June 15th

[swifteagle43]

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Oh my god....it is comming!

RUN!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jade1013]

yeah i know what you mean. i couldn't sleep last night and it's still weeks away. bleh.

 

[SoupWithAFork]

I'm taking it then and I'm starting to get a bit worried ... I've been studying all along throughout this past academic year, but not concentrated studying (with school and all), so I only really really started studying a couple of weeks ago. Haven't taken too many practice tests yet. Anyone else in the same boat? Should I be worried if I still get.. say, 20-30% of Kaplan questions wrong?

 

[swifteagle43]

I'm taking it then and I'm starting to get a bit worried ... I've been studying all along throughout this past academic year, but not concentrated studying (with school and all), so I only really really started studying a couple of weeks ago. Haven't taken too many practice tests yet. Anyone else in the same boat? Should I be worried if I still get.. say, 20-30% of Kaplan questions wrong?

holy ****, that is AMAZING!

 

[Ihateverbal]

That's really good!

 

[SoupWithAFork]

oh.. thanks guys 😳 i feel a bit better. I didn't really have anything to compare myself to so I wasn't sure. Time is probably the biggest enemy though... I find myself rushing a lot. Sigh... good luck to everyone!

 

[AWhitehair]

I'm taking it then and I'm starting to get a bit worried ... I've been studying all along throughout this past academic year, but not concentrated studying (with school and all), so I only really really started studying a couple of weeks ago. Haven't taken too many practice tests yet. Anyone else in the same boat? Should I be worried if I still get.. say, 20-30% of Kaplan questions wrong?

Yeah, ummm...go away. lol. I am getting 40-50% of the kaplan FL questions wrong!

 

[jade1013]

How much is everyone studying each day for the upcoming June 15th exam? And what are your study plans for the next 20 or so days? 🙂

 

[swifteagle43]

How much is everyone studying each day for the upcoming June 15th exam? And what are your study plans for the next 20 or so days? 🙂

I don't think the MCAT is a test you can study for. Pscyhe. Anyway, yeah I am at it atleast a good 4 to 5 hours a day and taking a break every wednesday.

 

[RollSkins]

I know its coming up fast. While I am freaking out I am definetly ready to get it over with. I have taken 1 practice test and got a 28 (10BS 9VR 9 PS) so I feel pretty confident that I can get >30 on the real thing if I bust my butt. My study schedule is pretty much as follows

8:30 Wake up, go for a run, eat breakfast
10:00 Start Studying
1:30 Take a break
2:00 Start Studying
5:00 Stop Studying, eat dinner, goof off, whatever really

Sometimes I study for a couple more hours in the evenings. I am most of the way through the EK book and plan on being completely done by next friday. Also I am going to take 2 AAMC practice tests (One on wednesday, one on friday) every week then not do anything on saturday.

So basically my life sucks and I am ready for this test to be over so I can get on with my year off of school

 

[eddie13231]

Yeah I thought that studying for a long time was a good idea until I realized that I will forget a bunch of it. So all I did the past semester was read everything and make sure I've gone through it twice, then I plan on "cramming" the next few weeks. Basically taking a bunch of tests and focusing on my weak points. I took a full three weeks off of work to only focus on MCAT so hopefully it pays off.

 

[saintsfan]

I had started studying months ago as well. even the basic stuff I was forgetting recently though.. I have started just working tests (Chemistry and VR). Much better! On my days off I will study all day. At work (50 hours!) I can barely study but do manage to get an hour or 2. Frustrations!

 

[dayumgina]

June 15th is freaking me out now. I got a 28 on the last test. I know it's not the concepts -- I feel like I have them down, but it's more like ... I suck at taking this test! (I know this because when I went over the questions, untimed without looking at the answers, I got a majority of them correct.) Should I just continue with the mini mcat EK tests and AAMC tests? Any suggestions?

 

[gujusnike]

I know its coming up fast. While I am freaking out I am definetly ready to get it over with. I have taken 1 practice test and got a 28 (10BS 9VR 9 PS) so I feel pretty confident that I can get >30 on the real thing if I bust my butt. My study schedule is pretty much as follows

8:30 Wake up, go for a run, eat breakfast
10:00 Start Studying
1:30 Take a break
2:00 Start Studying
5:00 Stop Studying, eat dinner, goof off, whatever really

Sometimes I study for a couple more hours in the evenings. I am most of the way through the EK book and plan on being completely done by next friday. Also I am going to take 2 AAMC practice tests (One on wednesday, one on friday) every week then not do anything on saturday.

So basically my life sucks and I am ready for this test to be over so I can get on with my year off of school

I agree. Good schedule. I wish I had the discipline to wake up at 8:30AM.

 

[saintsfan]

June 15th is freaking me out now. I got a 28 on the last test. I know it's not the concepts -- I feel like I have them down, but it's more like ... I suck at taking this test! (I know this because when I went over the questions, untimed without looking at the answers, I got a majority of them correct.) Should I just continue with the mini mcat EK tests and AAMC tests? Any suggestions?

I have 20 full length practice tests-AAMC, Kaplan, PR. I have the next 3 days off so I will be working the tests (notes right beside me, for now). Unfortunately today I overslept (hey, I busted my butt in the ER all weekend). Alas, when I get off sdn I'll start studying til late. When I am at work, I will be trying to write practice essays (the ones that AMCAS had on their website and studying my bio notecards). All the docs tell me practice tests, practice tests, practice tests. So here it goes. I can always retake it, yet, I am busting my rear from today on so I dont have to!

 

[RollSkins]

I agree. Good schedule. I wish I had the discipline to wake up at 8:30AM.

Yeah waking up at 8:30 is definetly the hardest part of my schedule. Luckliy I had 8:00 classes every day this past semester so it seems normal and by the time I go to bed in the evenings I am pretty tired so I just fall asleep.

 

[Jimmy Paige]

Its coming soo fast, I am getting excited!

I took the test last year and did bad and I can't wait to prove myself this time around.

I've been stuying everyday while taking practice tests every other day or so. Its going great so far and I've been improving each time I take a new test.

Dont stress guys, just have confidence and we'll all do fine!

 

[dayumgina]

We'll all do fine. Keep going at it! My confidence was dwindling and that made my score fall. Knocked some sense into me and brought my VR from a 5 to a 13! Yes, friends, trusting your intuition is ridiculously effective! Good luck...

 

[Ihateverbal]

I'm taking it June 15 too. If I score alot better (3-4pts), I'm going to drop my acceptance and reapply to medical shcool.

 

[SoupWithAFork]

We'll all do fine. Keep going at it! My confidence was dwindling and that made my score fall. Knocked some sense into me and brought my VR from a 5 to a 13! Yes, friends, trusting your intuition is ridiculously effective! Good luck...

If you don't mind me asking, how in the world did you improve your verbal score that much?! Any suggestions? 😳

 

[Merissa87]

If you don't mind me asking, how in the world did you improve your verbal score that much?! Any suggestions? 😳

yep, my verbal score went from 5 to 13 this week also. Get the EK Verbal book. I was using kaplan which was useless, this book really helps alot. I haven't even read lecture 3 yet, my improvement was just from reading lectures 1 and 2.

 

[dayumgina]

I was just going to say that too. Get the EK 101 book and go through the passages. I was going through them as 85 minute tests first, but then I split them into 7 passage tests (about 46 questions) and then 2 passage mini tests. i'd actually give myself less time for the 46 questions (60 minutes). The EK method works really well, but you kind of just have to find your niche. I tend to doubt my answers a lot so I always end up picking the answer that feels least intuitive. I've tried to change that by going with my gut feeling. Another thing is...I used to only analyze either the question stem or just the answers, and now I dig deeper into the question to see exactly what it's asking for, whether or not the answers relate to it, whether the passage relates to the answer, and then picking the correct answer.

That's a lot of rambling. Just keep practicing, and don't doubt your gut.

 

[RollSkins]

Yeah the EK method definetly works for me. I just took my second practice test AAMC 4 (BS 10 PS 9 VR 10) and my verbal score went up after only doing the first two chapters of EK verbal. So anyway my practice score went up 1 point, as long as I keep improving I will be happy. I really wish i could break a 10 in my PS. And every practice test I have taken (3 inculding diagnostic) I have scored a 10 in BS. I really think that Organic is holding me back. I really hate it. Oh well only a few weeks left of studying right?

 

[swifteagle43]

Plays Starwars Darth Vader Anthem

 

[jade1013]

yeah I also found that my verbal improved after reading the EK verbal book but I hope I can improve a lot more with the 101 passages that I bought just this week. I hope I can break a 10! 😳

 

[RollSkins]

Well I just broke a 30 for the first time on a practice test. I got a 31 on AAMC 5 (12BS 10VR 9PS). I feel like the biology section was extremely easy though with very little organic chemistry. I really just wish that I could break a 10 on PS. I was pretty distracted and not really putting a complete effort at during the PS section so maybe that has something to do with it. I hope thats it but mostly I think it is just that I suck at G-Chem. Anyway with less than three weeks left I am hoping to take 6 more practice test and hopefully I can score >30 on the real thing. Anyway thats my update I hope the studying is going well for all you June 15ers.

 

[wongb18c]

I'll be in the June 15th boat... just took the May 25th and voided my exam because for some reason my brain got owned on 2 verbal passages and 1 bio passage. I hope that won't happen again on the 15th.... it never happend on the practice exams... maybe it was test anxiety.

Breaking a 10 on verbal isn't as easy as it seems (at least for me) especially when the actual test has 2 paragraph longer passages (why do they do that?!!!)... I think you have to get at least a 30/40 to have a chance at a 10... the highest I've done was 29/40 on two AAMC practice tests.... but then again, my verbal is extremely weak...

 

[heyheyABCD]

does anyone know if it's just one test that is offered on june 15th? or are the tests at 8 am and 1:30 pm different tests?

 

[thestudent]

-

 

[scotties123]

im also taking the june 15th test...where did all the time go? 😱

I have only taken two practice exams, but my second score went up by 5 points so I am pretty confident I can bring my score up to where I want it and that my studying is working. Are the actual scales really as harsh as the Kaplan FL? The PS scale seems really easy (I got a 14 on the last FL and 11 on the first), but the BS and even more so the V scales are brutal. I always have one or two bad runs of three problems that kill my score.

Next I am going to take an AAMC to see how it compares to the Kaplan paper ones and simulate something more like the real CBT test. Also the EK Bio 1001 problems seem MUCH harder than the Kaplan FL Bio questions. Anyone know which to expect on the real thing? It seems that the Bio passages of the EK are just more difficult to read even if the questions arent really that much harder.

Just want to make sure im spending my time wisely

u need to do aamc cbt 7-10. stop doing kaplan FL and just do these. closest to actual mcat. kaplan has harder exams with very generous scales. real mcat has a MUCH less forgiving scale, which is why u need to do those aamc cbts. As far as Ek is concerned, i like using it as review, but the thing about EK is that they go strictly by the wording in their books. Also, they eliminate all easy questions and leave only moderate-hard questions.

 

[corbis11]

I'm taking it on the 15th, too. I just want to get it over with so I can enjoy my summer and work more so I'm not living on ramen and natty light all next year

 

[freelove]

Well I just broke a 30 for the first time on a practice test. I got a 31 on AAMC 5 (12BS 10VR 9PS). I feel like the biology section was extremely easy though with very little organic chemistry. I really just wish that I could break a 10 on PS. I was pretty distracted and not really putting a complete effort at during the PS section so maybe that has something to do with it. I hope thats it but mostly I think it is just that I suck at G-Chem. Anyway with less than three weeks left I am hoping to take 6 more practice test and hopefully I can score >30 on the real thing. Anyway thats my update I hope the studying is going well for all you June 15ers.

I felt about the same about that test. I broke 30 on the 4r, but the physics section the 5r completely owned me (i got a 7.) it was weird because I had this great upward trend going for the physical sciences, I scored A 10 on the 4r, and had gotten two 10s on several Kaplan full-lengths I did a couple weeks ago. Oh well. we'll see. I just ordered the 1001 for physics and chemistry and I'm going to try and beef up my PS skills between now and the 15th. I figure the verbal and the bio can take care of themselves. My bio score has been going up pretty consistently, and my verbal has been pretty stagnant at an 11 which isn't too bad. I really want to break 12 tho....

 

[RollSkins]

Yeah after going through my answers on AAMC 4 I realized that I made some extremely stupid mistakes. I need to think things through more when I am doing the PS section I think. I kind of have the same plan as you since my bio and verbal scores have been consistently good. I am going to go through the 1001 books and really just bust my butt on the PS studying so hopefully that will work out for us and we can get >10 on the real thing.

 

[swifteagle43]

Yeah after going through my answers on AAMC 4 I realized that I made some extremely stupid mistakes. I need to think things through more when I am doing the PS section I think. I kind of have the same plan as you since my bio and verbal scores have been consistently good. I am going to go through the 1001 books and really just bust my butt on the PS studying so hopefully that will work out for us and we can get >10 on the real thing.

Stupid mistakes are all that seperate 12's from 9's

 

[swifteagle43]

im also taking the june 15th test...where did all the time go? 😱

I have only taken two practice exams, but my second score went up by 5 points so I am pretty confident I can bring my score up to where I want it and that my studying is working. Are the actual scales really as harsh as the Kaplan FL? The PS scale seems really easy (I got a 14 on the last FL and 11 on the first), but the BS and even more so the V scales are brutal. I always have one or two bad runs of three problems that kill my score.

Next I am going to take an AAMC to see how it compares to the Kaplan paper ones and simulate something more like the real CBT test. Also the EK Bio 1001 problems seem MUCH harder than the Kaplan FL Bio questions. Anyone know which to expect on the real thing? It seems that the Bio passages of the EK are just more difficult to read even if the questions arent really that much harder.

Just want to make sure im spending my time wisely

To repond in accordance:

Kaplan FL 11 is the HARDEST Kaplan exam is definately the least accurate assessment for the AAMC. Take a real one and you will see at www.e-mcat.com. Anything above a 25 on the Kaplan FL 11 means a 35+ on the real thing.

As for the EK Bio problems being harder, I agree- and I think both are good for the MCAT as far as practice goes. I did the Kaplan questions and am using EK as a backup method for my weak areas- this is probably the best strategy.

I am trying to finish up all the "highly recommended" stuff on Kaplan and finish up some of the "required" that I have finished. I think anyone that can complete all the Greens and the Reds in Kaplan will break a 32+.

 

[RollSkins]

Stupid mistakes are all that seperate 12's from 9's

That is so true. Now if only I could figure out how to cut out those mistakes i would score >35

 

[quintessence]

I'm also writing on the 15th....or re-writing should I say lol. I started studying two weeks ago, and basically study about 6 hours every day. I did the PR diagnostic before I started and got a 27, but did AAMC3 on Saturday and got a 35 (still have a 10 in BS though:S)...although that improvement doesn't say much because 3 is supposed to be the easiest. I'm worried about time but hopefully things will work out. I'd like to get >36 this time around.

 

[swifteagle43]

I'd like to get >36 this time around.

ditto...getting harder and harder to get into a damn medical school

 

[ArchieMoses]

Let's Do This.

 

[Phoenix.]

I'm definitely freaking out about PS. I haven't had trouble getting 10s or 11s on VR and BS, but I've been consistently getting 8s on PS. I know I need to just keep working and hope that it finally "clicks," but at this point I'm almost giving up and figuring that I'll just really need to clean up in VR and BS to overshadow the low PS score I'll likely get. So, I've spent all today so far just doing 200 EK 1001 Bio questions in my weaker BS areas. BUT I'm worried that if I'm getting 8s on PS when I'm practicing, the stress during the real thing could easily lower it to a 7. Or, I could get a really calculation-heavy PS section and be screwed as well. OR I could get an orgo-heavy BS section. That wouldn't be pretty either. I hate the randomness to the weight of the content in the MCAT.

I've tried doing problems in the EK 1001 books, problems in Kaplan materials, some Nova chapters, etc., all to no avail. The PS calculation problems get me just the same, and now I feel like I'm getting mixed up on the basic stuff too! And I just took Chem and Physics within the past year and a half. It's not like it was 10 years ago or something. Anyone have any suggestions on breaking out from an 8 in PS?

Hey, it's possible to get into med school with a 7 in PS, right? I'm realizing I'm damn lucky I'm not from California!

 

[RollSkins]

So I just finished the EK books yesterday and took AAMC 6 today and my score jumped up three points, I was pretty stoked to say the least. And it was the first time I have broken a 10 in the PS section! Here's my breakdown 33 (10PS 11VR 12BS).

With about 2 weeks left of studying I am feeling pretty confident of scoring >30 on the real thing. Anyway my 'tenative' schedule until the test is taking about 5 more practice tests (AAMC 7-10 and maybe a Kaplan test) and then on days when I am not taking practice tests I am going to review my weak areas. Does anyone have any opinions on the Kaplan practice tests and which one is the best to take? I really haven't looked at anything kaplan someone just gave me some of their old practice tests so i really have no idea about them.

 

[BeatrixKiddo]

Yeah, ummm...go away. lol. I am getting 40-50% of the kaplan FL questions wrong!

I'm getting 70% of the kaplan questions wrong!!
God I am so not ready, should I move it back?

Would it be "late" to apply in mid august?

 

[MystA RavE]

How would you rank the AAMC exams as compared to the real exam?

My scores have been the following:

1st exam (princeton review) 14 (ouch...took this one with 0 studying)
2nd exam (princeton review) 19 (getting better but not quite there)
AAMC 3- 22
AAMC 4- 25
AAMC 5- 27

I'm seeing nice gradual progress...but is this indicative of my improvement or are those exams just "easy"? I would hate for the actual exam to be a smack in the face.

 

[BeatrixKiddo]

im also taking the june 15th test...where did all the time go? 😱

I have only taken two practice exams, but my second score went up by 5 points so I am pretty confident I can bring my score up to where I want it and that my studying is working. Are the actual scales really as harsh as the Kaplan FL? The PS scale seems really easy (I got a 14 on the last FL and 11 on the first), but the BS and even more so the V scales are brutal. I always have one or two bad runs of three problems that kill my score.

Just want to make sure im spending my time wisely

I know, I wasted a whole month doing close to nothing!! I took a few prac tests, but I haven't gotten anything over a 30 yet, is this a bad sign? =\

 

[quintessence]

How would you rank the AAMC exams as compared to the real exam?

I'm seeing nice gradual progress...but is this indicative of my improvement or are those exams just "easy"? I would hate for the actual exam to be a smack in the face.

The AAMC exams are a very good indication of the real MCAT; you will probably end up getting within two points of your practice scores. AAMC 3 and 5 are very easy and you can skip them if you don't have time to do all of the AAMC's. AAMC 4 is the hardest of the bunch. AAMC 7 -10 are the best practice to do because they are the most recent and are a better reflection of the content of the real thing.

 

[quintessence]

Does anyone have any opinions on the Kaplan practice tests and which one is the best to take? I really haven't looked at anything kaplan someone just gave me some of their old practice tests so i really have no idea about them.

Yea gotta love EK! I think it's the best MCAT prep out there to be honest. The Kaplan and EK practice exams are a complete waste of time. Kaplan's tests don't reflect the actual MCAT at all in terms of difficulty or content. EK exams have too many mistakes. PR exams are ok as diagnostics before you start studying. As I said before, the only practice exams that are really worth your time are the AAMC exams.

 

[quintessence]

I'm definitely freaking out about PS. I haven't had trouble getting 10s or 11s on VR and BS, but I've been consistently getting 8s on PS. I know I need to just keep working and hope that it finally "clicks," but at this point I'm almost giving up and figuring that I'll just really need to clean up in VR and BS to overshadow the low PS score I'll likely get. So, I've spent all today so far just doing 200 EK 1001 Bio questions in my weaker BS areas. BUT I'm worried that if I'm getting 8s on PS when I'm practicing, the stress during the real thing could easily lower it to a 7. Or, I could get a really calculation-heavy PS section and be screwed as well. OR I could get an orgo-heavy BS section. That wouldn't be pretty either. I hate the randomness to the weight of the content in the MCAT.

I've tried doing problems in the EK 1001 books, problems in Kaplan materials, some Nova chapters, etc., all to no avail. The PS calculation problems get me just the same, and now I feel like I'm getting mixed up on the basic stuff too! And I just took Chem and Physics within the past year and a half. It's not like it was 10 years ago or something. Anyone have any suggestions on breaking out from an 8 in PS?

Hey, it's possible to get into med school with a 7 in PS, right? I'm realizing I'm damn lucky I'm not from California!

I'm rewriting because of my PS scores...I'd never gotten below an 11 on any practice test, but come the real thing, I blanked out (twice!) or freaked out or whatever you want to call but, and didn't get through more than half of the PS section either time. You need to keep working on the PS and just try to do as many questions as you can (EK1001?) until you can work past your block. Since the PS section is the first one, if you come out of it with bad feeling, this mindset is going to stay with you throughout VR and BS sections, no matter how comfortable you are with them.

 

[RollSkins]

Yea gotta love EK! I think it's the best MCAT prep out there to be honest. The Kaplan and EK practice exams are a complete waste of time. Kaplan's tests don't reflect the actual MCAT at all in terms of difficulty or content. EK exams have too many mistakes. PR exams are ok as diagnostics before you start studying. As I said before, the only practice exams that are really worth your time are the AAMC exams.

Yeah I love EK! I don't really know anything about Kaplan except that it was going to cost me 2000 dollars or so to take the class and someone gave me their EK books from last year. So after I bought a couple 1001 books and all the AAMC test I am only in like 250 bucks. I also was given a the Kaplan books that cover each section (BS, PS, VR) and I tried to study them a little but they were just so boring. The EK books are so awesome because they present the information in such a way that I am really able to understand it (in some cases better than when I took the classes) and it is interesting. Basically i am going on because I love EK and if you want my advice on what to use to prepare (well even if you don't I'm going to give it to you) I am going to say EK all the way.

I guess since the Kaplan and EK tests are not really a reflection of the actual MCAT I'll just take the AAMC tests and study my weak areas on the other days. Maybe I'll use the tests to do practice problems.

 

[wongb18c]

I took all the AAMC practice tests and I've ran out of study material....

So what do you guys suggest I do now? Go over each and every question of the practice tests a 2nd and 3rd time to reinforce all the ideas... or ONLY go over the questions that I got wrong?

I'm taking it on the 15th also.

 

[Tensyle]

I took all the AAMC practice tests and I've ran out of study material....

So what do you guys suggest I do now? Go over each and every question of the practice tests a 2nd and 3rd time to reinforce all the ideas... or ONLY go over the questions that I got wrong?

I'm taking it on the 15th also.

keep the content fresh in your memory. so go over the flash cards, do a quick review, and it wont hurt to go over the test questions again

what scores did you get on the AAMC tests?