Kaplan OAT scores

[mshea413]

Hello everyone,

I have been taking Kaplan practice test from the on-line for the OAT and finally stated getting a decent score (around 360). I have heard people saying that the kaplan questions are more difficult then the real ones, so I am wondering how accurately these scores predict how well I will do on the real test. I also don't know is these score differ form the the real OAT because of the new scale?

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[SonyaM]

Yes I would like to know too. I took a Kaplan full-length practice test today and got the following scores:

Bio: 350
Chem: 320
Orgo: 370
Physics: 360
Reading: 320
QR: 310

AA: 340
TS: 350

I don't know how these scores compare to the real test, and I was shocked at how hard the math section was. For those of you who have taken the kaplan course, how do you think the math section compares to the real test? Or all of the sections for that matter?

 

[hurricaneuro]

I would say the scores are pretty accurate, but you will probably do better. The one section you will most likely get a higher score in is Physics, but the rest I'd say are pretty accurate as far as knowledge goes. The questions Kaplan asks are more specific, but the material they are testing you on is the same material on the OAT...so you have to know it.

Let me pull up my Kaplan scores for comparison...

360, 360, 390, 350 on the Final and following 3 extra practice tests. Ended up with a 380 AA. So...again, short answer- do well on Kaplan, do well on test.

 

[SonyaM]

OK. Thank you

 

[SonofanOpt]

I would agree as well...
On the Kaplan Practice tests I was scoring: (Range)

Bio - (360-400) Actual OAT - 400
GC - (300-330) Actual OAT - 390
OC - (330-350) Actual OAT - 370
PS - (300-320) Actual OAT - 340
RC - (350-370) Actual OAT - 300
QR - (380-400) Actual OAT - 320

The reading comprehension questions in Kaplan are not very similar to the questions on the actual test. They are not necessarily more difficult, but they are more time consuming. On the QR, they way I saw Kaplan questions: there were 3 degrees of difficulty - Easy, Medium, and Hard Questions. Now, they are not all that difficult, but the Hard questions were ones that were more time consuming. It seemed like the actual test had more of these "harder" questions, and therefore I was more pressed for time.
The sciences, especially physics and general chemistry were much easier than Kaplan made them out to be. Again, that is just my opinion.

All in all, if you feel confident, you will probably do well. I felt great after my practice tests, and went into the test knowing I would do well. I am very content with my scores. Good Luck!

 

[SonyaM]

Oh wow. Congrats on your scores. I'm most worried about RC and QR. Did you use the Destroyer by any chance for QR? Or just Kaplan? I don't know how to properly prepare for the real thing if Kaplan isn't giving me the right difficulty of questions. I don't want to be unpleasantly surprised when I go take the real thing at the end of this month and realize that the questions are harder than I expected.

 

[hhannah]

I don't really know why, but I was having a pretty difficult time with the Kaplan practice tests. I used the OAT practice book Kaplan had, and was getting from 310-340 on the sections. Physics was especially tough. On the actual exam I took a couple weeks ago though, it felt so easy in comparison! Everything seemed to be much more straight-forward. I agree that the Kaplan questions were a lot more time consuming. I was struggling to get through the questions in time, but on the actual OAT I had 15 minutes to spare in almost every section.
I think if you can do the Kaplan questions and understand the ones that you miss, then you have a good chance of doing well on the exam. I studied using the Kaplan MCAT study book, some of my old class texts, and the Kaplan OAT book the week before, and got 400 TS/ 390 AA. Don't freak out, and you can do it!