Best Baseline Diagnostic Exam to use before starting to study

[medschoolhopeful!]

Hello, a few questions!!

I am planning to take the March MCAT (I will be a second sem junior) so I have a little under 5 months to prepare. I am wondering what the best exam to take to find out my current standing is. I know that the AAMC materials are the best. Should I use the first exam as a baseline so that I get a score? Or is it better to use the sample exam although I will only be able to see what I got right and wrong, rather than a scaled score.

Additionally, I will be taking Biochem leading up to taking the MCAT (from Jan to march MCAT date) is this going to be an issue? (I have taken Orgo 1&2 and molecular biology)

Will studying for the MCAT while taking a reduced course load be doable?

Thanks in advance!

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[PapaGuava]

Hi @medschoolhopeful! ,

In my opinion, I wouldn't use one of the AAMC exams as you first MCAT assessment because you typically want to save those for when you're progressing through your review because its material closest to the exam, and there is only 3 of them. However, someone may have something different to say on that topic. As for taking Biochemistry in tandem with reviewing for the MCAT, that should be fine because you would have gone through all of the core content by the time you would take the exam, just make sure you take the time to review biochem for the MCAT since it pops up a lot. I know I had done this with physics and it was kind of nice because everything was fresh come time to take the exam.

Studying for the MCAT with a reduced course load is a fine idea, and a lot of people do it. Be sure to stick around SDN, there is plenty of people/resources willing to help you along the way!

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

I used the unscored AAMC exam as my first test and I am sooooooo glad I did. More than anything, it gave me a sense of what the test was like. I went on to use FLs from three other sources, and none of them had the same feel as AAMC. Some were close. I'd save AAMC exams 1, 2, and 3 until the last three weeks of your prep.

 

[lumya]

I used the Kaplan tests. I thought they were very similar in format to the actual AAMC tests (which I used later). The Kaplan system also tracks which section each question came from so it also helped me see where my areas of weakness were.

 

[Zenabi90]

Sample Exam. Otherwise none. In my opinion, a diagnostic exam is worthless because you should be going through all the topics regardless of previous experience. Why?

1. I assume that even if I know a concept, there are probably minutiae that have faded
2. It also gives me a chance to do the corresponding practice questions to check my mastery
3. It kills my sense of FOMO: do I really know this concept? What if I missed something? Every bit of peace I can achieve makes me more productive.
4. A diagnostic exam that reflects the MCAT will never ever be able to test you on EVERY topic that could be covered on the MCAT. The time spent on figuring all that out would be better spent on practice questions to me.

Taking a course leading up to the exam is fine, as long as you compensate in your preparation plans. The MCAT usually does not test to the depth that your undergraduate courses will so there's that.

Plenty of students study for the MCAT while taking undergraduate courses, the time should not be an issue provided you are prepared with a plan and follow through with discipline and diligence.

Good luck!