Kaplan Diagnostic!?!?

I took a kaplan diagnostic and scored a (4 ps, 7vr, 4 bs). I am really bummed out. I thought that I would have scored much higher in the sciences. When I was talking the test I felt like I was guessing on every question. Did anyone score horribly like this and end up doing well on the ps and bs sections?

Thanks for any advice!

My sig is especially true for Kaplan's diagnostic. Beyond the information in my sig, Kaplan's test is also in a completely different format from the real thing.

I'm relatively new to this whole MCAT thing, but if there's one thing I've learned from the these boards it's that diagnostic exams are total crap. Don't dwell on it too much. Use it as a motivating factor to dive into your studying.

I'm sure others will have better advice for you

Originally Posted by MBHockey

I'm relatively new to this whole MCAT thing, but if there's one thing I've learned from the these boards it's that diagnostic exams are total crap. Don't dwell on it too much. Use it as a motivating factor to dive into your studying.

I'm sure others will have better advice for you

I completely agree.

Don't worry about your diag score (at all!). It means absolutely nothing...especially kaplan's which is completely different than the real MCAT!

yeah don't worry too much about diagnostics. Just study hard from now on.

Originally Posted by jgberken

I completely agree.

Don't worry about your diag score (at all!). It means absolutely nothing...especially kaplan's which is completely different than the real MCAT!

hey, jgberken, I saw your posts in MD forums. Congrats on UVA acceptance!

Originally Posted by BlueElmo

hey, jgberken, I saw your posts in MD forums. Congrats on UVA acceptance!

Thanks elmo!!!

Originally Posted by greatestpastime

I took a kaplan diagnostic and scored a (4 ps, 7vr, 4 bs). I am really bummed out. I thought that I would have scored much higher in the sciences. When I was talking the test I felt like I was guessing on every question. Did anyone score horribly like this and end up doing well on the ps and bs sections?

Thanks for any advice!

I just submitted a post a few days ago about how half of my MCAT class scored a 15 on their diagnostic tests (I teach for a test prep company that will remain nameless -- not Kaplan or TPR). It was exactly a 15, too. Not 14, not 16. 50% of the class scored exactly a 15.

Bottom line is that I guess I wouldn't freak out too much about the diagnostic; if ALL of your test scores hover around 15 THEN I would worry. If you are still scoring 15s 3 tests down the line, then I'd say you need to give that exam some SERIOUS attention. One 15 isn't an indicator of much of anything, though.

Kaplan says that their students average a ten point increase from their diagnostic scores.

hey, don't feel bummed out. i think everyone scores low on their diagnostics because it's a diagnostics. it is supposed to make you realize that you really need to study. take it as a motivation to study so you will never see that score again. when are you taking your mcat?

I wouldn't worry too much about it. My actual MCAT was quite a bit higher than the diagnostic. They do it to motivate you to study more-- and when you get your actual scores back you'll think "wow, look how much I've improved... Yay Kaplan!" But truly, taking a course really helps I think.

i literally got torched on my kaplan diagnostic, i think it was like a 15 or 17 or something! do not worry about it one bit

I just took the diagnostic today. I thought it was no big deal. I hadn't looked over any biology or chem, which I haven't even thought of for a year plus. Boy was I wrong. My biggest mistake was taking it in my kitchen while my little brother was in the adjacent room playing his wii. I got a 13 .At first I was disheartened, but this thread has made me feel much better.

are you guys refering to the free mcat practice exam that kaplan provides on their website, because yea, i really got burned on that test!!! i can't imagine that the real test will be like, i took AAMC test 3 and scored much higher, i dont know but kaplan always seems to seem alot harder then all the other prep companies...anybody agree with this.

Originally Posted by UT8305

are you guys refering to the free mcat practice exam that kaplan provides on their website, because yea, i really got burned on that test!!! i can't imagine that the real test will be like, i took AAMC test 3 and scored much higher, i dont know but kaplan always seems to seem alot harder then all the other prep companies...anybody agree with this.

I actually heard the opposite... most of students from my area think TPR has harder/better tests

well, the thing with me is, during the verbal section of the diagnostic exam i am not able to read read the passages in time, i am taking way too long on reading the passages and then in the end of it all i dont comprehend that well, i dont really know how to get over it, its worrying me alot, there were 6 passages, and 45 questions in 60 minutes, that seem like a fair amount of time but i had 20 minutes to go and i was still on the 4th passage!!!!! how do i improve this....i know there are no quick fix and practice is key, but i would seriously do better on the test if i could just read faster, i was completing each passage in ten minutes which is not good...any suggestions?

Remember that the average test taker scores a 24-25 on the MCAT. Because every MCAT score is sent to medical schools, no one takes the MCAT for fun or to get some good practice in. This also means that most people prep (to varying degrees) for the exam.

It wouldn't be the average, if on average students scored a 24 on their diagnostic before doing any review or preparation for the exam, now would it?

I just finished my diagnostic tests after a long day of hard work. Got a 12!!!

I just got mine back and got a 19, ekk. Study time.

just got mine back. made a 20 - 7PS, 8BS, 5VR.

Time to hit the books...and I felt like I did the best on VR...

OK so I am a kaplan teacher. Let me tell you guys that the diagnostic is just that a diagnostic. No point in freaking out yet. Just go with the class. If you don't improve a lot by the first full length then be worried. But depending on your class and MCAT date you have plenty of time. To be honest I didn't get to studying hardcore until after the first full length. That's when I realized I needed to start going at it. Good luck to you all.

Originally Posted by UT8305

well, the thing with me is, during the verbal section of the diagnostic exam i am not able to read read the passages in time, i am taking way too long on reading the passages and then in the end of it all i dont comprehend that well, i dont really know how to get over it, its worrying me alot, there were 6 passages, and 45 questions in 60 minutes, that seem like a fair amount of time but i had 20 minutes to go and i was still on the 4th passage!!!!! how do i improve this....i know there are no quick fix and practice is key, but i would seriously do better on the test if i could just read faster, i was completing each passage in ten minutes which is not good...any suggestions?

really it should only take you 2 minutes to read the passage which leaves 6 to 8 minutes for the questions Practice practice practice.

my advice would be to go slow and really concentrate on what you are reading. Do not read the passage twice. Also, remember all the answers are found in the passage or can be derived in some manner.

Hey guys I just took the Kaplan Diagnostic and Science Assesment this past Wed. and got a 19 (8PS, 6 BS, 5VR) and a 60% on the science assessment. The way I look at it, is that its a starting point and under my personal profile I put down that I was aiming for a 35, so I would not let the diagnostic distract anyone from a personal goal. If anything use as motivation to conquer. We are all in this struggle together and if one uses all the tools that they make available to us there is no reason to not score within that range.

hey, MD2B in 2010, i got around your science assessment score just now for kaplan. (a 24 overall on the diagnostic). i was wondering how you did on the real mcat after u were done taking kaplan?
thanks