Help please... 18 on AAMC 3, where to go from here?

[Zaids37]

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I just took my first practice test (AAMC3) after finishing half of the content review (Im using TPR) and scored a 6/6/6 the numbers alone in that order scare me. I'm not giving up in any way, I just need some advice on my next steps. Should I go through content review again from the beginning (and in MUCH more detail) or should I continue moving through the chapters? Also when I review my practice test tomorrow should I find practice problems in areas I was struggling? Ive already done all the questions in TPR up to where I am so I'm not sure where I could find problems relating to specific subjects unless using google is ok.

I was doing well on the practice problems at the ends of the chapters and was scoring 8s on EK1001 verbal so I dont know what happened

Thanks,
Any guidance is appreciated

 

[Promethean]

Any guidance is appreciated

Have you taken the basic science coursework that underpins the science sections?

Go through the answers and explanations for the questions you missed on AAMC 3. Carefully assess why you missed each question. Make sure that you learn how to work each problem, should you ever meet it again. Continue your review, especially if you paid for those materials.

Take another AAMC test. They are the best indicators of what you will see on the actual exam. Again, conduct a thorough review of each question that you missed, so that you understand what about it you didn't know. Review the material that you are weakest in.

Lather, rinse, repeat my friend. I walked my score up from the mid 20s on practice tests, to the low 30s on the real thing. I didn't like that score, so I studied more and walked my score up to the high 30s. I credit the jcoreveiw.com videos for most of that last jump, as I spent a week cramming on them, watching all of them over the course of several days. Taking AAMC exams and then dissecting them was probably the most valuable thing that I did to improve my score. Learning to think like the test writers, to understand their tricks, is at least as important as learning the actual material.

 

[Zaids37]

Ive taken all the basic science classes and I feel like I understand more than I show. Do you think I should start content review over?

 

[iforget2]

When are you taking your test? What you should do next really depends on when your test date is. I did content review for about 2 months and right now I'm just doing EK practice problems for all the subjects and I'm still getting a ton of problems wrong even with content review under my belt. I wish what I did was do EK while doing content review at the same time. So if you have time, do practice problems while doing content review. Don't start content review over since it takes too much time imo

 

[osjx-82]

Why did you take an AAMC full length after doing just half of the content review? I would complete content review first before diving into passage practice (especially before trying the real AAMC tests)

I would go wall to wall with content review, inside and out, backwards and through the middle. I also recommend using more than one company for content review. I used Kaplan, but after going through TPR there are many topics that don't overlap between the two companies.

 

[TexasSurgeon]

I just took my first practice test (AAMC3) after finishing half of the content review (Im using TPR) and scored a 6/6/6 the numbers alone in that order scare me. I'm not giving up in any way, I just need some advice on my next steps. Should I go through content review again from the beginning (and in MUCH more detail) or should I continue moving through the chapters? Also when I review my practice test tomorrow should I find practice problems in areas I was struggling? Ive already done all the questions in TPR up to where I am so I'm not sure where I could find problems relating to specific subjects unless using google is ok.

I was doing well on the practice problems at the ends of the chapters and was scoring 8s on EK1001 verbal so I dont know what happened

Thanks,
Any guidance is appreciated

No. Don't take another AAMC. They're precious.

Also, don't think that having taken the course means you know the material. The MCAT is very different. I know people who made A's in every course and still barely make a 30 (low for what you would think).

Keep moving forward in your content review and ignore the score. Just forget about it and keep studying. I also took AAMC #3 like 2 weeks into my SN2ed schedule so I know how you feel. Just keep up the studying

 

[AmishExpressWay]

Were you mentally exhausted or overworked prior to starting the test? Did you do content review recently? Do you UNDERSTAND the content, or just "know" it?

 

[Zaids37]

To answer the questions: My test is early september but I'm going to postpone to late October (I was planning on this before taking the test, it just verified my decision). Someone recommended that I try a full length practice test half way in to "see where I stand" but I'll save all the other AAMCs for before the MCAT. Does anyone know where I can get practice tests (either full lengths or each section separately)? I cant seem to find one's without buying some sort of package.

And I was probably a little too uncomfortable taking the test, the AC was broken so I was sweating through most of it haha I'm not terrified cause of the grade I know I can get better 🙂

Edit: and I'd label myself as more "knowing" it than understanding. I'll spend more time outlining the chapters and understanding the material

 

[orangetea]

So I think that you should continue with your content review and practice passages/questions as you have been (given that you are taking notes, doing practice problems, and REALLY utilizing your time/practice material)

Go ahead and take another AAMC after you are finished, personally I am not a believer of (oh the earlier ones are easier the later ones are harder). I am taking them out of order and I noticed that everyone's experience with these tests are very different. Some people score very high and continue to do so while others fluctuate. I took these tests out of order to prove a point to myself and the ONLY pattern I see is that the first few tests could be your lower scores (despite which aamc it is..) and you begin to see improvement.

The AAMC questions and passages are bit different from any practice material I have seen and I have all the books from TPR,TBR,Kaplan, EK. You are not only getting used to question types but how to answer them.

I promise you with some practice and dedication you will improve. Don't let that score get you down 🙂