Let's see how accurate Kaplan is...

[angel5]

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For those of us who took Kaplan or some other kind of review course:

I'll start.

Diagnostic 18
Highest Practice Score 28
Actual Score 22

🙁

 

[Sartre79]

I used TPR....you say tomato....I say etc.

Diag 17
Highest Diag 27
Actual 22...

uncanny...similar to the original poster.

 

[NontradICUdoc]

Kaplan online:

Diag: 18
Highest Practice: 29
Actual: 22

Freaky

I did not finish all of the practice exams before the MCAT and I spimked on some homework though.

 

[Saluki]

My actual score was one point higher than my last Kaplan practice test, and my scores increased in linear progression along the Kaplan practice tests.

 

[MollyMalone]

Kaplan classroom:

Diagnostic: 29

Highest Practice: 37 Lowest: 32 Avg: 35

Actual MCAT: 37

Sorry to buck the trend... I will admit that the distribution was off by a fair bit. 😉

 

[albaniandoc]

By looking at your stats, I don't feel so bad. I have not done any science courses since 2000 and I am missing Orgo I and II, and Physics II.
My baseline dignostic score was 15. I was told that most students get over 20 (they actually said most students get a 7 on every area). I felt pretty ****ty.
Since that test, I enrolled in Orgo I (kicking ass, by the way) am reviewing other subjects and next semester I will be taking Physics II and hopefully take the MCAT in April. But at least I do not feel inadequate about the diagnostic.

 

[SensesFail]

Kaplan Classroom

Diagnostic: 31

Highest Practice Test: 36 (AAMC 6R two days before the actual MCAT)

Real Deal: 33

 

[PBandJ]

i took kaplan online

diagnostic: 21
highest practice: 32
actual score: 25

🙁

i think the thing that made me the most upset about this scenario is that my highest PS score was an 11 (for 3 exams!) and i got an 8 on the actual test in this section.

 

[boilerbeast]

Kaplan classroom...a few years back.

Diagnostic: 24
Highest Practice: 29
Real Deal: 31.

 

[medhacker]

Is it true Kaplan exams are the least like the real thing and that their physical science section makes you do calculations the real MCAT never has? Thanks.

.

 

[QofQuimica]

Kaplan classroom:

Diagnostic: 29

Highest Practice: 37 Lowest: 32 Avg: 35

Actual MCAT: 37

Sorry to buck the trend... I will admit that the distribution was off by a fair bit. 😉

I could screw up the distribution even more. Also Kaplan:

Diagnostic: 40
Highest practice: 41 (lowest-37; avg.-39)
Actual MCAT: 43

onmywayRN, a lot of my students score in the teens on the diagnostic as well. My experience is that most students don't score over a 20 on the diagnostic, no matter what the TEL says. I'd say that the avg. diagnostic scores range from 15-20; people commonly get three 5s or three 6s to start, not three 7s. So don't feel bad; your diagnostic score is completely normal, especially since you were missing several of the pre-reqs when you took it.

medhacker, I think it is true that the Kaplan tests require much more calulation than the real MCAT does. If you want to get some idea of what the real PS section is like, get a hold of one of the AAMC practice tests, and give it a try.

 

[Arsenic]

I could screw up the distribution even more. Also Kaplan:

Diagnostic: 40
Highest practice: 41 (lowest-37; avg.-39)
Actual MCAT: 43

onmywayRN, a lot of my students score in the teens on the diagnostic as well. My experience is that most students don't score over a 20 on the diagnostic, no matter what the TEL says. I'd say that the avg. diagnostic scores range from 15-20; people commonly get three 5s or three 6s to start, not three 7s. So don't feel bad; your diagnostic score is completely normal, especially since you were missing several of the pre-reqs when you took it.

medhacker, I think it is true that the Kaplan tests require much more calulation than the real MCAT does. If you want to get some idea of what the real PS section is like, get a hold of one of the AAMC practice tests, and give it a try.

you only went up 3 points from the diagnostic? hell, if i was you i'd demand my money back

 

[QofQuimica]

you only went up 3 points from the diagnostic? hell, if i was you i'd demand my money back

Well, that would be tough, seeing as I didn't pay for the course....also, Kaplan does not guarantee that your score will go up by any certain amount. So....basically I'm left with no leg to stand on. As usual. 🙁

 

[tank you]

I could screw up the distribution even more. Also Kaplan:

Diagnostic: 40
Highest practice: 41 (lowest-37; avg.-39)
Actual MCAT: 43

onmywayRN, a lot of my students score in the teens on the diagnostic as well. My experience is that most students don't score over a 20 on the diagnostic, no matter what the TEL says. I'd say that the avg. diagnostic scores range from 15-20; people commonly get three 5s or three 6s to start, not three 7s. So don't feel bad; your diagnostic score is completely normal, especially since you were missing several of the pre-reqs when you took it.

medhacker, I think it is true that the Kaplan tests require much more calulation than the real MCAT does. If you want to get some idea of what the real PS section is like, get a hold of one of the AAMC practice tests, and give it a try.

u didnt even change ur percentile, bc ur lowest practice test and actual score were both in the same percentile, sucks for u 😉

 

[jglouie]

For those of us who took Kaplan or some other kind of review course:

I'll start.

Diagnostic 18
Highest Practice Score 28
Actual Score 22

🙁

Diagnostic 23
Highest Practice Score (TPR) 28
Highest Practice Score (AAMC) 31
Actual Score 33

 

[Anastasis]

Diagnostic 23
Highest Practice Score (TPR) 28
Highest Practice Score (AAMC) 31
Actual Score 33

Good for you!!

 

[QofQuimica]

u didnt even change ur percentile, bc ur lowest practice test and actual score were both in the same percentile, sucks for u 😉

lol, well, at least y'all don't think I'm a troll anymore. 😛

 

[Arsenic]

lol, well, at least y'all don't think I'm a troll anymore. 😛

i'm still not convinced

 

[QofQuimica]

i'm still not convinced

Well, if SOMEONE (not mentioning any names here) were to show up for his tours like he was supposed to, that someone might have been able to see another someone's MCAT score report. As things stand now, you'll have to ask Dr. H. He's seen it. 😉

 

[Arsenic]

Well, if SOMEONE (not mentioning any names here) were to show up for his tours like he was supposed to, that someone might have been able to see another someone's MCAT score report. As things stand now, you'll have to ask Dr. H. He's seen it. 😉

🙄

troll

 

[QofQuimica]

🙄

troll

freak. 😛

 

[dimebag darrell]

Diagnostic: 31
Highest practice: 40
August 2005 (actual): 37

Interesting note: the average of my 5 Kaplan practice tests was exactly 37.

 

[albaniandoc]

I could screw up the distribution even more. Also Kaplan:

Diagnostic: 40
Highest practice: 41 (lowest-37; avg.-39)
Actual MCAT: 43

onmywayRN, a lot of my students score in the teens on the diagnostic as well. My experience is that most students don't score over a 20 on the diagnostic, no matter what the TEL says. I'd say that the avg. diagnostic scores range from 15-20; people commonly get three 5s or three 6s to start, not three 7s. So don't feel bad; your diagnostic score is completely normal, especially since you were missing several of the pre-reqs when you took it.

medhacker, I think it is true that the Kaplan tests require much more calulation than the real MCAT does. If you want to get some idea of what the real PS section is like, get a hold of one of the AAMC practice tests, and give it a try.

QofQuimica
Thanks for your words. In the beggining I felt like I was never gonna be able to get a good score but now things are slowly falling into place. I read your profile. It said that you were a graduate of New College. Is that the one in Sarasota ? I live in the area and that was my number one choice. I really, really liked everything about it, but because I came here as an immigrant I had a student visa and could not afford it. I ended up going to MCC and later on to FSU. If I had to do it all over again, I would go to New College.
Also congrats on your MCAT scores. That is awesome.

 

[Arsenic]

On a more serious note, you guys are just stating your highest diags. Highest diags don't tell crap about one's score without giving a full range.

A person may have one 37 out of 10 practice tests, 3 27's, 2 30's and 4 29's.

If they get closer to 27-30, or a 25, it shows that it was still in the range of their overall score range.

Not everyone scores in the higher end of their range, but most people on average show to be within 1-2 points of their overall ranges. Now whether it is on the low or high end is another matter all together.

yeah, i took the mcat twice. first time i was avg about 29-31 and scored a 26. 🙁

The second time i was avg about 30-31 and got a 34 (i had never scored higher than a 33 on a practice test and that 33 was a one time thing).

screw the how and the why, i took it and ran straight into med school. 😎 though i did check THx everyday for like a month after to make sure it wasnt a glitch.

 

[QofQuimica]

QofQuimica
Thanks for your words. In the beggining I felt like I was never gonna be able to get a good score but now things are slowly falling into place. I read your profile. It said that you were a graduate of New College. Is that the one in Sarasota ? I live in the area and that was my number one choice. I really, really liked everything about it, but because I came here as an immigrant I had a student visa and could not afford it. I ended up going to MCC and later on to FSU. If I had to do it all over again, I would go to New College.
Also congrats on your MCAT scores. That is awesome.

Yes, you've got the right New College. I'm impressed that you've heard of it, let alone wanted to go there. 👍 It's definitely not for everyone, but I loved it. On the downside, my lack of grades and GPA makes it kind of tough to apply to med school; all of my pre-reqs were taken P/F. 🙁 So all in all, you might have made a better decision by going to FSU, because you will not have this problem.

 

[QofQuimica]

screw the how and the why, i took it and ran straight into med school. 😎 though i did check THx everyday for like a month after to make sure it wasnt a glitch.

Amazing, like, you're actually, like, smart. Or something. 😛 😉

 

[QofQuimica]

Nah, just the chica with the mind boggling nerdy avatars. We should vote you, for the SDN Oscar: Nerdiest avatar on SDN!!!!!! just kidding. you know we 😍 ya.

I've got to come up with a new one that's harder. People are starting to figure this one out. 😳

You know what the funniest thing is about my avatars? I actually get people PMing me for hints.

 

[dreambig2night]

august 2004 = 25
averaged 24-28 on practise tests in '04
(did most of the 12 KAPLAN practise tests and 4 AAMC tests)

august 2005 =23
averaged 27-31 on practise tests in '05
(RE-did most of the 12 KAPLAN practise tests and 4 AAMC tests)

😡 🙁 😡 🙁 😡 🙁

oh well...back to the books for me...

 

[Seona]

Diagnostic: 31
Lowest: 28 (so tired, decided to put my head down for most of each section)
Highest: 39 (one of the AAMCs)
Actual: 32 (1 point increase)
*** I spent almost one year studying for this (not very intensive though)

Second time: studied by myself for 2-3 weeks, 8 hours/day. Took old Kaplan, TPR, and AAMC exams.
Lowest: 37
Highest: 38
Actual: 37

 

[blkkd]

Diagnostic:21
Highest: Infinity (mathematicians are still using anti-desitter space physics theories to calculate my score)
Real: 5 billion...no one is quite sure how i did it

Apparently i am amazing..."just having a bit of a laugh"-gervais

 

[drww911]

Diagnostic 21
Highest Practice Score 22
Actual Score 24

Needless to say, I'll be increasing my efforts to break the 30 threshold for the April 2006 administration.

😡

 

[big_smiles]

First Attempt without Kaplan: 27
Diagnostic: 26
Highest test: 33
August :31