Kaplan FL just shot me down!

[Ebete]

...so I just took one of the Kaplan's FL and hit 5's across!!!! 15! WTF!!!! are these tests supposed to make you feel like crap? I do a lot better with the AAMC's took (3,4 and 5) and averaged mid 20's. So was hoping to improove next 5 weeks (aiming to take July 8th.) to at least hit 30, but this Kaplen really shot my hopes. I know I shouldn't look at the score, and just learn from my mistakes and use these tests as practice, but since I corrected it I had to know what the score was...dam!

Sorry... just venting here before I get back to the books!

Anyone else with unusual score for Kaplan FL's?

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[polarizer]

I never took the Kaplan FLs seriously... I would do them, but not bother to get the grade on the scale; I did them more to just highlight what I didn't know. Turns out, they pointed out I was very bad at a number of areas, and that I was good at like 2. Nonetheless, I growled and just did ultra quick reviews which allowed me to understand the questions I got wrong on the Kap's. Actually, I never bothered to convert my score to any scaled score for anything but the AAMCs, as I was more concerned with the percentage right. The reason behind that is that usually it is difficult to predict practice MCAT scales, especially prior to publishing the dang tests. On the other hand the AAMC people have students doing tests online and they can track data better and produce more meaningful scales. However, I am sure testprep companies do their best, but their best should not have to cost you your precious little self esteem.

p.s. I just realize that my post is sort of like a WR response to Converting your practice MCAT raw score to scaled score is important . It is weird how one test can alter your behaviour.

 

[J ROD]

Which Kaplan FL did you take?

 

[Ebete]

Which Kaplan FL did you take?

bought the book with 2 tests (6th ed)

 

[DrJD]

bought the book with 2 tests (6th ed)

Kaplan makes there tests wayyyy hard! Don't worry about that score... I stopped scoring the first test in that book you are talking about cause I was doing terrible! They make them hard and then give them a more generous curve.

Focus on the AAMC's...

 

[Cumberland_Doc]

I have the same book. I've only taken PS and BS and made 6's on both without having studied. I'm taking #2 as my diagnostic next month. Should I rethink this? I agree, it was pretty hard.

 

[Cumberland_Doc]

Also, the main thing is that you review what you missed to ensure you don't miss that type of problem again. More times than none I have noticed that I either misread the question, misunderstood the question, and in some cases guessed. It is at the point of review that your real learning begins.

 

[LikeClockWork]

Yeah, Kaplan FLs are disproportionately hard. AAMC exams are probably more accurate in terms of the real MCAT score (though I don't have my scores back yet to compare. It's just what I hear).

 

[engineeredout]

How are the kaplan practice exam books like Kaplan 45? Are they worth getting?

 

[Cumberland_Doc]

If you need an extra supplemental source of testing materials it can't hurt to get them. I'm not sure on their similiarities to KAP45 though.

 

[Ebete]

Hi and thanks for your replies. I have been revising my damage and realized I'm not as bad as I thought. First off the PS section was wayyyy harder than any AAMC I took, but again I'm not that great on phys. (Chem I'm surprised I didn't do better) still have to review it though. Verbal I finished on time and thought I did well, even liked the passages, but thought the answer stems were too close and some didn't even make sence. I think I also need to change my verbal strategy (I read about 350-400w/m so you figure I should have ample time to go back and recheck). And BS I just finished reviewing, had a total of 23 organic q's out of 52! this explains the 5 in this section, I had 5 wrong in the bio q's (which would have given me a 12, whith no organic of course) and almost all wrong in the org. q's. I took org about 5-6 years ago, so remember very little and have yet to begin studying it! Yep its now time start, I just figure since not much organic is suppose to be on the real deal I'de leave it for later. Either way I will be using Kaplan for practice only and forget about the scores. I'm taking another one this weekend, hopefully after all this review and a full day (hopefully) of heavy duty studying on Sat, I'll be able to do better.
Good luck to all,
E

 

[Ebete]

btw I have a bunch of old EK exams, I'm going to give them a try, and see how these compare.

 

[Cumberland_Doc]

I just re-examined by BS section and noticed that most of my misses were organic-based. I missed a few due to carelessness in bio, but only missed 6, so I would have done quite well as well. Good reassurance. Hopefully my August 15 don't have as much OCHEM