AAMC Older Practice Tests

[vicinihil]

Why do people now say that the older AAMC ones like before 8 are not realistic indicators anymore because they are "easy" compared to the real one on test day?

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[LifetimeDoc]

Because they are wrong.

All of the AAMC exams are good predictors, if you take them all and look at the averages. It just may be that the April 2006 exam followed the latter AAMC exams, and the next few exams may be like the earlier ones.

 

[IAdam]

Why do people now say that the older AAMC ones like before 8 are not realistic indicators anymore because they are "easy" compared to the real one on test day?

The stress on test day is probably the only thing making it harder than old AAMC tests. It seems 3R and 4R have slightly "easier" topics because they do not emphasize the physics second half as much (Electricity, Magnetism, and Optics) and BS is different in the organic chemistry required (now they expect you to know more Organic 2 mechanisms and Genetics.) It is all relative though since your actual MCAT can cover any of the topics from any of these tests. The important part of these tests is to understand how the questions are designed and what kind of traps they put you in.

I cant comment on the others yet as I am currently using the Kaplan exams and will switch to AAMC near the end.

 

[WestTexasRambler]

FWIW, I did 5, 2 and 5 points better on AAMC's 7,8,9, respectively, than I did on the April Admin........don't take anything for granted and bust your a$$ to understand the material on all AAMC tests, even the earlier ones (I didn't take the earlier ones because I thought like you). Now I get the chance to take 3-6 before the August administration.

g-luck

'Rambler

 

[odddodo]

I've heard that anything before AAMC 7 is different from the real thing. So, I took the physical sciences section of both 6r and 7 and found that 6r dealt a lot more with memorization of equations and ideas, while 7 was based a bit more on reasoning.

 

[Dr Durden]

The earlier exams might also seem easier due to the fact that prep companies have had plenty of time to cover the exact material in them. However, I do think that the exam has shifted more to reasoning than regurgitation, but the old practice exams are still well worth your time and attention.