***Official AAMC Practice Exams Discussion Thread***

[Fp02c]

I took the free practice test and I had a few questions. How does it compare to the other tests available? I didnt think it was too bad particularly with verbal and p.s. I ended up with a 10 on verbal and 11 on p.s. Most of my verbal mistakes were downright stupid and I took the p.s without any studying really just to get a feel for it. Somebody told me though that this was the easiest test and I should have gotten at the very least above a 12 on both of those sections to even consider getting above a 10 on the real thing. I am taking the actual mcat may 27th. I changed it from mid april so that I can study more. My biggest strength is P.S. I just finished engineering so im very confortable with those types of questions. My biggest weakness is the biological sciences. I have only taken biology 1 and 2 and by the time the mcat rolls around I would have finished o chem 1 and barely started o chem 2. My strategy for the biology is mainly to use EK with some other sources on any subjects that give me a harder time. Is this a wise idea? I took the biology courses AGES ago and to be honest I dont remember any of the stuff with respect to physiology and body parts. What do you guys recommend with respect to how I should approach studying for this test.

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[noshie]

If you had to choose just 2 to buy which would they be? I think I have already done 3, 4 and 6 in previous years, But this was before computerized MCAT. Which two were most helpful?

 

[chreesteene]

noshie:

most people have said that the later aamc tests (7-10) are more representative of the actual mcat, but i think that the more practice you do, the better it'll be for your score because you'll have lots more experience with their question types, format, etc. hope that helps!

 

[requeim]

verbal on 8 was killer. so many weird, obscure passages. i hated that whole section.

 

[sb29]

Hello to all,

I am re-taking the MCAT on July 18th. My practice scores are fluctuating a lot..for AAMC's 3,4,5,6,7,8 >> 26,29,24,27,25,27 respectively.

I know it is too late to re-schedule the test...but has anybody hit a 30 on the real thing even if u had a lower AAMC prac scores ?

I don't get a verbal above 8 ( I am not a native English speaker). Is this an acceptable score for med schools?

Plz guide me! I would be really grateful to all of you! Thank you!

 

[onb2014]

I'm just curious, when did the various AAMC tests get released? I know 9 and 10 were released within the past 3 years, but what about the others?

 

[1Cor1557]

http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/practicetests.htm

Click on the exam you want to see and it will tell you the date

EXAMPLE:
MCAT Computer Based Web Practice Test 4 (Web)

February 2007

 

[blackmamba24]

Is there a reason why the AAMC 4-7 tests arent more like todays tests (they were the latest released in 07)?

 

[requeim]

i'm guessing thats the date that they were introduced in the CBT format.

 

[baller99]

did anyone else find AAMC 8 particularly hard? I know that there were more difficult questions and all, but is it still a good indicator of mcat scores? this one was a solid 3-4 pts behind all my other aamcs. and i did really bad in bio (where i thought i dominated!). thanks.

 

[DH78]

AAMC 8 was my lowest test, but largely because of VR. This is weird, because I usually rock VR. Also, the testing conditions that day were bad (it was noisy on the quiet room, and I think I was hung over). I think there is usually some consistancy in the scoring, so try to look at the middle of the spectrum, rather than the extremes.

 

[premed1437]

On Kaplan FL1 and FL2 I had a 26... But that was before I've started heavy reading of notes. I just took AAMC 3 and got a 28 (9/10/9 w/ 10 being VR)

I'm taking the MCAT September 5th.. Putting in around 10+ hours/day until August 25th, when school starts...Then, still around 8+ hours, w/ 10+ still on the weekend before.

I feel like I could have done a lot better; a lot of the mistakes were stupid mistakes because I breezed over the question too fast or I didn't read the passage thoroughly. I think I have to work more on test-taking strategies than on actually memorizing stuff...

I'm taking Kaplan FL's 3, 4, and 5, then switching over and taking AAMC 4-10 before my test. Hoping to get a 35+... Have a LOT of work to do, but at least now I feel it's more doable... I think the test is more learning how to take the test as opposed to memorizing everything (though that would certainly help...)

Any words of advice?

 

[TehDoc]

The free test is not like the other practice test and certainly not like the real mcat

 

[lrkoehle]

If you are making careless mistakes, try to slow down a little bit and even re-read the question if you need to. Your timing and reading speed will improve with practice, so that you know how to get through the test efficiently instead of quickly. going quick leads to errors, working efficiently will allow you to think through everything and hopefully maximize your score.

 

[chad5871]

This discussion is better suited for the MCAT Discussions forum, where you might receive some more responses. I am moving it there now.

 

[lastcall]

I thought the passages in aamc 10 were easier than aamc 8 but I ended up doing terrible on aamc 10 verbal!! I have heard others on SDN say that they got their lowest verbal score on aamc 10? Maybe the curve for aamc verbal 10 was more harsh than the one for aamc 8?

 

[engineeredout]

The free test is not like the other practice test and certainly not like the real mcat

It isn't that far off though from the other practice tests.

And 28 is pretty good for your first time through. Review what you got wrong and maybe do some more outside practice and you may find yourself doing a lot better on the next one now that you're more familar with it.

 

[engineeredout]

I thought the PS on 8 was hard as **** but I still ended up getting my about average score (10). VR seemed fine to me.

 

[lastcall]

^ I was referring specifically to the verbal sections in aamc 8 and 10. The verbal in 10 was my lowest

 

[lastcall]

I thought the PS on 8 was hard as **** but I still ended up getting my about average score (10). VR seemed fine to me.

engineeredout,
what did you think about the verbal on aamc 10...I heard it is the closest predictor to actual score? Arghhh, that verbal seemed easier on 10 but my verbal score (8) sure didn't reflect it.

 

[thefifteenth]

did anyone find aamc 4 kindof easy (or at least significantly easier than the others)? I had like 10 mins left for every section and that definately never happens.

 

[engineeredout]

engineeredout,
what did you think about the verbal on aamc 10...I heard it is the closest predictor to actual score? Arghhh, that verbal seemed easier on 10 but my verbal score (8) sure didn't reflect it.

I'll let you know in a week.

 

[YA7ES]

did anyone find aamc 4 kindof easy (or at least significantly easier than the others)? I had like 10 mins left for every section and that definately never happens.

I took it earlier this morning and didn't have any time left on the verbal.. go figure.

But 2-4 minutes to spare on PS and BS.

 

[BlueElmo]

verbal on 8 was killer. so many weird, obscure passages. i hated that whole section.

Really? I found the verbal on AAMC 8 to be the easiest I have ever taken so far. This was my only AAMC I have taken so far and I got a 12. Those passages were straightforward and I thought the questions were so clear.

PS and BS especially were another story.

 

[tmntdonjuan]

Really? I found the verbal on AAMC 8 to be the easiest I have ever taken so far. This was my only AAMC I have taken so far and I got a 12. Those passages were straightforward and I thought the questions were so clear.

PS and BS especially were another story.

Overall, I felt AAMC 8 was one of the harder tests. AAMC 7 & 9 felt like they were easier in all aspects (PS, BS, VR).

 

[fauscharvard]

OMG buddy, you completely made my day. I just took the test and i got my lowest verbal score ever haha. got me so bummed, and then i thought about lookin for other opinions... sdklfj this was amazing lol

 

[willis06]

im taking the mcat this friday and have already taken 3,4, 9 and 10... I would like to take one more test before the real thing and I am looking for the EASIEST remaining AAMC to help with a final "boost" to my confidence before friday...
I've been reading through this and it seems like most people thought that 7 and 8 were fairly tough.
any suggestions??

 

[BlueElmo]

OMG buddy, you completely made my day. I just took the test and i got my lowest verbal score ever haha. got me so bummed, and then i thought about lookin for other opinions... sdklfj this was amazing lol

lol. iono, maybe I was just lucky that day. But PS and BS on 8 killed me, if that makes you feel any better.

 

[futuredoctor10]

Similar to willis06's post, I was wondering what AAMC exams you guys recommend I should save for last. I have heard 9 and 10 for most people turn out better (in terms of scores) than 8. Between those two, which is the best to save for my last AAMC?

 

[BlueElmo]

I'm going to take AAMC 9 and 10 pretty soon. God, I wish I could dominate in these AAMC and the real MCAT like Michael Phelps dominates in swimming.

 

[tmntdonjuan]

im taking the mcat this friday and have already taken 3,4, 9 and 10... I would like to take one more test before the real thing and I am looking for the EASIEST remaining AAMC to help with a final "boost" to my confidence before friday...
I've been reading through this and it seems like most people thought that 7 and 8 were fairly tough.
any suggestions??

AAMC 7 is what you're looking for then. I got my 2nd highest score on AAMC 7 (AAMC 9 was my highest).

 

[futuredoctor10]

I thought AAMC7 was pretty challenging comparatively to 6. How do AAMC exams 8, 9 and 10 compare to 7 in difficulty/scoring?

 

[BlueElmo]

I just took AAMC 9 (12 PS, 9 VR, 9 BS) for a 30. A week earlier, I took AAMC 8 (9 PS, 12 VR, 9 BS) for a 30.

How can there be a fluctuation like this? In a span of one week, how can my PS improved by 3 points? And how can Verbal fall by 3 points? For BS, I did improve by 4 questions. I was just one question away from a 10. So I will just give myself benefit of the doubt and say I missed one to stupid/careless mistake and say I got a 10. (Also there wasn't a single question on genetics, which is my strongest biology topic).Please help, I'm going crazy.

 

[futuredoctor10]

BlueElmo my scores are fluctuating (somewhat) also on each section. At least your overall score is staying the same! My AAMC scores on 2 tests within a week varied by 4 points!

I am trying to stay consistent (and high) on my last AAMCs Hopefully, we'll see what happens

 

[poodlechick]

I just took test 9, got a 28 (PS 10, VR 9, BS 9), but on the last three I made 30, 33, 29 respecively. The ones I took before that were 26's and a 27 but that was like three months ago. How could this happen??? Did anyone think that test 9 was particularly confusing with lengthy passages?
Taking the MCAT this friday and going to take 10 on Tuesday. Hope I'm not f*@&#d!

 

[poodlechick]

Oh, and I am aiming for a 36.

 

[spyderracing32]

The free test is not like the other practice test and certainly not like the real mcat

AAMC 3 was my lowest score.

 

[futuredoctor10]

AAMC 3 was my lowest score.

Mine too. I don't think AAMC3 is representative of the real MCAT at all. It is also different from the other AAMCs with some weird questions/passages

 

[spyderracing32]

Mine too. I don't think AAMC3 is representative of the real MCAT at all. It is also different from the other AAMCs with some weird questions/passages

I think they're all supposed to be fairly representative on the real MCAT based on this pulled from the AAMC site:

The scores you achieve on the practice test are an estimate of the scores you might achieve on an actual MCAT administration. It is important for you to understand that the conditions under which you take practice tests only approximate the conditions of an actual administration. Factors that are known to affect score performance, such as your emotional and mental preparedness and the physical surroundings, will differ somewhat for the practice test and a national administration of the MCAT. With that said, MCAT Practice Online contains real MCAT tests, administered live in the "not too distant past." These tests have been released as practice tests because they have been used as many times as the AAMC will allow others, because they have been "potentially exposed" through the loss of a test book.

Note that they are real MCATs. Annnnnd as a general rule the principles we're being tested over are classical sciences that have not changed in the past 50 or so years, so it certainly hasn't changed in the past 10. I think my AAMC 3 was lowest simply because it was my first annnnnnnd I wasn't completely where I wanted to be with content review at the time.

 

[futuredoctor10]

Note that they are real MCATs. Annnnnd as a general rule the principles we're being tested over are classical sciences that have not changed in the past 50 or so years

True, but I strongly believe that AAMC 3 in particular (not AAMC exams 4-10) is not representative of the real MCAT. I am not saying concepts have changed over the past 50 years, I am just saying if AAMC 3 was administered in the 1980s then clearly there's a strong chance it is different from today's exams.

For example there were alot of straight recall of concepts in the BS discretes. There was a passage in PS on SHM that required simply plugging into formulas and knowing concepts - I think all were pseudodiscretes, except for 1 question requiring the passage. This should have made my score HIGHER, but because it was early on in content review and my first AAMC exam that did not help matters. Just my opinion!

I think most people coming out of recent MCATs probably agree that their MCAT was considerably different from AAMC 3.

 

[poodlechick]

My lowest was on 3, but it was the first I took.

I will offer some suggestions:
1.) START EARLY - the sooner you start the better because everything will become very intuitive and patterns will arise quickly
2.) starting early and just piddling through notecards, practice questions, etc. is waaaay better than major cramming
3.) I like examkrackers and princeton review - kaplan to me is not that great
4.) always keep first choice, if you have time left over don't change an answer unless you are 110% sure the change is correct

Now, I am taking the MCAT friday, any suggestions?

 

[spyderracing32]

Now, I am taking the MCAT friday, any suggestions?

Lets rock this thing! Game time baby!

 

[banister]

Ok, I'm done taking my last practice test. Hopefully ending on a high note will be indicative of how I am going to do on Friday!

4: 10 PS, 10 V, 13 BS
3: 10 PS, 12 V, 10 BS
6: 12 PS, 8 V, 11 BS
9: 12 PS, 9 V, 12 PS
8: 12 PS, 12 V, 12 BS
10: 13 PS, 11 V, 13 PS

I hope my verbal doesn't fluctuate down. I figure it is all a matter of I really concentrate and actually slow down on the reading instead of trying to get through it as fast as I can.

Anyways, good luck to those who still have to take it!!

 

[spyderracing32]

Finished with AAMC 10 tonight and my scores stand at:

AAMC 3 - 36 (12/12/12)
AAMC 4 - 39 (14P/12V/13B)
AAMC 5 - 38 (14P/12V/12B)
AAMC 6 - 39 (14P/14V/11B)
AAMC 7 - 37 (14P/11V/12B)
AAMC 8 - 38 (13P/13V/12B)
AAMC 9 - 38 (14P/11V/13B)
AAMC 10 - 40 (14P/13V/13B)

Now just waiting for friday!

 

[poodlechick]

Done with the test. I thought it was really hard and I honestly have no clue. I don't know if that is a bad thing or what. I was averaging a 28.5 on my AAMC tests. I don't know about anyone else, but it seemed REALLY dense, worse than AAMC tests. Any thoughts?

 

[spyderracing32]

Done with the real thing. I didn't think it was much worse than the AAMC exams. You have to know your stuff either way if you want to do really well. Was a bit more reading, but I didn't feel like the questions were particularly out of line with the practice exams.

 

[robert0e23]

Hello everybody, does anyone have any idea when aamc will release new exams (11+above). I tried askin them but.got no response.

 

[Vihsadas]

If you had to choose just 2 to buy which would they be? I think I have already done 3, 4 and 6 in previous years, But this was before computerized MCAT. Which two were most helpful?

MCAT practice exams are really a lot like pokeman. "Gotta catch 'em all." (And you should. )

 

[maybee]

I don't know if this has been answered.. but how do you review your writing sample section on the AAMC practice exams?? Am I just missing it or does it not exist???!!!

 

[Destro96]

I don't know if this has been answered.. but how do you review your writing sample section on the AAMC practice exams?? Am I just missing it or does it not exist???!!!

There is no way to review them. I think the best advice in this regard is to view the sample high-scoring essays on e-mcat and in the new Official Guide. Try to emulate what you see in terms of organization and structure.

On another note, what others have said in this thread about the verbal in AAMC10 is spot on. Verbal is usually my strongest (did an 11 in a real test last year) and I tend to struggle in BS.

I got worked on this one pretty hard. Moreover, I got behind the eight ball on timing, which usually never happens to me on verbal.

Here's to hoping that 9 is easier.

 

[ezsanche]

Hello Everyone,
This is my second time taking the MCAT. I took it last year and since I didn't get into medical school last year I am retaking it again to boost my chances for acceptance.
I have been studying really hard ( much harder than when I first took the mcat) and I have taken several practice tests. My test is on the 5th of August.

First time taking the MCAT: 27 P:11 V:5 B:11
Here

3- T: 36 - P:12 V:12 B:12
4- T: 32 - P:12 V: 9 B:12
5- T: 37 - P15 V:11 B:11
6- T: 36 - P:15 V:7 B:14

My biggest concern is with the Verbal section of the MCAT. I always feel good after I have taken a verbal section. But no matter how I feel I can never get a consistent score. As you can see I either do really well or I do below average. My personal goal on the MCAT is to get at least a 9. Does anyone else have the same problem?