AAMC 3 question

[snulma1]

So I took my first AAMC full length yesterday and left with a knot in my stomach.

I knew not to expect a high score, but I left with a 25. After almost 2 months of content review, a 25. I felt like total crap. I had scored 27 on both my Kaplan diagnostic and first full length kaplan exam.

I know it may be early to freak out as it was only my first AAMC, but is this an ominous sign. I was hoping to test on the 21st of Aug. Do I need to push my test back?

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[marble30]

I heard that most people usually score worse on AAMC 3 compared to the other ones, so don't let it get you down!

 

[movax]

How did you do timing-wise?

Also remember, AAMC 3 (I think everything before 7) are just truncated paper-exams, testing different concepts, etc.

Remember: The MCAT can cover an ocean of topics. It does cover about a gallon of it. You may never see fluid mechanics, optics, etc on the test (my 7/30 real MCAT was optics-free and fluids-free, and very translational-motion heavy).

 

[snulma1]

How did you do timing-wise?

Also remember, AAMC 3 (I think everything before 7) are just truncated paper-exams, testing different concepts, etc.

Remember: The MCAT can cover an ocean of topics. It does cover about a gallon of it. You may never see fluid mechanics, optics, etc on the test (my 7/30 real MCAT was optics-free and fluids-free, and very translational-motion heavy).

Timing wise i've never had an issue. I finished each section with at least 5-10 min to spare. But after reviewing, I'm seeing that most of my mistakes were due to not reading all the choices and question carefully. But It still worried me!

 

[royturn]

I did better on exam 4 than exam 3. For me, timing had a lot to do with it. I rushed through exam 3, because I was worried about finishing all the questions.

On the other hand, there is no deadline for the MCAT. You don't have to take it by the time you reach a certain point in your academic career. If you need to push the test back, then push it back. Nobody cares how long it took you, they just care about your score. If I study for two weeks and get a 30, and you study for a year and get a 35.... you win.

 

[snulma1]

I did better on exam 4 than exam 3. For me, timing had a lot to do with it. I rushed through exam 3, because I was worried about finishing all the questions.

On the other hand, there is no deadline for the MCAT. You don't have to take it by the time you reach a certain point in your academic career. If you need to push the test back, then push it back. Nobody cares how long it took you, they just care about your score. If I study for two weeks and get a 30, and you study for a year and get a 35.... you win.

I understand there is no deadline, but if I want to apply during this cycle, there is a rush so that I have a backup if I don't do well the first time. Not too mention I am 30 and am kinda feeling old at this point and want to get in and get going already!

 

[G1SG2]

So I took my first AAMC full length yesterday and left with a knot in my stomach.

I knew not to expect a high score, but I left with a 25. After almost 2 months of content review, a 25. I felt like total crap. I had scored 27 on both my Kaplan diagnostic and first full length kaplan exam.

I know it may be early to freak out as it was only my first AAMC, but is this an ominous sign. I was hoping to test on the 21st of Aug. Do I need to push my test back?

I wouldn't push back. They key is to find your weaknesses and get rid of them. Review your exams thoroughly, find out what you missed, and take care of it. Keep taking full length exams, and also keep doing content review until your test date. A 25 is not bad for your first AAMC full length. I scored a 26 on AAMC 3 and after much review/practice, raised my score to a 36 on a diagnostic (have not received my real MCAT score yet). Just keep going at it. Good luck.

 

[royturn]

I understand what you're going through. I'm 29 and I feel old as well.

But when you look back on your life; after 4 years of med school, 3-5 years of fellowship, and 25 years of working, I don't think sitting out one year will seem like such a big deal.



On a side note, I find it ridiculously funny that I'm probably not willing to take my own advice. Grain of Salt.

 

[lstone13]

I did my worst on AAMC 3! Don't be discouraged! I scored a 26 on it and felt awful! I kept studying though and the next week I took AAMC 4 and it bumped up to 32.

 

[PharMed2016]

I understand what you're going through. I'm 29 and I feel old as well.

But when you look back on your life; after 4 years of med school, 3-5 years of fellowship, and 25 years of working, I don't think sitting out one year will seem like such a big deal.



On a side note, I find it ridiculously funny that I'm probably not willing to take my own advice. Grain of Salt.

At least your willing to admit such a thing, lol. I still find it hard to admit such a thing.

 

[MCATBear]

I wouldn't panic. You said you finished with 5-10 minutes extra and a lot of mistakes were because you didn't read all the questions carefully. Now you know that you aren't as pressed for time as you thought and that you need to read each question carefully. Do that on your next practice without worrying about time and you probably will see a significant score improvement. Maybe you'll run out of time and you'll have to adjust in the other direction, but I found I always did better when I wasn't "trying" to make time.

 

[doc totipotent]

Ditto almost everything above. You've got this! The fact that your timing is right is almost half the battle. Your first exposure to the real AAMC practice tests can be tricky, because they really do have a different feel to them than the other practice tests out there. That being said, it's good that you took it because the real MCAT will probably be closer to that than other practice tests you take.

Identify the silly mistakes that made you chose the wrong answers. Compile a list of those, and review the list before you take each new practice full-length. It'll help keep your mind focused. You'll find that you'll feel like you conquer the test once you start defeating it at its own game.