Chance at 510+?

[pittpanther83]

Hey SDN,

Looking for advice as to how I should interpret the following scores. I test on 5/15 (a week from now) and anything above a 510 I would be thrilled with. Retaking a 503, 505 from four years ago, My practice scores are as follows:

NS diagnostic (3/6): 509 (126/127/128/128)

NS FL1 (3/20): 506 (127/125/126/128)

NS FL2 (3/27): 511 (128/128/127/128)

AAMC FL1 (4/4): 509 (128/123/129/129)

NS FL3 (4/11): 507 (127/124/127/129)

AAMC FL2 (4/21): 505 (128/125/127/125)

AAMC FL3: (5/1): 511 (128/124/129/130)

AAMC FL4 (5/8): 510 (127/125/130/128)

Section Banks did pseudo-timed and got an overall 67% correct (70% B/B, 60% C/P, 73% P/S).

Exhausted all other materials besides the question packs, the sample exam, and some of the cars diagnostic tool. Looking to see if this score is within my wheelhouse, and if anyone has last-minute suggestions for how to improve my cars score.

Thanks for the help!!

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[RocuROMANium]

Your average AAMC FL is a 508 so it would be predicted that you would score + or - 2 points from there. So yea, you could absolutely hit a 510 but you could also hit a 506 too.

 

[labtech312]

It looks like CARS is going to be the hurdle, which is common for many test takers. Have you used the AAMC CARS question bank? If not use that. If so, I would recommend Jack Westin's practice tests. All the other CARS practice tests that I looked at were too different from AAMC, I think Jack gets the closest.

I struggled with CARS too. For me the biggest thing that helped me perform better in CARS was having a strict set of rules that I applied to every passage/CARS test. With this game plan I developed discipline and began to see patters in AAMC CARS logic. If some of these rules help you then great. But by all means they are not set in stone and everyone approaches CARS differently. Hopes this helps and good luck on 5/15.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

With these AAMC FL scores, I'd expect around a ~510, but not much higher. With that being said, my FL exam average was 6 points lower than my actual exam, so who knows!

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[JimKimSlim]

Phshhh. You’ll be fine. Just relax the night before and get your head ready To crush the test.

 

[pittpanther83]

Your average AAMC FL is a 508 so it would be predicted that you would score + or - 2 points from there. So yea, you could absolutely hit a 510 but you could also hit a 506 too.

Thanks for responding. A score drop is really what I am worried about at this point. Would having 3 consistent FLs make it more likely to score at my target? Or does it really depend on what I get hit with on test day?

 

[pittpanther83]

It looks like CARS is going to be the hurdle, which is common for many test takers. Have you used the AAMC CARS question bank? If not use that. If so, I would recommend Jack Westin's practice tests. All the other CARS practice tests that I looked at were too different from AAMC, I think Jack gets the closest.

I struggled with CARS too. For me the biggest thing that helped me perform better in CARS was having a strict set of rules that I applied to every passage/CARS test. With this game plan I developed discipline and began to see patters in AAMC CARS logic. If some of these rules help you then great. But by all means they are not set in stone and everyone approaches CARS differently. Hopes this helps and good luck on 5/15.
View attachment 336653View attachment 336654

Wow thank you so much for posting this. CARS has always been my kryptonite and its been very challenging to even pull up my score from a 123. Definitely will try out these techniques in the coming days, don't have anything to lose at this point lol.

One weird trend i've been noticing in my scores is I'll get either a full passage correct or only miss one, to missing 3-4 on the next one. Any advice on how to "stop the bleeding" with some of these passages?

 

[pittpanther83]

With these AAMC FL scores, I'd expect around a ~510, but not much higher. With that being said, my FL exam average was 6 points lower than my actual exam, so who knows!

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

hahaha hopefully the MCAT gods will be there with me as well. Did you notice anything about that exam in particular that felt easier?

 

[pittpanther83]

Phshhh. You’ll be fine. Just relax the night before and get your head ready To crush the test.

Thank you!!!

 

[RocuROMANium]

Thanks for responding. A score drop is really what I am worried about at this point. Would having 3 consistent FLs make it more likely to score at my target? Or does it really depend on what I get hit with on test day?

I can really only provide you with my subjective experience. Everyone preached to me about the predictive value of your average AAMC FL score and, well, they were correct. My real exam score was within one point of my average, a 508 too. It's pretty crazy how predictive the AAMC FL exams were for me. I hit my normal scores for C/P, CARS, and P/S. Unfortunately, I hit my worst B/B score on test day which put me on the wrong side of the average practice exam range.

However, your average is closer to 509 than 508 and if you follow @JimKimSlim's advice of getting mentally and emotionally prepared for the exam, then you can easily land at a 510 and maybe better.

 

[labtech312]

Wow thank you so much for posting this. CARS has always been my kryptonite and its been very challenging to even pull up my score from a 123. Definitely will try out these techniques in the coming days, don't have anything to lose at this point lol.

One weird trend i've been noticing in my scores is I'll get either a full passage correct or only miss one, to missing 3-4 on the next one. Any advice on how to "stop the bleeding" with some of these passages?

I would say make sure to take a deep breadth and kind of shake the last passage off before you move onto the next one. This way you are starting each passage with a clear head. Also don't let a question in those harder one throw you off your game and affect your judgment on other questions in the passage. If a question throws you for a loop, narrow it down to 2, guess, then move on. Try not to think of that one you are not sure of while you are tackling the subsequent problems.