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Prospective Medical Students Weigh In on the New MCAT

By U.S. News & World Report

With the debut of the new MCAT, test-takers are having mixed reactions to being a part of the first group of premeds to take the revamped medical school admissions test.

After taking the exam in April, the first month in which the new test was offered, some prospective medical school students turned to social media to express their anxiety, excitement and relief about taking this critical step in the admissions process.

Today I stare death in the face. And what do we say to death? Not today. #MCAT

— Jake Rothermund (@jakerothermund) April 18, 2015

I feel torn now that my MCAT hell is over…..#mcat #mcathell #friday #selfie #az #arizona #azsun

A photo posted by Kayla Steiner (@kaylakristin) on Apr 17, 2015 at 3:47pm PDT

[Find out how to prepare for the MCAT with this three-month plan.]

Some premeds blogged about their experience taking the test and shared advice on how others should prepare.

“Whereas the last exam seemed to test how well one knows the individual subjects, this new iteration tests that as well as one’s ability to apply those concepts in another subject,” wrote Jaime Davis in a post for the blog “#FOAMed for the Pre-Med.”

Students no longer have to answer questions like “What is the name of this molecule?”, “What is the functional group?” or “What is this muscle?”, he noted. “Strict understanding and memorization of individual subject matter will not carry one through the exam. One must be able to think critically in regards to concepts and how they apply in other areas,” he wrote.

Those who took the exam in April will get their scores in June, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, which administers the exam.

The test has four sections, including the newly added “Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior.” The exam is also longer than it’s been in the past. It takes about six-and-a-half hours in testing time to complete. The previous version of the test took about four-and-a-half hours.

[Check out the three strategies to know ahead of MCAT study.]

The length of the exam is one of the biggest challenges for MCAT takers, test experts say, and premeds agree. Out of 405 test-takers who prepared for the exam using Kaplan Test Prep and completed a survey about what it was like to take the MCAT in April, 31 percent said they completely agreed with experiencing fatigue before the end of the test.

The survey results also revealed that 58 percent of takers completely agreed that the testing interface was easy to navigate and only 15 percent completely agreed to being more nervous than expected on testing day.

For Jake Rothermund, an undergraduate at Ohio State University University–Columbus who tweeted about taking the new exam, reducing his college course load was critical in preparing for the April exam.

“I had planned out this year of school last summer, and I had taken enough classes to be able to have a light academic workload in the spring, so I could focus on the MCAT,” Rothermund, who just finished his third year, wrote in an email. “I only took three classes during the second semester, and used the extra time to study for the test.”

He started studying for the exam during his winter break and then began a test prep course in February. When his class finished, he took one full-length practice test each week, and two the week before the exam to fully prepare. His days of MCAT cramming are hopefully behind him.

“No one feels exceptionally great after the MCAT, especially with the new version being two hours longer,” he wrote. “I felt similar about my perceived score to what I had felt after the last couple of practice tests that I took. It was an extreme emotional and physical relief when I finished the test, and I felt that I had done enough to be confident I would not be re-taking the test.”

[Learn what the new MCAT is like with these sample questions.]

Test prep experts say part of preparation is taking classes that cover the subjects tested on the MCAT.

“The student should have exposure to all of the subjects before taking the exam,” says Owen Farcy, academic director for the MCAT summer intensive program for Kaplan Test Prep.

Because the exam is so new, it may be hard for some premeds to enroll in the right courses that will prepare them for the MCAT’s newest section.

“The psychology/sociology has a lot of information in it, most of which is new to students, much of which is not covered in test prep books, and much of which is likely not covered in 101 level psych/soc classes,” writes Birju Patel, chief MCAT tutor at MedSchool Tutors, in an email.

“Undergrad schools have some catching up to do to make sure that they prepare their students for this test, and the AAMC will likely be pushing them to do that.”

Test-takers should start studying by referring to the resources provided by the AAMC about the exam, says Patel. To ready themselves for the exam’s length and structure, premeds should use practice questions and practice exams, says Farcy.

“It’s a marathon,” he says. “Not a sprint.”

Searching for a medical school? Get our complete rankings of Best Medical Schools.

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Prospective Medical Students Weigh In on the New MCAT originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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