The Official April MCAT 2015 Takers Thread

[emulsifier]

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Hey guys,

I've seen some old threads (from 2012, or early 2014) on the MCAT2015.

I am wondering if we can bring resources together here, discussions for those who are planning on taking the new one in or after April.

Has anyone gotten their hands on the new prep material for 2015, and the chance to compare the different companies? I scoured the internet, obviously not much at the moment. But I know someone out there has started, just need to get this info out!

Edit:
Resources mentioned in this thread or elsewhere:

• Free mini-test: AAMC MCAT 2015 12 sample questions and answer (3 x 4 sections)
  • http://offers.aamc.org/mcat2015-mini-test
• Next Step guide here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...e-mcat-2015-100-days-to-mcat-success.1101251/
• TPR 2015 books: They seem to be the same as their previous books. Their bio book has a chapter on biochem.
• Kaplan 2015 books: removed content that is not tested. Physics section is 400 pages (may be too much for the new MCAT). Very little practice. Whole book on biochem.
• EK 9th edition books: reformatted the whole book. SDNer reviewer has said that even parts with same illustrations have whole new contents. Got rid of topics that won't be tested. May be too condensed though.

 

[ZSVDK_HNORC]

Taking my test the 18th and have been studying since late December. Just about to my limit with this MCAT garbage.
Have taken:
Kaplan free half length ~ 487, yikes
NS FL ~ 500
TPR 1 ~ 498
TPR 2 ~ 495
TPR 3 ~ 493


I've also finished most of the AAMC question pack, which I've been scoring much better on. Still though, studying hard with not much to show for it is a real kick in the balls. Taking the AAMC Sample test next weekend, hoping it goes better than my previous tests.

 

[deleted567285]

Taking my test the 18th and have been studying since late December. Just about to my limit with this MCAT garbage.
Have taken:
Kaplan free half length ~ 487, yikes
NS FL ~ 500
TPR 1 ~ 498
TPR 2 ~ 495
TPR 3 ~ 493


I've also finished most of the AAMC question pack, which I've been scoring much better on. Still though, studying hard with not much to show for it is a real kick in the balls. Taking the AAMC Sample test next weekend, hoping it goes better than my previous tests.

I'm sure you will do great on the sample test. The other exams are much much harder.

 

[DrHart]

Finished AAMC FL yesterday. I still think sitting in the same spot for 7.5 hours is torturous. 77% overall (improved from TPR1 = 62%)
Chem Phys = 61%
CARS = 85%
Bio/BC = 85%
Psych = 78%
Still need to up that Chem Phys score >.< Also was it just me or did the psych passages feel strangely short? I'm not complaining cause I was pretty burnt by that section. But the passages were like 2-3 paragraphs and the graphs/charts were not too extensive - much shorter than Biochem passages. My overall impression is that biochem is very important.... like more so than I previously thought. As people were saying, structures, abbreviations, polarity, charge, of amino acids came up frequently. Physics stuff was better than I thought but some of the calculations still seemed a little painful. [side note: if I ever have to calculate something with exponents in real life I will just grab a calculator... who wouldn't, especially when your approximations can be significantly off]
Anyway, I'm going through the solutions now. I'll let you guys know if anything else jumps out at me.

 

[Affiche]

Does anyone have a vague idea about the extent to which we should study oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes? Kaplan's book says very little about either.

 

[ARBRLA12]

Does anyone have a vague idea about the extent to which we should study oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes? Kaplan's book says very little about either.

When I compare the MCAT Content Outline to Kaplan's material, Kaplan put oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in the DNA Repair section of chapter 6 of the biochem book. I'm going off of the content summary at the end of chapter 6 for those.

 

[sephora89]

Around how many practice tests are you all aiming to get done prior to the April 2015 MCAT?

 

[DrHart]

Around how many practice tests are you all aiming to get done prior to the April 2015 MCAT?

I was planning to actually sit (mock-exam style) for 3 or 4 full length ones (Saturday, 8:00AM, library/someplace similar to a testing center). And I also want to get through 3 more - maybe a section or two at a time, here or there in the afternoon, not similar to a testing situation (but still timed per section).

 

[Noctámbulo]

I was planning to actually sit (mock-exam style) for 3 or 4 full length ones (Saturday, 8:00AM, library/someplace similar to a testing center). And I also want to get through 3 more - maybe a section or two at a time, here or there in the afternoon, not similar to a testing situation (but still timed per section).

Are people using old AAMC exams as full-length practice? Or mock exams released by prep companies?

 

[Bookworm36]

I still think sitting in the same spot for 7.5 hours is torturous

Agree 100%, breaks don't make it. I need a cushion for my tushion. Being a long distance runner and getting bursitis long ago...yes, adcoms, my score reflects how much my butt hurts!

As people were saying, structures, abbreviations, polarity, charge, of amino acids came up frequently.

I noticed its make sure understanding what happens when basic aa is in an acidic solution/acidic aa in a basic solution. That was confusing me for a lil while. I thought psy/soc was also short, but no complaints. I was burnt by the end and pleasantly surprised by my percentage. Not as high as yours, though, but good enough for me since I have been concentrating on verbal.

 

[DrHart]

Are people using old AAMC exams as full-length practice? Or mock exams released by prep companies?

Full lengths by AAMC, TPR, and Kaplan
Even though I have access to some older tests, I would rather stick with the new stuff

 

[sephora89]

Full lengths by AAMC, TPR, and Kaplan
Even though I have access to some older tests, I would rather stick with the new stuff

I would do the same. I'm aiming for 20-30 practice tests. I don't plan on taking it till 2016 though so hopefully more will be released. How many TPR and Kaplan ones do you have?

 

[DrHart]

I would do the same. I'm aiming for 20-30 practice tests. I don't plan on taking it till 2016 though so hopefully more will be released. How many TPR and Kaplan ones do you have?

Four from TPR and three from Kap. I think AAMC is releasing one more this spring/summer. Wouldn't be surprised if they released 1 or 2 more by the fall. TPR also has a ton of practice passages.

 

[TheCruelOne]

I haven't taken AAMC's official practice exam yet, but for those who have, I'm wondering whether the passage length and difficulty was similar to the length and difficulty of the passages found in the Official Guide to the MCAT Exam book. I figure there are definitely more questions per passage on the actual practice exam (in the Official Guide, there are around 4-6 questions per passage), but are the actual passages themselves significantly longer and more difficult?

 

[meant4med]

Are people using old AAMC exams as full-length practice? Or mock exams released by prep companies?

I did one, #10, just for a kind of comparison really but the feel is very, very different so I'm not sure how helpful it is.

 

[meant4med]

I haven't taken AAMC's official practice exam yet, but for those who have, I'm wondering whether the passage length and difficulty was similar to the length and difficulty of the passages found in the Official Guide to the MCAT Exam book. I figure there are definitely more questions per passage on the actual practice exam (in the Official Guide, there are around 4-6 questions per passage), but are the actual passages themselves significantly longer and more difficult?

I don't remember any passages with more than 4-5 questions actually. and it depends, some are long, some are super short with more tables or figures, there's no "right" answer.

 

[Affiche]

I think the standard is 10 passages with 4-6 questions/passage. I love it because if the passage is on a weak area, you only have a few questions on it (and a few of them you can usually get from reading comprehension and data analysis), whereas the old MCATS could destroy your score with one passage lol.

 

[DrHart]

I haven't taken AAMC's official practice exam yet, but for those who have, I'm wondering whether the passage length and difficulty was similar to the length and difficulty of the passages found in the Official Guide to the MCAT Exam book. I figure there are definitely more questions per passage on the actual practice exam (in the Official Guide, there are around 4-6 questions per passage), but are the actual passages themselves significantly longer and more difficult?

I don't remember any passages with more than 4-5 questions actually. and it depends, some are long, some are super short with more tables or figures, there's no "right" answer.

I noticed that the science sections Chem/Phys but especially Biochem had long passages. Sometimes 3-5 short paragraphs + up to 3 graphs/tables. Psych was noticeably shorter and felt more like 2-3 short paragraphs + 1 graph/table. There were still 4-6 questions per passage. Like you said though, there really isn't a "right" answer - these are just generalizations

 

[TheCruelOne]

Thanks for the feedback, you guys! I'm pretty surprised and relieved to hear that the whole 4-6 question/passage thing still held true for the practice exam. I assumed the passages in the Official Guide had fewer questions just because it was more of a sample for us. Thank you for the information about passage length, too, DrHart!

None of you happened to actually go through the Official Guide passages, did you? I've been doing EK passages up until now and I decided to do the actual Guide passages today and felt that they were SO much easier than the ones I'd been practicing with. I wasn't sure if those passages were an accurate representation of the difficulty of passages on the actual practice exam or whether they were being nice and made them all slightly easier because they were sample passages.

 

[Affiche]

I've done the guide and the sample test and I didn't notice a difference in difficulty between the two. If you didn't take the guide under timed conditions that may be why it seemed so easy, but nothing that I've seen from AAMC so far has made me want to cry (which I can't say is true for the Kraplan tests lol)

 

[meant4med]

what's everyone doing the last two weeks? Is anyone else struggling with balance?

I'm thinking this week to do my last two TPR exams, and finish up what I have left of my chem and my physics pack from AAMC, and reviewing the flashcards I made for each subject.

Next week I'm thinking to go over ONLY AAMC materials for everything I've taken from them (the 6 question packs, sample test, and official guide test) because I want to completely get the reasoning of test prep companies out of my head and just focus on AAMC reasoning for answering questions. I will also go over all my flash cards as many times as I can this week too, and for phys/chem go over a formula sheet. Oh and I'm getting a massage and treating myself to a nice late lunch the day before the test, lots of relaxing!

Also both weeks, I'm going to keep up with verbal and still do a few full sessions, but mainly 2-3 passages timed a day or every other day because in my experience, it just feels like a "use it or lose it" skill haha, if you put it down for a while you start to forget the reasoning behind good and 'best' answer choices.

NO BURNING MYSELF OUT... that would be so, so dumb right before the test!

Anyone else doing something very different? and if you are, what's the rationale behind your choices?

 

[deleted567285]

what's everyone doing the last two weeks? Is anyone else struggling with balance? (I'm graduating with my masters, writing a manuscript, end of semester grad and premed classes stuff..UGH why did aamc decided april 18 was a lovely time for the new test?)

I'm thinking this week to do my last two TPR exams, and finish up what I have left of my chem and my physics pack from AAMC, and reviewing the flashcards I made for each subject.

Next week I'm thinking to go over ONLY AAMC materials for everything I've taken from them (the 6 question packs, sample test, and official guide test) because I want to completely get the reasoning of test prep companies out of my head and just focus on AAMC reasoning for answering questions. I will also go over all my flash cards as many times as I can this week too, and for phys/chem go over a formula sheet. Oh and I'm getting a massage and treating myself to a nice late lunch the day before the test, lots of relaxing!

Also both weeks, I'm going to keep up with verbal and still do a few full sessions, but mainly 2-3 passages timed a day or every other day because in my experience, it just feels like a "use it or lose it" skill haha, if you put it down for a while you start to forget the reasoning behind good and 'best' answer choices.

NO BURNING MYSELF OUT... that would be so, so dumb right before the test!

Anyone else doing something very different? and if you are, what's the rationale behind your choices?

I just want to sleep a lot honestly

 

[drrao88]

Next week I'm thinking to go over ONLY AAMC materials for everything I've taken from them (the 6 question packs, sample test, and official guide test) because I want to completely get the reasoning of test prep companies out of my head and just focus on AAMC reasoning for answering questions. I will also go over all my flash cards as many times as I can this week too, and for phys/chem go over a formula sheet. Oh and I'm getting a massage and treating myself to a nice late lunch the day before the test, lots of relaxing!

What are the 6 question packs?! I only know of the 12Q quiz in addition to the FL and their official guide ?s

 

[NaomiM]

The six question packs are the 6 self assessments the AAMC is selling.

 

[Affiche]

What are the 6 question packs?! I only know of the 12Q quiz in addition to the FL and their official guide ?s

What is the 12Q quiz?!

 

[DrHart]

I assume this is the 12Q thing?> http://offers.aamc.org/mcat2015-mini-test
These are the question packs?> https://members.aamc.org/eweb/DynamicPage.aspx?webcode=PubsByTopic&Topic=MCAT
Question: are the question packs worth buying or would I be better off just going over FL practice tests (AAMC, TPR, Kap, etc.)

 

[TexanProud]

@meant4med is right about burn out! i (unwillingly) had to take off 3 days last week bc of a recent surgery I had. I thought I would return completely out of it and 5 steps behind, but the time off really did wonders. I was killing it on the question packs + more energy!

@DrHart I enjoy the AAMC pack. It's a good confidence booster going into the exam as well at this point considering it's easier than TPR, Kap, etc. And again, the passages were handpicked by relevance to the new exam.

 

[neuropanic]

Took my AAMC sample and went over it yesterday.. things I missed were stupid or things I blatantly had to guess on.. ran out of time on my Chem/Phys and luckily had only 1 unanswered but regardless, had to rush through the last half / didn't get to go back to the ones I was unsure of.
Word on the street is that Chem/Phys is curved the most as it is most everyone's worst section? True Y/N?? It's difficult to tell if I am screwed percentagewise, 63% 🙁 ,or that it will end up being curved more.
Anyone else have problems finishing this section / if so how are you overcoming it? I have been practicing timed for months and still suck..

 

[DrHart]

Took my AAMC sample and went over it yesterday.. things I missed were stupid or things I blatantly had to guess on.. ran out of time on my Chem/Phys and luckily had only 1 unanswered but regardless, had to rush through the last half / didn't get to go back to the ones I was unsure of.
Word on the street is that Chem/Phys is curved the most as it is most everyone's worst section? True Y/N?? It's difficult to tell if I am screwed percentagewise, 63% 🙁 ,or that it will end up being curved more.
Anyone else have problems finishing this section / if so how are you overcoming it? I have been practicing timed for months and still suck..

The first time I took Chem/Phys in TPR FL1 I accidentally left a whole passage blank. I still used all the time up to the last minute on the AAMC Chem/Phys. I've seen mostly 40-65% on this section so I would bet it will be curved the most - but who knows what the actual test will look like. It could be easier or it could be harder. No way to know for sure.

 

[TexanProud]

@mlowe1 I mean it's hard to tell who we're taking the exam against, since it's contingent on that, but I'll bet your score will be curved up. On my past MCAT that section was sure curved. I literally guessed on most of them and came out with a 10. I'm talking I hadn't prepared enough to know how to properly do scientific notation calculations and logs... yeah, I am an idiot. bahaha. I think 63% is good!

 

[Affiche]

I think low 60's is about where most people on here are at. It's a difficult section because it has so many different subjects on it, so I think it's the most challenging section to improve your score on since you have to study such a wide variety of material to improve (gen chem, o chem, biochem, physics, etc)

 

[neuropanic]

Yeah it is seriously the worst section to prepare for, I feel like I improve in one of my bad areas, then on the next practice theres a whole other area that I haven't looked at in a couple weeks and am once again bad at. Oyyyy

 

[meant4med]

Full lengths by AAMC, TPR, and Kaplan
Even though I have access to some older tests, I would rather stick with the new stuff

Did you take any old aamc? I get you, I just took one for a comparison of a score I guess. It did feel very different though. Verbal seems like a mess on the old tests, the new cars section is much better written. However the science sections seemed to go off of tangents a lot and were random, I guess since before it wasn't biological systems based.

 

[mcatstruggle]

Hey everyone! Hope everything's going well in your preparations! I have below a list of items I would like to do, but it's a lengthy list and I don't want to overwhelm myself these last few days. If you could rank the following items as 1-most important - how would you rank them?

AAMC Self-Assessments
Berkeley Review (old format)
AAMC MCAT exams (old format 3-11)
Khan Academy questions
Princeton Review Full Lengths
Re-do AAMC Practice MCAT 2015 (I'm already doing this, but just thought to add it on the list)

 

[DrHart]

Hey everyone! Hope everything's going well in your preparations! I have below a list of items I would like to do, but it's a lengthy list and I don't want to overwhelm myself these last few days. If you could rank the following items as 1-most important - how would you rank them?

AAMC Self-Assessments 2/3
Berkeley Review (old format) 5/6
AAMC MCAT exams (old format 3-11) 5/6
Khan Academy questions 2/3
Princeton Review Full Lengths 4
Re-do AAMC Practice MCAT 2015 (I'm already doing this, but just thought to add it on the list) 1

 

[neuropanic]

^agreed, @mcatstruggle definitely focus on the new stuff over the old - even if prep companies FL are not amazing, still probably better than old format because you don't want to get yourself used to the pacing of the old format.

 

[mambas]

Hi All,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, but I have a general question regarding the upcoming MCAT that I'm registered to take on the 17th. It appears the overwhelming consensus on taking the MCAT more than once is something that's generally advised against here on SDN. Will the new test format sway adcom's view on those who take the exam a second time, or that still generally regarded as a detrimental mistake?

 

[deleted567285]

Hi All,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, but I have a general question regarding the upcoming MCAT that I'm registered to take on the 17th. It appears the overwhelming consensus on taking the MCAT more than once is something that's generally advised against here on SDN. Will the new test format sway adcom's view on those who take the exam a second time, or that still generally regarded as a detrimental mistake?

If you feel you are generally ready take it. Especially with this test, since there are so many unknown variables regards to scoring that might work for you as oppose to against you.

If you have to take it again. It's not that big of a deal.

 

[Winger]

Hi All,

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post, but I have a general question regarding the upcoming MCAT that I'm registered to take on the 17th. It appears the overwhelming consensus on taking the MCAT more than once is something that's generally advised against here on SDN. Will the new test format sway adcom's view on those who take the exam a second time, or that still generally regarded as a detrimental mistake?

Every individual I know that has applied/gotten accepted to med school has taken it 2+ times. It f-n sucks, but I don't think it is looked down upon. Shows perseverance in my opinion.

 

[Sir.SavaLottaLife]

How do you all feel about the kaplan CARS tests? I'm averaging ~60% on the CARS section of Kaplan and I don't know how to feel about it, the passages seemed harder than AAMC but idk

 

[neuropanic]

Hi All,

taking the MCAT more than once is something that's generally advised against here on SDN

I know a TON of med students who took the MCAT 2+ times, and they clearly were accepted by at least one med school. AS LONG AS your score improves, then its not a horrible thing (aside from the fact that you had to restudy and go through this hell a second time..). I do know a few people who would have been stellar applicants (3.9 GPA, had research / all the things a good applicant has) but did worse on their second time around on the MCAT and didn't get accepted anywhere, one of which didn't even receive a single interview anywhere.. Not to deter you but just make sure that if you are taking it a second time, you are as ready as you possibly can be, because it does seem that doing worse is a very bad thing in adcoms eyes.

How do you all feel about the kaplan CARS tests? I'm averaging ~60% on the CARS section of Kaplan and I don't know how to feel about it, the passages seemed harder than AAMC but idk

I have heard mixed things, I personally don't feel like Kaplan's are any easier or harder - the one thing is that sometimes Kaplan has convoluted questions / answer choices and that makes them more difficult because the question doesn't even make sense etc. I did generally about the same (slightly better on AAMC) as I have been doing on Kaplan on average and my AAMC sample test.

 

[Winger]

I've also heard the rumor that scoring lower on your MCAT 2nd or 3rd time around is terrible. On the contrary, I know someone who got 5 interviews with MCAT scores that went like this: 29-->26-->27. 4 acceptances later..

 

[drrao88]

Is there any way to get the Kaplan FL's without having to enroll in a course??!

I know for TPR, you can buy the 8 FL's for $300. Anything similar for Kaplan?

 

[TheCruelOne]

Is there any way to get the Kaplan FL's without having to enroll in a course??!

I know for TPR, you can buy the 8 FL's for $300. Anything similar for Kaplan?

 

[TheCruelOne]

Whoops, totally didn't mean to make that blank post! The mobile app is weird sometimes. But you don't have to be enrolled in the Kaplan course to access their FLs. I got mine by buying their review book set for the 2015 MCAT. I'm not sure whether there's some kind of option to buy the FLs alone, though.

 

[drrao88]

Whoops, totally didn't mean to make that blank post! The mobile app is weird sometimes. But you don't have to be enrolled in the Kaplan course to access their FLs. I got mine by buying their review book set for the 2015 MCAT. I'm not sure whether there's some kind of option to buy the FLs alone, though.

Whoops, totally didn't mean to make that blank post! The mobile app is weird sometimes. But you don't have to be enrolled in the Kaplan course to access their FLs. I got mine by buying their review book set for the 2015 MCAT. I'm not sure whether there's some kind of option to buy the FLs alone, though.

Whoops, totally didn't mean to make that blank post! The mobile app is weird sometimes. But you don't have to be enrolled in the Kaplan course to access their FLs. I got mine by buying their review book set for the 2015 MCAT. I'm not sure whether there's some kind of option to buy the FLs alone, though.


Right, but that only gives you access to 3 of them, and I know they have 10 total of their own.

 

[drrao88]

Whoops, totally didn't mean to make that blank post! The mobile app is weird sometimes. But you don't have to be enrolled in the Kaplan course to access their FLs. I got mine by buying their review book set for the 2015 MCAT. I'm not sure whether there's some kind of option to buy the FLs alone, though.

Right but that only gives you 3 tests, and I know Kaplan has 10 total of their own.

 

[Bookworm36]

I had another minor hiatus, work related and burn-out prevention. But back on that saddle. How awesome is it that we get an amazon gift card? I think that is just great 😛

 

[Vellin]

I had another minor hiatus, work related and burn-out prevention. But back on that saddle. How awesome is it that we get an amazon gift card? I think that is just great 😛

Yeah it's awesome. I just hope it isn't the main reason I'm taking the test next week instead of in May...

 

[deleted567285]

Are all these physics formulas needed to memorize. I have not seen them used on the practice tests as much as old MCATs?

 

[NaomiM]

What formulas to memorize is kind of a hard question to answer. Most of the new practice materials have been more reasoning/critical thinking style than before. But since the real thing could have some throw away calculation questions, I've got a bunch of formulas memorized that I'm comfortable manipulating.