AAMCs:The Official Guide to the MCAT Exam

[dray5150]

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I don't know how much this going to help me considering my test is in 2 days but my AAMC guide to the offical MCAT came in today and all I can say is the practice passages are much harder than the practice test.

I suggest anybody who has the test coming up might want to pick this book up because the passages seem to be reflective of Jan 30 test I bombed at the first of the year.

Most of the questions seem to rely on background knowledge/critical thinking synthesis rather than just a critical thinking question here and a knowlege based question there.

 

[G1SG2]

I don't know how much this going to help me considering my test is in 2 days but my AAMC guide to the offical MCAT came in today and all I can say is the practice passages are much harder than the practice test.

I suggest anybody who has the test coming up might want to pick this book up because the passages seem to be reflective of Jan 30 test I bombed at the first of the year.

Most of the questions seem to rely on background knowledge/critical thinking synthesis rather than just a critical thinking question here and a knowlege based question there.

I was planning on doing those passages before I do AAMC 6-10. Would you recommend I do those after AAMC 10, like right before my test since they are the most reflective of the real thing?

 

[dray5150]

Yeah I would highly suggest that. This book is written by the test takers themselves. I think at the very least you know the type of questions you are going to face which is going to get you in the test writers head a little more than just reviewing AAMC practice.

It definitely emphisizes the reading comp of the biology over outside knowledge.

 

[dray5150]

I skimmed through other sections of the book today and found something kind of interesting.

The writer eluded to how most prep companies teach the to eliminate answer choices that are to extreme: never, all, ect..

Here is a quote:" If you heard of a stratagy, you can be sure we have also- and that we've instructed our test writers to avoid creating distractors( wrong answers) that employ it."

 

[G1SG2]

Yeah I would highly suggest that. This book is written by the test takers themselves. I think at the very least you know the type of questions you are going to face which is going to get you in the test writers head a little more than just reviewing AAMC practice.

It definitely emphisizes the reading comp of the biology over outside knowledge.

Okay great, should I take it before or after AAMC 10 though? Which should be my last practice test? The book passages, or AAMC 10?

 

[dray5150]

Honestly the questions seem so different from AAMC 10 that I would go on and take 10. Use the book to analyze some of the new type of questions they are asking a few days before you take the test. You will know what I'm talking about when you start going through the book.

 

[chicago88]

i was wondering where i could pick up a copy of this book...

(what's the exact title/book info??)

thanks!

 

[TexasPrincess]

Does the official guide have information other than practice problems?

Also, does anyone have a pdf they can send me?

 

[carlson]

I don't know how much this going to help me considering my test is in 2 days but my AAMC guide to the offical MCAT came in today and all I can say is the practice passages are much harder than the practice test.

I suggest anybody who has the test coming up might want to pick this book up because the passages seem to be reflective of Jan 30 test I bombed at the first of the year.

Most of the questions seem to rely on background knowledge/critical thinking synthesis rather than just a critical thinking question here and a knowlege based question there.

Wow! That's both good and intimidating news.

 

[Longshanks]

I think looking at this two days before the exam is suicidal thinking really. Why add in a new training regime right before the contest? I haven't seen this book, but I'd imagine like any other prep material, it should be done leading up to the test to get maximium yield rather than immediately preceeding the exam. Also, synthesizing critical thinking and background knowledge is nothing new for the MCAT, that is the whole point of the MCAT. Thinking of the two as completely separate items is a poor strategy.

 

[capn jazz]

I'm finishing AAMC 10 the Sunday before my exam and then working on this book for a few days.

 

[229141]

Just ordered this, hope it helps. Since I took it once I'm curious to see if the questions are similar

 

[dray5150]

I am missing ALOT of these practice passage questions. Even the questions that are considered "easy" by AAMCs rating still are tricky. This book is definitely not confidence booster by any means.

 

[TexasPrincess]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=608930

Hey Y'all,
Here is more about the Official guide.

Now, I feel like I should get it, just to see what is in it. I am ahead with my reading, so I think I have time to go through it by the July 30 test.

I have lots of practice tests still that I can take, but I think I should take more AAMC tests for the best practice. You guys think 10 is the one closest to the real one?

 

[TexasPrincess]

Ok. I just bought the book with Test #10. I am doing the saver shipping since I still have the plan to go through all my bio and orgo in the next two weeks. I will let you know how it is.

I feel more confidence now that I have more material to go through.

I also am getting the Audio Osmosis Cds.

I feel like my Textbooks combined with the prep books are the way to go.

 

[SN2ed]

Just a quick note, if you get this book, DEFINITELY get it bundled with either a test or the MSAR.

 

[rprasan1985]

I agree with dray5150; the practice questions in the book are a) quite different from any of the AAMC tests (I've taken them all), and b) harder to a greater extent (i.e. much higher proportion of hard/tricky questions than I'm used to with AAMC). I'm definitely making more mistakes in this than any of my recent AAMC tests.

This sucks big time, because my test is tomorrow. I was planning on using this as gentle review today to get me used to the AAMC format. But it looks like the real deal is going to be a rather different ball-game than the practice tests... I am now beginning to understand why soooo many people this year felt that the questions on the actual test were so different than the AAMC tests.

Oh well, nothing much I can do now, except try to gain some confidence. At least I won't be terribly rattled tomorrow, now that I know that the questions are going to be different. Just got to ensure I don't let my guard down...

For anyone taking the test tomorrow/very soon, my only advice at this point: don't skim through the passages in PS and BS. There is more emphasis on integrating passage information with background knowledge, so pure background knowledge without reading the passage might backfire.

For the rest of you: pick up that book and see what I'm talking about! I'd highly recommend buying the book because it was just published, contains questions not found elsewhere, and seems to be the only thing representative of this year's MCAT (from what I've understood by stalking this forum for the last few months)...

Book can be purchased here: https://services.aamc.org/publicati...ion=Product.displayForm&prd_id=255&prv_id=314

If you can, buy it with a FL test; you save $20 that way.

 

[movax]

Acting on this advice, ordered CBT 6/10 + the official guide. That coupled with my EK Books will be my prep for 7/30...here goes CRAM TIME!

 

[Vihsadas]

I finally had a chance to read through this book, (although I still don't own a copy) and I think it's probably worth it. Just for the "primary source" questions if nothing else.
I did like that quote:

"If you've heard of a strategy, chances are that we have too"

 

[SoundofSilver]

Approximately how many practice passages are in this book? I'm just wondering if it's truly worth buying, as I would be buying it only for practice material. I've already completed all eight AAMC exams.

 

[jhonyguy04]

one thing i noticed about this book is that the physics is too hard, and the verbal is too easy to the actual mcat.

 

[capn jazz]

I really highly doubt that the book published BY AAMC has passages that aren't the appropriate difficulty. These people write the test!

 

[capn jazz]

Just for some facts, since I have my book in front of me:

Gen Chem: 5 passages, 5 discretes
Physics: 4 passages, 7 discretes
Bio: 5 passages, 9 discretes
OChem: 3 passages, 5 discretes
Verbal: 6 passages

Writing, 2 prompts with 3 essays each (awesome, okay, bad)

The passages all come with detailed solutions. I haven't done the passages yet, but I definitely think this is something people should get. There's more than an entire FL of PS and BS Qs, and nearly a FL Verbal exam!

 

[Omni]

Sorry for posting on an old thread, but I just want to clarify something. I haven't taken any of the AAMC practice exams yet (I have all of them). Does this book have passages/material out of those practice exams?

 

[Substance P]

Sorry for posting on an old thread, but I just want to clarify something. I haven't taken any of the AAMC practice exams yet (I have all of them). Does this book have passages/material out of those practice exams?

No. It's new material. Some of the explanations leave a little to be desired, but it's a good book.

 

[Katie4]

No. It's new material. Some of the explanations leave a little to be desired, but it's a good book.

I feel like crying my eyes out. Just did the verbal passages and I got almost all questions wrong! 🙁( I did so well in the verbal passages in the practice exsms provided in the gold standard book. I'm taking the exam on April 16 and prepping with Princeton review. I'm doomed 🙁(

 

[mzblue]

You still have a time to practice so i wouldn't worry too much if i were you. The GS is good, try to find other practice sources such as EK 101 verbal or something else just to have variety in your practice resources. Princeton review has a good verbal book and since you're prepping with them, that should help with practice.
You've more than 3months ahead of you. All the best

I feel like crying my eyes out. Just did the verbal passages and I got almost all questions wrong! 🙁( I did so well in the verbal passages in the practice exsms provided in the gold standard book. I'm taking the exam on April 16 and prepping with Princeton review. I'm doomed 🙁(

 

[moto_za]

How are people doing on these passages?