Taking 30 PRACTICE TESTS?!?? (Need a 523!!!)

[The Broccoli Industry]

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Here's my plan:

I plan to take the exam early April 2018.

CONTENT REVIEW: 2.5 months (June-late August)

PRACTICE: Starting on September 1st I plan to take one full length every week (Saturday) and review it thoroughly (Sunday). I'm planning to take a week off each month, by doing this I'll have done ~30 tests by April 1st.

(Monday-Friday) I'll be doing ~10 practice passages everyday and going over it [AMC Section Bank, Question packs, Official Guide, TPR Verbal Hyperlearning, Kaplan online practice passages, NS Practice passages and etc.] I've built in 4-5 rest days every month.

Here are the full lengths I have collected and plan to do.

Kaplan- [3]
TPR- [7]
NextStep- [10]
EK- [4]
AAMC- [3]

And I'll probably try and get my hands on some Altius exams.

***Ill review content sparsely as needed while doing all this practice.

I have a very strong foundation in background knowledge. I actually took NS FL9 Chem/PHYS Section before even doing content review and got a 129 on it (with questions I got wrong due to gaps in content memorization).

I'm a rising junior and I've taken all the prereqs (took physics 2, orgo 2, and biochem this past semester).


Is this a good plan? I'm really making the MCAT a top priority and am shooting for a 520+. I have an extremely high GPA from an ivy (having taken all pre-reqs) with multiple peer-reviewed journal publications so I feel a top MCAT score is all that stands in the way of getting into a top 10 school. I'm fairly confident in my abilities for all sections except CARS. I'm planning to take a lighter course load so I can accommodate for the studying.


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[pms_testosterone]

If you have "an extremely high GPA from an Ivy" you do not need to take 30 practice tests or spend a year studying to get a 520+. There are better uses of your time and money.

 

[NarutoMD]

30 practice tests? . I agree with the above poster. That is way overkill. By the time I take my test (which is coming in about 3 weeks) I will have taken about 13 tests and that is a lot already. I don't think you need to take 30 practice tests to get 520+. 10 to 15 is more than enough if you know what you are doing and learn from them. I would just use my time and do CARS passages if that is my weakest section. Maybe you could use the additional tests and just do CARS only. That might be a good use of the additional tests. You can use them to work on strategies and timing for CARS since it is already timed for you. I hate to have to time the CARS passages when doing them from the books.

 

[The Broccoli Industry]

Let me clarify, my goal isn't just 520+, ideally I'd like a 524+. And I want to be very confident that I achieve it.

I'm not asking whether my approach is overkill, I'm asking whether or not it will likely assure a top score for me (and if it doesn't, what I should change about my strategy).

Also: this may seem overkill for you guys but strangely I actually really enjoy doing practice and studying the science concepts on the MCAT. I don't know why, but I'd much rather study for the MCAT than take harder college classes or etc. lol

When it comes down to it, it'll be around 17 hours/week with a few breaks in between.

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[pms_testosterone]

No, of course it won't guarantee a 524+. You can't guarantee you won't get sick on test day, happen to get a test that plays to your weaknesses, or control a whole bunch of other random factors.

However, since you have great grades from a top school, there is a high chance you could get a 524+ using @NarutoMD 's suggestions, and save yourself tons of time that you could then spend on research or volunteerism.

I would second the suggestion that if you have trouble with CARS, you should focus on that, since it tends to be the slowest section to improve.

 

[NarutoMD]

I agree with @pms_testosterone. There is no recipe that will guarantee you a 520+, let alone a 524+. There are just so many factors that could influence your performance on test day, some of which have been mentioned. Since you already know what your weakest section is, try to focus most of your time on that. CARS is the hardest to improve and the section that requires the most time to prep for, if you are not one of those avid readers who could score high with minimal effort. Still, some of them even struggle with CARS on test day from what I have noticed. It is the most unpredictable section I think. It took me months to prep for CARS and even now I am not that confident with that section. I scored pretty high on some tests and low on others (range is 126-130). My point is that it is a very unpredictable section so prep for it as early as possible so you can maximize your chance of getting the score you want.

 

[The Broccoli Industry]

I've taken what you guys mentioned in your posts into account already.

If some unlikely, unpredictable factor happens that makes me feel my test is unrepresentative of my abilities based on all the practice tests I take, then I'll void and immediately signup for another test ASAP.

With this approach the likelihood I get a 520+ should be very high right?


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[pms_testosterone]

Yes, it will be, but given your description of yourself, you'd also have a high chance of 520+ with any reasonable approach to the MCAT (i.e. 200+ hours of study and 3+ practice exams).

 

[rabbott1971]

I think you should throw in a few more FLs.

But seriously, nobody can say what your score will be, or the likelihood of a certain score given a certain preparation regime. People can assess your regime, and have, but you can't ask people to tell you "yes if you do that you'll get in the top 99%" because it can't be predicted.

To that point, there are many study plans on here, and I don't think any have people taking 27 FL's. This is what some people have pointed out above. But hey, it sounds like you are very gung ho, and a smart person, so review the advice, choose your own plan, and maybe you'll be writing your own thread. I can see it now: "How I Got a 525 With A Mere 4.0 Ivy League Education and 38 Quick FL Practice Exams"

 

[DokterMom]

The point these folks are trying to make is that there's more to your medical school application than GPA and MCAT scores. Med school admissions is not an intelligence contest. If you've already got a top GPA from a top school, all you need is an "excellent" MCAT (~515+) to fully satisfy even the pickiest schools on the "Is this applicant smart enough?" front.

The point we're trying to make here is that academic brilliance is only one part of the equation. Other parts include:

• Does this person care about humanity and have a genuine desire to serve? Or is s/he a pompous donkey who takes tests for the ego boost?
  
• Does this person have any people skills? Will s/he be able to connect with patients? Or is s/he a robot?
• Has s/he done any research? Published anything?
• Does s/he have any leadership skills? Hobbies and interests? Friends?
  
• Does s/he have any experience caring for patients? Any reason to believe s/he will make a good doctor?

Beyond a certain point, MCAT scores above 515 or so have vanishingly small differential returns. Rather than pouring that much time into 523 vs 517, spend your time volunteering.

 

[ICUBlue]

30 practice tests... you'll crash and burn of fatigue. Don't do it. I did 8 and I was OVER IT


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[SteyrFWB]

How quaint.

Just do it. Why ask?

 

[desperadoflakes]

what u need is a brown paper bag to breathe into

 

[altblue]

The fact that you've come up with this specific of a plan (you have full lengths distributed out??? I just finalized these today and I got 2 months left) a goddamn year in advance is telling. Bro relax and take a chill pill. Enjoy your summer. Read to prep for CARS if it makes you feel better

 

[DameJulie]

Wear a Nixx shirt, and just do it.

We SDNers will be rooting for your success!

 

[workaholic181]

Here's my plan:

I plan to take the exam early April 2018.

CONTENT REVIEW: 2.5 months (June-late August)

PRACTICE: Starting on September 1st I plan to take one full length every week (Saturday) and review it thoroughly (Sunday). I'm planning to take a week off each month, by doing this I'll have done ~30 tests by April 1st.

(Monday-Friday) I'll be doing ~10 practice passages everyday and going over it [AMC Section Bank, Question packs, Official Guide, TPR Verbal Hyperlearning, Kaplan online practice passages, NS Practice passages and etc.] I've built in 4-5 rest days every month.

Here are the full lengths I have collected and plan to do.

Kaplan- [3]
TPR- [7]
NextStep- [10]
EK- [4]
AAMC- [3]

And I'll probably try and get my hands on some Altius exams.

***Ill review content sparsely as needed while doing all this practice.

I have a very strong foundation in background knowledge. I actually took NS FL9 Chem/PHYS Section before even doing content review and got a 129 on it (with questions I got wrong due to gaps in content memorization).

I'm a rising junior and I've taken all the prereqs (took physics 2, orgo 2, and biochem this past semester).


Is this a good plan? I'm really making the MCAT a top priority and am shooting for a 520+. I have an extremely high GPA from an ivy (having taken all pre-reqs) with multiple peer-reviewed journal publications so I feel a top MCAT score is all that stands in the way of getting into a top 10 school. I'm fairly confident in my abilities for all sections except CARS. I'm planning to take a lighter course load so I can accommodate for the studying.


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So you're gonna start content review no for an MCAT next April? I really don't think that's a great plan. I started light content review 6 months out from mine and realised with like 9 weeks left that I had forgotten a lot of the topics I covered in this time period.

I've seen some nutty theories about the number of FLs you need to take, but IMO you're better served doing the question packs. The practice exams are good for getting timing down and just being used to taking a test for that long. On the real thing you're going to run into questions you've never seen before regardless how many FLs you take.

I took 6, and did the question packs. Definitely did NOT get a 524 lol but feel pretty good about it. You and I are alike however in the desire to just know you're gonna do well on a test going in since you prepared so much. I was that way with all my pre reqs and tried to have that attitude about the MCAT. Unfortunately, it's not possible to guarantee anything come test day. The best thing is just to trust yourself and your gut.

So chill out! You're gonna be fine.