Please Recommend Study Materials For Computerized Mcat's

[mother]

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I took the August 2006 MCAT. Would like to improve score from a 31Q which apparently isn't competitive enough for most schools and my only in state school quotes an average (2007 class) of 33 on MCAT's. What materials will ease the transition to the computerized MCAT? Please provide specific recommendations for online practice tests that might make a difference. Thank you. 😕

 

[Isoprop]

31 is pretty much the national average for students accepted. about half the students who scored 31 got in. imho, you have a competative mcat.

also, be aware that the average that your state school is reporting could be accepted instead of matriculated. they accept the highest scores (generally speaking) so their average acceptance score is going to be higher than the average mcat score for the incoming class that eventually gets in.

 

[Isoprop]

on the second read of your post, i realized i didn't really answer your question. if you're out of aamc tests, i hear some positive things about mcat-prep.com (i.e. gold standard cbt exams).


however, i still hold my strong belief that your competitiveness can improve more if you spend that time working on other areas of your application.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

31 is pretty much the national average for students accepted. about half the students who scored 31 got in. imho, you have a competative mcat.

also, be aware that the average that your state school is reporting could be accepted instead of matriculated. they accept the highest scores (generally speaking) so their average acceptance score is going to be higher than the average mcat score for the incoming class that eventually gets in.

actually if you look in the MSAR. about 70% of those who scored 31 got in. It was about 50/50 for 28s.

 

[mother]

More than anything I hope you are right. I had a strong overall application but nothing spectacular. I tried to apply early and had my part done by early August. However, my school's so-called Committee Letter delayed my applications until almost 10/07 making me late relatively. So while I wait I want to study and try somehow to psych myself into taking the MCAT's once again. Is the Gold Standard a publisher? Manufacturer? I have never even tried one of the computer tests so it's back to the beginning I think. Except I'll already be a non-traditional applicant and will have my apps fully filed by early summer 2008.

 

[mother]

Not to be redundant, but what practice test/ study package do you recommend? What seems to be the biggest difference between the paper and computer tests - the difference that explains the 4 versus 8 hour test time? Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[idyllic84]

I took the paper mcat's in august 2006 and then the computerized ones' the following year. I felt that the computerized mcat was realitively easier in terms of the material tested (bio/physical science), but the verbal I found got more difficult!
For Bio/Physical sci I would recommend pacing yourself well and make sure you have enough time to read through the questions and passages. Verbal was more difficult for me because reading passages on a computer screen wasn't easy! I made a lot of notes on my paper-mcat in verbal section, which I could not do on the computerized one.
As for reading materials etc. - I recommend lots and lots of practice doing everything on the computer! Since I had taken it before studying the material was not so much of an issue, I just bought exams online and took atleast 2/week.

Hope this helps 🙂

 

[meddog]

Use the Practice CBT MCATs on e-mcat.com. I did about 8 full length practice tests (under real conditions) before I took the MCAT on 6/15/07. Also, for extra practice I purchased 101 Verbal Passages from Exam Krackers and did these regularly. I found that the most important thing on the Verbal section was maintaining absolute focus. Repetitive practice will allow you to develop this.

Verbal was my weakest subject (received an 8 on my first practice) but I ended up earning a 12 on the real test. Hope this helps.