- Joined
- May 2, 2010
- Messages
- 432
- Reaction score
- 34
What is the format of the questions? And are they reflective of the MCAT? I'm just worried that the questions will be recycled ones and only reflective of the older MCAT.
Thanks.
Thanks.
AAMC's Self-Assessment Package
- Thread starter chickensoupdr
- Start date
You should get them. Even if they reflect older mcat, they are still much closer to the real thing than any other prep material. Some of the passages and questions are challening as well. If you end up doing really well (95% correct or higher) that just mean you are more or less ready.
If you're getting 95% or more correct, you can reasonably expect to score a 14 or so on that section come test day (assuming, of course, you're not weak on the accompanying subject). I'd certainly call that ready.
As for the Self-Assessments package, I agree with djkim -- get it. I found it to be the single most important tool for improvement when I was preparing for the MCAT. 100+ questions for each subject from actual AAMC writers is invaluable practice. But, importantly, working the questions themselves wasn't necessarily the most useful aspect. It was meticulously reviewing any and all mistakes I made in each section. The first step to improvement is to identify, or diagnose, your weak spots. The Assessments really let you categorize your weaknesses, and direct you as to where you need to improve.
The key, then, is to turn your weaknesses into strengths. And it's not always content-based either. For example, a recurring theme of my wrong answers was that I wasn't considering all the possible answering choices -- I was simply choosing the first one that looked right. This was very problematic and costing me points on every practice test. Once I corrected that habit I saw my scores jump, and it was owed largely to stuff I noticed from reviewing the Assessments.
Remember, the MCAT tests your test-taking skill as well as your knowledge of the material. Like any skill, you sharpen it through purposeful and dedicated practice. The Assessments offer that sort of practice in spades.
