RETAKING: No AAMCs To Use!

[TheAnonymous]

Planning to retake to bring my VR score up but already used all the AAMCs and have burnt through Princeton and EK Already! How can I tell where I stand this time? Any suggestions? It's been a while since I used EK101 so I guess there some stuff left, and I also have Kaplan, but heard Kaplan VR sucks? Should I use it?

Thanks

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[Medix450]

same boat

 

[kraskadva]

Kaplan sucks.
Maybe try to dig up the R versions of the AAMC tests if you haven't used those already and you'll have a couple extra passages per test to work with then...

 

[TheAnonymous]

Kaplan sucks.
Maybe try to dig up the R versions of the AAMC tests if you haven't used those already and you'll have a couple extra passages per test to work with then...

Unfortunately did the Self assessment too

 

[kraskadva]

Unfortunately did the Self assessment too

R versions =/= the self assessment
They're the old paper versions. And 1.5x longer than the current CBT versions.
Google is your friend here.

 

[TheAnonymous]

R versions =/= the self assessment
They're the old paper versions. And 1.5x longer than the current CBT versions.
Google is your friend here.

Almost all of the extra questions in the R versions are in the self-assessment package as far as I know

 

[kraskadva]

Didn't take the self assessment myself, so maybe you're right. Couldn't hurt to check though...

The only other suggestion I would have would be Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) prep material. It's not MCAT related, but it's a high level English exam and the closest non-MCAT thing I've seen....and has lotsa free materials online.

 

[ciestar]

I've heard a lot around here is to try lsat materials for extra verbal practice when you've exhauasted everything else

 

[TheAnonymous]

Thanks guys - but how would I know if I'm doing better this time? this sucks!

 

[Gauss44]

1. Either check this forum (and maybe the 30+ thread sticky) to find out how other people's practice tests compared to the real thing on a few different tests from different test prep companies. This is not a great option, but your best bet at actually estimating your score without AAMC practice tests.

2. Retake AAMC practice tests and check your score; just understand that second time around, your score is probably at least a little inflated.

3. Alternatively, you may or may not be able to simply trust that you have significantly improved since last time, and take practice tests for practice testing, rather than for score estimates. If you have followed the right steps, you might reasonably be assured that whatever score you get on test day will be at least somewhat better than last time. And leave it at that.

 

[TheAnonymous]

1. Either check this forum (and maybe the 30+ thread sticky) to find out how other people's practice tests compared to the real thing on a few different tests from different test prep companies. This is not a great option, but your best bet at actually estimating your score without AAMC practice tests.

2. Retake AAMC practice tests and check your score; just understand that second time around, your score is probably at least a little inflated.

3. Alternatively, you may or may not be able to simply trust that you have significantly improved since last time, and take practice tests for practice testing, rather than for score estimates. If you have followed the right steps, you might reasonably be assured that whatever score you get on test day will be at least somewhat better than last time. And leave it at that.

Thanks for your thorough input man, I appreciate it.

 

[user12]

i was in the same position as you this past summer... except I was FORCED to take it again since my scores expired. I also had done all the aamcs plus the self assessments and EK/Princeton. so I got all the R version tests (they do NOT contain all of the stuff in the self assessment, there is some new stuff in there) and I did those, plus aamc 10 and 11 again. I also redid some EK. although my scores were mildly inflated, I still ended up improving on the real thing. doing old tests still has some merit... and the aamcs are certainly better than Kaplan.

 

[TheAnonymous]

i was in the same position as you this past summer... except I was FORCED to take it again since my scores expired. I also had done all the aamcs plus the self assessments and EK/Princeton. so I got all the R version tests (they do NOT contain all of the stuff in the self assessment, there is some new stuff in there) and I did those, plus aamc 10 and 11 again. I also redid some EK. although my scores were mildly inflated, I still ended up improving on the real thing. doing old tests still has some merit... and the aamcs are certainly better than Kaplan.

Thanks man !!

 

[Jack Westin]

OP, I suggest reviewing the AAMC exam verbal again on a daily basis as well as sticking to the verbal self assessment. If you have a lot of time on your hands, stick to reading dense material on a daily basis and doing any MCAT passages you did not get your hands on the first time around. Although MCAT passages from test companies are not the best, any practice is better than no practice. But go over the AAMC periodically.

I know this sounds crazy but the AAMC exams/self assessment verbal are by far, the best resource available on the planet to help increase your verbal score. Even if you have done them before, even if you remember the answers- going over them using reasoning will help you improve dramatically. Although you have used these resources, you have not used them the correct way. It's actually to your advantage to have seen them before. When you figure out how to approach the verbal section the right way, you will immediately realize that there really is a correct way to take the exam.

 

[TheAnonymous]

OP, I suggest reviewing the AAMC exam verbal again on daily basis as well as sticking to the verbal self assessment. If you have a lot of time on your hands, stick to reading dense material on a daily basis and doing any MCAT passages you did not get your hands on the first time around. Although MCAT passages from test companies are not the best, any practice is better than no practice. But go over the AAMC periodically.

I know this sounds crazy but the AAMC exams/self assessment verbal are by far, the best resource available on the planet to help increase your verbal score. Even if you have done them before, even if you remember the answers- going over them using reasoning will help you improve dramatically. Although you have used these resources, you have not used them the correct way. It's actually to your advantage to have seen them before. When you figure out how to approach the verbal section the right way, you will immediately realize that their really is a correct way to take the exam.

Thanks for your input, I really appreciate it.

I believe one problem that I have is with reading the passages. I either:

1. Read without pausing, takes me ~3 minutes, I remember most of the stuff, but not everything
2. Read slowly ~4.5 mins, paraphrase every paragraph in my mind, get the bottom line

Problem w/ number is that I will eventually miss ~5-6 questions / 40 for missing (i.e. forgetting) a part of the passage (the ones based on 1-2 words / sentences, not main idea ones)

Problem w/ number 2 is that I understand the passage much better, I remember everything, have a better grasp of the passage, but when I get to do the questions, I don't have much time left, and can't really break everything down so I tend to make mistakes there.


I always end up with an 8 regardless ... my goal is to be able to read like #1, but understand the passage like #2 lol

Now, when you said do AAMCs even if you remember the questions, I know exactly what you mean but the thing is that for me it's 70% about understanding the passage, so my scores tend to be SUPER inflated because I remember the essay topic...

To give you an idea, I retook some of the AAMCs for my last MCAT and I've scored 10-14 on ALL of the ones I retook, but an 8 and a 9 on the new ones. - so makes a huge difference.

 

[Jack Westin]

OP, stick to strategy #1 but for one to two word questions, use the big idea. I know you want to go back and look for the answer, but in reality, those questions are actually main idea based. Or you could do strategy #2 and just use the main idea to answer all the questions quickly. Your goal is to read the passage slowly, grasp everything you need and then answer the questions in 30 seconds or less. Do not dwell on any one question. Let me know if you'd like to talk about this more.

Jack

 

[omegaz]

OP, I suggest reviewing the AAMC exam verbal again on a daily basis as well as sticking to the verbal self assessment. If you have a lot of time on your hands, stick to reading dense material on a daily basis and doing any MCAT passages you did not get your hands on the first time around. Although MCAT passages from test companies are not the best, any practice is better than no practice. But go over the AAMC periodically.

I know this sounds crazy but the AAMC exams/self assessment verbal are by far, the best resource available on the planet to help increase your verbal score. Even if you have done them before, even if you remember the answers- going over them using reasoning will help you improve dramatically. Although you have used these resources, you have not used them the correct way. It's actually to your advantage to have seen them before. When you figure out how to approach the verbal section the right way, you will immediately realize that there really is a correct way to take the exam.

When you say go over the AAMC exams. Do you mean doing them all over again? Or just go through your answers to figure out why you got some right and some wrong?

 

[Jack Westin]

You want to take them again under test conditions- timed. Then you should review each passage by reading each passage slowly and trying to answer the questions again without looking at the answers. Go through each question and see why you got it right or wrong. It is vital that you review each question- even if you got it right.