How to increase my score?

[maikelm]

So here is where I stand so far on my full lengths:

1/20/2017 Kaplan FL 1: CP 124 - CARS 121 - BB 124 -PS 123 - total 492
2/6/2017 Kaplan FL 2: CP 126 - CARS 121 - BB 126 - PS 124 - total 497
2/27/2017 EK FL 1: CP 52% - CARS 32% - BB 40% - PS 63%
3/21/2017 Kaplan FL 3: CP 125 - CARS 123 - BB 124 - PS 125 - total 497
3/27/2017 NS 1: CP 127 - CARS 123 - BB 126 - PS 126 - total 502
4/7/2017 Kaplan FL 4: CP 127 - CARS 123 - BB 126 - PS 125 - total 501
4/12/2017 Kaplan FL 5: CP 125 - CARS 119 - BB 125 - PS 126 - total 495
5/12/2017 Kaplan FL 6 CP 124 - CARS 123 - BB 124 - PS 127 - total 498

I scheduled my MCAT for 4/28/2017, but I rescheduled to 6/16/2017 because I have not been getting consistent scores.

Right now I am doing practice problems here and there, and scoring between 40% and 80% on certain topics. When I see those low values (anything below 70%), I look through the material and watch a few youtube videos and move onto the next topic. It clicks in my head as I am watching a youtube videos, because I think those topics are tucked away in my brain and I just need a refresher. I'll be honest I have not been doing practice problems daily.
Also, as I am reading the review material from the Kaplan books, I would look over youtube videos to clarify more information.
Afterwards I do another practice test, and I do NOT get the same questions wrong which is great, but I get different ones wrong. At this point, after completing 8 full lengths, I think I should be mastering all of the material.

What do you guys suggest to do? Anyone else get stuck in the same situation as this?

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[pms_testosterone]

What did you get on the AAMC FLs?

 

[maikelm]

What did you get on the AAMC FLs?

I was going to do the AAMC FLs a week prior to my May test date, but when I saw the fluctuations, I did not take it. At this time, I did not take it yet either.

 

[pms_testosterone]

You need to take one soon in order to figure out if you need to postpone your MCAT again.

 

[DameJulie]

What's your opinion on the Kaplan FL? Looking at your score, seemed like the Kaplan tests were deflated. Would you say your higher score on NS because Kaplan's FL test is harder?

I have also scored <500 on both of my Kaplan FL so far. I don't want to do the AAMC test yet because I haven't got to that stage of preparedness yet, but just wondering how I should approach my Kaplan FL score. I know it's just a number, but nevertheless it is a MCAT practice test score.

 

[Foodjunkie1028]

I took the Kaplan FLs because they were free but did not take anything from them other than endurance training. The exams are severely deflated and can definitely lower your confidence.

I personally like NS and feel their exam is a little more realistic but still again have been known to be a little more challenging compared to AAMC. The highest I got on Kaplan was a 494 and then got a 505 on NS 1.

Moving to the AAMC material I thought the material was easier compared to third party companies and have been doing better on their material in general (SB, Sample Test).

Overall, I wouldn't take the Kaplan scores to heart as they are probably not that representative.


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[maikelm]

What's your opinion on the Kaplan FL? Looking at your score, seemed like the Kaplan tests were deflated. Would you say your higher score on NS because Kaplan's FL test is harder?

I have also scored <500 on both of my Kaplan FL so far. I don't want to do the AAMC test yet because I haven't got to that stage of preparedness yet, but just wondering how I should approach my Kaplan FL score. I know it's just a number, but nevertheless it is a MCAT practice test score.

Considering I never went over 500 on Kaplan's full length, I agree they are deflated. Along with that, the CARS section is too deep and seems to ask a lot of detailed-related questions.

I took NS1 because it was free, and it was good overall. However, there was 1 to 3 questions on the psych/soc section that were never mentioned by the AAMC to know for the MCAT. I'm not sure how the other NS FL are.

 

[maikelm]

I took the Kaplan FLs because they were free but did not take anything from them other than endurance training. The exams are severely deflated and can definitely lower your confidence.

I personally like NS and feel their exam is a little more realistic but still again have been known to be a little more challenging compared to AAMC. The highest I got on Kaplan was a 494 and then got a 505 on NS 1.

Moving to the AAMC material I thought the material was easier compared to third party companies and have been doing better on their material in general (SB, Sample Test).

Overall, I wouldn't take the Kaplan scores to heart as they are probably not that representative.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

I agree with the endurance training point, because in the beginning I was drained by the end of the CARS section. Now I can push through a bit more. I feel the Kaplan content is so deep sometimes, and they ask nit-picky questions every now and then (especially for the CARS section).

If you don't mind me asking, did you take any AAMC FL? Did you end up with a better score?

I am retaking the MCAT and I remember when I took the Kaplan FL one year ago, and then I got my score from the real MCAT, I ended up with the same range score. That's why I am freaking out.

 

[maikelm]

You need to take one soon in order to figure out if you need to postpone your MCAT again.

In reality, I agree with you. I need to figure out a day next week to do it because the 6/16 test date is coming up quick.

 

[DameJulie]

I took the Kaplan FLs because they were free but did not take anything from them other than endurance training. The exams are severely deflated and can definitely lower your confidence.

Considering I never went over 500 on Kaplan's full length, I agree they are deflated. Along with that, the CARS section is too deep and seems to ask a lot of detailed-related questions.

I agree. Although looking at the score spreadsheet, it looks like those who scored around 505 are more likely to get 515+. Wish we will belong that group some day.

I want to take advantage of all the Kaplan FL that I have in hand, so I plan to do most of them. The CARS is challenging, even though I am naturally weak at CARS. Still slowly building up that stamina.

 

[Spr1ngrolls]

Stop the Kaplan and other third party company exams. Focus on the AAMC materials from here on out. Do the section banks AT LEAST twice through. Focus on your glaring weaknesses that you've neglected in the next 2 weeks and practice practice practice. You'll find AAMC material is much simpler and straight forward.

 

[stickgirl390]

You need to focus more on reviewing the full lengths you took and less on content review at this point. Spend time with one of the full lengths going Question by Question to understand why you got each one right/wrong.

 

[maikelm]

Stop the Kaplan and other third party company exams. Focus on the AAMC materials from here on out. Do the section banks AT LEAST twice through. Focus on your glaring weaknesses that you've neglected in the next 2 weeks and practice practice practice. You'll find AAMC material is much simpler and straight forward.

I took the AAMC FL 1 and the material overall did seem more straight forward. I'm going to start a new thread about it, and see what people think. Whether to reschedule again?

 

[maikelm]

You need to focus more on reviewing the full lengths you took and less on content review at this point. Spend time with one of the full lengths going Question by Question to understand why you got each one right/wrong.

That's funny you mentioned this, because I spent a good chunk of my time reviewing the full lengths. In the beginning, I was reading questions too fast and missed something that would lead me straight to the answer. Now, it seems more second nature to me.

There are still some content that I have not mastered 100%, but feel 70ish% strong on. As I review the FL, I would check YouTube videos to see if I could understand it better, and I usually get it right away!

 

[Foodjunkie1028]

I agree with the endurance training point, because in the beginning I was drained by the end of the CARS section. Now I can push through a bit more. I feel the Kaplan content is so deep sometimes, and they ask nit-picky questions every now and then (especially for the CARS section).

If you don't mind me asking, did you take any AAMC FL? Did you end up with a better score?

I am retaking the MCAT and I remember when I took the Kaplan FL one year ago, and then I got my score from the real MCAT, I ended up with the same range score. That's why I am freaking out.

It's not problem at all! And yes I took the sample test which I got about a 516 on with the score converter floating around. AAMC FL 1 I got a 515 and AAMC FL 2 I got a 514. Coming from a 505 on NS it was quite a shock and I still am not sure how I got the scores that I did. From what I have heard the AAMC FL's serve as the best predictor, especially because they update the scaling as time goes on to reflect a more accurate score.