Skip 1 AAMC for more review time?

[BlueRhino]

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Hello everyone! I've read a lot of threads here on SDN but I've never posted before. I tried searching but ended up reading way too many threads (it's like the Wikipedia vortex).

My question: I'm on the Sn2ed 3 month schedule and I'm a little more than half way through content review. I have not been vigilant re-reading chapters (day 6's are ridiculous!) and I feel like 4 days reviewing before starting AAMC's would be a better use of my time than taking an AAMC. I've heard AAMC 3 was the worst AAMC so would it be prudent to not take AAMC 3 and spend 3-4 days skimming, going over missed questions, flipping flash cards, and doing EK 1001? Has anyone been in a similar position?

Thanks!

 

[flatearth22]

AAMC3 is generally speaking a waste of time. They have questions administered from MCAT tests from the 80's. The BS section is very different from what you'll see in today's MCAT (they have a lot of physiology and zoology questions while now you'll get a lot of genetics and molecular biology questions). The verbal reading passages are really short and the questions they asked are not like the later AAMC's and the real deal IMO.

Don't have too many complaints about the PS section...that might be worth it.

 

[NickNaylor]

At this point you have enough time to fit in the test later on in the schedule. I think that one of the major benefits of taking practice tests, though, is that you get the feel of actually taking the test, which is independent of whether or not you know the material well. I doubt one practice test will make a difference one way or the other, but just keep that in mind. You don't have to be fully prepared for every practice exam.

 

[paul411]

Hello everyone! I've read a lot of threads here on SDN but I've never posted before. I tried searching but ended up reading way too many threads (it's like the Wikipedia vortex).

My question: I'm on the Sn2ed 3 month schedule and I'm a little more than half way through content review. I have not been vigilant re-reading chapters (day 6's are ridiculous!) and I feel like 4 days reviewing before starting AAMC's would be a better use of my time than taking an AAMC. I've heard AAMC 3 was the worst AAMC so would it be prudent to not take AAMC 3 and spend 3-4 days skimming, going over missed questions, flipping flash cards, and doing EK 1001? Has anyone been in a similar position?

Thanks!

Take the AAMC 3 AND spend 3 days "skimming, going over missed questions, flipping flash cards"

Skip the EK 1001, it's crap (for physics and chemistry anyways). If you REALLY want to use EK 1001, only use it for topics you have a lot of difficulty with.

 

[dmplz707]

AAMC3 is generally speaking a waste of time. They have questions administered from MCAT tests from the 80's. The BS section is very different from what you'll see in today's MCAT (they have a lot of physiology and zoology questions while now you'll get a lot of genetics and molecular biology questions). The verbal reading passages are really short and the questions they asked are not like the later AAMC's and the real deal IMO.

Don't have too many complaints about the PS section...that might be worth it.

Are you implying that the AAMC 3R VR is much easier than the real deal? I only ask because I recently took AAMC 3R and I thought the VR was really hard. I seriously couldn't understand what the heck I was reading. I remember reading that wolf passage and thinking to myself this isn't so bad. Then I get to the questions and I'm just like...my goodness I take that back. Then the worst of the worst came when I hit that Confucius passage and then I was just like WTF have I been learning in my English classes throughout my primary education? Ah darn the VR section!

 

[NYBills987]

Are you implying that the AAMC 3R VR is much easier than the real deal? I only ask because I recently took AAMC 3R and I thought the VR was really hard. I seriously couldn't understand what the heck I was reading. I remember reading that wolf passage and thinking to myself this isn't so bad. Then I get to the questions and I'm just like...my goodness I take that back. Then the worst of the worst came when I hit that Confucius passage and then I was just like WTF have I been learning in my English classes throughout my primary education? Ah darn the VR section!

The only thing I remember about the AAMC practice tests was that number 3 was really way easier than the other ones in my opinion.

 

[Evergrey]

Just one dude's opinion, but I think taking practice exams (notably AAMC practice exams) is the most time-efficient studying you can do.

 

[CuttingCorneas]

The only thing I remember about the AAMC practice tests was that number 3 was really way easier than the other ones in my opinion.

I think I'm the only person that did utterly terrible on AAMC 3. Maybe because it was my first FL, I'm not sure. But my scores jumped about 6 points on the other exams. Stupid wolves.

 

[kpcrew]

I didn't really use a schedule for my preparation but when I studied, I saved the practice tests for the last month or so. By then, I was fairly sure I had most of the material down and just used the tests to get a sense of what the real thing is like and see which subjects that I needed to brush up on. My rationale was that if I took the test before I had a basic familiarity with everything, I would have to review a lot anyway and my score would probably be low which wouldn't do well for my confidence. Worked out to be okay.

 

[KLycos]

To put it into perspective, my AAMC3 score was 25, and my real score was 10V 10P 11B Q. I also did most of my studying like the last 2 weeks before my test date while I was supposed to be working. I just showed up to work everyday with my EK books and got nothing done but studying hah.

 

[UnclePhil]

I think I'm the only person that did utterly terrible on AAMC 3. Maybe because it was my first FL, I'm not sure. But my scores jumped about 6 points on the other exams. Stupid wolves.

You're not the only one, I scored about 3 points lower on aamc 3 (26) than I did on my Kaplan diagnostic which was taken before I did any prep at all. You gotta believe that did wonders for my confidence, I think it was partly because I wasn't accustomed to the grading scale on the aamc practice exams which is a little bit less forgiving than the Kaplan scale. But I picked it up again for aamc 7-10 and scored well for my actual exam.

 

[Melomare17]

i think ur better off doing review then do the AAMCs, from my personal experience anyway

 

[IvyHopeful20]

Tests >>>>>>>> any review. Remember you should be reviewing the answers and topics on the exam after you finish it.

 

[Illinois2012]

I didn't do as well on aamc 3 as others, but I think that's because I took it earlier on in my studying. I definitely felt like it was easier and less representative than the other tests.

 

[MilkmanAl]

Gonna shuffle this on over to the MCAT forum.