- Joined
- Aug 11, 2013
- Messages
- 779
- Reaction score
- 387
Im about to begin studying for the MCAT. Should I take a pre -study test before i start officially studying. I only have 14 tests (7CBT,7AAMC)
Waste of a practice test?
- Thread starter listener23
- Start date
- Joined
- Jun 11, 2010
- Messages
- 75,169
- Reaction score
- 120,783
Take the test because it's good to know your baseline. If, for example, you do well with Physics but bomb Bio, you know what to concentrate on, and what to merely brush up on.
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2012
- Messages
- 301
- Reaction score
- 11
I personally don't suggest taking a practice test before you touch the materials unless you have strong background in all of those areas. Seeing a 7-7-7 or a 8-8-8 or a 8-7-8 doesn't change anything does?
If I were you, I would do content review first, then take the test, so you can see your weaknesses.
If you decide to take one, don't take an AAMC one, just take Kaplan or PR's diagnostic test.
If I were you, I would do content review first, then take the test, so you can see your weaknesses.
If you decide to take one, don't take an AAMC one, just take Kaplan or PR's diagnostic test.
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2006
- Messages
- 1,576
- Reaction score
- 25
Yes Take it first.
It will give you an idea of what detail of material you will be responsible for.
It will give you an idea of what detail of material you will be responsible for.
- Joined
- Aug 21, 2013
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 7
I would also say to save your practice tests for after you finish content review. They're super valuable and there aren't many of them. If you have TBR, these passage will help you identify weaknesses.
Also, there's no reason to potentially discourage yourself with a practice exam before you've done any content review. You waste a test and you go into the meat of studying under more duress than needed.
Also, there's no reason to potentially discourage yourself with a practice exam before you've done any content review. You waste a test and you go into the meat of studying under more duress than needed.
- Joined
- May 15, 2011
- Messages
- 9,906
- Reaction score
- 10,039
If you can get your hands on a diagnostic test (Kaplan, etc), then go ahead and take that just so you can see what it's like. I wouldn't waste an AAMC exam as a diagnostic. Wait until you're about halfway through your content review to take a practice exam and see where you fall and what you need to work on. The bulk of your practice exams should be in the month or so leading up to your exam when you're pretty much done with content review and just need to work on your timing and test-taking skills.
A note about the Kaplan diagnostic exam: it's meant to be harder and/or is graded harsher than an actual practice exam. It feeds into the whole "Kaplan higher score guarantee" where you get your money back if your real score is lower than your diagnostic score. Essentially, they make it hard to ensure that you get a low diagnostic score. Don't become overwhelmed if you have a low diagnostic score, just use the feedback to see where your weak points may be. I think my diagnostic was like a 21
A note about the Kaplan diagnostic exam: it's meant to be harder and/or is graded harsher than an actual practice exam. It feeds into the whole "Kaplan higher score guarantee" where you get your money back if your real score is lower than your diagnostic score. Essentially, they make it hard to ensure that you get a low diagnostic score. Don't become overwhelmed if you have a low diagnostic score, just use the feedback to see where your weak points may be. I think my diagnostic was like a 21
- Joined
- Mar 21, 2011
- Messages
- 49
- Reaction score
- 1
Yes. Imo, taking a practice test to determine a baseline or to give you an idea of the types of questions/info is a waste. You're going to study your hardest (or shld be) irregardless of your result. It isn't as if you get a 30 vs a 20 you're going to study any less. If you don't do well on a practice test then all that tells you is that you didn't study. Also, You'll know soon enough after you start content review what areas you need to focus on.
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2012
- Messages
- 125
- Reaction score
- 23
To be fair, some of the AAMC practice tests are pretty dated anyways. Take AAMC 3 (the one that's available free online anyways) just to get a base. Thats what I did and found that I needed to focus on Physics. My overall score wasn't good at all, but it was worth it to see where I was lacking the most.
- Joined
- Aug 29, 2013
- Messages
- 112
- Reaction score
- 24
Definitely take an AAMC before you start studying. It will help you see the kind of questions they ask and help shape your study habits into good ones.
I made the mistake of not taking my first practice until a month into my studying, I consider that first month almost a complete waste of time. It will be really helpful in shaping how you approach the material if you know what style questions they like to ask.
I made the mistake of not taking my first practice until a month into my studying, I consider that first month almost a complete waste of time. It will be really helpful in shaping how you approach the material if you know what style questions they like to ask.
4
487806
I'd take a practice test, but use the CBT first. The AAMC is best used after you're done with the content review (or maybe during depending on how you organize your schedule). Don't waste AAMC early on.
- Joined
- May 22, 2011
- Messages
- 1,699
- Reaction score
- 2,672
Yes. I will never understand people's mentality to only take practice tests after they've reviewed everything....the only reason I would think to do this is because you are too afraid to see a low score. There isn't any reason to save ten tests for the last 3 weeks of studying you have, because even if you identify weaknesses at that point you'll be too busy/burnt out from taking tests every other day to correct it.
I say take one now and take them at regular intervals throughout your studying. It should keep you on track and let you know if you are actually improving like you should be.
I say take one now and take them at regular intervals throughout your studying. It should keep you on track and let you know if you are actually improving like you should be.
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2011
- Messages
- 3,391
- Reaction score
- 3,829
I'd say yes, take a practice test before you start, but not one of the more realistic AAMCs (i.e. 10 and 11). I took AAMC 10 before I started studying as instructed by my prep course, and I wish I hadn't. However, I took it again after I was done studying and literally didn't remember any passages or questions or answers, so I guess it worked out okay.
It's helpful to see a baseline. It can make you feel crazy to be studying endlessly with absolutely zero clue of where you stand as far as a score goes. I went up 6 points from my baseline to my actual score (27 --> 33), so it's definitely possible to make large improvements! But it's nice to have some idea of where you stand before diving in. At least, it was for me. Not everyone feels this way.
It's helpful to see a baseline. It can make you feel crazy to be studying endlessly with absolutely zero clue of where you stand as far as a score goes. I went up 6 points from my baseline to my actual score (27 --> 33), so it's definitely possible to make large improvements! But it's nice to have some idea of where you stand before diving in. At least, it was for me. Not everyone feels this way.
Similar threads
