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grandpajames said:
Hey everyone,

I'm getting really nervous. I've taken AAMC 3 to 7 so far with scores of 26 to 30 (I got a 23 on AAMC5 but that was a really crappy day).

Should I postpone to mid-August? I'm looking over my errors and all of them are really dumb mistakes, like not reading the question correctly or miscalculations.

Not sure how much another month of studying is going to get me but I really want to be prepared for this exam. Also, this is going to be my second time taking it. I got a 24P a year ago in June (long story), but the 16th is the last day to decide. Any suggestions? Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

Postpone if you really have to. But don't develop a tendency to work less just because you can postpone.
 
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Submitted AMCAS and watched the World Cup, what a day. Now I'm finally fully free to rumble with this MCAT:soexcited:
 
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ChocoMoo said:
Has anyone else been doing Kaplan VR and doing crappy on those, while doing okay on the AAMC/TPR/EK?

I'm getting a little freaked out because I just did 4 Kaplan VR passages and got 16 questions wrong (wth!?!?!)
Click to expand...

I much prefer the EK Verbal to the Kaplan Verbal, and I'm sure others share my opinion. I just took a Kaplan practice test, and did really well except for verbal.

PS-15
V-8
BS-12

I'm confident for the 7/30 test, but now a little terrified about verbal. All I want is a 10.
 
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TommyJohnMD said:
I much prefer the EK Verbal to the Kaplan Verbal, and I'm sure others share my opinion. I just took a Kaplan practice test, and did really well except for verbal.

PS-15
V-8
BS-12

I'm confident for the 7/30 test, but now a little terrified about verbal. All I want is a 10.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can't get my head around kaplan verbal. Something about it is just off (maybe the questions?) and it completely screws me over. I'm going to take a EK verbal test today, so hopefully my score on that is a lot higher than what it's been for Kaplan..
 
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this might be a dumb question, but what EK verbal tests are you guys talking about? the 30 minute "in-class exams"? those are the only ones i've found, but i only have access to the EK books from at barnes and noble. are there other EK books/tests that i'm not aware of?
 
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oleoleoleole said:
this might be a dumb question, but what EK verbal tests are you guys talking about? the 30 minute "in-class exams"? those are the only ones i've found, but i only have access to the EK books from at barnes and noble. are there other EK books/tests that i'm not aware of?
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The EK 101 book, with the 12-13 Verbal tests. It's a must for practicing verbal just because there is so much to do, and other than AAMC, it's the most realistic.

I actually have a pdf of the book, i'd have to figure out how to host it.
 
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kehlsh said:
I do have pdf file of this as well.
I'd share if it wasn't so bulky haha.
Click to expand...

I'd look to host it on rapidshare or another site like that. Except, I'm going to be cramming for the next 2 1/2 weeks so I don't think I'll have the time.

Anyway, what is a good schedule leading up to the test in 2 1/2 weeks? I'm working full-time, but this is what I'm doing:

(note: I'm weak and verbal and very strong in chem/physics, that's why they are combined)

Monday: Finish Chem/Physics Material; EK Verbal #1
Tuesday: Review Orgo, EK Verbal #2
Wednesday: AAMC (free one)
Thursday: Review Biology, EK #3
Friday: Review Chem/Physics, EK #4
Saturday: AAMC #10
Sunday: Practice Test (one of the TPR ones, can't buy all AAMC tests)
Monday: Review Orgo, EK Verbal #5
Tuesday: Review Biology, EK Verbal #6
Wednesday: Review Chemistry and Physics, break
Thursday: Review Orgo, EK #7
Friday: Practice Test
Saturday: AAMC #9
Sunday: AAMC #8 or 7
Monday: Full Chem/Physics review, EK #8 if necessary
Tuesday: Full Orgo Review, EK # 9 if necessary
Wednesday: Full Biology Review, EK #10 if necessary
Thursday: RELAXXXXXXXX, light night read through of study guides
Friday:MCAT

I know it's a lot, but I have down-time at work to do the reviewing, and then when I get home I can do the verbal tests after a quick nap/dinner.

What's everyone else doing.
 
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TommyJohnMD said:
What's everyone else doing.
Click to expand...

Freaking out! Haha jk. I think for now I'm going to do a crapload of problems/passages. I looked through some AAMC tests I took, and realized that ~80% of the questions that I get wrong are not from the lack of knowledge, but rather misundertanding/misreading the questions/answer choices (really a piss off). I guess I'm still not used to the MCAT format? idk...
 
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ooh pdf version = win. anyone willing to post? also, for those of you that have it, how did you get the pdf version? jeez...so much i don't know....
 
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gerrrrr I feel your frustration. I hate getting questions wrong when I'm careless in reading the question stems =(
I have AAMC 8-10 left to do which I'll spread out one per week since I'm working full time in lab. Other days just the usual concept reviews and going over the equations and solubility table =P O and of course practice those writing prompts o.\/.o can't wait to get this over and done with =)
 
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Sounds like we're all doing similar prep in the remaining weeks. I am down to the point of gaining points through avoiding making stupid reading errors. Whenever I think of score release day I get slightly panicked, because as a retaker, I know what that wave of disappointed feels like. I want to avoid that feeling at all costs! *deep breath* Although, looking through old practice tests and seeing how far I've come makes me feel pretty good. Almost there! We can do this!
 
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Let say, I take both the MCAT and DAT and decide to apply to both, medical schools and dental schools (just to see where I can get accepted), omitting throughout the application process that I took each others exam. How can the schools find out? Aren't they both different systems and organizations (AMCAS and AADSAS) all together? Do you know anyone that has done this?
 
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PreMedical10 said:

Let say, I take both the MCAT and DAT and decide to apply to both, medical schools and dental schools (just to see where I can get accepted), omitting throughout the application process that I took each others exam. How can the schools find out? Aren't they both different systems and organizations (AMCAS and AADSAS) all together? Do you know anyone that has done this?
Click to expand...

My friend was doing this and took both the MCAT (31) and the DAT. But he doesn't like the idea of having to do a residency so now he's just applying to dental schools. From what he told me, they have no way of knowing.
 
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grandpajames said:
Hey everyone,

I'm getting really nervous. I've taken AAMC 3 to 7 so far with scores of 26 to 30 (I got a 23 on AAMC5 but that was a really crappy day).

Should I postpone to mid-August? I'm looking over my errors and all of them are really dumb mistakes, like not reading the question correctly or miscalculations.

Not sure how much another month of studying is going to get me but I really want to be prepared for this exam. Also, this is going to be my second time taking it. I got a 24P a year ago in June (long story), but the 16th is the last day to decide. Any suggestions? Thanks guys.
Click to expand...

you have 17 days, you can do this

also I just bought the ek 101 book...it should be here tomorrow night! hopefully it works wonders on my verbal score
 
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Hows everyone doing out there? Only got 2 1/2 weeks :eek:

I wanted to ask someone whos doing well on the verbal what their strategy/tactics are? I know the Kaplan/TPR method of paraphrasing every paragraph, but that seems to take a good amount of time, but it seems somewhat effective (from what I have done on EK Verbal). Any Suggestions?

AAMC 3:
PS: 11
V: 9
Biol: 10

AAMC 5:
PS: 11
V: 7
Biol: 11

Planning on taking AAMC 4 tomorrow morning.
 
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Much better breakdown than the Kaplan test I took this past weekend:

AAMC 3:

PS: 12
VR: 11
BS: 12

The PS curve is much tough for AAMC test, than Kaplan tests, but the material is easier. I need to be very careful on my stupid mistakes because there were a few in the PS and BS sections. If you told me I was gonna get 10+ for Verbal on test day I would sign right now.

Happy with the score, looking forward to taking 7-10.
 
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Does anyone know what the hardest of the AAMC practice exams are?

I have the free practice test #3, but I want to have a compilation of difficult ones to take. ANyone recommend something else. I have all the ExamKrackers 1001 and 101VR books so Im doing them too.

Finally, is anyone practicing a writing sample?
 
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Chocomoo and I are taking the AAMC 6 tomorrow. Followed by serious discussion.
Anybody wants to join in for the fun is welcome~
 
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oleoleoleole said:
EK 101 is kicking my butt. any chance that these are harder than the actual thing?
Click to expand...

Most people say that your EK scores are indicative or lower than your actual MCAT verbal scores. I think that EK simulates the actual MCAT the best and one of the reasons it is harder is the length. I got a 9 yesterday, mostly because I faded on the last 20 questions.

Don't get too discouraged, if you can consistently get 10s on EK you will be golden
 
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TommyJohnMD said:
That's what I do on the weekends, but I gotta work tomorrow :(

I'll take any of 7-10 if you guys wanna do another test Saturday/Sunday morning.
Click to expand...

I'm doing 8 on saturday at 8 am! (I work full-time, too)
I'm finishing up 6 today...doing it in pieces because of time constraints. I feel it's one of the easier ones.
 
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@ kehlsh

I'm gonna take AAMC 6 at 8:00 sharp. I skip the writing section, so I should be done around 11:40 california time (I think thats right...)

---

Right now I'm retaking AAMC 4 (took it ~3 weeks ago), just to get a better feel of the mcat style questions. guhhhh

I'm kind of freaking out because I was originally signed up for the 7/16 MCAT date, but postponed to this one (thank god). Sometimes I still feel like I'm taking it tomorrow though :laugh:
 
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Has anyone else noticed this?

When I look through a particular section of an AAMC test, for example: BS, some of the answers that I distinctly remember marking as the answer are switched? I mean, I marked A (correct answer) for a particular question when I took the test, and when I go back to see what I missed, it says I marked B, even though I distinctly remember selecting A and I used that strike-out tool to eliminate everything. And then, after I'm done looking through BS, I go back to that main page with your composite and section breakdown, and for some reason my PS score dropped to a 9, even though it was an 11 originally and I didn't even look through my mistakes in that section yet.

I'm thinking it has something to do with double checking answers as the timer runs out, and as your going down a page, u accidently click the wrong answer for a question?? idk, that still doesnt explain why my PS went from a 11 -> 9 for no freakin' reason

wth?? :confused:

edit: actually it was a 14. A 14 to a 9?? I think that website is getting my score from when I took it ~3 weeks ago confused with the score today...although 3 weeks ago it was a 10...whats going on lol am I going crazy?
 
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Just 2 weeks! :scared:

I took AAMC #3 back in mid-June and got a 29 (9 PS/10 VR/10 BS). I just finished with AAMC 7 and got a 33 (11 PS/10 VR/12 BS). HUGE confidence booster, especially since I still have a little bit of content to look over. Hope I can get that score on test day. :laugh:

I think I might join you all and take AAMC 6 tomorrow. Are you all doing the writing section or skipping it?
 
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partlycloudy said:
Just 2 weeks! :scared:

I took AAMC #3 back in mid-June and got a 29 (9 PS/10 VR/10 BS). I just finished with AAMC 7 and got a 33 (11 PS/10 VR/12 BS). HUGE confidence booster, especially since I still have a little bit of content to look over. Hope I can get that score on test day. :laugh:

I think I might join you all and take AAMC 6 tomorrow. Are you all doing the writing section or skipping it?
Click to expand...

I'm doing the writing section because I have TPR token that allows ur samples to be graded. :thumbup:
 
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Verbal is going to be my downfall. At least the only positive I can take from the EK Verbal is that I do well through the first 40 questions and then fade.

EK 101 #1: 9
EK 101 #2: 8 (I got an entire passage wrong)

AAMC #3: 11

Yuck
 
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Ok chocomoo Imma go to sleep for da AAMC 6 tomorrow

let's get at least a 30 so that we won't have a strong urge to postpone at the last minute!
 
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kehlsh said:
Ok chocomoo Imma go to sleep for da AAMC 6 tomorrow

let's get at least a 30 so that we won't have a strong urge to postpone at the last minute!
Click to expand...

Hahah yeah seriously. Even though its a practice AAMC, I'm still really nervous rofl. I hope all the studying up until now has paid off!
 
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ChocoMoo said:
Hahah yeah seriously. Even though its a practice AAMC, I'm still really nervous rofl. I hope all the studying up until now has paid off!
Click to expand...
Good luck with AAMC 6 tomorrow. I think I'm going to try to wrap up my content review tomorrow before taking any more practice exams. I'll definitely be taking AAMC 8 on Saturday though (and I'll squeeze in AAMC 6 on Sunday). AAMC 9 next Friday, and AAMC 10 on the Tuesday before the test (with TPRH science workbook and BR Phase III passages on every other day).
 
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I'm wondering if I should do Kaplan's FLs or AAMCs for these last two weeks.

God I'm freaking out even though I'm consistently getting pretty good scores (mainly because I feel like there is still a bunch of stuff that I'm not comfortable with). I took Kaplan FL5 today and got a 37 and I took AAMC6 two days ago and got a 38, I'm saving AAMC 7-10 for these next two weeks. Despite these scores I did a Kaplan section test for PS today and it was so unbelievably hard that not only did I not finish by an entire two passages I panicked to the point where I almost thought I needed to put off my exam (I only got 48% of the questions right :confused:)

And then I took the Kaplan FL later and got a 12 on PS and was like... wtf. I keep hearing that Kaplan's stuff is harder than the AAMCs but I'm not really seeing it personally. The only harder section imo is verbal. Kaplan's verbal is seriously slow torture.
 
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Just woke up at 6 40 AM for AAMC 6. I dunno what strat I should use for verbal... sigh
 
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UnclePhil said:
I'm wondering if I should do Kaplan's FLs or AAMCs for these last two weeks.

God I'm freaking out even though I'm consistently getting pretty good scores (mainly because I feel like there is still a bunch of stuff that I'm not comfortable with). I took Kaplan FL5 today and got a 37 and I took AAMC6 two days ago and got a 38, I'm saving AAMC 7-10 for these next two weeks. Despite these scores I did a Kaplan section test for PS today and it was so unbelievably hard that not only did I not finish by an entire two passages I panicked to the point where I almost thought I needed to put off my exam (I only got 48% of the questions right :confused:)

And then I took the Kaplan FL later and got a 12 on PS and was like... wtf. I keep hearing that Kaplan's stuff is harder than the AAMCs but I'm not really seeing it personally. The only harder section imo is verbal. Kaplan's verbal is seriously slow torture.
Click to expand...

Kaplan's section tests are notoriously harder. If you are getting 38s in AAMCs and 37s in Kaplan's I would say you just need to relax!!
 
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Kaplan's PS/BS are harder, which is fine if you understand the material really well. I've gotten 14/15s on their PS sections; however, when I took the AAMC #3 test I only got a 12. This wasn't because the AAMC test was hard, but the stupid mistakes I made while taking the Kaplan test were balanced out by the curve since I was getting the "harder" questions right. The AAMC test is not as lenient, which is why I need to be careful, I know I'm fully capable of getting a 13+ everytime.

I would highly recommend you take the AAMC tests for this reason only. No reason to get a false sense of security from a big Kaplan curve, when stupid mistakes can kill you moreso on the real thing.

Good luck to everyone taking AAMC 6 this morning, I'll be taking #8? tomorrow.
 
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TommyJohnMD said:
Kaplan's PS/BS are harder, which is fine if you understand the material really well. I've gotten 14/15s on their PS sections; however, when I took the AAMC #3 test I only got a 12. This wasn't because the AAMC test was hard, but the stupid mistakes I made while taking the Kaplan test were balanced out by the curve since I was getting the "harder" questions right. The AAMC test is not as lenient, which is why I need to be careful, I know I'm fully capable of getting a 13+ everytime.

I would highly recommend you take the AAMC tests for this reason only. No reason to get a false sense of security from a big Kaplan curve, when stupid mistakes can kill you moreso on the real thing.

Good luck to everyone taking AAMC 6 this morning, I'll be taking #8? tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Just finished verbal.
PS was easy towards the beginning, got harder towards the end.
Verbal was bleh. It was reasonable I guess, can't wait to see what score I get on it.
 
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On 6 I got 12 PS (1 q from 13 :mad:) 12 VR (1 q from 13...changed marked q last minute :mad:) and 10 BS (I thought this section was pretty hard.) 34 total. I am working relentlessly on BS but I was a chem major and it's just not my thing I guess. Strategy is really important at this point. Anyway, 2 weeks!!!!
 
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FFFCK

I got a 29 (12PS/7V/10BS) on AAMC 6

Do I have to postpone? I got 31 on AAMC 5 1.5 weeks ago and I studied a lot in between that 1.5 weeks (but not verbal). I'm quite disappointed and upsettttt.

Is there any case where you can raise from 29 to 35 in 2 weeks? I plan to do a lot of verbal from now on...
 
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UnclePhil said:
God I'm freaking out even though I'm consistently getting pretty good scores... took Kaplan FL5 today and got a 37 and I took AAMC6 two days ago and got a 38...
Click to expand...

:laugh: quintessential SDN right there lol, you'll be fine. Review, don't let the PS section performance worry you, in the next two week just review the topics you got wrong.
 
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So the consensus is that EK 101 is the best for Verbal, right? I'm going to start studying for VR tomorrow. Probably shouldn't have waited so long, but I felt that my science review was more important. I'd really like higher than a 10 on VR, though.

But guys, don't forget to relax a bit. I'm seeing Inception tonight---I need a break.
 
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