Gold Standard CBTS

[wishuponastar]

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I know a while back people said they were going to put up comments about the Gold Standard online tests...they have 10 cbts. I was wondering if in fact anybody took the tests and what they thought of them. Thanks alot.

 

[lifeistough]

Dear wishuponastar,

I have purchased the 10 CBTs on EBay for purposes of getting more CBT practice. The practice CBT once you log on, is not the same "environment" as the official CBT on e-mcat.com.

I was a bit lost and frustrated with the format. I really wish they designed it as the same application as the official cbts. The verbal section is very narrow, very narrow, compared to the wide

Something about it just turned me off about presenting an authentic test experience. It is said by many, but I had to learn it the hard way, www.e-mcat.com offers the real stuff. No one is able to match it. I even tried testeasymcat.com one question for each page, different color scheme, and questions you won't believe are one there. Nothing like MCAT like question.


GS CBT's are raw exams meaning that they are raw feel, not smooth transition like the official CBT. If I could get a refund I would, but I can't know, I started really sitting down and taking them too late.

Learn from my mistakes. If you have money and you can stand the format, do it. But it is extra time. Extra time I don't have. Study in depth the concepts that the MCAT tests. You have over 8 official CBT's available on e-mcat.com. Don't take a practice until you have thoroughly understood your weak areas.

I wasted a lot of time taking "practice test" trying to learn from the solutions. All I had to do was put in the time, understand the concepts, from MCAT student manual 2005, and take the test. You will see the results.

I am scheduled for April 12. April 5 is last day to decide if you want to reschedule. I also have the 101 EK book, I would suggest using that. It may be on paper, but your goal for the 101 book is to absorb and practice technique and see relationships to common questions. The practice should only be the official CBTs, in my opinion. That means don't waste time, in my opinion, on any other exams (TPR, KAPLAN, EK). When you are ready and have completed studied from the MCAT Student Manual 2005 downloaded off www.aamc.org, take a real CBT practice. This method is systematic and works. You may try "short-cuts" but as I learned, I just ended up with a lot of gaps and confusion.

Others have said before, but one more time doesn't hurt. Try to isolate yourself, pick a spot, maybe at your room at home and begin researching the concepts laid out simply in the manual. When you see a test question, you will know what they are talking about. Units are important, they give clues.


Best regards. Stay focused.

 

[lifeistough]

Update:

Although I still have difficulty with the color scheme and layout, I found a way to go around it. I am working on the GS-2 CBT. I am trying to press on PS concepts til I feel comfortable before I take 9S CBT. I want the 9S to be it, the real diagnostic on where I stand.

Here is how you and others can take advantage. I printed the test out. The site got better and cleaner for printing the explanation. So that is nice. I set up the printer to print 2 pages on one side, portrait layout. Then, I staply them across about 3-4 stables one the longer side of the paper. It becomes a book.

Practicing the same concepts, types of questions with different angles, is to me a very effective way. Yes, at times you will have to reference. You can use your EK books to review if you are weak.


So basically, I have been using them today for practicing like concept type questions. Basically, I am not using it as an indicator with the scaled scores, but how well I understand the material. I have other exams, but overall, in the Physical Sciences, based on today's fresh perspective, it does a nice job.

So great to practice problems with. A nice question bank. I like it better than the EK's because they are in a CBT test environment and the explanations are helpful.

I wrote this to clarify my stand, and not discourage others who may have had hopes to purchase. I paid 100.00 for them. Use them wisely. Learn and press on the concepts you are weak on. Working through the questions, will allow you to gauge on how long it is taking you pull from your "brain storage". Take the speed of retrieval to be proportional to the amount of time spent on the material. Example, fast response, fast time with concept (close to none). Slow timing, stay on 1st and 2nd gear while going through the XYZ concept national park.




Best regards to you.