Practice Tests: 40 days to improve! But by how much?

[Marjan Islam]

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Hey guys,

So I feel like I've essentially finished my content review. I've done all of EK, Kaplan, and also Berkley (just for Chem. and Physics). And now it's time to take practice tests!

I've taken 2 since I started about a week ago:
Kaplan FL 2: 30 (11,8,11)
AAMC 3: 30 (10,10,10)

Kaplan FL 1: 31 (10, 9, 12) - I took this several months ago while in the course.

So how much can you improve through sheer test taking now? I plan on taking around 15 more tests between now and March 28th. I was also sort of afraid to do ALL practice tests at the very end, so close to test date. I've heard AAMC 3 is the easiest, and since I scored a 30, I'm a little intimidated by the others, but I'll find out how I do soon.

I've heard people get better as they go, but with such a short period before test day, is it possible for me? Or am I very close to my potential? I'm currently trying to master my NERVES more than anything. I semi-freak out at the beginning of these practice tests, don't know what'll happen on the actual test! I needa' work on this! 😕

Is this how you guys were right before test day? And how much did you improve from pure practice test taking? I plan on thoroughly looking over my answers after I take the tests! And refine with more content review on stuff I'm not fully down with yet!

 

[crazymedgirl]

I'd also love to hear people's opinions on how much it's possible to improve during a month of hardcore-practice-test-taking!

 

[SN2ed]

40 days is plenty of time to see a major improvement. Don't wish for it. Go out there and do it yourself. Do that and you'll be rewarded.

 

[FuSoYa]

I think I improved a consistent 5-6 points in the last month.

 

[futuredoctor10]

Practice tests in the final weeks can really pull up your score! You just get a feel for the format of the test and get into the "groove" of acing MCAT-style questions- developing your MCAT intuition!

Good luck and you can do it!

 

[peripherin]

It's possible to improve a lot. Don't expect too much of a social life though.

I didn't have too much time to study either. I studied some over the summer, but I did most of my studying over winter break (can't believe it's already been a year!). My MCAT score improved about 8 points in 3 weeks of intensive cramming. I studied about 10-12 hours a day and ended up with a 38O. If your score is hovering around the low 30s, it means that you don't have your basic concepts down yet. Here's what I would do:

Get your timing down. Make sure you have time to do all the problems and you aren't skipping any.

PS: If you have taken college physics and general chemistry in college or high school and your PS score isn't 13+ yet, then there's room for improvement. The PS section is the easiest section to improve on, so start with PS first. Know (memorize, learn to use, etc) your formulas and concepts. That's all the PS section tests. Spend two days going over your Kaplan PS book. Read each chapter at least twice and do all the practice problems at the end of each chapter. To practice, use the EK 1001 problems. Go through all 1001 of them. It's good practice. You can do about 300 a day and finish the book in about three days or so.

BS: I was a biology major, so I didn't really study for biology. All I can say is, know your physiology, especially the endocrine system, and know your cell and molecular biology. On the other hand, my knowledge of orgo sucked. If you're struggling that much with orgo like I was, just do the first three chapters. I never understood anything beyond those three chapters.

VR: Learn to time yourself. The EK 101 VR was the most helpful. For the most part, I didn't use Kaplan's write an essay-of-a-summary-while-you-read strategy. It took too much time. I only used it for the dense humanities passages, but the writing was only to keep me from falling asleep. Use whatever method you want, but develop a strategy.

When you're done reviewing material, go through all of the AAMC tests. This is probably the most important part of studying. After you take an AAMC practice MCAT, go back and look over your answers. Until you're scoring in the 40's, spend at least 2 hours going over the test. Reviewing the problems you got wrong and the problems you guessed right is more important than taking the practice MCAT itself. I kept a log of all the basic concepts that showed up on the practice MCATs that I didn't understand.

Attitude. Study every day like this is your LAST chance to take the MCAT, ever. You're never going to become a doctor if you don't do well on THIS MCAT! Then, on the day of the MCAT, relax. Tell yourself that you can always take this again if you do not do well on it.

If it's any consolation, I started with a weak physics and orgo background. My grades in those classes would make adcom cry.

Good luck with the MCAT! 🙂

 

[jh8cw]

You can do alot in the month. Set a strict schedule and follow it or do even better. You will be tempted to give a bit on your study-habits and/or test-taking. Also don't forget to understand why each and every answer choice is wrong when going over the tests. On the real thing, this is especially key.

 

[badapplestix]

It's possible to improve a lot. Don't expect too much of a social life though.

I didn't have too much time to study either. I studied some over the summer, but I did most of my studying over winter break (can't believe it's already been a year!). My MCAT score improved about 8 points in 3 weeks of intensive cramming. I studied about 10-12 hours a day and ended up with a 38O. If your score is hovering around the low 30s, it means that you don't have your basic concepts down yet. Here's what I would do:

Get your timing down. Make sure you have time to do all the problems and you aren't skipping any.

PS: If you have taken college physics and general chemistry in college or high school and your PS score isn't 13+ yet, then there's room for improvement. The PS section is the easiest section to improve on, so start with PS first. Know (memorize, learn to use, etc) your formulas and concepts. That's all the PS section tests. Spend two days going over your Kaplan PS book. Read each chapter at least twice and do all the practice problems at the end of each chapter. To practice, use the EK 1001 problems. Go through all 1001 of them. It's good practice. You can do about 300 a day and finish the book in about three days or so.

BS: I was a biology major, so I didn't really study for biology. All I can say is, know your physiology, especially the endocrine system, and know your cell and molecular biology. On the other hand, my knowledge of orgo sucked. If you're struggling that much with orgo like I was, just do the first three chapters. I never understood anything beyond those three chapters.

VR: Learn to time yourself. The EK 101 VR was the most helpful. For the most part, I didn't use Kaplan's write an essay-of-a-summary-while-you-read strategy. It took too much time. I only used it for the dense humanities passages, but the writing was only to keep me from falling asleep. Use whatever method you want, but develop a strategy.

When you're done reviewing material, go through all of the AAMC tests. This is probably the most important part of studying. After you take an AAMC practice MCAT, go back and look over your answers. Until you're scoring in the 40's, spend at least 2 hours going over the test. Reviewing the problems you got wrong and the problems you guessed right is more important than taking the practice MCAT itself. I kept a log of all the basic concepts that showed up on the practice MCATs that I didn't understand.

Attitude. Study every day like this is your LAST chance to take the MCAT, ever. You're never going to become a doctor if you don't do well on THIS MCAT! Then, on the day of the MCAT, relax. Tell yourself that you can always take this again if you do not do well on it.

If it's any consolation, I started with a weak physics and orgo background. My grades in those classes would make adcom cry.

Good luck with the MCAT! 🙂

Great advice. Thanks a lot ! 🙂