AAMC Section banks timed or untimed?

[Chromatic543]

I'm trying to avoid doing an extraordinary amount of content review, and have been spending a lot of time on TBR passages.

I recently started the AAMC Section banks B/B section, and have been doing them untimed. I spent probably about twenty minutes on the first two passages and got a 4/6 on each (8/12).

Should I continue on, or start timing? I've gotten the hang of timing in my opinion by using TBR passages, and have gotten to 9 min per passage.

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[NextStepTutor_1]

Hi @Chromatic543 -

Opinions vary on this, but I would vote for "semi-timed", by which I mean that you're not necessarily setting a strict timer, but you're keeping track of your time, trying to work efficiently, and evaluating when you're spending your time productively vs. when you're getting bogged down in unproductive trains of thought. I think strict timing is counterproductive because the SB is its own thing: there's a reason why you don't get a scaled score on the SB or have the option do it timed within the AAMC interface. On the other hand, not thinking at all about time can also be counterproductive on the other extreme, because you do need to be cultivating the ability to work fast and well. IMO semi-timed practice is the best way to split the difference. Regardless, the #1 goal with the SB is to develop insight into the logic of these difficult Q's.

 

[deleted823360]

I'm trying to avoid doing an extraordinary amount of content review, and have been spending a lot of time on TBR passages.

I recently started the AAMC Section banks B/B section, and have been doing them untimed. I spent probably about twenty minutes on the first two passages and got a 4/6 on each (8/12).

Should I continue on, or start timing? I've gotten the hang of timing in my opinion by using TBR passages, and have gotten to 9 min per passage.

Hey @Chromatic543 - I also have the same question as you!! When are you planning to sit for the exam? My date is 5/18 and I just started the SBs today, since I'm nearing the end of my content review.

I agree with the NS tutor comment above for a "semi-timed" approach. I'm using the SBs to create my own "DIY" AAMC FLs. So, I essentially divided SBs for C/P, B/B, and P/S into two sections (roughly half) and treat each half as if it were a section on a FL.

So, for ex. today my C/P SBs #1-54, I gave myself 95 mins. That being said, my main focus right now is to establish a solid intuition for the AAMC passage structures and question types, but I'm always worried about timing. In my view, these SB questions seem to be pretty tough so if we're near anywhere the 95 min time point, I think we're good! These SB passages required a lot of thinking + mapping out the experiments, and data interpretation. I think the semi-timed approach works because what are the odds that all 10 passages on test day are SB difficulty?

I am finding the SBs to be challenging. However, a totally different kind of challenging than what I saw on my TPR passages and EK passages. So, I'm only using TPR for CARS and not looking back! Ultimately, from the reactions of other lovely MCATers from their test day, it seems the toughest passages on the real deal are reflective of the SBs.

At any rate, I digress... I think a "semi-timed" approach is good. I realize you posted a few weeks ago, I'm wondering how the SBs turned out for you? Have you already tested?