Resemblance/ Difficulty of the Real Test

[SunyDom]

I'm just trying to get an idea of what to expect on the real test, since the numbers I'm seeing (how people did on the practice tests vs. how they did on the real thing) and what everyone has been saying, doesn't really add up for me.

As far as I can tell, most people who have taken the test are recommending EK and the Section Banks as the best practice, as they are most similar to the MCAT. But, almost unanimously, people are saying that the AAMC sample test/ practice test are the best predictors of scores.

I've taken the sample test and scored: 64/92/76/91. I've also taken the Section Banks a couple weeks back and scored ~60 on them. I still have a couple weeks left to prepare but I still don't have a clear idea of how well prepared I am from the mixed reviews of the test. A friend of mine took it a few weeks back and said it was far more difficult than the aamc exams were, and that it most resembles the section bank.

I guess my confusion lies with my idea that, if the test resembles the Section Banks the closest, then shouldn't we not trust our scores on the AAMC exams as a good predictor (AAMC scores are way higher than scores on the Section Banks) ? I may just be bugging out over the news of the August exam, but either way I could definitely use some input from those who have taken the exam.

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[Tutor526]

The AAMC FLs are the most accurate predictors, so I would suggest focusing on really improving your C/P and then also B/B and you will be on your way to a great score. The 92% in CARS indicates that you have good reasoning skills and might need to brush up on content knowledge and equations. However, do be aware that the CARS section on the Sample test is known to be easier than the Scored, and the Scored CARS is a more representative difficulty of actual MCAT CARS

Each individual section on any given exam date can vary, but you are scored on a percentile - so the scoring scale "curve" is adjusted to the level of difficulty. If a section feels hard (such as every passage feeling Section Bank level), you can miss more questions and still get a good score. If it feels easy, there is less room for error. No matter the difficulty of your exam, data shows us that you are very likely to score within a few points (often +2-3) of your AAMC Scored FL

 

[SunyDom]

Okay great thanks for the input. That's reassuring at least, hopefully I can make some big improvements in the next few weeks

 

[Tutor526]

Okay great thanks for the input. That's reassuring at least, hopefully I can make some big improvements in the next few weeks

No problem! Best wishes for your exam

 

[DaAlienist]

Okay great thanks for the input. That's reassuring at least, hopefully I can make some big improvements in the next few weeks

How did your exam go? Which resource did you find was the most reflective of your real test?