AAMC Biology Bundle #1 - difficulty/score conversion

[letmein1992]

I just finished doing the AAMC biology question pack #1.
Is this the difficulty of the MCAT 2015?
Also, if I got a raw score of 73%, what score would that approximate to on the real test?
Thank you!

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[mcatjelly]

I don't understand why so many people are asking about score conversions because they don't exist. It sucks, I know, but remember that we're all in/have been in the same boat here.

For your first question: compilation of commentary, AAMC prep materials section (in my signature).

For the second: a few people have entered their Q pack scores in the compilation of exam scores that Xenith and I have made. Check there and compare to their exam score.

 

[studentdocftw]

Just finished mine today as well (86%). I'm completely ignoring this result. A) It's a subsection of a section (pure bio w/o biochem) B) it was performed at home...nothing can simulate test day...when you stumble upon a ? that you don't know at home...you guess and move on. Test day, I imagine some anxiety kicks in. So my plan is do to more Q packs tomorrow, and start FLs under timed conditions Fri. Q packs, IMO, are really useful for relearning the content...not sure it translates much to actual performance on MCAT2015.

 

[studentdocftw]

on a side note, @mcatjelly , what is your interpretation of people scoring higher on the real thing vs. AAMC FL? Does it seem like most of the higher scores occurred with early test takers vs. later? or is it pretty consistent across the board, regardless of test date?

 

[ElectricNoogie]

I just finished doing the AAMC biology question pack #1.
Is this the difficulty of the MCAT 2015?
Also, if I got a raw score of 73%, what score would that approximate to on the real test?
Thank you!

@mcatjelly is spot-on. The only thing you might be able to extrapolate a hypothetical score from would be a full length exam or a section test (a full 95 minute or 90 min section on its own). Even then, it would just be a gross estimation, especially given that no one can know the raw-to-scaled score for the new MCAT. It will take multiple AAMC released practice tests with their own scales to be able to get at an average conversion like there was for the old MCAT.

The AAMC science Q packs are all meant to be a way to reinforce science content. It means next to nothing as a predictor of a scaled score on the real thing. No single MCAT section would test all that bio. Where's the biochemistry, the orgo? Just use you % correct as a good indicator of:

1) Are you remembering your science content
2) Can you handle when the MCAT tests that content it its "special" way.

Nothing more.

Right now the best we have is the excellent google doc set up HERE Read it with a grain of salt as this small, mostly unverified data set is in NO WAY statistically meaningful. However it does provide anecdotal evidence as to your possible score given previous performance and that is better than nothing.

Good luck!

 

[mcatjelly]

on a side note, @mcatjelly , what is your interpretation of people scoring higher on the real thing vs. AAMC FL? Does it seem like most of the higher scores occurred with early test takers vs. later? or is it pretty consistent across the board, regardless of test date?

I don't it means anything, honestly. Though I recall a lot of people took these FLs early on in their studying--more so than in past test dates because there's only one of them.