Kaplan MCAT scores? How do they correlate?

[tulpisoreos]

I just finished taking a CARS section test and a Psych/Soc section test with much improvements in both. My first FL was 122/121/123/122 but I recently scored a 126 in CARS and psych/soc on the kaplan section tests (far from my goal of 130 in each section). I've been doing content review for bio/biochem and will take a section test later tomorrow to see my progress but I'm shooting for a 126. With a little under 3 weeks left until my MCAT test I'm hoping I can improve on Chem/Phys , my weakest subject, by a few more points.

Also, I'm hearing different things concerning the Kaplan scores and how they correlate to the real scores. Some say that the scores are much less than if I were to take an AAMC FL but others say that Kaplan recently changed their scoring to match that of AAMC and the real MCAT. Idk how any of the scoring works and if so, what should I expect to score on test day with these section scores?

Thanks!

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[Prometheus123]

Poorly, at least as of a year ago (I do not know if they have changed their exams since then as you say). Regardless, the last time I checked, only the AAMC official full-length exams (FLEs) are a reliable indicator of your score on the real MCAT.

Have you taken the official FLEs yet? Have you studied the AAMC section bank thoroughly? If not, stop and you're taking your test in 3 weeks, stop what you're doing and go do the section banks, official FLEs, and other official AAMC practice materials exclusively until test day.

The section bank is a collection of new questions that are representative of the hardest MCAT questions you will see. It also gives you a feeling for what kind of knowledge and problem-solving abilities the AAMC is selecting for in applicants, which will help you predict novel questions they may ask you, which in turn will help you remember the material.

The older question collections are useful practice, but relatively much lower yield, as they do not represent the current MCAT.

Keep in mind that the two official FLEs are much easier than the real MCAT. Don't let that throw you the day of. By the grace of the "curve" the AAMC uses to get a nice normal distribution on their results (it's not really a curve at all, but that's a different subject), you will probably wind up getting +/- 3 points of the average score on your first two attempts at the two FLEs.

 

[tulpisoreos]

Poorly, at least as of a year ago (I do not know if they have changed their exams since then as you say). Regardless, the last time I checked, only the AAMC official full-length exams (FLEs) are a reliable indicator of your score on the real MCAT.

Have you taken the official FLEs yet? Have you studied the AAMC section bank thoroughly? If not, stop and you're taking your test in 3 weeks, stop what you're doing and go do the section banks, official FLEs, and other official AAMC practice materials exclusively until test day.

The section bank is a collection of new questions that are representative of the hardest MCAT questions you will see. It also gives you a feeling for what kind of knowledge and problem-solving abilities the AAMC is selecting for in applicants, which will help you predict novel questions they may ask you, which in turn will help you remember the material.

The older question collections are useful practice, but relatively much lower yield, as they do not represent the current MCAT.

Keep in mind that the two official FLEs are much easier than the real MCAT. Don't let that throw you the day of. By the grace of the "curve" the AAMC uses to get a nice normal distribution on their results (it's not really a curve at all, but that's a different subject), you will probably wind up getting +/- 3 points of the average score on your first two attempts at the two FLEs.

Yes I have been doing the AAMC section bank questions and have been doing pretty well on those. I have also been going through the QPacks, but they seem much easier than the section bank questions. I'll have to take an AAMC FL in a few days and review to see where I'm at. And thank you!

 

[Gilakend]

MCAT - Medical College Admission Test • r/Mcat

Do control+F for "Compilation of User Exam Scores"

 

[Dr. Brightside]

I got like 503 on Kaplan but 526 on the real thing. My actual test was strangely quite similar to the Kaplan tests (lots of calculations and obscure facts) but the scoring was way different. You're honestly doing fine!

 

[tulpisoreos]

I got like 503 on Kaplan but 526 on the real thing. My actual test was strangely quite similar to the Kaplan tests (lots of calculations and obscure facts) but the scoring was way different. You're honestly doing fine!

Oh wow that's a huge difference in scoring, this really brought up my confidence!! Thank You!

 

[Prometheus123]

Yes I have been doing the AAMC section bank questions and have been doing pretty well on those. I have also been going through the QPacks, but they seem much easier than the section bank questions. I'll have to take an AAMC FL in a few days and review to see where I'm at. And thank you!

Great, it sounds like you're in good shape then for the home stretch. Well done making it this far. Now, keep going; you're almost to the summit.

 

[PopeKnope23]

Just to jump in—I scored a 498 (124/124/124/126) on my first ever FL, a kaplan, 2 weeks ago. Tomorrow I’m taking a Princeton Review, then from there on out a NextStep, and then the AAMCs. My test is May 19. I have yet to start any AAMC practice materials. If I score poorly on TPR’s tomorrow, should I be concerned? Should I continue with content review (I’m not totally done yet) or should I jump into AAMC section banks right away? I just don’t know whether to judge the amount of content review I should continue doing on a Princeton and Kaplan exam or not.

 

[Prometheus123]

Just to jump in—I scored a 498 (124/124/124/126) on my first ever FL, a kaplan, 2 weeks ago. Tomorrow I’m taking a Princeton Review, then from there on out a NextStep, and then the AAMCs. My test is May 19. I have yet to start any AAMC practice materials. If I score poorly on TPR’s tomorrow, should I be concerned? Should I continue with content review (I’m not totally done yet) or should I jump into AAMC section banks right away? I just don’t know whether to judge the amount of content review I should continue doing on a Princeton and Kaplan exam or not.

Short answer is start section bank now. No one is ever done with content review. Don't let that stop you. Official question practice is the most significant determinant of your score.

 

[Prometheus123]

Just to jump in—I scored a 498 (124/124/124/126) on my first ever FL, a kaplan, 2 weeks ago. Tomorrow I’m taking a Princeton Review, then from there on out a NextStep, and then the AAMCs. My test is May 19. I have yet to start any AAMC practice materials. If I score poorly on TPR’s tomorrow, should I be concerned? Should I continue with content review (I’m not totally done yet) or should I jump into AAMC section banks right away? I just don’t know whether to judge the amount of content review I should continue doing on a Princeton and Kaplan exam or not.

Also, don't worry. You're doing fine. You can do it. Keep going.

Also, you do need to start on the section bank, then do focused content review based on the section bank questions. After you do the FLEs under realistic testing conditions on a full night's sleep on a day when you're feeling good, spend several days doing content review focused on the questions you got wrong on those. Third-party products are good extra practice, but they are not nearly as important as the AAMC materials. Do not leave it for the last minute. Start ASAP.

 

[PopeKnope23]

Also, don't worry. You're doing fine. You can do it. Keep going.

Also, you do need to start on the section bank, then do focused content review based on the section bank questions. After you do the FLEs under realistic testing conditions on a full night's sleep on a day when you're feeling good, spend several days doing content review focused on the questions you got wrong on those. Third-party products are good extra practice, but they are not nearly as important as the AAMC materials. Do not leave it for the last minute. Start ASAP.

Great advice; thank you! I will for sure buy the section bank asap. Do you recommend certain subject AAMC Qbanks over others? I wasn’t sure if some are more helpful/reliable than others (aka CARS, physics over bio?) because I probably won’ buy them all.

 

[Prometheus123]

Great advice; thank you! I will for sure buy the section bank asap. Do you recommend certain subject AAMC Qbanks over others? I wasn’t sure if some are more helpful/reliable than others (aka CARS, physics over bio?) because I probably won’ buy them all.

All four sections of the section bank product are essential, imo. The Qbanks of older questions are not essential. The questions from the official guide are of intermediate importance between the two.