Altius MCAT

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MountainClimber94

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I purchased the 10 test pack from Altius. Took the 1st one today...intense!! Does anyone else have any experience with this company?


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Currently using all 10 just like you! I took FL 2, that was also intense! But I do like the style. The passage length and amount of information given in tables, figures, etc. isn't too much like NS or other companies do. Altius prides themselves on mimicking AAMC style to the fullest extent. Passage length, question length, question style, and, most importantly, difficulty.

Going over the exam I found that I made far too many careless errors and the number of "truly difficult/impossible" questions was only a handful. Lots of room for improvement! :)
 
Using them as well, first couple were really good. Took the fourth one yesterday, and felt like there were too many organic chem and questions that required formula, not enough data interpretations. But I still like their style
 
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I hate that section P/S, so im biased about that one. I think its quite similar to AAMC P/S
 
From what I have gathered from other posts I have learned that each exam differs in the quantity and difficulty of a particular subject. This may explain why you saw so many Ochem problems this last go around. Personally, I thought the C/P section for the first exam was really heavy with respect to Biochem. I know that biochem is a member of that section but I felt that it was maybe too overly emphasized. So far though I am enjoying their material. I really really like their explanations for questions.
 
It's actually quite encouraging to hear people finding the format and overall approach a good match to AAMC, but saying that "FLE #X" was a little to heavy on biochem, and "FLE #Y" was too heavy on ochem. That's actually what our curriculum team intended, as it helps replicate the experience most students have on test day. If you talk to students who return from the real MCAT, especially across multiple administrations, it seems like there is almost universally some "idiosyncrasy" for each AAMC exam form: "That CP section had a ton of calculations..." or "What the heck? My CP section had way more ochem than the AAMC practice exams."

The funny thing is that I've heard almost exact opposites for all of these trends. One person says their CP section "had almost no physics" and then the very next administration someone will complain that there were way MORE physics than expected. Same goes for calculations, biochem, etc.

I think this has a lot to do with the fact that the AAMC has stated that they match the topic distributions plus/minus 5%. So, for example, on a CP section ochem is supposed to be 15% of all questions, but could be as little as 10%, or as much as 20% and still be WITHIN the AAMC'parametersrs. Physics is supposed to be 25%, but could be as little as 20% or as much as 30%. I'll bet most students will "feel" a big difference between a test with 10% ochem and one with 20% ochem.

I tell all my students to expect the unexpected. Your exam could seem heavier on any particular subject, so just be prepared for that fact and don't let it surprise you on test day.
 
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Using them as well, first couple were really good. Took the fourth one yesterday, and felt like there were too many organic chem and questions that required formula, not enough data interpretations. But I still like their style
A lot of 3/31 takers had ochem heavy cp sections.
 
It's actually quite encouraging to hear people finding the format and overall approach a good match to AAMC, but saying that "FLE #X" was a little to heavy on biochem, and "FLE #Y" was too heavy on ochem. That's actually what our curriculum team intended, as it helps replicate the experience most students have on test day. If you talk to students who return from the real MCAT, especially across multiple administrations, it seems like there is almost universally some "idiosyncrasy" for each AAMC exam form: "That CP section had a ton of calculations..." or "What the heck? My CP section had way more ochem than the AAMC practice exams."

The funny thing is that I've heard almost exact opposites for all of these trends. One person says their CP section "had almost no physics" and then the very next administration someone will complain that there were way MORE physics than expected. Same goes for calculations, biochem, etc.

I think this has a lot to do with the fact that the AAMC has stated that they match the topic distributions plus/minus 5%. So, for example, on a CP section ochem is supposed to be 15% of all questions, but could be as little as 10%, or as much as 20% and still be WITHIN the AAMC'parametersrs. Physics is supposed to be 25%, but could be as little as 20% or as much as 30%. I'll bet most students will "feel" a big difference between a test with 10% ochem and one with 20% ochem.

I tell all my students to expect the unexpected. Your exam could seem heavier on any particular subject, so just be prepared for that fact and don't let it surprise you on test day.

Hello, I am on your website trying to buy some exams. However, it's asking for a shipping address. I thought the exams would be computer-based. Are your exams on computer or paper?
 
Hello, I am on your website trying to buy some exams. However, it's asking for a shipping address. I thought the exams would be computer-based. Are your exams on computer or paper?
I have bought the altius exams for my preparation, though I haven't used any yet. All of the practice test are computer based.
 
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Hello, I am on your website trying to buy some exams. However, it's asking for a shipping address. I thought the exams would be computer-based. Are your exams on computer or paper?

Yes. I can confirm they are all computer based, delivered in a software that is a nearly perfect replica of the software you use on test day. The website probably automatically collects and address for every purchase, or they might need it for calculating sales tax or something.
 
Yes. I can confirm they are all computer based, delivered in a software that is a nearly perfect replica of the software you use on test day. The website probably automatically collects and address for every purchase, or they might need it for calculating sales tax or something.

Cool! Available immediately upon purchase, I assume?
 
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