Quality of Blueprint (formerly Next Step) Full Length Tests and Question Bank

[MyOdyssey]

Hello all

I would appreciate advice regarding the qualify of Blueprint (formerly Next Step) full length exams and question bank questions.

Advice from Blueprint advisers as well as those who've used Blueprint materials would be very helpful.

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[Moosers]

I used BluePrint back when it was NextStep to take my 2019 MCAT, and am going to be taking the MCAT again in 2022 due to score expiration if this cycle doesn't work in my favour.

I thought NextStep was invaluable in my prep and plan to use BluePrint this time around. That said, I didn't use their QBanks, just their practice exams, but I'm hoping that the quality hasn't declined with the transition to BluePrint

 

[Doctoscope]

Their qbank kinda sucks (imo); a lot of their questions are poorly worded, and are way too specific. but I hear their FLs are excellent.

The only qbank worth finishing is UWorld and AAMC. You can do the Kaplan or BP qbank as practice, but they won't be very representative questions.

 

[MyOdyssey]

All ten Blueprint/Next Step full lengths are high quality?

 

[Moosers]

From what I can remember, their full lengths can be purchased as single exams or in batches (this was back when it was Next Step, so maybe it's different now that it's BluePrint). I purchased the first four or five together as a bundle, and then used AAMC full lengths as supplement. I didn't have enough time to do all ten BluePrint full lengths.

I had no complaints about the ones I purchased

 

[Mr.Blackdoc.5]

If things haven’t changed since last year when I took the test, NS exams are excellent.
Far more difficult than most material you will encounter on exam days.
If you can finish those with time to spare and do well you will be well prepared for the exam.
I knew I would get 132 on B/B and C/P after doing the NS exams, and they also helped me do well on psych/soc (131).
Can’t comment on how good the cars is though I did do a bit of NS 108

 

[MyOdyssey]

If things haven’t changed since last year when I took the test, NS exams are excellent.
Far more difficult than most material you will encounter on exam days.
If you can finish those with time to spare and do well you will be well prepared for the exam.
I knew I would get 132 on B/B and C/P after doing the NS exams, and they also helped me do well on psych/soc (131).
Can’t comment on how good the cars is though I did do a bit of NS 108

Thanks! What did you find to be the best resources for testing/practicing CARS passages?

 

[MedicalStudent888]

Blueprint full length exams are great practice!

I got my score up 9 points on my retake (509 --> 518) through mostly doing blueprint practice exams and error analysis. They are much harder than the actual MCAT questions and scores are deflated, but I think they prepare you very well and make the real deal feel much more manageable.

I also used their tutoring services which I found very helpful

 

[MyOdyssey]

Blueprint full length exams are great practice!

I got my score up 9 points on my retake (509 --> 518) through mostly doing blueprint practice exams and error analysis. They are much harder than the actual MCAT questions and scores are deflated, but I think they prepare you very well and make the real deal feel much more manageable.

I also used their tutoring services which I found very helpful

How did you find their CARS passages to be?

 

[MyOdyssey]

I’m addressing this to all the helpful posters on this thread. How did your Next Step full length scores compare to your actual MCAT score?

 

[MedicalStudent888]

How did you find their CARS passages to be?

Blueprint CARS are good practice but they are a different style and a bit harder than the actual AAMC passages in my opinion. I think the Blueprint answer keys give pretty good explanations for why certain answers are right and wrong that really helped improve my CARS strategies

Not sure if you used U World yet but I highly recommend their CARS passages for most representable practice in that section. And overall I think it was an incredible resource for all sections

And for your other question, my Blueprint test scores hovered around 512-514 and I ended up scoring a 518

 

[MyOdyssey]

If things haven’t changed since last year when I took the test, NS exams are excellent.
Far more difficult than most material you will encounter on exam days.
If you can finish those with time to spare and do well you will be well prepared for the exam.
I knew I would get 132 on B/B and C/P after doing the NS exams, and they also helped me do well on psych/soc (131).
Can’t comment on how good the cars is though I did do a bit of NS 108

How did you do on the NS full lengths?

 

[Mr.Blackdoc.5]

How did you do on the NS full lengths?

NS FL #1 C/P		129
NS FL #1 P/S		130
NS FL #1 B/B		130
NS FL #2 C/P		131
NS FL #2 P/S		128
NS FL #2 B/B		130
NS FL #3 C/P		129
NS FL #3 P/S		129
NS FL #3 B/B		128
NS FL #4 C/P		128
NS FL #4 P/S		128
NS FL #4 B/B		128
NS FL #5 C/P		129
NS FL #5 P/S		129
NS FL #5 B/B		130
NS FL #6 C/P		129

 

[MyOdyssey]

NS FL #1 C/P		129
NS FL #1 P/S		130
NS FL #1 B/B		130
NS FL #2 C/P		131
NS FL #2 P/S		128
NS FL #2 B/B		130
NS FL #3 C/P		129
NS FL #3 P/S		129
NS FL #3 B/B		128
NS FL #4 C/P		128
NS FL #4 P/S		128
NS FL #4 B/B		128
NS FL #5 C/P		129
NS FL #5 P/S		129
NS FL #5 B/B		130
NS FL #6 C/P		129

Impressive!

 

[MyOdyssey]

To the helpful posters on this thread:

Did you feel the CARS section of Blueprint full lengths are good proxies for AAMC materials? I’ve read elsewhere that they’re not.

On Blueprint full length test 1, I performed best on CARS by far, which is unusual for me.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

I found that NextStep exams were the closest approximation (in content/question style, not in score) to the actual AAMC exams. While their CARS passages aren't perfect, they are (to me) the closest to the actual AAMC CARS and serve as good practice, especially for somebody like me who was especially bad at CARS and needed all the practice I could get.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[MyOdyssey]

I found that NextStep exams were the closest approximation (in content/question style, not in score) to the actual AAMC exams. While their CARS passages aren't perfect, they are (to me) the closest to the actual AAMC CARS and serve as good practice, especially for somebody like me who was especially bad at CARS and needed all the practice I could get.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

Thanks! How does Next Step’s scoring on its full lengths compare to AAMC’s?