Practice Test Question - Kaplan vs. real thing

[denner]

I just found this forum and have been reading a lot of the talk about different practice tests (Kaplan, TPR) being harder than the real MCAT or 3R practice exam.

I've been studying for about 2 weeks now and just took the first kaplan test that comes with their book and scored PS-8 VR-12 BS-10.

Now my question was, is the kaplan test overall more difficult? or is it just some of the sections? In addition to that, should I take these scores as reliable indicators or do they have a different system of scaling scores? ( I ask this because I only missed 4 out of 45 in the VR and I would think that I would have had higher than a 12 on it )

Also, this will be my first time taking the MCAT on June 13, so if anyone has any advice on focus of study or any recommendations for how to study, especially on the physical sciences section, It would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry if some of this stuff has already been asked.

Thanks

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[SN2ed]

Kaplan FLs are regarded as having tougher science sections and a different verbal section. I say different because it's not necessarily harder than the AAMC VR, it's just slightly different in style. Even though the science sections are more difficult, Kaplan's generous curve usually evens things out. Another thing to keep is mind is that Kaplan FL 7-11 are generally regarded as being not the best indicators of MCAT performance. However, they are still good for practice problems. My Kaplan FL average for 1-6 was about what I got on the real deal. My AAMC average was actually 2-3 points lower than what I got.

Beyond taking practice tests and THOROUGHLY analyzing your tests, you could try this for the sciences. Take a hat and a piece of paper. On the paper rip off little pieces and write down a topic from the AAMC PS topic list. Put all the topics into the hat. Draw three and try to connect the topics together. Than form in your head what a potential passage would look like and what kind of questions you would expect. Rinse and repeat. If you can't connect the topics together, review all three topics.

 

[denner]

Thanks for the quick response, i'll have to try that hat thing. And here's where I get to sound like an idiot/noob, what does FL mean (I assume the practice tests) and is the number the version of the test?

I was just wondering because I only have the two on the cd that came with the book and the one they have on their website. (I'm guessing that since I don't know what those are that I don't have those)

I figured if I needed more tests I may buy one of those practice tests off the aamc website.

 

[SN2ed]

Yeah, FL stands for full length and is used in reference to full length practice MCATs. The number, as you though, refers to the test number. Definitely get the practice tests from the AAMC. Buy as many as you can afford starting with the most recent (10) and going down. Then, do a practice test every other day or every three days starting with the oldest AAMC and working up to AAMC FL 10.