So now that its all over with, I'm pleased to say I did exactly as good as I wanted to.
Total Science: 350 Academic Average: 340
Quantitative Reasoning: 330
Easily the most difficult section on the entire exam. It was WAY harder than the OPTED and even harder than the Achiever in my opinion. The questions weren't exactly IMPOSSIBLE, but in the time you are expected to complete it...difficult. The best advice I have here (didn't even do this myself....) is to SKIP difficult problems. I am stubborn. I've always been a test taker that does every question in order unless I know I can't do it. This is the problem with this section, I CAN do it, but I don't have the time. It was too late before I realized I was wasting valuable time with difficult problems and ended up doing worse than I wanted to here. I got a 390 on the OPTED and a 370 on the OAT Achiever test 3 for QR so I think it goes to show that the problems designed for both those exams are less time consuming, if not, less difficult. TLDR: Skip those crazy looking questions, they aren't a welcoming challenge, they are a trap!
Physics: 330
Very conceptual. Easier than I thought it would be. Definitely have a grasp on your mechanics/energy and the rules associated with each. Disappointed with my score here, I'm generally very good at physics and find it easy. I know the points I lost here were conceptual problems involving electrostatics. On par with Achiever in my opinion, although there are no CRAZY calculations (I find those easy though...), way harder than OPTED. TLDR: Know your concepts! Rules are more important than knowing how to multiply a million numbers together! A lot of trick questions that aren't tricks if you know your concepts.
Reading Comprehension: 340
Search and destroy method. Read only one article and that wasted a TON of my time. I basically got lucky. I wouldn't advise this method. I love physiology and one of my articles discussed something I happened to pay attention to in my PGY 300 class. Answered questions from just knowledge. Don't remember any questions that required more than what was presented in the article. TLDR: Read quickly and attentively. Detail, detail, detail...
Biology: 320
Random. I did better on the 2/3 Achievers than I did on the actual thing. I narrowed MANY problems down to 2 answers and I guess not THAT many went in my favor. Very disappointed here, I'm a Biomed major. I guess I did get all the Physio/Anatomy questions right from what I recall.
General Chemistry: 350
Very easy. Know your general chemistry concepts and you can work through this section. On par with the OPTED.
Organic Chemistry: 360
Pretty tough questions here, I'm just very good at Orgo. Know your reactions. I had HNMR, CNMR, AND an IR problem. I didn't even look these over. Not fair...Probably could've done better.
Final thoughts: Achiever exams are overall more difficult but they prepare you for the worst. Some of the exam IS that hard. The OPTED isn't a fair representation of what is to come. It basically shows you what all the easy problems will be like.
I used the OAT Achiever, Kaplan OAT 5th Edition, flashcards I had made from when I took Orgo, and the OPTED. Thats it.
Work hard, it pays off. I could've done better, but I'm happy. 👍
