Question about NextStep (Now BluePrint) MCAT materials

[MyOdyssey]

I'd appreciate hearing feedback from anyone who's tried the NextStep (BluePrint) full length exams or question banks.

Thanks.

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[Blueprint Med School]

They're decent. Third party exams will always pale in comparison to official AAMC materials, but in my opinion, NS is the next best after UWorld, but UWorld doesn't have actual full-length exams.

Kevin W, MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Shunsui]

Not a fan of their FL but they're probably the best 3rd party exams. If you get them, I recommend 1-4 only and then if you want to do more, buy Altius

 

[BigData_MD]

I recently purchased BluePrint's 10 practice exam and Q bank. So far so good. I really like how they emulate the actual MCAT set up. They even have the same hotkeys for highlighting and underlining. Their analytic tools for CARs is pretty neat too. Here is a snip of some practice that I did this morning.

Hope this helps.

I haven't done a practice exam. I can update this if you would like when I do. It's probably going to be in two weeks. :/

 

[MyOdyssey]

Not a fan of their FL but they're probably the best 3rd party exams. If you get them, I recommend 1-4 only and then if you want to do more, buy Altius

Do you rate Altius just below NextStep?

 

[Shunsui]

Do you rate Altius just below NextStep?

Yes. For 3rd party FL, I'd do NS > Alt > EK > Kaplan
Also when you take them, don't focus on your overall and CARS score, only the other 3 sections. Just be prepared because I've never seen someone score above 127 on NS CARS

 

[deleted555445]

I'd appreciate hearing feedback from anyone who's tried the NextStep (BluePrint) full length exams or question banks.

Thanks.

I'm working through NS FL's right now (i've done 1-3, plan to do 1 more), and I would probably recommend them. They're best for C/P and B/B in my opinion, especially C/P, they really help to find gaps in knowledge. I've noticed each exam tests different things too, which is very helpful but also can be disheartening as you shouldn't expect to see much progress. They have some good analytics and some of the best explanations I've seen outside of UWorld.

Yes. For 3rd party FL, I'd do NS > Alt > EK > Kaplan
Also when you take them, don't focus on your overall and CARS score, only the other 3 sections. Just be prepared because I've never seen someone score above 127 on NS CARS

So far I've gone 128, 128, 129 in NS FL CARS lol but I don't expect that to mean anything on AAMC materials. I feel like the questions and passages aren't harder, just different, which really eliminates any predictive value.

 

[Shunsui]

So far I've gone 128, 128, 129 in NS FL CARS lol but I don't expect that to mean anything on AAMC materials. I feel like the questions and passages aren't harder, just different, which really eliminates any predictive value.

OH DAMN help a brother out lmao what's your strategy? Read slow and answer, Fast read and refer back a bunch, skim qstems first, write couple word summaries of each paragraph?

sitting here with a 125/4 on CARS and 130 in the sciences

 

[deleted555445]

OH DAMN help a brother out lmao what's your strategy? Read slow and answer, Fast read and refer back a bunch, skim qstems first, write couple word summaries of each paragraph?

sitting here with a 125/4 on CARS and 130 in the sciences

Honestly, I don't really have a strategy. I scroll through all the questions in one passage to see if there are any key words I should look out for, but otherwise I just read the whole passage before I answer the questions, and I take my time while reading to make sure I fully understand what they're trying to say. My philosophy is most of the time in a CARS section should be spent reading, that deciding how to answer questions should largely be quick with some debatable answers (~1/4 based on my flagging) that require deeper thought and analysis.

But once again I don't trust NS to be predictive for CARS, so let's see if my advice is worth anything once I take an AAMC FL in a couple weeks lol.

 

[Shunsui]

Honestly, I don't really have a strategy. I scroll through all the questions in one passage to see if there are any key words I should look out for, but otherwise I just read the whole passage before I answer the questions, and I take my time while reading to make sure I fully understand what they're trying to say. My philosophy is most of the time in a CARS section should be spent reading, that deciding how to answer questions should largely be quick with some debatable answers (~1/4 based on my flagging) that require deeper thought and analysis.

But once again I don't trust NS to be predictive for CARS, so let's see if my advice is worth anything once I take an AAMC FL in a couple weeks lol.

thanks! I've been experimenting with the scan Qstem first then read. I like it for those keyword questions but i find myself rushing through the passage idk. gotta work my azz on on CARS. Good luck you're gonna kill your exam!

 

[PigsHaveWings]

I recently purchased BluePrint's 10 practice exam and Q bank. So far so good. I really like how they emulate the actual MCAT set up. They even have the same hotkeys for highlighting and underlining. Their analytic tools for CARs is pretty neat too. Here is a snip of some practice that I did this morning.

Hope this helps.

I haven't done a practice exam. I can update this if you would like when I do. It's probably going to be in two weeks. :/
View attachment 314118

can you use their "analytics" platform when you buy access to their exams to hone in on content deficiencies ?

 

[PigsHaveWings]

I'm working through NS FL's right now (i've done 1-3, plan to do 1 more), and I would probably recommend them. They're best for C/P and B/B in my opinion, especially C/P, they really help to find gaps in knowledge. I've noticed each exam tests different things too, which is very helpful but also can be disheartening as you shouldn't expect to see much progress. They have some good analytics and some of the best explanations I've seen outside of UWorld.


So far I've gone 128, 128, 129 in NS FL CARS lol but I don't expect that to mean anything on AAMC materials. I feel like the questions and passages aren't harder, just different, which really eliminates any predictive value.

can you use their "analytics" platform when you buy access to their exams to hone in on content deficiencies ?

 

[BigData_MD]

can you use their "analytics" platform when you buy access to their exams to hone in on content deficiencies ?

I have not done any of their exams just yet - I am actually going to do their half-test later today. I'll let you know once I am done with it.

 

[BigData_MD]

can you use their "analytics" platform when you buy access to their exams to hone in on content deficiencies ?

Just finished their diagnostic test and yes!