TPR verbal

[zoner]

Doing AAMC verbal, I've noticed that TPR and TBR verbal are not good source to study from. EK however, I think is the best. TPR is way too easy and TBR is kinda sloppy the way they put together question and answer choices that once you get the hang of the the way TBR is put together, their verbal gets super easy.

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[Silverfalcon]

Doing AAMC verbal, I've noticed that TPR and TBR verbal are not good source to study from. EK however, I think is the best. TPR is way too easy and TBR is kinda sloppy the way they put together question and answer choices that once you get the hang of the the way TBR is put together, their verbal gets super easy.

I frankly did not like all prep companies... AAMC was OK, but still there are differences from the real one. EK receives a lot more recognition than it really deserves. TPR (the workbook) is just weird - definitely not worth spending $100+ as I've seen some people do at SDN. TBR - did one passage, seems straightforward somewhat.

Overall, there's really no basic prep for Verbal besides getting used to reading and taking humanities classes..

 

[zoner]

I frankly did not like all prep companies... AAMC was OK, but still there are differences from the real one. EK receives a lot more recognition than it really deserves. TPR (the workbook) is just weird - definitely not worth spending $100+ as I've seen some people do at SDN. TBR - did one passage, seems straightforward somewhat.

Overall, there's really no basic prep for Verbal besides getting used to reading and taking humanities classes..

wait, how can AAMC be different than the actual MCAT? I thought AAMC practic tests were stright from the real MCAT

 

[apumic]

wait, how can AAMC be different than the actual MCAT? I thought AAMC practic tests were stright from the real MCAT

Probably just in terms of changes in who wrote the questions. The AAMC tests have been written over a period of 10 years or so. It'd be interesting to know when each one came out, but from what I can gather the exams are probably test items from around:
AAMC 11 -- 2009-2010
Official Guide -- 2007-2008
AAMC 10 -- 2005-2006
AAMC 3-9 -- 1995-2005


That's mostly using a combination of the approximate release dates and the passage "adapted from" dates.

Needless to say, we're talking about material that's been written over something like a 15-year period. There are bound to be variations in the writing styles over that period.

 

[Amrazzz]

YOOO, I definitely felt TPR was WAY more difficult. I've been averaging 9-10 on AAMCs but my TPR scores just depress me...

 

[SmokeyJunior]

Might be straight from the real mcat but they are old after all.
I guess depending on what time you took it and which version, you can feel one way or the other. I took the jan test (voided) and felt it was pretty close in wording and question type (inferences etc) just longer. I would agree that it was similar to the aamc practice test verbal if the length was ignored.

The april test (scored it) was pretty different. Not only were the passages longer (one of them felt like an essay..) but the writing style was more straightforward. The way the questions were phrased was a bit different. By this time I had taken aamc 3-7 10 & 9 Vr at least two times and had reviewed and broken down most of the question stems practicing rewording. So it really stood out to me.

In the end they were predictive, my last 3 untouched Vr scores were 10 10 10 - closer to 11. Hit 1 point lower. I'll still go with expecting the vr section to be pretty similar to the practice tests, but I doubt (pure guess) the writers for the vr section now are the same ones they had for the practice tests....GUESSING

 

[SmokeyJunior]

YOOO, I definitely felt TPR was WAY more difficult. I've been averaging 9-10 on AAMCs but my TPR scores just depress me...

Verbal in the TPR FL or tpr workbook.... soul stealing effect of the TPR FL is expected...

 

[Silverfalcon]

wait, how can AAMC be different than the actual MCAT? I thought AAMC practic tests were stright from the real MCAT

That's what they say, but if you expect practice AAMC's (especially the early ones) to be what the real MCAT is like, you will be in for a big surprise.

 

[Ismet]

wait, how can AAMC be different than the actual MCAT? I thought AAMC practic tests were stright from the real MCAT

The PS section on my real MCAT made me want to cry. AAMC practice PS was easy peasy compared to that.

If you are planning on getting all of the AAMC practice tests, take them all for the sake of practicing CBTs under timed conditions. But 8-11 (especially 10 and 11) are the more important ones as they are the most recent.

 

[Rainsun]

I agree: I took EK and got a 7 and an 8. I took TPR, the score went to 2.

 

[Jack Westin]

No company book even comes close to AAMC exam material.

People think if they are scoring well in the EK verbal book that means they will automatically score well on the AAMC exams and actual exam. But this is not the case for the majority of people.

Try reading the passages but not doing the questions at all. Those questions are not designed by the MCAT and thus, have very little critical thinking/ problem solving attributes.

Jack