TPR Full Length Trouble

[misterwiggles]

I know a lot of people have been posting about having bad TPR FL scores but mine are significantly lower than what has been reported on here which makes wonder what the eff I'm doing wrong.

First FL: (Taken early on when I didn't know much) 490 - 122 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 124 (Bio), 121 (Psych)
Second FL: (Taken after full TPR course) 496 - 124 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 125 (Bio), 124(Psych)
Third FL: (A few days later) 494 - 122 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 125 (Bio), 124 (Psych)

These seem to be abnormally lower than reported scores on here D: My Strengths and weaknesses on each exam have been pretty much different, in fact strengths on one exam end up being weaknesses on others.

Trends: Doing extremely well on certain passages and just sucking a lot on others. It's usually never a mix but always extremes. What strategies might you suggest to improve?

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[misterwiggles]

bumppppp!

 

[lostsoul91]

Do more practice. Make sure you go over your answers afterward to figure out where you went wrong. The key to this test is to make sure you do a lot of practice questions. The practice questions itself will help you learn content, so don't be scared. just keep at it. Best thing I have ever learned, the answer is usually somewhere in the passage.

 

[TheAnonymous]

I do agree that those scores are very low but this doesn't mean you can't improve. Those scores to me indicate that you haven't really learned the materials well enough, specially since those TPR full lengths are heavily based on content rather than critical reasoning/analysis skills. I personally think that perhaps you jumped into doing full lengths too early. My suggestion would be to go back to the "content review" phase and make sure you are truly mastering those concepts. This obviously doesn't mean going back and just reading those chapters again, but instead, doing practice passages on all the topics you still haven't mastered and re-reading the materials to nail those subjects down. You have access to the TPR Science Workbook, TPR ICC, and in your online portal there are many online passages (+ Amplifier). I would personally go back, do as many questions as possible, until you really understand the materials and only then, jump into doing full lengths to build stamina and continue practicing. Hopefully that helps. All the best-

 

[misterwiggles]

I would personally go back, do as many questions as possible, until you really understand the materials

Thanks! I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm spending today looking over my last two FL's and making a list of things I wasn't too sure about. Just curious. To your standard, when do you consider yourself proficient enough in a certain subject? Like What were you averaging on passages in terms of % correct/incorrect when you felt confident in that area? I want to get a good gauge of determining when I really understand the material and the questions I get wrong are simply due to stupid errors like misreading (which can be corrected easily in my eyes).

 

[TheAnonymous]

Thanks! I think that's what I'm going to do. I'm spending today looking over my last two FL's and making a list of things I wasn't too sure about. Just curious. To your standard, when do you consider yourself proficient enough in a certain subject? Like What were you averaging on passages in terms of % correct/incorrect when you felt confident in that area? I want to get a good gauge of determining when I really understand the material and the questions I get wrong are simply due to stupid errors like misreading (which can be corrected easily in my eyes).

Honestly, it's very difficult to answer that question as I don't think there is a magical % that you need to hit. Let's put it this way that you should keep practicing to the point where you rarely miss a question You can also take advantage of the AAMC Question Packs for identifying weaknesses - I think they are really good for that purpose. Sorry if my response wasn't helpful but please feel free to reply/shoot me a message and I'd be more than happy to offer any advice I can.

 

[misterwiggles]

Update: After looking back at old exams and focusing on a few weakpoints primarily in P/S and Biology, just took a FL today.

First FL: (Taken early on when I didn't know much) 490 - 122 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 124 (Bio), 121 (Psych)
Second FL: (Taken after full TPR course) 496 - 124 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 125 (Bio), 124(Psych)
Third FL: (A few days later) 494 - 122 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 125 (Bio), 124 (Psych)

Fourth FL: (today) 499 - 125 (C/P), 125 (CARS), 124(Bio), 125 (Psych)

Additionally my weaknesses on my third FL became my strengths on the fourth. My mistakes from the fourth arise from the things I neglected to study. I.e. cell biology, fluids, respiratory system. etc. Today was a good day

 

[GrapesofRath]

When people get very low practice test scores in science sections it indicates not knowing the material well enough. Period. That is fixable by putting enough time in but it takes alot of effort and discipline.

In a number of cases(not all) test companies make these tests rather difficult by a) the curve they create for your scaled score b) testing content knowledge of really obscure things. The test of whether you really are prepared for the test is how you are missing the questions you miss; if you look back and a number of missed answer choices the answer involves incorporating concepts you are unfamiliar with or incorporating them in a way that completely throws you off then that alone is an indication of not being ready.

 

[misterwiggles]

incorporating concepts in an abstract way is not a sufficient indicator of gap in knowledge in my opinion. I just think you need to get better at POE. Could be wrong though seeing as how I am haven't talked to others regarding their strategies.

 

[TheAnonymous]

Update: After looking back at old exams and focusing on a few weakpoints primarily in P/S and Biology, just took a FL today.

First FL: (Taken early on when I didn't know much) 490 - 122 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 124 (Bio), 121 (Psych)
Second FL: (Taken after full TPR course) 496 - 124 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 125 (Bio), 124(Psych)
Third FL: (A few days later) 494 - 122 (C/P), 123 (CARS), 125 (Bio), 124 (Psych)

Fourth FL: (today) 499 - 125 (C/P), 125 (CARS), 124(Bio), 125 (Psych)

Additionally my weaknesses on my third FL became my strengths on the fourth. My mistakes from the fourth arise from the things I neglected to study. I.e. cell biology, fluids, respiratory system. etc. Today was a good day

Beautiful improvement. Sleep, eat, breath MCAT for now and we will celebrate when you come back to post that you got 510+