Retaking AAMC material for MCAT retake?

[cdm247]

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So I am retaking my exam on May 13th and have been doing a lot of the AAMC material. The only problem is that I used the Section Banks, FL1, and the unscored back in August. I just took the unscored last weekend and I don't know what to make of my score on that since it may be a bit inflated. This time around got 87% (85%,83%,85%,93%) and back in August got 84% (80%,83%,85%,88%). Im retaking a 505 and scored a 507 on FL1 my first time around. For comparison I was averaged 505-506 on Next Step for my first take and this time got 508 on NS5 and 63% on EK1 about 2 months out then 70% EK3 and 74% EK4. I checked the sheet to look at people who scored those EK scores (since it was my first time taking them) and a majority scored about the same on the unscored exam. I guess I don't feel prepared because I don't know if I can trust my unscored/FL1 scores. Im planning on taking FL2 about 1 week out and that should be pretty predictive but I feel like I don't have a gauge of how Im doing because of possible inflated scores. Anybody else retake that had this problem and felt a kind of false sense of hope? I have redone the Section banks and did the chem/bio/physics question packs for the first time so all I have in terms of AAMC material for the next 2 weeks are the 2 scored FLs and to finish the Official Guide. Anybody have any advice?

 

[CJhooper123]

Same boat as you. Took on 1/28 and scored 504 w/ 122 in CARS. Will be retaking May 19th.

I took AAMC scored about 2 weeks ago and scored 85% overall with 87% in CARS. There is no way that is representative of my actual CARS score/ability. I have been taking daily NS 108 tests and have been scoring ~60% on them. I plan on retaking AAMC FL1 and FL2 (scored 507 and 506 respectively the first time).

Personally, I think re-doing all the AAMC material is very helpful. The scores you get the 2nd time are not representative of where your actual score is. I would be more hesitant to re-take NS, Kaplen, and TPR exams. The whole point of taking those tests (for me) is to improve critical reasoning and test timing abilities. Once you have already seen the NS/Kaplan/TPR questions, I feel like it is useless to re-do, as it doesn't force you to think critically.

That being said, you haven't taken AAMC FL2. I think this will be a good gauge of where you are at.

 

[cdm247]

Same boat as you. Took on 1/28 and scored 504 w/ 122 in CARS. Will be retaking May 19th.

I took AAMC scored about 2 weeks ago and scored 85% overall with 87% in CARS. There is no way that is representative of my actual CARS score/ability. I have been taking daily NS 108 tests and have been scoring ~60% on them. I plan on retaking AAMC FL1 and FL2 (scored 507 and 506 respectively the first time).

Personally, I think re-doing all the AAMC material is very helpful. The scores you get the 2nd time are not representative of where your actual score is. I would be more hesitant to re-take NS, Kaplen, and TPR exams. The whole point of taking those tests (for me) is to improve critical reasoning and test timing abilities. Once you have already seen the NS/Kaplan/TPR questions, I feel like it is useless to re-do, as it doesn't force you to think critically.

That being said, you haven't taken AAMC FL2. I think this will be a good gauge of where you are at.

Yeah I am going to take FL2 about a week before and that should be the best gauge but its hard to tell if you're on track with retaking exams. All of the 3rd party exam I took were new. My memory kinda sucks so I know at least in the unscored I remembered seeing 2 pictures I recognized but didn't know the answer at all. Maybe it depends from person to person. I know some people retake them and they end up being spot on and others its about 3 points inflated. The unscored CARS was pretty easy but had a hard time focusing and ended up missing 9 total questions and 1 passage I missed 4 out of 5!

 

[CJhooper123]

Yeah I am going to take FL2 about a week before and that should be the best gauge but its hard to tell if you're on track with retaking exams. All of the 3rd party exam I took were new. My memory kinda sucks so I know at least in the unscored I remembered seeing 2 pictures I recognized but didn't know the answer at all. Maybe it depends from person to person. I know some people retake them and they end up being spot on and others its about 3 points inflated. The unscored CARS was pretty easy but had a hard time focusing and ended up missing 9 total questions and 1 passage I missed 4 out of 5!

From reading what posters have said in the past, I think you should view your 2nd AAMC retake as ~4-5 points inflated (at least). It's kind of a weird situation. As I have already taken AAMC FL2, I am unsure how I will judge whether my CARS score is better than January 2017. Maybe someone else who has been in this situation can relate.