of time studying as they already did. This is quite a bit of a time commitment, and I'm not sure if its comparable to writing the same MCAT twice in two consecutive years.

[Vidhya]

I don't think its just the fact that people have to write the MCAT twice in so short a timeframe that is causing all the uproar. I believe it has more to do with the 2015 MCAT being a very different test then the old one.

 

As you noted, people re-write the MCAT all the time if they need to improve their application, but for those who do the old MCAT this summer and come out with a very competitive score, they will essentially have to learn new information and spend almost the same amount of time studying as they already did. This is quite a bit of a time commitment, and I'm not sure if its comparable to writing the same MCAT twice in two consecutive years.

 

I can definitely see your point, it is always hard when content changes versus something like structure. I actually wrote the old paper/pencil version first (yeesh I'm an old fart) and then they transitioned to the computer version and it wasn't too bad. Although I found the VR section more forgiving on the paper version.

 

But on the other hand I don't think the content change is that onerous. The biggest single addition is the psych/social sciences sections. Back in undergrad I completed a bio/psych double major and I always found the social sciences much easier to learn. I'm not that strong on physical sciences.

 

The way I look at it, is that if you write the first year you have the opportunity to nail down the PS/BS section information. The following year you can focus more on the social sciences/psyc when prepping for the MCAT.

[artistintheambulance]

Another aspect that most people have overlooked here is the possibility of using the 2015 MCAT switch as a way to tone down the amount of applications U of C receives. Dr. Walker mentioned a 10-11% increase in applications every year for the past 3 or 4 fears and had doubts as to whether it would be sustainable to assess this growing number of applicants in the future. The only real way to deal with this is changing admissions criteria.

 

If all applicants are required to rewrite the MCAT, there will definitely be a percentage of those people (especially OOPs who are applying to other schools and can't be bothered to do the 2015 MCAT just for Calgary, older applicants, lazy applicants, etc.) who decide not to do it and sacrifice their U of C application.

 

Granted, raising GPA requirements is another option to attenuate applications but excessively high GPAs are not what U of C is about - their whole niche is that they are a progressive school that selects applicants on a more holistic basis. By requiring the new MCAT, they are trying to ensure that more of their applicants are serious about applying to U of C (in particular) and that they don't alienate the 3.2-3.4 GPA crowd.

 

Its a short term strategy but it might attenuate application numbers until they are given more funding by the govt to offer more seats (they are at the bare minimum 155 now which might change in the coming years) or they figure something else out.

[5th time the charm]

What aspects of this exam do you all perceive will be harder? the new sections and not having a clue as to the content of these?

 

I think the new test is meant to reflect the changes in medicine and testing some areas that may not have been considered as much in the past as being important in medicine. At least that's what I'm reading about.

 

There may be some advantages to the new test in the sense that maybe admissions cut off for the sections may need to be lowered based on the results they are seeing with the new test.

 

There is no great time for this transition when you currently are deciding which test to write based on what undergrad year you are now. I guess it will depend on what other schools are going to decide to do as well.

 

If an applicant was serious about pursuing medicine my thought would be as inconvenient as it is, if a school required the 2015 test and only counted this, that they would write it and hope in the end it worked out for them. And as expensive as this process is, maybe some applicants may choose to write the 2014 test as a trial run to get used to what is being asked and expected and still have high enough scores to use for some of the schools that may accept both. This situation could be a blessing for some and a curse for others, depending on how you look at it.