how many practice exams?

[alphagojo]

I plan on taking the MCAT this summer; how many practice exams do you all recommend taking? (Obviously, I am sure it varies a ton, but I am just trying to get a feel.) 2? 5? 15?

Thanks.

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[ChubbyChaser]

As many as possible, but definitely 5 or more.

 

[secants]

Well since doing all the AAMC exams is almost a given, that's 7 exams right there. I'm probably going to try for at least 20 because I need all that practice I need to condition myself with proper timing, stamina etc via practice tests. So I'm shooting to do the kaplan exams (given via the course), the AAMC and then a bunch of questions from EK verbal, kaplan sectionals and maybe other EK 1001 books.

But this varies from person to person obviously, but try to at least do the latest AAMC if nothing else.

 

[sleepy425]

see, i'd take no more than 5 of the AAMC practice tests, and no less than 4 of them. the thing is, you want to have a couple AAMC tests left to practice with if you don't do so well on the real thing and need to retake it. i mean, it depends on your study habits as well, but since the only thing I did to prep was to take AAMC tests, I wanted to conserve them.

 

[Vihsadas]

I disagree. You should aim to do the MCAT once, and do it right. Each of the AAMC exams is different, and thoroughly reviewing your answers for each one will prepare you in a different way for your real MCAT.
Pull out all the stops by starting to study 3-4 months in advance and aim to do 10-20 (approx. 15) practice tests. You should complete all of the AAMC exams, leaving 4 of these exams to be completed in the 2.5 weeks preceding your real exam. The MCAT is a beast, it's a beast that you should aim to face once!

 

[sleepy425]

well, see, i wasn't suggesting that the goal should be to take it more than once. I agree completely that your goal should be to take it only once. but I didn't really notice a significant difference between the different AAMC tests. the thing is, it all depends on how you're preparing. for me, my only resource was the AAMC tests, so i needed to conserve them. fortunately, I didn't have to retake, but if I had needed to, I would have had CBT 6, 7, and 10 left to take, which would have at least given me more to practice with. I think that the true value of the AAMC tests is experiencing the testing environment and as a means to evaluate your progress while studying.

 

[iA-MD2013]

I disagree. You should aim to do the MCAT once, and do it right. Each of the AAMC exams is different, and thoroughly reviewing your answers for each one will prepare you in a different way for your real MCAT.
Pull out all the stops by starting to study 3-4 months in advance and aim to do 10-20 (approx. 15) practice tests. You should complete all of the AAMC exams, leaving 4 of these exams to be completed in the 2.5 weeks preceding your real exam. The MCAT is a beast, it's a beast that you should aim to face once!

Hey Vihsadas, why do you say we should leave 4 exams for the last 2.5 weeks? Is it a bad idea to take them now and just reatake them as I approach my test date (May 10)?

 

[Vihsadas]

Hey Vihsadas, why do you say we should leave 4 exams for the last 2.5 weeks? Is it a bad idea to take them now and just reatake them as I approach my test date (May 10)?

Well this is just what I did...maybe there'll be a better way for you, or you'll think of something more effective. I saved four exams just so that I could develop a test taking routine. Example:

I planned my 'homestretch' for 2.5 weeks before my exam. At this point content review is loooong done. I'm not really even opening up my books anymore unless there's a random/weird fact I somehow missed. The last 2.5 weeks are for tying up loose ends, and final test-taking preparation. I had 3 day breaks between each of these last four exams so that my actual MCAT was synched with this schedule.

I took the first of the final four on a Wednesday, the next on the following Sunday (3 day break), the next on the following Thursday (3 day break), and the final one on the following Monday (3 day break). That way I had a 3 day break until my real exam which was friday.

I did this to build a test-taking rhythm. I took those last four exams at exactly the same time that my real exam started and did them as if I was taking a real exam. I packed a snack/lunch and took it to my computer room, and resisted the urge to go to my fridge...these were as close to real testing conditions that I could make them. I woke up at the exact time that I would have to wake up for my real MCAT and I did that every single day in those last 2.5 weeks.
I feel that there is an advantage to doing this because you end up synching your circadian clock to your MCAT exam's time, and since you've been taking AAMC practices at regular intervals, your real exam is just another day at the office, so to speak. I think that making my last four exam times periodic and treating them like my real exam really helped. When I sat down to do my real exam it really felt like it was nothing unusual from my normal routine. I was prepared, and I had done this before... That helped to calm my nerves and give me extra confidence.

 

[phospho]

Well this is just what I did...maybe there'll be a better way for you, or you'll think of something more effective. I saved four exams just so that I could develop a test taking routine. Example:

I planned my 'homestretch' for 2.5 weeks before my exam. At this point content review is loooong done. I'm not really even opening up my books anymore unless there's a random/weird fact I somehow missed. The last 2.5 weeks are for tying up loose ends, and final test-taking preparation. I had 3 day breaks between each of these last four exams so that my actual MCAT was synched with this schedule.

I took the first of the final four on a Wednesday, the next on the following Sunday (3 day break), the next on the following Thursday (3 day break), and the final one on the following Monday (3 day break). That way I had a 3 day break until my real exam which was friday.

I did this to build a test-taking rhythm. I took those last four exams at exactly the same time that my real exam started and did them as if I was taking a real exam. I packed a snack/lunch and took it to my computer room, and resisted the urge to go to my fridge...these were as close to real testing conditions that I could make them. I woke up at the exact time that I would have to wake up for my real MCAT and I did that every single day in those last 2.5 weeks.
I feel that there is an advantage to doing this because you end up synching your circadian clock to your MCAT exam's time, and since you've been taking AAMC practices at regular intervals, your real exam is just another day at the office, so to speak. I think that making my last four exam times periodic and treating them like my real exam really helped. When I sat down to do my real exam it really felt like it was nothing unusual from my normal routine. I was prepared, and I had done this before... That helped to calm my nerves and give me extra confidence.

thank you very much for all the helpful advice. I have two questions though I was hoping you could help out with.

I was thinking of doing what you're saying, but what if on one of those practice days right before the real thing you do very bad on a practice test?

Obviously, you're not going to take the real thing till you're positive you've been doing consistently around your target score. However, were you worried about getting a "bad" day on one of your practice tests? I ask this because if something like that would happen to me right before the real thing, my confidence would be shattered.

Also, did you use a "methodology" so to speak, that would enable you to be reasonably confident that you would obtain an X score on the real thing? The first couple AAMC practice tests I took a while back were not reflective of my abilities. However, the last 4 or 5 are. Would it be reasonable to assume that if I averaged the last 5 scores I get right before the real thing, I would probably get the same score on the official test plus/minus a point or so?

Again, thank you so much for all your advice on this site. I am a huge fan of yours

 

[Vihsadas]

thank you very much for all the helpful advice. I have two questions though I was hoping you could help out with.

I was thinking of doing what you're saying, but what if on one of those practice days right before the real thing you do very bad on a practice test?

Obviously, you're not going to take the real thing till you're positive you've been doing consistently around your target score. However, were you worried about getting a "bad" day on one of your practice tests? I ask this because if something like that would happen to me right before the real thing, my confidence would be shattered.

Also, did you use a "methodology" so to speak, that would enable you to be reasonably confident that you would obtain an X score on the real thing? The first couple AAMC practice tests I took a while back were not reflective of my abilities. However, the last 4 or 5 are. Would it be reasonable to assume that if I averaged the last 5 scores I get right before the real thing, I would probably get the same score on the official test plus/minus a point or so?

Again, thank you so much for all your advice on this site. I am a huge fan of yours

That's definitely an important risk to consider. Every test is different and since you've never seen those final four exams you would take, there is a chance that one of them would exploit your weaknesses leaving you with a bad score. On that point, all I can say is that you just have to do whatever you can to be prepared, and try to have an unshakeable attitude. It's true that the AAMC exams can be indicative of how you will do on the real thing, but again, every exam is different. For example, even though my composite score was the same as most of those last 4 practice exams I took, my breakdown was wildly different. I usually got a 14PS 13VR 13BS, or a 13PS 13VR 14BS, but my real exam was 15PS 11VR 14BS. So yeah, what you suggest is a valid concern...but then again, the other option is to NOT take any practice exams in the last 2-3 weeks, and I think that's not smart.

P.S. I'm glad my posts are helping you guys! I really want you guys to succeed!

 

[physics junkie]

Do all the AAMC ones...save two if you think you are going to retake it. I didn't take them until I finished studying everything--then I used the AAMC diagnostic tools to improve on my weak areas.

For what its worth my AAMC scores were very accurate predictions of my performance and didn't vary much. I got a 33, 35, 34, 31, 34, 35, 36(not in that order. I got a 34 on the real thing. The 31 shook my confidence a bit but I was doing so poorly on it as I was taking it that I chose not to finish it in one sitting. After VR I gave up for the day on studying. After I did the remainder of my practice tests I went back to that one to finish BS. I felt that approach cushioned the blow to my confidence a bit.

 

[ORTHO4ME]

do as many as possible. I cant stress how important this is. I think its 50/50, Material/test taking ability. So get used to the timing, question types, etc.

 

[RoadRunner17]

Get as many as you can, and do them all. Practice makes perfect, and doing well on those will do wonders for your confidence. Also, do them all under timed conditions similar to testing conditions, if you want to, you can go to a noisy place like a coffee shop to take it with some earplugs so you can "train" yourself to ignore both visual and aural distractions while taking the test. Get into the same routine every time you take the test, so that when you take the real thing, it's old hat.

 

[prettyslick]

Practice??

[YOUTUBE]http://youtube.com/watch?v=eGDBR2L5kzI&feature=related[/YOUTUBE]

 

[HerrTex]

I have heard that depending on how well you do on kaplan practice tests expect to improve by a couple of points. I took the 7 kaplan mcat test and improved a couple of points on the real mcat. I was curious if anybody has heard if this was similar with aamca online practice tests or if what you get on them is very similar to the real mcat?

 

[alphagojo]

I have heard that depending on how well you do on kaplan practice tests expect to improve by a couple of points. I took the 7 kaplan mcat test and improved a couple of points on the real mcat. I was curious if anybody has heard if this was similar with aamca online practice tests or if what you get on them is very similar to the real mcat?

I had actually heard that Kaplan exams were a bit easier, but that your results would say otherwise. Good to hear.

 

[alphagojo]

Also, do them all under timed conditions similar to testing conditions, if you want to, you can go to a noisy place like a coffee shop to take it with some earplugs so you can "train" yourself to ignore both visual and aural distractions while taking the test.

Interesting advice. I may have to try that.