AAMC tests, no improvement?

[Sammy1024]

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I've been studying for what feels like forever, and I used Kaplan to begin my studying and after Kaplan books were no longer useful, I chose to read some BR for the topics that I had more difficulty in.

I really FEEL like i've become better and smarter and my Kaplan FL show that my score is going up, i've been stuck at a 23 for AAMC since the beginning. Literally NO fluctuation at all!

I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for me?

And for the breakdown per topic, it's like i'll get 2/3 or 4/5. It's basically all the -1's that add up.

 

[Willy38]

Have you made a mistake book? I was stuck at low 30s on my practice tests then started a book where I wrote down what I missed and why I missed it on any practice problem or problem on a test that I missed or got lucky on. After I did that I jumped a lot in just two weeks. I went from 29-31 on everything to 34 36 40 then took the real thing and got a 38. Your book will fill up fast lol or at least mine did and I was surprised by how many times I did something careless or didn't answer exactly what they were asking.

 

[Sammy1024]

I usually print out all my mistakes by taking screen shots, but maybe that's not the next way. How would you do it for a question based on a passage? Can you give me an example of a passage based question and a discrete question? Thank you so much! :]

 

[brood910]

Brain absorbs more information when you speak, write, and read at the same time.
You definitely should write notes with your hands, not taking screenshots.

 

[Sammy1024]

Sorry, what I meant was that I take screen shots, and then I go through each question, underline the important things I should have noticed, and write down why I missed the question.

But I completely understand that I should be writing down the questions, but didn't know what's the most effective/efficient way when some of the questions are passage based and I didn't want to waste time writing the passage down or something!

 

[brood910]

You just have to get used to the way they ask questions.
I dont know how to explain this feeling, but once you do several FLs, you will know what they are looking for.

 

[Sammy1024]

I've taken AAMC 3, 4, 5, and 7 and got a 23 on all of them. But the Kaplan one's i've gone up from 16 (my diagnostic) to 29 on the one I took 2 weeks ago.

I try to alternate between them. I've noticed that most of the answers are in the passage, because when i've reviewed them before i've seen them pull information from the passages to explain the answer, but I feel like sometimes I don't see the connection, and was wondering if there was something people did that helped them to realize like "AHA! There it is, in the passage, right there!"

 

[brood910]

If you are not breaking a 10 on science sections, that means your content review is not strong enough.

 

[Sammy1024]

It varies:

3: 7 - 8 - 8
4: 8 - 6 - 9
5: 8 - 7 - 8
7: 7 - 9 - 7

On the Kaplan one's I usually break 10 for at least PS or BS or both. I have yet to get a 10 in verbal but I know it's my weakest subject and have gone up from a 6.

I read through all my notes every week and try to look through as many past mistakes as I can. I also started taking some BR passage based questions, the ones at the end of each chapter to help improve my mistakes.

Most of the mistakes aren't even calculation errors (on the PS), it's that I didn't see that the information for the equation was in the passage, because it was randomly in there and so I didn't know how to use the equation I knew I needed to use. Or it'll say some fact in the passage, but when I read it in the question, the answer seems too definitive so I don't pick it.

For example, they'll be like calculators absorb a wavelength of 10 - 20 m and send out wavelength of 50 - 60. And then the answer will be like each calculator absorbs a different wavelength, and it'll be the correct answer, but I think it's wrong because why would EACH calculator have a different wavelength? (I wish I could use the actual AAMC question to explain this).

I'm not sure what else I could do to improve my content.

The Kaplan test I took 2 weeks ago (2/21) I got 10 - 9 - 10.

 

[Willy38]

All passage questions are either completely answered by material in the passage or require you to use outside knowledge combined with passage info to get the right answer. If it requires background knowledge (basic science that should be covered in content review) then write down what you didn't know. If it is completely passage based then look at how you missed it and write that down. Did you skim too lightly? Did you not realize that BGF456 or whatever was a gene? Did you miss a critical sentence that explains how the system they are describing works ? Most of the time this is the case. When you read the passage try to form a mental picture as you read, just like you do when someone tells you a story or when you read a novel. The passage is essentially just describing a system or mechanism. Having a holistic picture of it in your head helps tremendously. This should help with verbal too. It helped me. Best of luck man!

 

[Sammy1024]

I see!! Thank you to everyone for all their help! I'm going to go through my old AAMC tests and do this for all of them! :]

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

It varies:

3: 7 - 8 - 8
4: 8 - 6 - 9
5: 8 - 7 - 8
7: 7 - 9 - 7

On the Kaplan one's I usually break 10 for at least PS or BS or both. I have yet to get a 10 in verbal but I know it's my weakest subject and have gone up from a 6.

I read through all my notes every week and try to look through as many past mistakes as I can. I also started taking some BR passage based questions, the ones at the end of each chapter to help improve my mistakes.

Most of the mistakes aren't even calculation errors (on the PS), it's that I didn't see that the information for the equation was in the passage, because it was randomly in there and so I didn't know how to use the equation I knew I needed to use. Or it'll say some fact in the passage, but when I read it in the question, the answer seems too definitive so I don't pick it.

For example, they'll be like calculators absorb a wavelength of 10 - 20 m and send out wavelength of 50 - 60. And then the answer will be like each calculator absorbs a different wavelength, and it'll be the correct answer, but I think it's wrong because why would EACH calculator have a different wavelength? (I wish I could use the actual AAMC question to explain this).

I'm not sure what else I could do to improve my content.

The Kaplan test I took 2 weeks ago (2/21) I got 10 - 9 - 10.

Content is lacking severely. Postpone and review content more thoroughly.
The Kaplan ones you should be hitting 28-30's at least, because their scale is so generous. So that shows lack of a good testing basis.
IMO, take TBR and EK 1000 series for PS section and drill/content review for like a month or so and drill using TPRH BS passages.

 

[Sammy1024]

I've gotten 29 on the Kaplan. I was wondering when AAMC starts making test more difficult? I understand that all MCATs are difficult but I heard that after a certain point in the year (maybe June?) they start making the sections unequal to make them more difficult.

An example being more O. Chem on the test instead of 25% ochem, 75% biology.

 

[Dr.Wink]

I've gotten 29 on the Kaplan. I was wondering when AAMC starts making test more difficult? I understand that all MCATs are difficult but I heard that after a certain point in the year (maybe June?) they start making the sections unequal to make them more difficult.

An example being more O. Chem on the test instead of 25% ochem, 75% biology.

That is a myth. The test strictly adheres to the format outlined by the AAMC.

 

[brood910]

I've gotten 29 on the Kaplan. I was wondering when AAMC starts making test more difficult? I understand that all MCATs are difficult but I heard that after a certain point in the year (maybe June?) they start making the sections unequal to make them more difficult.

An example being more O. Chem on the test instead of 25% ochem, 75% biology.

More O. chem = easier.

 

[Sammy1024]

I av

 

[Sammy1024]

I actually find the O. Chem more difficult so I wanted to avoid getting 3 passages on it. I know that sometimes people only get 1 passages and sometimes people get like 3!

 

[brood910]

I dont know, but bio passages are so dense these days where as orgo passages are half-filled with mechanisms, pics, etc most of the time. So BS with more orgo passages usually give me some extra minutes for bio passages.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

I can attest to a Bio heavy Jan MCAT and even though I got a 14 it was pretty difficult esp the freakin' discretes.

 

[Sammy1024]

Dang! I was signed up for Jan but pushed it to April because I was nowhere near ready. Still feeling anxious about Apr 11 because I haven't gotten a 30 on AAMC test yet, but this week I feel like i've made some decent progress and analyzed my mistakes down to exactly what made me miss the question.

 

[amonty144]

I can attest to a Bio heavy Jan MCAT and even though I got a 14 it was pretty difficult esp the freakin' discretes.

What helped you in your prep? TBR, TPRH? Kaplan Bio? Thank you.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

For Bio? Honestly, keep the bio review limited and really work on your passage comprehension skills. Most of the Bio is presented with a ridiculously complex passages that tests the basics, in which the answers are usually found within the passage. I used Kaplan BS sections from their exams. My initial content review was TBR but I switched to TPRH after and just used TPRH passages.

 

[Sammy1024]

Is TPR that good? I hear a lot of people using the book, but I didn't know if it was worth purchasing. I'm about 36 days from my test, and my science is so so. Sometimes it's so great, and sometimes it's like meh.

For the bio section from Kaplan online resources i've been getting about 75% average for the section tests, and i've taken a hand full of their "topical" tests because I heard they're pretty helpful.

Were you hitting 30+ for a while before taking the MCAT or was it like the last month you were getting 30+'s and then took the MCAT?

 

[Dr.Wink]

For Bio? Honestly, keep the bio review limited and really work on your passage comprehension skills. Most of the Bio is presented with a ridiculously complex passages that tests the basics, in which the answers are usually found within the passage. I used Kaplan BS sections from their exams. My initial content review was TBR but I switched to TPRH after and just used TPRH passages.

As in you took only the BS portions of the kaplan full length tests to prepare yourself for the difficult passages? I'm simply curious, as I am scoring 13-15 on the BS sections of the kaplan FL's. What were you typically scoring on the kaplan BS sections of their FL's (trying to gauge myself to your success).

 

[Dr.Wink]

Is TPR that good? I hear a lot of people using the book, but I didn't know if it was worth purchasing. I'm about 36 days from my test, and my science is so so. Sometimes it's so great, and sometimes it's like meh.

For the bio section from Kaplan online resources i've been getting about 75% average for the section tests, and i've taken a hand full of their "topical" tests because I heard they're pretty helpful.

Were you hitting 30+ for a while before taking the MCAT or was it like the last month you were getting 30+'s and then took the MCAT?

As in 75% correct on the actual section tests that they provide you with, or 75% correct on the BS section of the kaplan FL's?

 

[Sammy1024]

They have these section tests for each subject, and they'll have like 40 discrete questions on biology and i've gotten a 75% on those. I'm thinking about either doing BR biology passages which are limited to 1 topic or doing a kaplan section test, which will be biology and ochem together.

On my most recent AAMC (#7) test I received a 75% correct for bio, but my ochem brought my score down.

 

[Dr.Wink]

They have these section tests for each subject, and they'll have like 40 discrete questions on biology and i've gotten a 75% on those. I'm thinking about either doing BR biology passages which are limited to 1 topic or doing a kaplan section test, which will be biology and ochem together.

On my most recent AAMC (#7) test I received a 75% correct for bio, but my ochem brought my score down.

have you taken any Kaplan FL's? If so, how have you been doing on those?

 

[Sammy1024]

Diagnostic: 6 - 5 - 5 = 16
#1 7 - 5 - 7 = 19
#5 9 - 7 - 9 = 25
#4 5 - 6 - 8 = 19
#2 9 - 8 - 8 = 25
#3 9 - 7 - 8 = 24
#6 10 - 9 - 10 = 29

All of these are for Kaplan FLs.

 

[Dr.Wink]

Diagnostic: 6 - 5 - 5 = 16
#1 7 - 5 - 7 = 19
#5 9 - 7 - 9 = 25
#4 5 - 6 - 8 = 19
#2 9 - 8 - 8 = 25
#3 9 - 7 - 8 = 24
#6 10 - 9 - 10 = 29

All of these are for Kaplan FLs.

what is your spread for the AAMC tests that you have taken?

 

[Sammy1024]

Really bad, that's why I created the post.

7 - 8 - 8 = 23
8 - 6 - 9 = 23
8 - 7 - 8 = 23
7 - 9 - 7 = 23

I just couldn't figure out why is it that i'm improving in the Kaplan tests but not in the AAMC ones. I got that first 23 after my 19 on the Kaplan, so Kaplan #1. And it hasn't changed since then.

 

[Dr.Wink]

Really bad, that's why I created the post.

7 - 8 - 8 = 23
8 - 6 - 9 = 23
8 - 7 - 8 = 23
7 - 9 - 7 = 23

I just couldn't figure out why is it that i'm improving in the Kaplan tests but not in the AAMC ones. I got that first 23 after my 19 on the Kaplan, so Kaplan #1. And it hasn't changed since then.

be sure you are taking the time to really dive into why you are getting certain questions wrong, it may not be as beneficial to go over verbal, but examining the sciences can be especially helpful. Identify any trends, and then tackle the issues head on. Your AAMC science scores are indicative of content deficiency, so like I said, identify what you are consistently struggling with, and devour it.

You can do it!

 

[Sammy1024]

Thanks! I was wondering if there were better focusing foods to eat? Before each test I eat a 2 egg omelette with 1/2 a croissant and some oj. Then I wait an hour and take my test. During the test I eat those trail mix granola bars (Just one) and then near the end (right before BS section) eat a piece of chocolate to give me some mental energy boost. I was wondering if other people have found better foods?

 

[Dr.Wink]

My test is scheduled for 1 pm so for the 2 practice tests that I have taken, I typically wake up at about 9, run on the treadmill for 15 minutes to get the blood pumping, eat a bowl of oatmeal, relax for a few hours, eat a good lunch (pasta) about an hour before, review flashcards that I've made until about 10 min before test time, then rip it up. I got a 33 on kaplan FL 1, and a 34 on Kaplan FL 2. Ill be taking number 3 on thursday.

In between each section I drink water (enough to be satisfying, yet not to make me have to pee) and eat a chocolate covered granola bar.

Also, be sure that you are eating properly well in advance to test time (i.e the days leading up to it) as well as staying properly hydrated. Its the same concept of preparing for a big sporting event. Prep the entire week so that you are well tuned for test time domination.

 

[Sammy1024]

So you would recommend looking over past missed problems and such? For example, in G.Chem I have the acid and bases equations memorized but when they give me stuff like given 0.1 M HCl something something find the pH after titrating 0.1 M NaOH, I get so lost because I don't know which one of the equations to use. I also notice that I make careless mistakes, and i'm not sure if it's due to the "testing" or i'm not focused enough on the test at some points.

 

[Dr.Wink]

definitely go over old tests

 

[Sammy1024]

I mean go over them before the test. I wake up at 5 AM so I could go over some problems before the test. Since my test is on a Friday, I spend part of thursday going over as many problems as I can and then take the test Friday morning at 8AM.

 

[Dr.Wink]

Going over a few is not a bad idea before had, maybe a few questions regarding anything that is continuing to elude you on the test. I typically do flashcards to save my brain, but yet still get the juices flowing; if that makes sense.

 

[Sammy1024]

I completely understand. I'm just getting so nervous since it's now 36 days away and I can't keep pushing the test. Before i know it, it'll be 2015!

 

[workethic712]

So you would recommend looking over past missed problems and such? For example, in G.Chem I have the acid and bases equations memorized but when they give me stuff like given 0.1 M HCl something something find the pH after titrating 0.1 M NaOH, I get so lost because I don't know which one of the equations to use. I also notice that I make careless mistakes, and i'm not sure if it's due to the "testing" or i'm not focused enough on the test at some points.

highly recommend that you postpone and brush up your content before you try and tackle this beast of a test

 

[Sammy1024]

I'm planning on seeing how the next 2 weeks go, and if there's not enough improvement i'm going to push the test date, but I don't want to push it so far that I end up with more ochem on my test. I heard that when you wait until later in the year the AAMC folks make the test more difficult because you've had "more time to study" and I know that people have said that it's a myth, but i've had friends who waited until later in the year and they outright voided their scores and left because it was so incredibly difficult. I guess i'm just worried about taking the gamble?

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

As in you took only the BS portions of the kaplan full length tests to prepare yourself for the difficult passages? I'm simply curious, as I am scoring 13-15 on the BS sections of the kaplan FL's. What were you typically scoring on the kaplan BS sections of their FL's (trying to gauge myself to your success).

I averaged 14.6 on the 5-6 Kaplan ones I took but their BS sections are massively inflated so take that score with a grain of salt. I also took the harder ones too and I recall like 2 of them had a scoring range in which 8-10 wrong still gives you a 15 lol. Also, I took the FL tests altogether.

 

[Sammy1024]

So I just pushed it to May 17 - but ill probably run out if tests this way. Any suggestions on what to do?

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

I can attest to a Bio heavy Jan MCAT and even though I got a 14 it was pretty difficult esp the freakin' discretes.

I took the MCAT 1/23/14 (also got 14 Bio Sci) and there were a couple of pretty dense bio passages, but the test form I got wasn't "bio heavy", it was the same as it always is. There's a tendency to assume that there was more of something just b/c it was harder ("wtf is a vegetal cap omg this whole test is impossible bio"). The AAMC works *very* hard to ensure uniformity in the tests and they basically succeed.

Congrats on that amazing Bio Sci score, by the way. Looking for a job? 😉

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

Can you give me an example of a passage based question and a discrete question? Thank you so much! :]

If you'd like some more specific feedback, go to my office hours forum, the AAMC thread. List a specific AAMC test, passage number, which questions you got wrong and what you picked. Then I can give you some specific feedback:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/aamc-questions-the-whole-thread-is-spoilers.1057364/

 

[Sammy1024]

Does anyone know of good tests? I'll be done with Kaplan by my older test date and I heard TPR was good? Not sure on what people think.

Or am I better off taking an older test again?

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Diagnostic: 6 - 5 - 5 = 16
#1 7 - 5 - 7 = 19
#5 9 - 7 - 9 = 25
#4 5 - 6 - 8 = 19
#2 9 - 8 - 8 = 25
#3 9 - 7 - 8 = 24
#6 10 - 9 - 10 = 29

All of these are for Kaplan FLs.

I took the MCAT 1/23/14 (also got 14 Bio Sci) and there were a couple of pretty dense bio passages, but the test form I got wasn't "bio heavy", it was the same as it always is. There's a tendency to assume that there was more of something just b/c it was harder ("wtf is a vegetal cap omg this whole test is impossible bio"). The AAMC works *very* hard to ensure uniformity in the tests and they basically succeed.

Congrats on that amazing Bio Sci score, by the way. Looking for a job? 😉

I took the 1/25 one but I mean there was orgo but not much as I hoped at least. I was thinking harder in terms of really weird passages that were harder to comprehend that most of the FLs I've taken lol.
In tutoring BS? I'm really not much of a tutor TBH, plus I really want to finish up on getting my apps ready for the 2014 cycle.
BTW, are you taking the MCAT over and over again as a non-student?

 

[Sammy1024]

I graduated with a B.S. in Bio, which is why I probably have an easier time with Bio. I take a test every Friday at 8AM but since I changed my test date, I think i'll be taking them on Saturdays at 8AM starting this week.

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

are you taking the MCAT over and over again as a non-student?

No. That would be unethical. I have a certain MCAT achievement I'm aiming for and when/if I get there I will apply to and go to med school.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

No. That would be unethical. I have a certain MCAT achievement I'm aiming for and when/if I get there I will apply to and go to med school.

But haven't you scored over 40 for the past decade? Or are multiple tutors using this account and Bryan isn't the only one posting on this fourm?

 

[Willy38]

Thanks! I was wondering if there were better focusing foods to eat? Before each test I eat a 2 egg omelette with 1/2 a croissant and some oj. Then I wait an hour and take my test. During the test I eat those trail mix granola bars (Just one) and then near the end (right before BS section) eat a piece of chocolate to give me some mental energy boost. I was wondering if other people have found better foods?

Beets. I started eating beets and my score immediately jumped lol I'm sure that's not the only reason but it can't hurt.