Best AAMC materials to use?

[fldoctorgirl]

Currently one month away from test day (May 18th). I'm wondering what official AAMC materials are best to use for studying. Obviously, the 2 official practice tests and the section banks are highly recommended.

Is the sample test even worth the time? What about the question packs?

Also, I used the complete TPR set for content review and have 3 practice tests from them in addition to end-of-chapter questions + passage. Should I bother doing the end-of-chapter problems, or is it more worth it to invest time in AAMC material?

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[DrHart]

Obviously, the 2 official practice tests and the section banks

most valuable

the sample test

still valuable

What about the question packs?

useful for some content review, still valuable

more worth it to invest time in AAMC material?

more worth

 

[CoffeeintheMorning]

100% AAMC

 

[DoctorCrush]

It's in your best interest to use EVERYTHING that is offered by AAMC. They are the writer of the exam. No other explanation needed.

 

[Altius Premier Tutor]

I think everyone has you headed in the right direction...although I wish you had more than just one month to learn from practice exams! More practice, relatively less content review always pays dividends for my students. Here's what I would add:

All AAMC materials are excellent, but not equal. I'd put the Section Bank at the top of the list for preparing yourself for the hardest experimental passages you'll see on test day. Next is the AAMC 1 and 2 scored. These are near-perfect, although many students still feel they are somewhat easier than the real thing. The SB is generally considered somewhat harder than the real thing, so a heavy focus on both SB and AAMC1/2 should get you in the right ballpark. The Sample Test is almost as good as AAMC1/2; too bad it doesn't give you a score!

The AAMC Question Packs are a clear level down in my opinion. Remember that they were not written for the new exam, but are recycled AAMC practice materials for the old exam. I've had enough problems with my students getting "the wrong picture" of what the test is, how it tests, or what to expect on test day from the QPacks that I decided not to have my students use them at all. Scores in my group actually went up, so it seemed to do no harm.

 

[fldoctorgirl]

I think everyone has you headed in the right direction...although I wish you had more than just one month to learn from practice exams! More practice, relatively less content review always pays dividends for my students. Here's what I would add:

All AAMC materials are excellent, but not equal. I'd put the Section Bank at the top of the list for preparing yourself for the hardest experimental passages you'll see on test day. Next is the AAMC 1 and 2 scored. These are near-perfect, although many students still feel they are somewhat easier than the real thing. The SB is generally considered somewhat harder than the real thing, so a heavy focus on both SB and AAMC1/2 should get you in the right ballpark. The Sample Test is almost as good as AAMC1/2; too bad it doesn't give you a score!

The AAMC Question Packs are a clear level down in my opinion. Remember that they were not written for the new exam, but are recycled AAMC practice materials for the old exam. I've had enough problems with my students getting "the wrong picture" of what the test is, how it tests, or what to expect on test day from the QPacks that I decided not to have my students use them at all. Scores in my group actually went up, so it seemed to do no harm.

Thank you! This is very useful advice. I waited this long to do practice tests because I wanted to go through content review first to get a more realistic expectation for my score. I will follow your advice and take FL1 from AAMC this weekend, and work from there!