Exam Krackers and Computer Based Exam

[MedGrl@2022]

I did the Kaplan Classes twice... and I only got a 20M on the real thing... I have everything else... but I did not get into any medical school... $3000 wasted...

So I am going to restudy... I have heard great things about exam krackers.... my only question is if their study materials apply to the computer based exam...

There are no classes near me so I am going to try the home study... are getting all the 1001/101 books worth it? And what was the total price of all the books for the home study pack?

In addition, if I started studying by the end of this month do you think I will be ready for the tests in september? It appears on the AAMC website that after september the exam is not available until January... is this right?

Any information that you have will be helpful.. thank you!

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[SN2ed]

Ok, take my advice with a grain of salt since I haven't taken the MCAT yet (Sept for me). I do not believe Examkrackers makes their stuff for the CBT, however, it shouldn't matter too much. The reason for this is that you use the study material to get down the material. They do include practice passages and discretes in the study package which are helpful, but they aren't computer based. They're regular multiple choice stuff that you would see on the CBT. For me, I think the 1001/101 books are helpful. It's just more practice which is always good. I don't know how you study, but in my opinion, unless you've already started studying I wouldn't take the Sep MCAT. You want your next score to be a real improvement and taking it in Jan will probably give you enough time. Also the EK study package is about 170 and the 1001/101 books differ depending on where you get them from 20-50 each. Lastly, you should do the Kaplan guaranteed score thing just to have access to all the AAMC tests and their materials.

 

[littlealex]

If you study hard (6+ hours a day) with Examkracker books, you should be perfectly in shape to take the September test.

I studied off of the EK books and feel that the information is very transferable to the CBT. When it comes down to it, if you know your stuff, you'll do well. It truly doesn't matter if its a computer based or paper based, in the end you're competing agianst other test takers, not the test.

If you actually plan on doing the questions, then I'd say they help. However, I personally did all of the EK101 verbal passages, and ended up with the same score on the actual test...

Study hard, memorize every line of information taught in the EK books. Internalize ALL of the material! If you can do that, you'll at least get a 30.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

I think Kaplan kicks you out after taking their course twice.... they make you pay more money or something... which I think is B.S. I think it should be lifetime. Anyone been in this situation before or know what is the deal with Kaplan?

Ok, take my advice with a grain of salt since I haven't taken the MCAT yet (Sept for me). I do not believe Examkrackers makes their stuff for the CBT, however, it shouldn't matter too much. The reason for this is that you use the study material to get down the material. They do include practice passages and discretes in the study package which are helpful, but they aren't computer based. They're regular multiple choice stuff that you would see on the CBT. For me, I think the 1001/101 books are helpful. It's just more practice which is always good. I don't know how you study, but in my opinion, unless you've already started studying I wouldn't take the Sep MCAT. You want your next score to be a real improvement and taking it in Jan will probably give you enough time. Also the EK study package is about 170 and the 1001/101 books differ depending on where you get them from 20-50 each. Lastly, you should do the Kaplan guaranteed score thing just to have access to all the AAMC tests and their materials.

 

[voirlesetoiles]

I think Kaplan kicks you out after taking their course twice.... they make you pay more money or something... which I think is B.S. I think it should be lifetime. Anyone been in this situation before or know what is the deal with Kaplan?

Yeah Kaplan only lets you take their course twice. Although the classes are nice, the online supplements are the main plus point from Kaplan. I think it would be worth it to buy online access for Kaplan and AAMC full lengths and any topical tests/science review notes you can get.

EK subject books are great condensed info. I still don't know it line by line , something I'll need to work on before I take mine in July.

I think you should take it in Jan like another poster suggested, it gives you ample time to review everything and apply early for the next cycle.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

Thanks... so did you do the Exam Krackers home study... how did you study? I want to take as many CBT practices as possible but first I need to be able to ace the regular MCAT. I am nervous... i don't want to fail again... I do not know how I did not improve that much after taking the class twice... I did all the homework (well I did the first time I took the course) the second time I tookk the course I did most of the homework and mainly focused on the practice exams and how and why I got the questions I did wrong... but a 20M is a real sad score!

Yeah Kaplan only lets you take their course twice. Although the classes are nice, the online supplements are the main plus point from Kaplan. I think it would be worth it to buy online access for Kaplan and AAMC full lengths and any topical tests/science review notes you can get.

EK subject books are great condensed info. I still don't know it line by line , something I'll need to work on before I take mine in July.

I think you should take it in Jan like another poster suggested, it gives you ample time to review everything and apply early for the next cycle.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

Yeah Kaplan only lets you take their course twice. Although the classes are nice, the online supplements are the main plus point from Kaplan. I think it would be worth it to buy online access for Kaplan and AAMC full lengths and any topical tests/science review notes you can get.

EK subject books are great condensed info. I still don't know it line by line , something I'll need to work on before I take mine in July.

Is Kaplan on-line access the Computer class or do they have an option for all their exams and AAMC full lengths with answers?

 

[SN2ed]

When you took Kaplan did you only do the required stuff? Also, how did you fair on the online AAMCs and Kaplan FLs? Where you doing pretty well on them?

 

[voirlesetoiles]

Thanks... so did you do the Exam Krackers home study... how did you study? I want to take as many CBT practices as possible but first I need to be able to ace the regular MCAT. I am nervous... i don't want to fail again... I do not know how I did not improve that much after taking the class twice... I did all the homework (well I did the first time I took the course) the second time I tookk the course I did most of the homework and mainly focused on the practice exams and how and why I got the questions I did wrong... but a 20M is a real sad score!

I'm in the process of studying, um I mean cramming, for the July 24th exam. I like the EK subject books a lot. Especially since I'm pressed for time, I first do EK lessons and go through Kaplan for the same material. Repitition is the best way I remember things.

Were you anxious while taking the exam? If your real exam score doesn't fall within the range of your practice exams, then you need to examine what's going on during test day. Personally, I have a test anxiety problems... I'm trying to stop freaking out and focus on studying. Any stress is unneccessary, whatever's going to happen will happen. Sometimes I feel like the MCAT is really a test of how well someone can work under pressure.

Just put in your maximum effort this time around. Although you should try to figure out how to improve your preparation from the last two times, just forget about your scores. Worrying doesn't help at all, trust me - been there. haha I've done too much worrying and too little productive things to get rid of it. Focus on practice tests, make sure you get them in the 30s. Keep reviewing content throughout your studying, in between practice tests.

 

[voirlesetoiles]

Is Kaplan on-line access the Computer class or do they have an option for all their exams and AAMC full lengths with answers?

Kaplan has a whole bunch of package options. I would recommend getting the Kaplan and AAMC practice exams as a minimum. I believe they have a complete online access package too, which includes science tests etc.

 

[littlealex]

To be honest, if you're getting around a 20, you don't know the science well enough yet. At your point in the game, it's not worth taking many practice tests.

Yes you'll learn new material that way, but it is not the most efficient way to learn. Go study the EK books or the Kaplan books. It doesn't truly matter what you study off of, as long as you INTERNALIZE the material. Know the science so well that even when something you've never seen before shows up on the test, you can intuitively get to the right answer.

Once you truly understand all the sciences, start taking practice tests to build confidence.

 

[MedGrl@2022]

To be honest, if you're getting around a 20, you don't know the science well enough yet. At your point in the game, it's not worth taking many practice tests.

Yes you'll learn new material that way, but it is not the most efficient way to learn. Go study the EK books or the Kaplan books. It doesn't truly matter what you study off of, as long as you INTERNALIZE the material. Know the science so well that even when something you've never seen before shows up on the test, you can intuitively get to the right answer.

Once you truly understand all the sciences, start taking practice tests to build confidence.

I believe you that I don't understand the science well enough its just I have a 3.78 GPA in a Biochemistry major and my science GPA is about 3.78 if not higher... How did that happen? How can I not do well? I don't understand my inability to conquer the MCATs

 

[vicinihil]

tiny...this is my explanation

From what I've learning, Mcats is only partly a test of knowledge. More so than not, one can get double digits from purely test taking skills and MINOR studying. I teach for TPR and my trainer for physics got a 10 in the BS without studying and without knowing ANYTHING related to BS (he was a Math major and isn't planning on med school, he teaches TPR PS full time). But he has great analytical skills and from the passage, he can deduce what's right and what's wrong. So don't look at it from NOT knowing, but look at it from NOT deducing. I think if you trust the passage and learn to USE the information given, you're golden!

 

[MossPoh]

I believe you that I don't understand the science well enough its just I have a 3.78 GPA in a Biochemistry major and my science GPA is about 3.78 if not higher... How did that happen? How can I not do well? I don't understand my inability to conquer the MCATs

Deduction as said earlier applies...but also, I think too many people assume their gpa means they truly know the material. They treat their education as an edifice...previous blocks of learning are the foundation for the new ones. I know plenty of people with better grades than me, but for whatever reason their knowledge is limited to the time they are taking the course and then all of a sudden they oust that knowledge and start over. I'm not knocking you in any way..your gpa is higher than mine...but the whole "oh woah is me, I have such and such grades" ends up being an excuse..and often, if you look back and try to remember what you learned in the past...you'll struggle. It isn't just the mcat...it is your approach in general. You need to learn to look at things with more than a brute force approach. This is one of those areas where understanding and application play much more important role than rote memorization.

And as an answer to your question...the computer thing is really overhyped..people make such a big deal about it, but if anything...it speeds up your time from the standard test. It isn't going to slow you down, or hamper your ability to reason. Perhaps it is unfair since I came from a major where we had daily quizes and exams on computers...but still. Personally, I'd wipe your mind clean with this crap. Get some books you like, and just start fresh... It will take work...you'll probably need to shift how you look at questions in general. A 20 is a pretty big discrepancy from your gpa...if you could figure out what is wrong with your thought process and get up to just AVERAGE...then you'd get in without a problem.