Hi guys,
What FL tests would you suggest purchasing from BR? I have to take my exam on 07/08 and I have already taken a few AAMC ones (3, 9, 10, going to take 4)....I heard TBR 1 is very easy.
For those that have taken the MCAT, which one seems to be on par with the level of difficulty of your exam.
Also, my Genetics (genetic recombination, meisosis) is really sloppy, would TBR be a better resource as opposed to EK in this subject matter?
I'm also not to great with Thermodynamics, and in one of the TBR books there was something about the Duma's Experiment.
Any advice would be highly appreciated!
Thanks in advance!
see:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=713538&highlight=sn2ed
I remembered when I was taking BR, the BR guy said that BR test 1 is easier, but the rest are hard. Also take AAMC #7-10, not the earlier ones, if you have to choose since later ones are harder, more on par with current MCAT difficulty
Personally I thought the Kaplan Bio is sufficient. So I would think the concise review of EK and PR are also sufficient. BR bio is very detail-oriented and "dense." But then I had taken a Genetics class, so if you're having trouble maybe you should use the textbooks or BR.
Also I think I got this ranking of practice exams from somewhere:
QUOTE
In terms of easily accessible tests (tests that are available to non-class MCAT studiers), BR and Gold Standard are your best bets. BR is generally regarded as better, but they're quite expensive. On the other hand, GS is much cheaper and one's average is usually about -2 due to the tough science sections. Both BR and GS are not known for good verbal.
When considering all four, unlike MCAT prep books, I don't think the agreement on practice test ranking is that strong. Most tend to agree that the later AAMC tests are the best, but beyond that, there isn't much of a consensus. There's even an argument to be made that the AAMCs are only really good for verbal since there are more accurate CBTs in regards to the sciences.
1. AAMC #7-10
2. Kaplan #1-6
3. BR #1-7/GS #1-10
4. AAMC #3-6
5. TPR
6. Kaplan #7-10
The reason why TPR tests are so low is because the opinions are too mixed to gain a good read.
I found TBR to be on par with difficulty of my MCAT in September. The only sense that the TBR CBTs are easier is that they're verbal scale is very forgiving. If I used the AAMC verbal scale though, TBR was spot on with my actual score, otherwise my TBR score was higher due to the forgiving verbal scale (it is also graded the old way with the written test in that after a certain mark the score is 13+, rather than a distinction between 13, 14, or 15).
IMHO, AAMC #3-6 aren't that bad at all. They are a bit more straight forward than the modern MCAT and TBR, but they are still excellent VR practice. Kaplan, meh... everything is very detail oriented, which is not good for VR as VR on the MCAT is more deductive, global, and inferenced based. I found Kaplan PS to be difficult and time consuming only because of the amount of math required, which again is no like the actual MCAT, and because of harping on specifics details of PS knowledge, unlike the MCAT. Kaplan BS is a bit more like the MCAT, but still.. less experimental hypothesis driven and more 'tell me what you know'. If you want a taste of what the modern MCAT is like TBR's BS reflects that. Just my personal take on it.
With that in mind, I would rank them:
1.) AAMC 7-10 (everyone MUST take these!)
2.) TBR or AAMC 3-6
3.) Kaplan 1-5. The rest are either graded too hard or harp on the most minor of details. They're bad for morale, and poor practice as well. And hey, on these boards I usually say that more difficult practice makes you a better game day test taker... Kaplan 6+ is the exception. Waste of time and money.
