New Examkrackers FL - Exam #4

[FOCUSandEARNit]

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Hey guys,

Has anyone taken this? I heard that EK 1-3 are most representative of the new exam behind the official AAMC practice test. EK just released #4, and wanted to hear what people had to say about it.

Anyone take the June MCAT and done EK 4? It's a lot of money to drop, but at this point, whatever...

 

[tturchi51]

I would always take the most recent test from any test prep company. Whether they want to admit it or not, the best practice FL exams are most similar because they have employees or hire people to go take the MCAT and report back the format/topics/etc.

 

[FOCUSandEARNit]

Definitely understand what you're saying, and think that too. There were reports that Next Step's exams were way too strikingly similar to the AAMC Practice Exam, and because of that, people that took Next Steps test and then the AAMC test may have shown falsely inflated scores on the AAMC practice exam.

I really don't want that to happen and want to receive feedback before dropping $50 on EK4.

 

[Dreamstoo]

I would wait to receive feedback before buying it. That's also the main reason why I avoided Next Step exams too.

 

[nomdeplume1234]

Definitely understand what you're saying, and think that too. There were reports that Next Step's exams were way too strikingly similar to the AAMC Practice Exam, and because of that, people that took Next Steps test and then the AAMC test may have shown falsely inflated scores on the AAMC practice exam.

I really don't want that to happen and want to receive feedback before dropping $50 on EK4.

Was is that their exams on the whole were similar or just one or two passages? I remember seeing a thread about one verbal passage being the same as their free diagnostic but that was it.

 

[DesitnationMD]

Was is that their exams on the whole were similar or just one or two passages? I remember seeing a thread about one verbal passage being the same as their free diagnostic but that was it.

yeah, it was their free diag. It was based off of the AAMC OG and was very close so if you took em both close together, your score on whichever you took 2nd might be skewed. In the CARS section a couple of the passages were clearly just parroted from the aamc with tweaks. They revised the diag exam a couple months ago and replaced a whole bunch of old passaged with new ones. The FLs were all good, but tough practice. 4 and 5 were on par with the EK 1-3 exams IMO with NS 5 being the most aamc like. Again I think they based it off the practice exam but did a much better job than they had with the free diagnostic (no surprise $ = more effort). AFAIK there was nothing close to the diag issu in the FLs but their system was down this past weekend for updates so I checked out my full lengths again this week.

I was checking again today and it looks like they have had some people take the exam or took feedback from the aamc data released this month cause I logged into my old exams and my scores have changed (I assume to reflect the new scales, because before they were brutal!) and there seem to be new, more AAMC like passages spread out in all 5 full length exams. Overall I would say they are better than they were previously. 4 and 5 were always good but 1-3 are now more aamc like and well balanced. I would def recommend them now, especially compared to $50 an exam for EK. I would say the NextStep explanations were more thorough and reinforced test strategy better than the EK explanations. This is especially helpful when all the free Khan stuff largely ignores explanations and strategy to just give those hints which are not always helpful to learn from mistakes with.

Get the aamc exam (duh), get NS 1-3 and/or EK 1-3 and you're good to go. I did notice that of EK, Kaplan and NextStep, none of em has the 1 Q at a time format of the MCAT yet. I don't know what they are waiting for .

Countdown to scores continues.

 

[Hatfield0429]

Have anyone taken the EK 4 yet? If I plan to only do two EK tests, is doing 3 and 4 a good idea? And what would be the best of NS if I only wanted to do one?

Thanks

 

[FOCUSandEARNit]

Nextstep's practice tests are good. NS3 is good practice. I think you can only get 4&5 if you buy 1-3 - but could be wrong on that

 

[Hatfield0429]

Nextstep's practice tests are good. NS3 is good practice. I think you can only get 4&5 if you buy 1-3 - but could be wrong on that

Yes, I think you have to buy 1-3 to get 4&5. It says on their website that they completely redid all questions to reflect the new MCAT, so I'd say 1-3 will probably be enough for me.

Have you done any EK test?

 

[FOCUSandEARNit]

yeah they're hard as crap! especially the chem/phys section. very good practice, and the general consensus is that they're the best representation of the 2015 MCAT

 

[deleted407021]

I would wait to receive feedback before buying it. That's also the main reason why I avoided Next Step exams too.

How come?

 

[dr.brainMD]

I just finished taking EK #4 today, and I had the worst experience.
Aside from the fact that there were horrible grammar mistakes, the format of the exam is unlike that of AAMC, and the timer has a major malfunction. I was disappointed with spending $50 on one exam and having half an hour allotted to complete the CARS section until it completely shut off. My CARS section was graded as 14/53, and I did not have access to view anything beyond the third passage because of the faulty timer.
I was disappointed with reading a question stem asking about Sarah's decision/attitude/belief about getting a tattoo, while all of the answers asked about "Laura."
One passage reads "The media are an important source of promoting and maintaining as socially acceptable the stereotypical image of the overweight individual as..."
Careless mistakes and gross run on sentences are peppered throughout. I wish that someone had edited this exam before it was sold for such a hefty price... and before I spent a great deal of my test prep time and money on this horrible exam tool.

 

[GoljansRightBicep]

I just finished taking EK #4 today, and I had the worst experience.
Aside from the fact that there were horrible grammar mistakes, the format of the exam is unlike that of AAMC, and the timer has a major malfunction. I was disappointed with spending $50 on one exam and having half an hour allotted to complete the CARS section until it completely shut off. My CARS section was graded as 14/53, and I did not have access to view anything beyond the third passage because of the faulty timer.
I was disappointed with reading a question stem asking about Sarah's decision/attitude/belief about getting a tattoo, while all of the answers asked about "Laura."
One passage reads "The media are an important source of promoting and maintaining as socially acceptable the stereotypical image of the overweight individual as..."
Careless mistakes and gross run on sentences are peppered throughout. I wish that someone had edited this exam before it was sold for such a hefty price... and before I spent a great deal of my test prep time and money on this horrible exam tool.

You should tell EK all this. I'll bet they'll give you a refund based on all your legitimate complaints about their mistakes.

 

[dr.brainMD]

I did notify them. They are a great company, and I loved using the EK topic books, but I couldn't believe the problems I had with the exam. I wish I hadn't lost a solid 6 hours of study time with #4. Maybe I should have tried #1/#2/#3?

I've been working more with NextStep exams (1-6) and I have been very happy with those!

 

[Life2dmax]

Arggg I've heard that EK4 and NS are the best practice ones (outside AAMC) and then other people say they are terrible. Any other opinions?

I have time to fit in one more and I'm looking to take one of the two. If you could just pick one FL outside the official ones which one would you do?

 

[popopopop]

NS diagnostic test and #1 is free. Do them and see. I'm not sure if EK has any sample tests for free. I just did EK4 again for practice (I own all 4 and all NS), saving a few untouched NS for closer to my retake. Most of EK to me was too discrete-like, not enough scrutinizing of research passages, and a joke of the amount of biochem (there's 2-3 biochem discretes and no biochem passages in EK4). I paid for them so might as well used it. I'm ok with their verbal though, but hated their verbal EK 101 passage book.

NS actually revamped their tests this year to reflect what they've learned from the 2015 year. They even released extra biochem chapters for free this year. They show real commitment and I love that.

 

[dr.brainMD]

I absolutely love NextStep, and my answer may be superficial. But, I like their exams because they have the same layout as the AAMC materials. I need consistency when I study, and just knowing that the purple bar on the NextStep practice exams will be similar to the same purple bar on the top of the real AAMC MCAT is comforting.
So far I have taken NS exams 1-5, and I am taking #6 tomorrow morning. But, one thing I did realize is that there passages seem to be a whole lot more involved compared to EK and to AAMC's. I realized that with each Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem passage on NS comes many diagrams, many tables, and many graphs. Whereas on the AAMC section packs may only have one of each (table, picture, graph) NS will have multiple. I can't say for sure if this means anything for our scores... but in my experience, looking at a NS passage at first glance makes me hold my breath and buckle down, and looking at an AAMC practice passage looks a whole lot do-able in comparison.

Comparing EK and NS, I like the post-exam feedback from NS, and I do think I gained more from reviewing a NS exam, than from the EK exam. NS provides stats on the percentages of test takers that got the question right/wrong much like the MPREP Q's of the day. They also provide a section, topic, and skills breakdown at the end of each exam. But I would hate to be the voice of reason, and I would hate to push you to go with a study resource that doesn't fit your needs! I promise I'll jump off this thread and head back to studying... good luck, good luck, good luck!

 

[popopopop]

I absolutely love NextStep, and my answer may be superficial. But, I like their exams because they have the same layout as the AAMC materials. I need consistency when I study, and just knowing that the purple bar on the NextStep practice exams will be similar to the same purple bar on the top of the real AAMC MCAT is comforting.
So far I have taken NS exams 1-5, and I am taking #6 tomorrow morning. But, one thing I did realize is that there passages seem to be a whole lot more involved compared to EK and to AAMC's. I realized that with each Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem passage on NS comes many diagrams, many tables, and many graphs. Whereas on the AAMC section packs may only have one of each (table, picture, graph) NS will have multiple. I can't say for sure if this means anything for our scores... but in my experience, looking at a NS passage at first glance makes me hold my breath and buckle down, and looking at an AAMC practice passage looks a whole lot do-able in comparison.

Comparing EK and NS, I like the post-exam feedback from NS, and I do think I gained more from reviewing a NS exam, than from the EK exam. NS provides stats on the percentages of test takers that got the question right/wrong much like the MPREP Q's of the day. They also provide a section, topic, and skills breakdown at the end of each exam. But I would hate to be the voice of reason, and I would hate to push you to go with a study resource that doesn't fit your needs! I promise I'll jump off this thread and head back to studying... good luck, good luck, good luck!

AAMC question pack or section bank? It's been a while since I've done either, but consensus is section bank is the hardest MCAT material right now. I can tell you on the real Jan. 23rd MCAT, I had a passage with 4 graphs. I remember it clearly, because it was the passage that messed up my timing and made me not take a chance so I voided! Multiple graphs can happen and you'll appreciate your graph interpreting skills on the real thing! lol

 

[dr.brainMD]

AAMC question pack or section bank? It's been a while since I've done either, but consensus is section bank is the hardest MCAT material right now. I can tell you on the real Jan. 23rd MCAT, I had a passage with 4 graphs. I remember it clearly, because it was the passage that messed up my timing and made me not take a chance so I voided! Multiple graphs can happen and you'll appreciate your graph interpreting skills on the real thing! lol

So far I've done the Section Bank and the Psych/Soc and CARS Section Packs, I was saving the Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem for this weekend. I've become a whole lot more comfortable with the multiple graph, multiple figure thing through working with NextStep. In the end, I think that it doesn't matter how many things they throw at you in the initial passage because they can only really ask you 4-7 questions, 8 tops, on each passage... right? I think we'll be okay!

 

[popopopop]

So far I've done the Section Bank and the Psych/Soc and CARS Section Packs, I was saving the Chem/Phys and Bio/Biochem for this weekend. I've become a whole lot more comfortable with the multiple graph, multiple figure thing through working with NextStep. In the end, I think that it doesn't matter how many things they throw at you in the initial passage because they can only really ask you 4-7 questions, 8 tops, on each passage... right? I think we'll be okay!

We'll be fine. Since we're on the topic of EK4 and graphs, multiple times I would map out a passage only to realize that the passage questions were mostly discrete-like, except for the last question or two. I think it reinforces a bit of a bad habit if you practice like this, because you're not going to get away from not reading on the real thing.

 

[maydaymalone]

@dr.brainMD What were your NS scores?

 

[arlo]

Deleted original post. Found the tests.

 

[Formation]

Get the aamc exam (duh), get NS 1-3 and/or EK 1-3 and you're good to go. I did notice that of EK, Kaplan and NextStep, none of em has the 1 Q at a time format of the MCAT yet. I don't know what they are waiting for .

Countdown to scores continues.

What's the one Q at a time format?

 

[arlo]

What's the one Q at a time format?

The new MCAT shows 1 question on the page at a time so you have to click next to go to the next question instead of seeing all the questions for that passage like on the old mcat format.

 

[Formation]

The new MCAT shows 1 question on the page at a time so you have to click next to go to the next question instead of seeing all the questions for that passage like on the old mcat format.

Thought so, but I was confused because the Kaplan tests are definitely like that.

But I didn't realize that this is an old thread.

 

[TestingSolutions]

We'll be fine. Since we're on the topic of EK4 and graphs, multiple times I would map out a passage only to realize that the passage questions were mostly discrete-like, except for the last question or two. I think it reinforces a bit of a bad habit if you practice like this, because you're not going to get away from not reading on the real thing.

I think the point about "not getting away from reading on the real thing" is critically important. You have to read through the passage and a slow, thorough rate without getting hung up on all the little details, but catching the main points and structure.

As has been said, the format on the new MCAT is one question per screen, but most questions within a passage set are going to be passage based. Don't expect more than one or at most two per passage. I have heard that some materials skew this number higher, which as has been said, inclines students not to read the passages as well as they should. You have to read the passage. Don't obsess, but skimming will not get you the score you want on test day.

 

[dr.brainMD]

@dr.brainMD What were your NS scores?

My NS scores were on par with my actual score: 513

 

[DaAlienist]

Have all the problems with EK exam #4 been fixed now? Are they worth it to use in conjunction with other materials? I have read their exams have no scaled scores. How do you know how well you are doing?