practice tests

[jazzcartier]

hi guys. i wanted to know which practice tests are the best to use. i'm definitely using the AAMC ones with all the q banks. what other ones do you recommend? (next step, EK, kaplan?) i'll be studying for 2 months, for what it's worth. thanks

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[jparsenal87]

I'm not quite at the point in my process that I'm sitting down for FL's, but there's been a fair bit of discussion about this. Ask different people, you'll probably hear different responses, with the consensus being that no FL can completely capture the tone, difficulty, and overall "feel" of the actual test.

That being said, all practice is good practice! Based on reading a number of threads on this topic, it seems like the NS ones get fairly decent reviews, along with EK, so I think I will use a combination of them. Keep in mind that some FL's (I think I've heard this about Kaplan or TPR) are pretty deflated, so don't put too much stock into your numerical scores there. Use them for practice, to get pacing down, etc, but understand they all have some shortcomings.

But yea, to answer the question, I think the NS and EK ones get pretty decent reviews.

 

[jazzcartier]

I'm not quite at the point in my process that I'm sitting down for FL's, but there's been a fair bit of discussion about this. Ask different people, you'll probably hear different responses, with the consensus being that no FL can completely capture the tone, difficulty, and overall "feel" of the actual test.

That being said, all practice is good practice! Based on reading a number of threads on this topic, it seems like the NS ones get fairly decent reviews, along with EK, so I think I will use a combination of them. Keep in mind that some FL's (I think I've heard this about Kaplan or TPR) are pretty deflated, so don't put too much stock into your numerical scores there. Use them for practice, to get pacing down, etc, but understand they all have some shortcomings.

But yea, to answer the question, I think the NS and EK ones get pretty decent reviews.

thank you for replying! do you think you'll be using the free bundle for NS? or will you be purchasing all of them? as for EK, are you referring to the 30 min exams?

 

[jparsenal87]

I actually used the free half-length from NS as kinda the first mcat related thing I did, just to see what it really looks like, and NS gets pretty decent reviews for looking similar to the interface of the actual test, which I wanted to see. I will be using the free full-length NS (I think they have one, though I haven't checked in a while), but probably also buying a handful.

Re: EK, no I mean the full-length tests they offer for purchase on their site (it's kind of buried in their store under "online prep" if i remember correctly). I use the EK 30 minute exams right now, when I'm doing content review.

 

[jazzcartier]

I actually used the free half-length from NS as kinda the first mcat related thing I did, just to see what it really looks like, and NS gets pretty decent reviews for looking similar to the interface of the actual test, which I wanted to see. I will be using the free full-length NS (I think they have one, though I haven't checked in a while), but probably also buying a handful.

Re: EK, no I mean the full-length tests they offer for purchase on their site (it's kind of buried in their store under "online prep" if i remember correctly). I use the EK 30 minute exams right now, when I'm doing content review.

okay thanks! do you mind me asking what else you're using for content review?

 

[aldol16]

They're all ****. Khan Academy practice passages are the next best resource for B/BC and P/S after AAMC.

 

[jazzcartier]

They're all ****. Khan Academy practice passages are the next best resource for B/BC and P/S after AAMC.

wow really? what about for psych/soc? i'm sorry i'm just really confused now please help haha

 

[aldol16]

wow really? what about for psych/soc? i'm sorry i'm just really confused now please help haha

I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I'd do in your situation. Right after content review, I'd do one or two of the test prep company FLs just to get your sense of timing down for the real thing. During this time, I would do Section Bank passages intermittently. You can space these out but make sure you do whole passages at a time and try to do them in the time frame you would have on the exam. After you're done with those FLs, I would move to the AAMC FLs. Take these when you think that you have done enough studying for the real thing. They'll be your best indicators as to your score on the real exam. If after the first one you aren't scoring as well, try to figure out the problem. Is it data analysis? Or are you weak in a content area? If the latter, then brush up on the content. During this time, in your free time (e.g. between classes, before bed, or while waiting for a gel to run), do the Khan Academy practice passages. Again, do whole passages at a time. Make sure you're very comfortable with analyzing data quickly. I would save one AAMC FL for the week immediately preceding the exam. Take the FL and spend that week brushing up on topics you missed questions on. Continue doing Khan Academy practice passages.

 

[jazzcartier]

I can't tell you what to do, but I can tell you what I'd do in your situation. Right after content review, I'd do one or two of the test prep company FLs just to get your sense of timing down for the real thing. During this time, I would do Section Bank passages intermittently. You can space these out but make sure you do whole passages at a time and try to do them in the time frame you would have on the exam. After you're done with those FLs, I would move to the AAMC FLs. Take these when you think that you have done enough studying for the real thing. They'll be your best indicators as to your score on the real exam. If after the first one you aren't scoring as well, try to figure out the problem. Is it data analysis? Or are you weak in a content area? If the latter, then brush up on the content. During this time, in your free time (e.g. between classes, before bed, or while waiting for a gel to run), do the Khan Academy practice passages. Again, do whole passages at a time. Make sure you're very comfortable with analyzing data quickly. I would save one AAMC FL for the week immediately preceding the exam. Take the FL and spend that week brushing up on topics you missed questions on. Continue doing Khan Academy practice passages.

this level of detail was super can I pm you?

 

[aldol16]

this level of detail was super can I pm you?

Yeah, go ahead. I'll try to be of as much help as I can.