is AAMC 3 easier ??

[TheAnonymous]

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As someone who just took AAMC 3 (after several Kaplan FLs) and got absolutely destroyed by it, I was hoping if you guys can share your thoughts on how difficult AAMC 3 is compared to the rest of them? I scored 6 points lower than what I would like to get on my MCAT and I'm writing it in ~ 6 weeks. Should I take a few more AAMCs (after post-phrasing it) and then see if I have to postpone?

Thanks

 

[BrawnsNBrain]

How AAMC tests are is subjective! It's based on an individuals own preparation and content knowledge. Do not use it as an indication for how well you'll do on the real thing.

Here's my, subjective and unique experience: AAMC 3 was difficult for me, AAMC 7 & 9 were my best.

I took a full length test every saturday or sunday, decompressed the following day & reviewed, then did content for the following 5 days until another full length.

 

[TheAnonymous]

How AAMC tests are is subjective! It's based on an individuals own preparation and content knowledge. Do not use it as an indication for how well you'll do on the real thing.

Here's my, subjective and unique experience: AAMC 3 was difficult for me, AAMC 7 & 9 were my best.

I took a full length test every saturday or sunday, decompressed the following day & reviewed, then did content for the following 5 days until another full length.

thanks dude ! I was thinking of analyzing AAMC 3 today and tomorrow, then spend ~ 5-6 days doing all self-assessments, then working my way through TBR for physics and Gchem, and strictly Kaplan for Bio .. what do you think?

 

[Lamel]

My lowest score of AAMC 3-9 has been on 3, so it really depends.

 

[TheAnonymous]

My lowest score of AAMC 3-9 has been on 3, so it really depends.

sigh, this makes me feel much better !! I think I need to go over all TBR passages !

 

[BrawnsNBrain]

thanks dude ! I was thinking of analyzing AAMC 3 today and tomorrow, then spend ~ 5-6 days doing all self-assessments, then working my way through TBR for physics and Gchem, and strictly Kaplan for Bio .. what do you think?

Your plan sounds great. stick to it and make the most of your time 👍

 

[benjaminl1nus]

Have you finished content review? I suggest going here https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/. Go through the PS & BS content outline. Look it over. Make sure you know everything on that outline well BEFORE you attempt practice exams. If you can go through these outlines without needing to review any concepts, keep trucking on the AAMCs. If not, then I would suggest postponing your exam in order to learn those outlines well.

Don't worry, it took me nearly an entire summer + fall semester + most of jan-april to get 95% of that outline done before my MCAT on April 11. Guess what? That 5% showed up and I missed easy points for not reviewing a simple concept.

Do yourself a favor and give this test all you've got, you'll thank yourself for it 🙂

 

[TheAnonymous]

Have you finished content review? I suggest going here https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/. Go through the PS & BS content outline. Look it over. Make sure you know everything on that outline well BEFORE you attempt practice exams. If you can go through these outlines without needing to review any concepts, keep trucking on the AAMCs. If not, then I would suggest postponing your exam in order to learn those outlines well.

Don't worry, it took me nearly an entire summer + fall semester + most of jan-april to get 95% of that outline done before my MCAT on April 11. Guess what? That 5% showed up and I missed easy points for not reviewing a simple concept.

Do yourself a favor and give this test all you've got, you'll thank yourself for it 🙂

Thanks ! I've finished content review and I believe I know the materials. What pissed me off was missing questions not because of not knowing the concepts but because of missing/overlooking the info that was presented in the passage.....

 

[brood910]

Biggest myth/lie on SDN: AAMC 3 is easier than other AAMC FLs + AAMC 10 + 11 are the hardest.

 

[TheAnonymous]

Biggest myth/lie on SDN: AAMC 3 is easier than other AAMC FLs + AAMC 10 + 11 are the hardest.

haha glad to hear this man !

brood would you suggest for the 6 weeks I have till my exam, to focus on doing all passages in TBR Gchem and Physics? What do you think will help me the most to bring up my sciences?

 

[benjaminl1nus]

haha glad to hear this man !

brood would you suggest for the 6 weeks I have till my exam, to focus on doing all passages in TBR Gchem and Physics? What do you think will help me the most to bring up my sciences?

TBR G chem & Physics are excellent to work on. If you have 6 weeks left for the exam, I would recommend committing 1-2 weeks on those passages and the remainder for the AAMCs. I know it seems rushed, but I was able to post consistent 14s on PS thanks to TBR.

I took AAMC 3 before TBR, and I did terrible on PS haha.

The 1-2 week suggestion for TBR is just a suggestion, consider it though. but at least somehow integrate it into your 6 week countdown to your MCAT. all the best!!

 

[TheAnonymous]

TBR G chem & Physics are excellent to work on. If you have 6 weeks left for the exam, I would recommend committing 1-2 weeks on those passages and the remainder for the AAMCs. I know it seems rushed, but I was able to post consistent 14s on PS thanks to TBR.

I took AAMC 3 before TBR, and I did terrible on PS haha.

The 1-2 week suggestion for TBR is just a suggestion, consider it though. but at least somehow integrate it into your 6 week countdown to your MCAT. all the best!!

Thanks for your input and kind words, I really appreciate it.

Do you recommend doing like 1/2 of all chapters first, then doing the second 1/2, or should I go chapter-by-chapter doing all the passages?

Thanks again!

 

[benjaminl1nus]

Thanks for your input and kind words, I really appreciate it.

Do you recommend doing like 1/2 of all chapters first, then doing the second 1/2, or should I go chapter-by-chapter doing all the passages?

Thanks again!

You're welcome! Honestly, do whatever you're comfortable with! However you can fit it into your schedule, do so! You won't regret it

 

[TheAnonymous]

You're welcome! Honestly, do whatever you're comfortable with! However you can fit it into your schedule, do so! You won't regret it

Thanks ! I was going to spend 4-5 days doing all the self-assessment packages too. I have to incorporate TBR passages somewhere in there :S

 

[benjaminl1nus]

one more thought - the TBR GC & Physics books are more valuable content-wise than passage wise. I'm not saying that you should only read the content and forgo the practice. I mean that the content review is really, really solid and you should soak it up as much as you can (not memorize, but learn the critical thinking involved in solving problems). The passages are super good practice (and you SHOULD do as much as you can, if not all of them), but just know that they are incredibly difficult compared to AAMC, so don't let that get you down. Just learn from your mistakes and you'll do solid.

 

[benjaminl1nus]

What pissed me off was missing questions not because of not knowing the concepts but because of missing/overlooking the info that was presented in the passage.....

you still have SAs left?? Awesome! the best way to overcome this problem is to practice on these.

 

[TheAnonymous]

you still have SAs left?? Awesome! the best way to overcome this problem is to practice on these.

Yes, I still have the SAs left and havent touched TPRH workbook.

I have done around 25-30 passages from TBR (mostly physics) and to my surprise I do just ok on those (avging 80%) ... I guess I just need to do more practice and from all chapters

As a side note I just reviewed the PS section of the AAMC 3 and there was only 1 question that I didn't know the answer to, I missed the rest of them for just not paying enough attention to the details presented in the passage ... not sure how to interpret this...

 

[EMDO2018]

yes AAMC3 is easier for most people. Wait until you do 10 and 11.

 

[Jepstein30]

everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. therefore, different tests (with different topics being tested) will feel easier or harder depending if you got unlucky (more weaknesses than strengths) or lucky (more strengths than weaknesses).

I would say though.. it seems like the average SDNer finds AAMC 3 easier than the rest. This may just be the topics they tested (a general strength) but IMO, the biggest different from the early AAMCs (3, 4 and 5) and the most recent AAMCs (10, 11.. more reflective of the current MCAT) is the type of skills tested. The test nowadays is much more about critical thinking and analysis skills.. whereas it used to be (or at least based on the early AAMCs), more of a content-driven test. Given that most pre-meds are more comfortable learning details than applying elusive critical thinking skills.. the details feels more doable.

My personal AAMC 3 score was the lowest of all my AAMCs. I mean, it also was the first one I took when I was only about 60% through studying and had no exposure to the MCAT test conditions. I found the later AAMCs to be more comfortable, both because I was used to the testing environment after taking so many but also because it was less detail-orientated. I wouldn't say they are easier/harder though.. they're just different.

 

[TheAnonymous]

everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. therefore, different tests (with different topics being tested) will feel easier or harder depending if you got unlucky (more weaknesses than strengths) or lucky (more strengths than weaknesses).

I would say though.. it seems like the average SDNer finds AAMC 3 easier than the rest. This may just be the topics they tested (a general strength) but IMO, the biggest different from the early AAMCs (3, 4 and 5) and the most recent AAMCs (10, 11.. more reflective of the current MCAT) is the type of skills tested. The test nowadays is much more about critical thinking and analysis skills.. whereas it used to be (or at least based on the early AAMCs), more of a content-driven test. Given that most pre-meds are more comfortable learning details than applying elusive critical thinking skills.. the details feels more doable.

My personal AAMC 3 score was the lowest of all my AAMCs. I mean, it also was the first one I took when I was only about 60% through studying and had no exposure to the MCAT test conditions. I found the later AAMCs to be more comfortable, both because I was used to the testing environment after taking so many but also because it was less detail-orientated. I wouldn't say they are easier/harder though.. they're just different.

Thank you for your great comment, I really appreciate it. You're definitely correct about different tests focusing on different areas and how it is subjective.

Aside from the sciences, what about the verbal reasoning section? Did you also improve from AAMC 3 onward?

Thanks again everyone

 

[Jepstein30]

Thank you for your great comment, I really appreciate it. You're definitely correct about different tests focusing on different areas and how it is subjective in its own sense.

Aside from the sciences, what about the verbal reasoning section? Did you also improve from AAMC 3 onward?

Thanks again everyone

Verbal is a little different because it's more learning how to think like the test-maker rather than developing your critical thinking skills. Well, they are almost one and the same but its a bit of a twist on critical thinking because it's best to put yourself in their shoes, not your own or no-one's for sciences. People are generally either good or bad at verbal and it's tougher to improve in that section for sure.. but it's doable. I wouldn't expect more than a few points there, whereas in the sciences.. you can really do damage even if you started lower on the scale.

I do think there was a testing change from the early AAMCs to the later ones as well.. but its a bit harder to pin down exactly how. It's not as drastic as the sciences though. It could be they tried to make it more critical thinking based as well but not exactly sure.

I have more thoughts about the MCAT and study stuff in the link below.. not advertising (don't bump it! just PM me questions about it preferably) but it's easier than rehashing the same thing, which is why I posted it all together in the first place.

Personally though.. I did improve on verbal as well. Not as much as the sciences. Again, it's different because while I could continue to study science, identify and eliminate content weaknesses.. you can't do that for verbal. So it was more nailing the testing philosophy and getting used to thinking like the AAMC wants us to.

 

[TheAnonymous]

Verbal is a little different because it's more learning how to think like the test-maker rather than developing your critical thinking skills. Well, they are almost one and the same but its a bit of a twist on critical thinking because it's best to put yourself in their shoes, not your own or no-one's for sciences. People are generally either good or bad at verbal and it's tougher to improve in that section for sure.. but it's doable. I wouldn't expect more than a few points there, whereas in the sciences.. you can really do damage even if you started lower on the scale.

I do think there was a testing change from the early AAMCs to the later ones as well.. but its a bit harder to pin down exactly how. It's not as drastic as the sciences though. It could be they tried to make it more critical thinking based as well but not exactly sure.

I have more thoughts about the MCAT and study stuff in the link below.. not advertising (don't bump it! just PM me questions about it preferably) but it's easier than rehashing the same thing, which is why I posted it all together in the first place.

Personally though.. I did improve on verbal as well. Not as much as the sciences. Again, it's different because while I could continue to study science, identify and eliminate content weaknesses.. you can't do that for verbal. So it was more nailing the testing philosophy and getting used to thinking like the AAMC wants us to.

thanks ! I think you forgot to include a link?

 

[Jepstein30]

thanks ! I think you forgot to include a link?

i have it automatically in my signature.. but it only appears at the end of my first post in a thread.. so scroll up! It's a hyperlink, feel free to PM with questions or anything MCAT related.. I may take a few days but I'll generally get back to you!

 

[TheAnonymous]

i have it automatically in my signature.. but it only appears at the end of my first post in a thread.. so scroll up! It's a hyperlink, feel free to PM with questions or anything MCAT related.. I may take a few days but I'll generally get back to you!

Thanks a lot !