TPR Practice Tests compared to real MCAT...help!

[MDtoBe777]

I took my second diagnostic today..and my score went down two points...I just don't see how it is possible. I went from 10B, 6P, 6V (yes, they are all pretty bad except for bio) to 8B, 7P, 5V (5!!!!). I don't know how this happened. Is the second diagnostic harder than the 1st? I'm keeping up with all the reading, the homework...I'm not really sure what I'm doing wrong. I also have the EK verbal book and am getting around 9's on the verbal. Maybe the lack of sleep affected my score..any advice? It's just really disappointing when your score goes DOWN! 😕 🙁

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[MechE]

I know how you feel. When I took TPR last spring my second diagnostic verbal score was cut in half. First I had a 7 then the second time I ended up with a 4. Most of the class also experienced a drop. What our instructor said was since we were using the techniques they were teaching us it was taking us longer to complete the passages. But the passages we did complete had a higher percentage of correct answers. After practicing several passages your speed and accuracy will both increase. After that drop on the second diagnostic, my scores got better on every other diagnostic. My actual MCAT score was higher than any of my diagnostic.

Don?t worry so much. Your scores will improve. 🙂

 

[MDtoBe777]

Thanks for your reply. If you don't mind me asking...how much did your score go up from the first practice test? Are you in med school now?

 

[Kal-El]

Most people's score go down on the second diag. That verbal section was a killer. The real MCAT isn't as hard, you're right where you need to be at this stage of the game.

 

[MDtoBe777]

Thanks for the replies...any suggestions on how to get that crappy 🙁 verbal score up? I'm doing EK and TPR...and do really well most of the time....hmm, guess it must have been a really hard diagnostic. Keep the responses coming.. 👍

 

[MoosePilot]

Is your instructor leaving you in a vacuum or are you getting your scores off the website? 😀

Almost everybody's scores go down on the second diag. They usually explain that it's because you're starting to use the techniques, which disrupts your natural test taking style, but you don't really know how to use them effectively yet. It gets better. Expect the biggest jump between third and fourth diag.

 

[Yahweh]

Is your instructor leaving you in a vacuum or are you getting your scores off the website? 😀

Almost everybody's scores go down on the second diag. They usually explain that it's because you're starting to use the techniques, which disrupts your natural test taking style, but you don't really know how to use them effectively yet. It gets better. Expect the biggest jump between third and fourth diag.

So it was written.

 

[willthatsall]

My Kaplan teacher tried to tell our class the same thing about how scores go down on the second test because we are implementing the new strategies and "it is like typing: you might learn to type with only two fingers and then when you start to type correctly you will type more slowly at first before you see improvement." I wanted to punch her for that. Everyone does worse because the test is harder so they can give you that speech.

 

[MoosePilot]

My Kaplan teacher tried to tell our class the same thing about how scores go down on the second test because we are implementing the new strategies and "it is like typing: you might learn to type with only two fingers and then when you start to type correctly you will type more slowly at first before you see improvement." I wanted to punch her for that. Everyone does worse because the test is harder so they can give you that speech.

That was pretty much my viewpoint too. I think they put the tests in the order they do for a very specific reason. I was so out of practice that the studying I did paid off big time and my second test was an improvement despite their nefarious plan 🙂

In case it's helpful, my diags went like:

4911 9B/7P/10V
April 2004 test 12B/11P/13V

 

[MDtoBe777]

Did you use flashcards at all? I've made quite a few for most of the lectures so far. I think it helps me memorize the material a lot better. However, it is very time consuming. Do you have any input? On average, how many hours a day did you put into studying? What techniques worked for you?

Alright, I'm out of here...to spend the day reading bio! 👍

 

[MoosePilot]

Did you use flashcards at all? I've made quite a few for most of the lectures so far. I think it helps me memorize the material a lot better. However, it is very time consuming. Do you have any input? On average, how many hours a day did you put into studying? What techniques worked for you?

Alright, I'm out of here...to spend the day reading bio! 👍

I was a flashcard addict. I used flashcards to memorize high value nuggets of information like equations, reactions, constants (just in case, probably not neccessary - I didn't use many if any on the test). Once I had them memorized I used the flashcards to be sure they were still memorized. I love flashcards!

I put a variable number of hours into studying every day. I went to pretty much ever class. I reviewed the upcoming lesson, studied it in class, then studied it after class and did homework. Then I studied independently (like my flashcards). I think I averaged 3-4 hours a day for three months, but I needed a lot of help since it's been awhile for me.

 

[g3pro]

Flash cards are great for short-term memorization.

 

[MDtoBe777]

Did you make flashcards for bio also? I'm doing them for all the classes...overall, I think that it is helping. Also, the Bio Sci Review book for Princeton goes into a significant amount of details about the parts of the brain. Do you think it's necessary to know all the details there?

Thanks 🙂

 

[MoosePilot]

Did you make flashcards for bio also? I'm doing them for all the classes...overall, I think that it is helping. Also, the Bio Sci Review book for Princeton goes into a significant amount of details about the parts of the brain. Do you think it's necessary to know all the details there?

Thanks 🙂

I generally used flashcards for physical sciences, organic, and the biochem type stuff in the first couple of chapters of tpr bio.

I do vaguely remember some brain question, but it was something pretty basic like "someone is having problems with balance and coordination, what part of their brain is probably damaged?". I really loved those type of questions, I hate the orgo questions. I never can seem to find the secret key to understanding orgo.

 

[!dr_nick!]

Well here is something that might be food for thought. Remember, the mcat is graded on a curve, and so are the kaplan practice tests, im pretty sure. They are grading you against others in your class, and as you take more tests, everyone will improve. This makes the mean raw scores go higher, so because you didnt increase your raw scores as much as average, your test scores could be lower.
Of course, that is assuming it is truly graded on a curve against the rest of the kids in the class, and that the mean raw scores increased. And of course, that you actually didnt truly do worse (id suggest comparing your raw scores from the two tests).

At anyrate, it sounds good to me, lol.

 

[Thearchitect]

Well here is something that might be food for thought. Remember, the mcat is graded on a curve, and so are the kaplan practice tests, im pretty sure. They are grading you against others in your class, and as you take more tests, everyone will improve. This makes the mean raw scores go higher, so because you didnt increase your raw scores as much as average, your test scores could be lower.
Of course, that is assuming it is truly graded on a curve against the rest of the kids in the class, and that the mean raw scores increased. And of course, that you actually didnt truly do worse (id suggest comparing your raw scores from the two tests).

At anyrate, it sounds good to me, lol.

Huh? if they were grading on a curve, there wouldn't be a noticable increase or decrease for any diagnostic given.

 

[superdevil]

sorry i didn't read the whole thread, but i just wanted to chime-in and say: ignore the TPR diags!!!!! they will only bring you down, down to the ground, man!

seriously, erase your diag scores from your memory. the real MCAT isn't that hard, and you'll be (well, theoretically, anyway) better prepared when you take it.

keep your heads up and murder that test in august 👍

 

[KNightInBlue]

I took my second diagnostic today..and my score went down two points...I just don't see how it is possible. I went from 10B, 6P, 6V (yes, they are all pretty bad except for bio) to 8B, 7P, 5V (5!!!!). I don't know how this happened. Is the second diagnostic harder than the 1st? I'm keeping up with all the reading, the homework...I'm not really sure what I'm doing wrong. I also have the EK verbal book and am getting around 9's on the verbal. Maybe the lack of sleep affected my score..any advice? It's just really disappointing when your score goes DOWN! 😕 🙁

Don't worry about the TPR diags.
Wait for the AAMC tests they administer as your last practice tests. You should gauge your progress by scores on THOSE tests.

If I am not mistaken, I think they give you 5R and 6R.

Also, obviously, do 7R.

Good Luck

 

[adamj61]

I agree. I didnt take the class, but I used the tests and books. They are a bit out there, use the AAMC tests and you will feel a lot better.

 

[MechE]

Thanks for your reply. If you don't mind me asking...how much did your score go up from the first practice test? Are you in med school now?

My first verbal diag score was a 7. My second one was a 4. On the actual MCAT I made a 9 on verbal, and a 30 overall. (PS 12, VR 9, BS 9). I'm going to start my 4th year of college in the fall and I'm currently applying and hoping to start medical school in Fall 2005.

 

[Kal-El]

Does anyone know where i can get answer explanations for AAMC test 1 and 2?

 

[unitedgoal]

Yo wat up fool! Its me, ur roommate. Help me with the bio!

 

[MDtoBe777]

Thanks to all those who replied. I really appreciate it! 😀
Good luck to all those studying for the MCAT!

 

[abeybaby]

Not to freak anyone out, but I did much better on the TPR tests and the AAMC tests then I did the real thing. My only advice is that you need to make sure you are strong in all areas (which sounds like it is obvious advice but I thought I would be okay with only studying for genetics mcat review book style and I got my ass kicked) because the mcat is very biased towards a few topics.

 

[MDtoBe777]

Did you feel TPR didn't cover all the important genetics topics? Do you know of any other texts that cover it better?

Thanks for your input. 🙂