MCAT ?

[Freddie]

I just finished some a bunch of the AAMC Verbal and BioSci passage practice items. Is it just me, or do they seem to be on the easy side? I know verbal is one of my more poorer areas but it seems like the verbal aamc passages aren't that tricky. I'm also doing kaplan too and those passages (all sections, especially verbal) seem alot more challenging. Any thoughts?

Also, I just started reading this forum on a consistent basis and I must say this is awesome. I'm applying for the class of 2003. I'm currently in my second year of optometry school but have decided to switch out. To all april mcatters - best of luck and let's destroy this exam.

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[mpp]

Some of the AAMC practice stuff (especially exams I through III) seem to be easier than the real MCAT. Practice Exam IV and V were pretty close to the actual thing.

 

[ccryder]

From what I've been told, most of the AAMC passages and practice tests are quite old. Only AAMC Test V is truly representative of the current test. I also took Kaplan and found their practice tests and passages to be much harder then the AAMC ones but also more beneficial in preparing for the real one. I highly recommend AAMC Test V. I took it a couple of weeks before the real one and scored within one point of what my actual score ended up being.

Good luck with the test and the whole app process.

 

[spanky]

Hi Freddie!

I've also been doing practice tests out of Kaplan and Lippincot, Wms. and Wilkins. I don't have the AAMC practice tests yet. Kaplan by far seems to be the most challenging, but they also have an easier grading scale. The material in the Kaplan Bio section was easy, but the way they have their answers worded is very tricky. The physical sciences in Kaplan is a bear. Also, my Kaplan book says not to worry about memorizing SIN and COS for angles or constants (i.e. plank's constant, etc.) because it will be given for you. LLW says you should memorize those things. Any input?

 

[DarksideAllstar]

I recall getting all of the Physic's constants given to me on the test (ie speed of light, Planck's constant, etc...)

 

[daisygirl]

Hi Freddie,
As others have already told you, the AAMC practice tests 1-3 are easy. Also, the AAMC practice items (not the tests, but the books with VR/BS/PS type questions) are also easy. I do not think either the tests or practice items, that I have mentioned thus far, are comparable to the real MCAT. I feel the MCAT has changed in the following ways: VR has gotten progressively harder(it seems that you were, in the old days, to be able to break passages into three catergories: easy, medium, and hard- now I find it hard to distinguish between hard and medium!), calculations are kept to a minimum in the PS section (old AAMC stuff required more calc.)and I also feel that this section has become easier, I also feel that the BS section has become harder (the MCAT people tell you all you need is biology for this test and I think that is a load of crap-there is a whole lot of physiology, genetics etc..).

After having taken the MCAT this past August, I feel that AAMC practice test V is closest to the real thing (practice test IV is similar also). Good luck with the MCAT!

 

[gooseHC]

I would say that all the practice verbal I took was easier than the actual test. They seem to be making the verbal section more and more difficult every year. So do as much practice as you can and expect that the actual test will be more challenging...good luck

 

[megkudos]

Hello,

I think what the poster is asking about are the practice items, not the practice exams.

I took the MCAT last April and I had a similar experience with the verbal practice items. They were considerably easier than what was tested on the actual MCAT (at least that is my opinion). I still did them, though, figuring it couldn't hurt.

 

[Freddie]

...Actually, Megkudos is right (I have yet to do the aamc exams) but the input gives me a good idea of what to expect on these practice exams.

Spanky, f what passages I have done so far, minimal memorization is necessary for the MCAT. Afterall, this exam (as you have probably heard before) is a thinking exam. I am not memorizing plank's constant, k, or any other constants for that matter. I personally think it would defeat the purpose of the MCAT if they asked you to recall numbers like that. However, I do have all the physics formulas memorized

Also, anyone intersted in some sort of e-mail study-buddy (yeah, I can't think of a better way to put it) where we could e-mail each other periodically and keep each other motivated and on task? I know I could use something like that.

 

[Tweetie_bird]

me meee meeee!!!!
I've been asking around....finally, there you are!

Check out a list called "April MCATers Club" that I made.

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