USMLE Kaplan Simulation Exam 2 - Correlations??

[you.old]

Here are my Kaplan Simulation Exam 2 results:
Block 1: 39/46
Block 2: 41/46
Block 3: 39/46
Block 4: 38/46
Block 5: 41/46
Block 6: 44/46
Block 7: 39/46

Total: 281/322=87.3%

Don't know how this correlates with anything. Yet to take any of the NBMEs. In fact, this is my first simulated exam.. Exam in 2 months
(Went through some of the related posts from the past.. Any new inputs are appreciated.)

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[you.old]

BTW, if anyone was looking for correlation.... Got 267 in real deal. So, for n=1, 87.3% in Kaplan Simulation 2 corresponds to 267 on real deal

 

[Reperfused]

Were the concepts and question style in Kaplan simulation tests even remotely similar to the real exam?

 

[PowerDan]

Were the concepts and question style in Kaplan simulation tests even remotely similar to the real exam?

Nope.

Kaplan simulation is full of low yield stuff. The real thing on the other hand tests only high yield stuff in a weird, twisted, vague way - well at least it was that way for me.

The simulations are good for building stamina - definitely not for the content/quality of questions.

 

[Reperfused]

Nope.

Kaplan simulation is full of low yield stuff. The real thing on the other hand tests only high yield stuff in a weird, twisted, vague way - well at least it was that way for me.

The simulations are good for building stamina - definitely not for the content/quality of questions.

Thanks! This is exactly what I wanted to know.

 

[Paramyxovirus]

Would it be a good idea to do back to back NBMEs or UWSAs (8 hours) to build one's stamina? Or would it be an overkill and compromise the score prediction?

 

[parcus]

Would it be a good idea to do back to back NBMEs or UWSAs (8 hours) to build one's stamina? Or would it be an overkill and compromise the score prediction?

In my opinion (disclaimer: I have not gotten my score back yet) no. I didn't feel tired at all during the real deal. I think always taking a 5 mins break between blocks, walking around and eating a snack helped.

Interestingly, when I was doing the UWSA (didn't do NBMEs), I got pretty tired and could not read the last couple of questions on each block carefully. Maybe it's because I didn't take any breaks, or because I did them after a session of studying and going through UWORLD blocks.

 

[PowerDan]

Would it be a good idea to do back to back NBMEs or UWSAs (8 hours) to build one's stamina? Or would it be an overkill and compromise the score prediction?

Combining two NBMEs back to back is a bit much since that adds up to 400 questions, whereas the real thing is ~270 questions. What I did was combine one NBME with half of another NBME - and I think it really helped me build stamina.

I would do the remaining half NBME later in the evening.

 

[Paramyxovirus]

Thanks a lot parcus and PowerDan for your valuable feedback.
I shall do the same!