TBR vs. Real Deal

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It seems to me that everyone says if you're scoring 50-60% on one section of TBR that you're right where you need to be. This does not mirror what their scale says. Have people done horribly on TBR like TBR Physics, Bio-Phys (especially metabolic pathways) and scored high on practice AAMC's or the real deal?

By the way, are you guys kidding me with the metabolic pathways? That seems like PhD in Biology level understanding. I thought knowing allosteric activators and inhibitors of the three controlling enzymes would be the most detailed thing you need to know (HK, PFK, PK) and maybe principles of redox reactions and how the glycolytic pathway, PDC, and membranes in ETC are all one big system of redox reactions - all in addition to bread and butter cellular respiration stuff.THIS CHAPTER SEEMS LIKE TOO MUCH.

But please answer the first thought.

Originally Posted by postbacpremed87

It seems to me that everyone says if you're scoring 50-60% on one section of TBR that you're right where you need to be. This does not mirror what their scale says. Have people done horribly on TBR like TBR Physics, Bio-Phys (especially metabolic pathways) and scored high on practice AAMC's or the real deal?

By the way, are you guys kidding me with the metabolic pathways? That seems like PhD in Biology level understanding. I thought knowing allosteric activators and inhibitors of the three controlling enzymes would be the most detailed thing you need to know (HK, PFK, PK) and maybe principles of redox reactions and how the glycolytic pathway, PDC, and membranes in ETC are all one big system of redox reactions - all in addition to bread and butter cellular respiration stuff.THIS CHAPTER SEEMS LIKE TOO MUCH.

But please answer the first thought.

That "standard" has been set ONLY for the Biology books. The scaling for the other books, including Physics, is pretty accurate IMO. If somebody is scoring 50% in TBR Physics practice for each chapter, then something is VERY wrong in their method of studying. For Bio, that's a different story.

Originally Posted by Forkit

That "standard" has been set ONLY for the Biology books. The scaling for the other books, including Physics, is pretty accurate IMO. If somebody is scoring 50% in TBR Physics practice for each chapter, then something is VERY wrong in their method of studying. For Bio, that's a different story.

I'm generally around 70% for BR Physics and GC

I get around 50% on a lot of BR Bio passages.

Originally Posted by Forkit

That "standard" has been set ONLY for the Biology books. The scaling for the other books, including Physics, is pretty accurate IMO. If somebody is scoring 50% in TBR Physics practice for each chapter, then something is VERY wrong in their method of studying. For Bio, that's a different story.

It's funny because it's the other way around for me. I tend to score 75-80% on bio and ochem and 65-70% on physics and Gchem.

Originally Posted by Ibn Alnafis MD

It's funny because it's the other way around for me. I tend to score 75-80% on bio and ochem and 65-70% on physics and Gchem.

If that is true, then look forward to a 15 on BS.

Some BS passages I get 7/7 and then others 3/7. It is frustrating.

Originally Posted by postbacpremed87

If that is true, then look forward to a 15 on BS.

Some BS passages I get 7/7 and then others 3/7. It is frustrating.

Not necessarily. Sometimes, I find tprh bio passages to be a little more challenging than tbr bio. The utilization of critical thinking in TBR bio is not on par with that of their gchem and physics. The main impediment I face with TBR bio is timing. I rarely finish a passage in less than 9mins. Most 6-question passages take me around 10 mins to complete.

Originally Posted by postbacpremed87

If that is true, then look forward to a 15 on BS.

Some BS passages I get 7/7 and then others 3/7. It is frustrating.

Guys, all of this is relative. Just b/c you are using TBR and scoring 60% or even 80% doesn't necessarily mean that you will get a 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, or some other magic number but it may mean that you have a higher probability of getting a higher percentile score.

Originally Posted by dudewheresmymd

Guys, all of this is relative. Just b/c you are using TBR and scoring 60% or even 80% doesn't necessarily mean that you will get a 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, or some other magic number but it may mean that you have a higher probability of getting a higher percentile score.

But SDN told me that TBR is the pre-med bible

Their resources are really good and detailed. I bought all of their books. I love using them myself. I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just saying I have friends who have used TBR (and even taken their class in CA) and though most of them did really well, not ALL of them achieved the scores that they really wanted to achieve. A lot of it will just come down to "test day luck" and "test day testing skills"...if you get what I mean. And same with TPR, Kaplan, or any other company out there. There's no way for anyone to guarantee a particular score come test day solely by using a "particular set of review books." My philosophy is review books can get you through to the test day, but it's up to you on test day to achieve your full potential. At least that's what I like to delude myself into believing