Is this a good ranking of verbal materials?

[Chromium Surfer]

New AAMC FL's> AAMC Section Bank > AAAMC Question Packs> Old AAMC FL 3-11 verbal> TPR workbook> EK.

Mainly I am wondering if the old AAMC verbal passages except the natural science passages are representative of the new CARS section. Or if they are easier due to the passages being less dense and the answers being more clear.

Thanks!

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[Roayer]

Section bank doesn't have verbal. Otherwise just swap the Sample Test with CARS 1 and you got it. But personally I'd do the old AAMC FL VR sections as opposed to the CARS question packs since the CARS packs are old AAMC VR passages that were selected as relevant to the new test. Real deal is a mix of CARS 1 and the Scored Test.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Section bank doesn't have verbal. Otherwise just swap the Sample Test with CARS 1 and you got it. But personally I'd do the old AAMC FL VR sections as opposed to the CARS question packs since the CARS packs are old AAMC VR passages that were selected as relevant to the new test. Real deal is a mix of CARS 1 and the Scored Test.

Oh okay so then
AAMC scored > Cars q1> AAMC sample > Cars q2> Old AAMC FL 3-11 verbal> TPR workbook> EK ?

Also are you saying to do the AAMC verbal instead of the Q Packs because if I did both I would be repeating stuff? If so doesnt that mean I would be skipping Cars q1?

 

[Roayer]

Yes to all the above. You aren't skipping CARS 1 you are just not doing the passages all together. If you did the CARS packs before the Old FLs you would have done half the questions in the Old FL. I would maybe do CARS 1 after the old AAMC FLs if you want to make sure you have those passages nailed down. I just think you get more scores and more bang for your studying doing the old AAMC VR sections.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Oh okay that makes sense. So in your opinon the scores you receive on the old AAMC FL are fairly indicative of how you will do on the CARS? Since its so valuable I'm assuming its best to use towards the end of prep, about two months in advance?

 

[Roayer]

Oh okay that makes sense. So in your opinon the scores you receive on the old AAMC FL are fairly indicative of how you will do on the CARS? Since its so valuable I'm assuming its best to use towards the end of prep, about two months in advance?

Yeah if you did them 2 months in advance you could redo the CARS packs and probably not remember them. I'd compare the percentile on the VR to the percentile on CARS since they don't match up. An example would be that a 8 is more a 124 than a 125. But this helps you higher up cuz I think an 11 is a 129 instead of a 128.

https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast..._total_and_section_score_percentile_ranks.pdf
https://aamc-orange.global.ssl.fast...7a4/finalpercentileranksfortheoldmcatexam.pdf

 

[Chromium Surfer]

I hear that taking 3 passages a day for verbal is the way to go. what are your thoughts on that?

I have always been pretty good on standardized reading tests. I got a 99 percentile on the PSAT on 93 on the real SAT. So I was planning on doing daily CARS practice only from Jan-April when I am doing exclusively practice tests and practice passages. Is that a bad strategy or should I start doing CARS passages now while I am doing my Aug to Dec content review?

 

[Roayer]

I hear that taking 3 passages a day for verbal is the way to go. what are your thoughts on that?

I have always been pretty good on standardized reading tests. I got a 99 percentile on the PSAT on 93 on the real SAT. So I was planning on doing daily CARS practice only from Jan-April when I am doing exclusively practice tests and practice passages. Is that a bad strategy or should I start doing CARS passages now while I am doing my Aug to Dec content review?

I would practice CARS as far ahead as possible. 2-3 passages a day seems good once you figure out the strategy you are going to use. I feel like doing that would be more beneficial than trying to do a bunch of content review now. Strong CARS skills helps a lot in P/S depending on the type of test you get and is also very useful for C/P and B/B. I started treating all my passages like CARS and vastly improved.

 

[Chromium Surfer]

I would practice CARS as far ahead as possible. 2-3 passages a day seems good once you figure out the strategy you are going to use. I feel like doing that would be more beneficial than trying to do a bunch of content review now. Strong CARS skills helps a lot in P/S depending on the type of test you get and is also very useful for C/P and B/B. I started treating all my passages like CARS and vastly improved.

Yeah I figured as much. The only reason why I am doing content review now is that I will be busy during the fall semester but a decent amount of the pre-reqs I took for dual enrollment in high school. So thats why I am taking a little more time to prep and refresh my memory. Also I do best when I take a lot of practice tests so I want to devote 3 full months to practice test taking while still having time for content.

 

[Roayer]

Yeah I figured as much. The only reason why I am doing content review now is that I will be busy during the fall semester but a decent amount of the pre-reqs I took for dual enrollment in high school. So thats why I am taking a little more time to prep and refresh my memory. Also I do best when I take a lot of practice tests so I want to devote 3 full months to practice test taking while still having time for content.

I'm not trying to discourage you, I think this is a recipe for a super high score personally, just sticking to it will be very difficult. Man if I had 3 months for practice tests, damn lol. I was just trying to indicate that CARS practice > Content review this far out if you only had time for one. If you have time for both great!

 

[Chromium Surfer]

I'm not trying to discourage you, I think this is a recipe for a super high score personally, just sticking to it will be very difficult. Man if I had 3 months for practice tests, damn lol. I was just trying to indicate that CARS practice > Content review this far out if you only had time for one. If you have time for both great!

Oh yeah I didnt take it that way at all During the spring semester I will only have like 2 classes, volunteering and no job. I am trying to go HAM on this test so I can hopefully get a merit scholarship for med school lol. I just dont want to get in the trap of being to cocky about my reading skills and then underperforming on the real thing. I read a lot as a kid, so I never really studied much for these types of tests, but I know the MCAT is a different beast.

 

[Roayer]

Oh yeah I didnt take it that way at all During the spring semester I will only have like 2 classes, volunteering and no job. I am trying to go HAM on this test so I can hopefully get a merit scholarship for med school lol. I just dont want to get in the trap of being to cocky about my reading skills and then underperforming on the real thing. I read a lot as a kid, so I never really studied much for these types of tests, but I know the MCAT is a different beast.

Yeah I read a book every day in HS and do lots of liberal arts classes and I still got a 125 on CARS (mind you I did have bad anxiety but still). CARS is a skill built over time and I think your schedule looks really good for nailing it down since most people who could get a really high score get screwed by CARS (based off the google doc). Where do you want to go to school, if I might ask?

 

[Chromium Surfer]

Yeah I read a book every day in HS and do lots of liberal arts classes and I still got a 125 on CARS (mind you I did have bad anxiety but still). CARS is a skill built over time and I think your schedule looks really good for nailing it down since most people who could get a really high score get screwed by CARS (based off the google doc). Where do you want to go to school, if I might ask?

ouch that freaks me out a little :O haha. But yeah I hope that all the planning and time that Im putting towards this pays off!

My dream school would be Mayo in MN, I would be happy with AZ. Also attending Duke, Pritzker, or UPenn would be cool. But who am I kidding, I'll go anywhere that takes me haha

 

[DexterMorganSK]

@Chromium Surfer...if you don't mind me asking..what are you using for content review? thanks

 

[Chromium Surfer]

@Chromium Surfer...if you don't mind me asking..what are you using for content review? thanks

TBR new set!! I'll be using TPR for more practice passages ins the sciences and CARS.

 

[DexterMorganSK]

TBR new set!! I'll be using TPR for more practice passages ins the sciences and CARS.

TPR book set has more passages than the EK set? My plan is to use TBR with either Kaplan or EK (Ek probably for the passages).

 

[Chromium Surfer]

TPR book set has more passages than the EK set? My plan is to use TBR with either Kaplan or EK (Ek probably for the passages).

I'm not sure actually. I just heard that the TPR workbooks are really good for practice and I get them for free through a program that my university has.

I have heard that EK FL's are really good but that their verbal is very inconsistent. I haven't heard much about their other materials

 

[StretchDoe]

Yeah I read a book every day in HS and do lots of liberal arts classes and I still got a 125 on CARS (mind you I did have bad anxiety but still). CARS is a skill built over time and I think your schedule looks really good for nailing it down since most people who could get a really high score get screwed by CARS (based off the google doc). Where do you want to go to school, if I might ask?

How similar is TPR Verbal book passages to the actual AAMC? I've been doing 3-5 passages before going to bed out of that book so far. Haven't really looked at AAMC verbal yet (January exam). Also how many questions on average should I max be getting wrong? Obviously the goal is to get them all right lol. So far I've on average been getting 5/7.

 

[Roayer]

How similar is TPR Verbal book passages to the actual AAMC? I've been doing 3-5 passages before going to bed out of that book so far. Haven't really looked at AAMC verbal yet (January exam). Also how many questions on average should I max be getting wrong? Obviously the goal is to get them all right lol. So far I've on average been getting 5/7.

Its kind of hard to compare test prep verbal to the real AAMC. I thought they were just as boring and TPR was typically harder. 5/7 is pretty good but if you can get 6/7 or all your doing well. Also how you do on test prep doesn't really show how you do on AAMC material. Your plan seems pretty good.