January 2008 MCAT Central

[DrJD]

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Hey all! Anyone start studying now for the January 2008 test? Seems weird that its only 6 months away... What are all of you doing to study?

Best of luck!

 

[SN2ed]

I'm seriously thinking about putting off taking the Jan 26 MCAT. I took TPR last semester and have read all the material, did most practice problems. On practice exams however, I've been getting:

TPR 1 : 19
TPR 2 : 19
TPR 3 : 20
TPR 4 : 19
AAMC 9 : 30 ?!?!
AAMC 10 : 22

in that order. I don't feel prepared, but that might be my nerves talking. Should I get a refund and take it in April instead? :T It's a week away and I'm so stressed out.. I dont know what to do. Any advice?

I suggest you wait and take it later after you study more. Your test average is not that great and I wouldn't expect a miracle to happen during the actual test (I knew people in my Kaplan class with low test averages who still took it and did horribly). In general, you want to aim for a practice test average +/- 3 points of your target score. Additionally, I wouldn't take more AAMC practice tests. Save them for later after you study up some more. I know it's not exactly a fun idea to start over again, but it's better to wait than take it and score your average. You just aren't ready to take the test. So study more and nail it. Good luck.

 

[teh1337]

SDN has an MCAT chatroom... we can schedule a time and meet up if anyone would like. http://forums.studentdoctor.net/forumdisplay.php?f=183

I am down for this, i got rid of my aim account earlier this year...facebook is more than enough social networking and I feel too old for aim now that i graduated.

I am open to anytimes any days i think this could be helpful, and i have some more mnemonics to share as well 👍

 

[BassPlease]

I am down for this, i got rid of my aim account earlier this year...facebook is more than enough social networking and I feel too old for aim now that i graduated.

I am open to anytimes any days i think this could be helpful, and i have some more mnemonics to share as well 👍

I'm basically living next to my computer (or with it in very close proximity) for these next few days and I usually have SDN open. Shoot me a PM if you want to chat and so long as I'm not in a practice test (in which case I won't have SDN open, haha) I'm more than up for it.

-BP

 

[xylitol]

pm me too! i'll be here at around 3pm central time.

 

[BassPlease]

Ok, I just re-took the PS section in AAMC 3... I originally took it about 5 weeks ago during finals and never went through the answers. I recognized passages, but didn't remember what I put.

I got a 10 🙂. I know that it isn't quite as great of a victory as it would have been the first time around, but it makes me feel a tiny bit better.

Nonetheless, I just finished combing through it and honestly noticed about 5 completely stupid mistakes (math errors, misreading questions, etc.). How have you worked to eliminate these? I had about 10 min left, and I actually went back to one math question (just calculating moles), verified that my original math was correct, and got it wrong for putting 3 instead of .3.

Any tips of eliminating these? What types of questions do you always go back and double-check if you have time?

-BP

 

[ahmedqman]

Yeah we could do that...

 

[streetlight]

obligatory pract score update. kaplan FL 09, i thought the PS was really tough and got kinda confused in some of the BS parts, but overall the curve hooked me up. anyone else thought PS for FL 09 was quite a bit harder than usual?
overall raw:
PS(13): 11 wrong
VR(12): 10 wrong
BS(14): 11 wrong
i think FL 09 had the most forgiving curve of them all...seriously, even on previous kaplan tests 11 wrong won't get you a 14

Test...............PS......VR.....BS.....TOTAL
Kaplan FL 01....9........11.....8.......28
Kaplan FL 02....11......10.....13......34
Kaplan FL 03....12......15......9.......36
Kaplan FL 04....13......10.....13......36
Kaplan FL 06....12......13.....14.......39
AAMC 06.........13......12.....10.......35
AAMC 07.........10......11......12......33
AAMC 08.........13......8........11......32
AAMC 04.........13......10......11......34
Kaplan FL 05....12......11......15......38
Kaplan FL 08....13......14......12......39
Kaplan FL 07....14......11......15......40
AAMC 05.........12......11......13......36
Kaplan FL 09...13.....12.....14.....39

 

[DocWalken]

Yea I'm taking Kaplan FL 9 right now (did the PS, now taking a break will do VR and BS a little later). That PS section was really really hard. I felt like I was guessing for about 1/2 of the questions. We'll see how it goes though, I'll post my results once I finish.

 

[BloodySurgeon]

I'm basically living next to my computer (or with it in very close proximity) for these next few days and I usually have SDN open. Shoot me a PM if you want to chat and so long as I'm not in a practice test (in which case I won't have SDN open, haha) I'm more than up for it.

-BP

Same here... I even gonna leave the chat application on and every hour or so check up on it. However I will not be using it for real until tonight. I will PM everyone when I get the chance. Expect around 8pm/5pm (EST/PST) tonight.

 

[streetlight]

Same here... I even gonna leave the chat application on and every hour or so check up on it. However I will not be using it for real until tonight. I will PM everyone when I get the chance. Expect around 8pm/5pm (EST/PST) tonight.

haha the most social contact we'll have this next week... so what's the consensus time?

 

[teh1337]

haha the most social contact we'll have this next week... so what's the consensus time?

i guess I will get on around 6pm

 

[BloodySurgeon]

WTF can someone help me with a problem. AAMC8 PS Question 12. Doesn't the question asks about the B2 angle to the nucleus NOT the m which is answer choice B. But the answer talks about m and therefore the answer is C? Am I misreading the question? It clearly asks for the angle of B2.... typo?

 

[DocWalken]

If I remember correctly this is the question where the answer is 180 degrees?? I think it's talking about when the magnetic moment goes from being parallel to B1 to when (B2 I think does this) it gets flipped so that its antiparallel to B1.

Okay now i've got the question in front of me:

It asks what B2 does to an H nucleus at resonance, what angle the H nucleus goes through at resonance. In one of the paragraphs of the passage it says if B2= (omega sub-d) then resonance occurs and the magnetic moment becomes antiparallel to B1 (from being parallel to B1).

Hope this helps.

As for B2 the passage doesn't really ever say anything about the angles B2 goes through (I think), but I would assume its 360 degrees.

It seems like you just misread the question a little.

 

[xylitol]

i'm taking kaplan 9 tomorrow.

will be in the chat. is anyone in there now?

 

[BloodySurgeon]

If I remember correctly this is the question where the answer is 180 degrees?? I think it's talking about when the magnetic moment goes from being parallel to B1 to when (B2 I think does this) it gets flipped so that its antiparallel to B1.

Okay now i've got the question in front of me:

It asks what B2 does to an H nucleus at resonance, what angle the H nucleus goes through at resonance. In one of the paragraphs of the passage it says if B2= (omega sub-d) then resonance occurs and the magnetic moment becomes antiparallel to B1 (from being parallel to B1).

Hope this helps.

As for B2 the passage doesn't really ever say anything about the angles B2 goes through (I think), but I would assume its 360 degrees.

It seems like you just misread the question a little.

Oh ****... ur right! Rotates nucleus not the B2.. thank you it was really frustrating me. I knew the B2 is always perpendicular to the B1 and if the nucleus is antiparallel than B2 would have 2 be 90 degrees and the nucleus 180 degrees but it wasnt askin B2. lol stupid mistake.

 

[ahmedqman]

I'm in the chat right now.

 

[streetlight]

Yea I'm taking Kaplan FL 9 right now (did the PS, now taking a break will do VR and BS a little later). That PS section was really really hard. I felt like I was guessing for about 1/2 of the questions. We'll see how it goes though, I'll post my results once I finish.

let me know when you're done, i'm going over it now and want to talk about the second passage in PS, it was way crazy!

 

[DocWalken]

Kap Diag: ___PS:7__ VR:10 __BS: 11 (28)
Kap FL 8: ___PS:11 __VR:8__ BS:14 (33)
AAMC 5 : ___PS:12__ VR:10 __BS:11 (33)
Kap FL4: ____PS:8 __VR:10 __BS:14 (32) *gave up on PS boo-hoo
AAMC 6: ____Ps:12 __Vr:10__ Bs:12 (34)
Kap FL5: ____PS:12__ VR:11 __BS:14 (37)
AAMC 4: ____Ps:12__ Vr:10__ Bs:14 (36)
AAMC 8: ____Ps:12__ Vr:13__ Bs:11 (36)

Kap FL8:____PS:13___VR:10__BS:14 (37)
Kaplan's curve is definitely insane, but a little scored-based encouragement before the test probably doesn't hurt. 15 wrong in verbal and still a 10...oh well.
I did a lot of guessing on this test, but was also being distracted a ton and just wasn't very focused the whole time so I'll say it about evens out.

Streetlight, that PS section was nuts, I thought I would have a 7. I feel like I just used what I knew to do the best I could even if I truly had no idea what the passages were talking about (especially the 2nd one)...I only had one wrong in the second passage though, which suprised me a lot. So I'm not sure if my score reflects good guesswork or an actual underlying knowledge. I'll pretend I knew what I was doing for confidence sake. Anyways yea, tough test.

What did you think of the verbal?

 

[streetlight]

Kap Diag: ___PS:7__ VR:10 __BS: 11 (28)
Kap FL 8: ___PS:11 __VR:8__ BS:14 (33)
AAMC 5 : ___PS:12__ VR:10 __BS:11 (33)
Kap FL4: ____PS:8 __VR:10 __BS:14 (32) *gave up on PS boo-hoo
AAMC 6: ____Ps:12 __Vr:10__ Bs:12 (34)
Kap FL5: ____PS:12__ VR:11 __BS:14 (37)
AAMC 4: ____Ps:12__ Vr:10__ Bs:14 (36)
AAMC 8: ____Ps:12__ Vr:13__ Bs:11 (36)

Kap FL8:____PS:13___VR:10__BS:14 (37)
Kaplan's curve is definitely insane, but a little scored-based encouragement before the test probably doesn't hurt. 15 wrong in verbal and still a 10...oh well.
I did a lot of guessing on this test, but was also being distracted a ton and just wasn't very focused the whole time so I'll say it about evens out.

Streetlight, that PS section was nuts, I thought I would have a 7. I feel like I just used what I knew to do the best I could even if I truly had no idea what the passages were talking about (especially the 2nd one)...I only had one wrong in the second passage though, which suprised me a lot. So I'm not sure if my score reflects good guesswork or an actual underlying knowledge. I'll pretend I knew what I was doing for confidence sake. Anyways yea, tough test.

What did you think of the verbal?

same! i had one wrong in the second passage, the iron question. i think it was a lot of good guesswork. verbal i didn't think was so bad actually, i pretty much hover around 12 in verbal...

 

[mikeyworm]

PS VR BS
KFL 1- 8 8 9 (25)
KFL 2- 9 10 9 (28)
KFL 3- 11 9 13 (33) (I had to quit VR after only 5 passages to go help my fiance after she ran out of gas!
KFL 4- 12 12 11 (35)
KFL 6- 8 10 8 (taken before KFL 1 as a 2nd diagnostic)

AAMC3-11 11 11 (33)
AAMC4-11 12 9 (32) (on this one the BS was totally messed up and had the wrong passages for the last 3 question sets)
AAMC5-12 11 11 (34)

AAMC 6-12 11 10 (33)
KFL 7 - 10 13 12 (35)

AAMC 7 - 11 14 10 (35).

KFL 8 - 12 15 10 (37). I missed 6!!!! VR questions and still got a 15. missed 2 on AAMC 7 and got a 14....hmmmm.

AAMC 8 - 13 12 11 36. On this one I thought the VR was very tough. Couldn't get focused at all. Really struggled with the passage on literary criticism. However, the PS was great. Honestly, after going through it I think I should only have missed one or two. Here's to fewer magnetic field questions on the real thing.

Latest Addition:

KFL 9 - 12 14 12 (38) - should have taken this one last! felt good about PS. BS was tougher for me.

 

[mikeyworm]

If you guys want to talk about the test I'll be in the chatroom for a bit.

 

[DocWalken]

In addition to what I said up there:

I guess the whole thing with passages like that 2nd one is just trying to get used to applying the basic things you know (eg orbital filling/energy levels) to crazy topics like coordination complexes and whatnot b/c they both have the same basic principles. When you are able to get a crazy passage and still get questions right it reinforces confidence by showing you that you can apply what you know to an unfamiliar problem.

Do you think that the kaplan PS and BS passage questions rely a lot more on using the passage than the AAMC ones? Maybe it's just cause they're a little easier in general, but sometimes I barely read the AAMC passages whereas with Kaplan I feel like I have to memorize each detail.

 

[DocWalken]

same! i had one wrong in the second passage, the iron question. i think it was a lot of good guesswork. verbal i didn't think was so bad actually, i pretty much hover around 12 in verbal...

That's really weird that's the same question I got wrong too!

 

[annie30]

Hey,

Yeah I think a few other people are planning on takng the MCAT in 2008. I'm scheduled to take it in April. What about the rest of you?How are you guys preparing for it (those who are not taking a prep course)... can really use some study tips. Thanks

 

[pky463]

I just took Kaplan 11 and got killed. My score went down 7! points from my lowest AAMC or Kaplan previously

 

[robocop1998]

Just took AAMC #6. I thought verbal was really hard.

AAMC #3 ------ 12 PS, 9 VR, 11 BS (32)
AAMC #4 ------ 13 PS, 9 VR, 10 BS (32)
AAMC #5 ------ 13 PS, 10 VR, 13 BS (36)
AAMC #6 ------ 12 Ps, 7 VR, 11 BS (30)
TPR #1 -------- 10 PS, 9 VR, 12 BS (31)
TPR #2 -------- 10 PS, 6 VR, 11 BS (27) !!!!!
TPR #3 -------- 13 PS, 8 VR, 12 BS (33)
TPR #4 -------- 13 PS, 6 VR, 12 BS (31)
TPR #5 -------- 12 PS, 9 VR, 10 BS (31)
TPR #6 -------- 12 PS, 4 VR, 11 BS (27) !!!!!

I think I will prolly end up getting around 11-13 on PS and BS on the real thing. But for verbal, I have no clue. I think I might have to rely on my luck for verbal. 4 more AAMC tests to go.

 

[xylitol]

I just took Kaplan 11 and got killed. My score went down 7! points from my lowest AAMC or Kaplan previously

same here except on kaplan 10, not kaplan 11

 

[bozz]

I've just been doing the section tests... shrug

 

[pky463]

same here except on kaplan 10, not kaplan 11

I read that those 2 were killers but..whoa. Ha.

 

[Scean]

tried to get on the chat but couldnt connect, quick question reguarding osmotic pressure beacause if the MCAT covers it, it will either be a simple calculation or a cheeky thought question.

For the cheeky thought type --> pressure indicated by the osmotic pressure is the pressure that exists from the increase in water depth because of the water entering the more concentrated medium. AKA at equilibrium the new hydrostatic pressure created equals the tendancy for new water to enter the concentrated side so no more flow. So with that said does this mean that water flows from Low to High osmotic pressure? in a sense? I just know a funky worded question could trip me up on this just trying to get it straight in my head....and input appreciated
​

 

[bozz]

tried to get on the chat but couldnt connect, quick question reguarding osmotic pressure beacause if the MCAT covers it, it will either be a simple calculation or a cheeky thought question.​

For the cheeky thought type --> pressure indicated by the osmotic pressure is the pressure that exists from the increase in water depth because of the water entering the more concentrated medium. AKA at equilibrium the new hydrostatic pressure created equals the tendancy for new water to enter the concentrated side so no more flow. So with that said does this mean that water flows from Low to High osmotic pressure? in a sense? I just know a funky worded question could trip me up on this just trying to get it straight in my head....and input appreciated​

yup

osmotic pressure is directly related to amount of salt
more salt, more pressure

think air... more air in something, more pressure

 

[streetlight]

yup

osmotic pressure is directly related to amount of salt
more salt, more pressure

think air... more air in something, more pressure

i actually don't understand hydrostatic pressure and osmotic pressure (at all) and as it relates to nephron filtration, anyone can help?

 

[xylitol]

i think i can explain it.. how about in the chat room if you havent figured it out yet.

 

[DocWalken]

This applies to any capillaries and not just nephrons:

the easy way to think about it is just remember that osmotic pressure brings fluid back into the blood vessel while hydrostatic pressure (mean arterial pressure or whatever) pushes blood out.

So if you have more plasma protein/solutes (to which the vessel isnt permeable) then you have a higher osmotic pressure and more fluid is going to flow back into the capillary from the interstitium or less fluid will leave (in the case of glomerular filtration in the kidney).

If you have a higher blood pressure/hydrostatic pressure, then more fluid is going to leave the blood vessel and go into the interstitium/ more fluid will be filtered into glomerulus.


These two are sort of working against each other the whole time.

 

[da8s0859q]

yup

osmotic pressure is directly related to amount of salt
more salt, more pressure

think air... more air in something, more pressure

Or that water follows salt, and more water means more exerted force over the same area, which means more pressure (as P = F/A).

 

[ahmedqman]

I got a 30 on AAMC10. Took it at 7 AM in the morning. Wow.... I missed so many stupid questions... I'm going to not get a 30 on the MCAT 🙁 .

I didn't read the passages carefully enough and I obviously made a lot of logical errors. I'm pissed off! AGAHGHAGHHAHGAHGHAHG

 

[teh1337]

hello everyone, I am in the middle of taking kaplan full length 8 on paper but i do not have the conversion/curve and i cannot find the thread that has them I saw one that said like 65% overall was around a 35, can someone confirm or give a break down of raw score - to estimated score?

xylitol i ended up not taking 9 because i didn't realize i had already done the ps and vs before but i will go over that stuff later if u want

 

[BassPlease]

GAH!!!! And *this* is why the MCAT is stupid.

So I took AAMC 9 today - got a 10 PS 9 VR 10 BS.

I was 3 questions away from a 32... had I got one more question right in each section I would've gone up a point in each section and would've gotten a 32.

I know that the number is all that matters ultimately, which is really frustrating that 3/144 questions means the difference of 3 points in my curved score.

Nonetheless, I'm treating this as a small personal victory. I was one question away from an 11 in Phys, which is so awesome for me given that I was barely making 9s less than a week ago!

Shoot me an PM or a gmail message thing if anyone is up for chatting... I have a few questions.

- BP 🙂

 

[streetlight]

Test...............PS......VR.....BS.....TOTAL
Kaplan FL 01....9........11.....8.......28
Kaplan FL 02....11......10.....13......34
Kaplan FL 03....12......15......9.......36
Kaplan FL 04....13......10.....13......36
Kaplan FL 06....12......13.....14.......39
AAMC 06.........13......12.....10.......35
AAMC 07.........10......11......12......33
AAMC 08.........13......8........11......32
AAMC 04.........13......10......11......34
Kaplan FL 05....12......11......15......38
Kaplan FL 08....13......14......12......39
Kaplan FL 07....14......11......15......40
AAMC 05.........12......11......13......36
Kaplan FL 09....13......12......14......39
AAMC 03........13.....12.....11......36

raw scores
PS: 4 wrong
VR: 4 wrong
BS: 8 wrong

mannn too much nephron on that test... :/

 

[nmnick]

Hey guys,
For those that have recently taken AAMC 9 (i got ps13 vr9 bs11),
can anyone explain this problem? I'd still end up guessing (c)

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=438208&highlight=aamc+9+spermatogenesis+meiosis

And I posted in this thread because that's where all of us practice-test takers are🙂 I'm aware about not posting specific problems, but there's already a thread on it so I don't have to👍

 

[ahmedqman]

GAH!!!! And *this* is why the MCAT is stupid.

So I took AAMC 9 today - got a 10 PS 9 VR 10 BS.

I was 3 questions away from a 32... had I got one more question right in each section I would've gone up a point in each section and would've gotten a 32.

I know that the number is all that matters ultimately, which is really frustrating that 3/144 questions means the difference of 3 points in my curved score.

Nonetheless, I'm treating this as a small personal victory. I was one question away from an 11 in Phys, which is so awesome for me given that I was barely making 9s less than a week ago!

Shoot me an PM or a gmail message thing if anyone is up for chatting... I have a few questions.

- BP 🙂

I'll be in the MCAT Chat if you wanna talk. I have some frustrations I'd like to express.

 

[DocWalken]

Kap Diag: ___PS:7__ VR:10 __BS: 11 (28)
Kap FL 8: ___PS:11 __VR:8__ BS:14 (33)
AAMC 5 : ___PS:12__ VR:10 __BS:11 (33)
Kap FL4: ____PS:8 __VR:10 __BS:14 (32) *gave up on PS boo-hoo
AAMC 6: ____Ps:12 __Vr:10__ Bs:12 (34)
Kap FL5: ____PS:12__ VR:11 __BS:14 (37)
AAMC 4: ____Ps:12__ Vr:10__ Bs:14 (36)
AAMC 8: ____Ps:12__ Vr:13__ Bs:11 (36)
Kap FL8:____PS:13___VR:10__BS:14 (37)

Kap FL7:___PS:12__VR:13___BS:14 (39)

Yea...kaplan curve. You know the drill. Still siked. I felt terrible after the PS section though (which was reflected in my raw score---16 wrong!!). It's hard to tell myself to stay confident and keep looking ahead during the test. Anyone else have this problem/any suggestions? Hopefully this won't happen on test day.

 

[bozz]

Kaplan's fine for "practice" I guess... but honestly, from taking the Aug 20th MCAT, it was detrimental to my "thinking process" IMO. So many guesses that it's just ridiculous. If you're doing fine on AAMCs, nothing to worry about. But if there is a BIG discrepancy between AAMC and Kaplan scores, stop doing Kaplan. I stopped since I was getting 38s like a bunch of you guys above... something is seriously wrong with Kaplan if half of the people in this thread are getting 38s on Kaplan lol.

Your AAMC scores will most likely be what you'll get on the real deal... the problem with me was that Kaplan's 38s made me feel sooooo great about my "MCAT skills" that I got overconfident.

 

[ahmedqman]

Kap Diag: ___PS:7__ VR:10 __BS: 11 (28)
Kap FL 8: ___PS:11 __VR:8__ BS:14 (33)
AAMC 5 : ___PS:12__ VR:10 __BS:11 (33)
Kap FL4: ____PS:8 __VR:10 __BS:14 (32) *gave up on PS boo-hoo
AAMC 6: ____Ps:12 __Vr:10__ Bs:12 (34)
Kap FL5: ____PS:12__ VR:11 __BS:14 (37)
AAMC 4: ____Ps:12__ Vr:10__ Bs:14 (36)
AAMC 8: ____Ps:12__ Vr:13__ Bs:11 (36)
Kap FL8:____PS:13___VR:10__BS:14 (37)

Kap FL7:___PS:12__VR:13___BS:14 (39)

Yea...kaplan curve. You know the drill. Still siked. I felt terrible after the PS section though (which was reflected in my raw score---16 wrong!!). It's hard to tell myself to stay confident and keep looking ahead during the test. Anyone else have this problem/any suggestions? Hopefully this won't happen on test day.

I took a BS section test today, 75% correct, really pissed off. Kaplan (and AAMC10 BS) really punished me today for not reading the passage closely. Kaplan really does have a habit of making you feel crappy, but they reward people with absurd curves. AAMC will not be this nice.

This is ridiculous. I feel like I'm not gonna get above a 30 on test day. My practice exam scores have been ranging from 30-35 (AAMC 10 being my lowest, three ****ing questions away from a ****ing 32), so I am not too happy seeing how the real deal is supposedly much harder.

I need to get a 30 (with no lower than 8 in each section) for a specific program I'm in, and I have been studying since august (and i know the hell out of every single concept on this stupid test), and it's just minor reasoning errors that trip me up from scoring 12s consistently. If I don't get a 30 on test day, I literally will quit and become a ****ing garbage man because I've studied and practiced my ass off.

I also have the feeling that the test score will NOT reflect how much effort I have put in in order to gain a very deep understanding of each concept. It's stupid minor reading things that trip me up. I can't pay attention to every detail when I'm answering these damn questions! There's a timer you know!

Sorry, just really, really frustrated after the 30 on AAMC 10 (straight 10s). 😡😡😡

 

[bozz]

I took a BS section test today, 75% correct, really pissed off. Kaplan (and AAMC10 BS) really punished me today for not reading the passage closely. Kaplan really does have a habit of making you feel crappy, but they reward people with absurd curves. AAMC will not be this nice.

This is ridiculous. I feel like I'm not gonna get above a 30 on test day. My practice exam scores have been ranging from 30-35 (AAMC 10 being my lowest, three ****ing questions away from a ****ing 32), so I am not too happy seeing how the real deal is supposedly much harder.

I need to get a 30 (with no lower than 8 in each section) for a specific program I'm in, and I have been studying since august (and i know the hell out of every single concept on this stupid test), and it's just minor reasoning errors that trip me up from scoring 12s consistently. If I don't get a 30 on test day, I literally will quit and become a ****ing garbage man because I've studied and practiced my ass off.

I also have the feeling that the test score will NOT reflect how much effort I have put in in order to gain a very deep understanding of each concept. It's stupid minor reading things that trip me up. I can't pay attention to every detail when I'm answering these damn questions! There's a timer you know!

Sorry, just really, really frustrated after the 30 on AAMC 10 (straight 10s). 😡😡😡

Youv've been studying all this time... go for it, take it. If it offers you any comfort, 2 days before I took my Aug 20th MCAT, I made a 7 VR on AAMC 10. Got a 9 on the real deal... so keep working at it.

 

[ahmedqman]

Jeez, I wish there was an AAMC 11. Could use one more completely new test to work with...

I want there to be an AAMC 11 because I'll be motivated to take a **** on it and get a 35.

 

[DocWalken]

Kaplan's fine for "practice" I guess... but honestly, from taking the Aug 20th MCAT, it was detrimental to my "thinking process" IMO. So many guesses that it's just ridiculous. If you're doing fine on AAMCs, nothing to worry about. But if there is a BIG discrepancy between AAMC and Kaplan scores, stop doing Kaplan. I stopped since I was getting 38s like a bunch of you guys above... something is seriously wrong with Kaplan if half of the people in this thread are getting 38s on Kaplan lol.

Your AAMC scores will most likely be what you'll get on the real deal... the problem with me was that Kaplan's 38s made me feel sooooo great about my "MCAT skills" that I got overconfident.

I agree that Kaplan's curve is a little over-generous. However, the questions are more difficult/vague than the AAMC ones and the material is a whole lot less familiar on the Kaplan tests. This I think is good because it gives you some confidence with the test, knowing that you can apply what you know to unfamiliar areas and with a little guesswork can still get some questions right. However, I do see how it could make you lazy. I'm just taking it one day at a time and I'll take it when I get there, just meaning that I'm not going in (or spending these next few days) with the preformed notion that "Oh Kaplan says I got a 39, so I don't even have to try on this test or continue studying hard."

So you were getting 38's on your practices? I thought you said your highest was a 37?

Also, yes, there are 4 people on this forum who have posted good kaplan scores, but I don't think that's representative of everyone who takes kaplan. Do you also think that maybe people whose scores are lower are not posting about it/spending more time trying to bring them up?

 

[ahmedqman]

Hey guys,
For those that have recently taken AAMC 9 (i got ps13 vr9 bs11),
can anyone explain this problem? I'd still end up guessing (c)

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=438208&highlight=aamc+9+spermatogenesis+meiosis

And I posted in this thread because that's where all of us practice-test takers are🙂 I'm aware about not posting specific problems, but there's already a thread on it so I don't have to👍

The only thing I could think is that the question is referring to chromosome copy number (this is a molec bio term). The reason I chose diploid because was because it would reflect the abnormality that's being referred to in the question.

 

[bozz]

I agree that Kaplan's curve is a little over-generous. However, the questions are more difficult/vague than the AAMC ones and the material is a whole lot less familiar on the Kaplan tests. This I think is good because it gives you some confidence with the test, knowing that you can apply what you know to unfamiliar areas and with a little guesswork can still get some questions right. However, I do see how it could make you lazy. I'm just taking it one day at a time and I'll take it when I get there, just meaning that I'm not going in (or spending these next few days) with the preformed notion that "Oh Kaplan says I got a 39, so I don't even have to try on this test or continue studying hard."

So you were getting 38's on your practices? I thought you said your highest was a 37?

Also, yes, there are 4 people on this forum who have posted good kaplan scores, but I don't think that's representative of everyone who takes kaplan. Do you also think that maybe people whose scores are lower are not posting about it/spending more time trying to bring them up?

my bad, I was talking about now... those 38s in Kaplans were making me overconfident... I agree that many people simply aren't posting their scores. My experience from friends and other people in my Kaplan class (when I did take it) was that almost all the people who had been getting 38 - 40ish on Kaplan weren't able to break 36 (their AAMCs weren't that high). I think the main reason is the Verbal curve... some of you guys on here are Verbal gurus though lol.... so it shouldn't make a difference for you guys

I'm not even close to mastering the "AAMC logic"... that's what I'm going to be working on for these few days... good luck to you all.. I'll take AAMC 9 sometimes this weekend.

 

[ahmedqman]

my bad, I was talking about now... those 38s in Kaplans were making me overconfident... I agree that many people simply aren't posting their scores. My experience from friends and other people in my Kaplan class (when I did take it) was that almost all the people who had been getting 38 - 40ish on Kaplan weren't able to break 36 (their AAMCs weren't that high).

I'm not even close to mastering the "AAMC logic"... that's what I'm going to be working on for these few days... good luck to you all.. I'll take AAMC 9 sometimes this weekend.

AAMC logic = read passages closely and choose the simplest answer based on what's stated in the passages and using your own knowledge. When you narrow it down to two, I've noticed the simplest answer, that is, the most direct answer, is the correct one. You just have to reason it yourself directly in order to convince yourself. I think that was where the pitfall was for me today.

Kaplan requires long drawn out thought regarding a bajillion tables and realizing complex trends. Figuring out a lot of complex trends on the AAMCs often gets you into trouble, from what I've seen.