What are your NextStep FL Scores? (Updated with new scale)

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FauxBlue

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As most people taking the NextStep FLs know, there has been an updated scale on how they score their practice FLs. Of course, there are a few scores posted in the Google spreadsheet compilation thread (and when I say a few, there really are only a few).

What are people's scores with the new scale?

Especially for those who have their actual MCAT scores / preliminary scores / taken the AAMC sample test / taken the AAMC Official Guide. How does it compare?

For me this is what I got:
NS Diagnostic: 501
NS1: 500
NS2: 500 (I hate this number already)
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
NS4: 514 -- 129/130/128/127 (Jul 20)
NS5: 514 -- 128/129/130/127 (Jul 26)

AAMC Sample: 513 -- 127/130/129/127 (Jul 29)
 
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Yup, Aug 5 🙂

I've scheduled a full body massage the day before and an epic dinner the day after!
 
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TheAnonymous said:
Have you taken any TPR full lengths?
Click to expand...
Course Test 1: 499
Course Test 2: 496 *I was pissed at my score from Course Test 1 so I did this test right after (started at like 4:00 PM). It wasn't such a good idea lol
Course Test 3: 502
Course Test 4: 504
Course Test 5: 507
Complete Test 1: 510
Complete Test 2: 510
Complete Test 3: 512
Review Test 1: 125/127/127 * I got kicked out of the site during P/S lol
Review Test 2: 506
 
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Sauna said:
Course Test 1: 499
Course Test 2: 496 *I was pissed at my score from Course Test 1 so I did this test right after (started at like 4:00 PM). It wasn't such a good idea lol
Course Test 3: 502
Course Test 4: 504
Course Test 5: 507
Complete Test 1: 510
Complete Test 2: 510
Complete Test 3: 512
Review Test 1: 125/127/127 * I got kicked out of the site during P/S lol
Review Test 2: 506
Click to expand...

Thanks man, this helps a lot. I'm particularly wondering about how CARS scores differ across TPR/NS/AAMC. Would it be possible to post what you were roughly getting in the CARS sections of TPR
 
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TheAnonymous said:
Thanks man, this helps a lot. I'm particularly wondering about how CARS scores differ across TPR/NS/AAMC. Would it be possible to post what you were roughly getting in the CARS sections of TPR
Click to expand...
I fluctuated between 125 and 128. TPR CARS did not remotely resemble anything close to AAMC CARS, though the Complete Tests were a lot better than the Course Tests.
 
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Sauna said:
I fluctuated between 125 and 128. TPR CARS did not remotely resemble anything close to AAMC CARS, though the Complete Tests were a lot better than the Course Tests.
Click to expand...

Thanks dude. And did you happen to take NS1-3? Sorry for asking too many questions lol I took TPR complete 1, course 1 and NS1 and trying to see how much weight I should put into those. Thanks, I really appreciate it.
 
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There's like 3 biochem questions total on NS1 so I was like wtf is this. Then I asked around and everyone said 4 and 5 are much better so I did those.
 
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Sauna said:
Course Test 1: 499
Course Test 2: 496 *I was pissed at my score from Course Test 1 so I did this test right after (started at like 4:00 PM). It wasn't such a good idea lol
Course Test 3: 502
Course Test 4: 504
Course Test 5: 507
Complete Test 1: 510
Complete Test 2: 510
Complete Test 3: 512
Review Test 1: 125/127/127 * I got kicked out of the site during P/S lol
Review Test 2: 506
Click to expand...

You sir/m'am are ready. Those scores look good (in addition to your AAMC sample and NS FL scores)
 
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NS1: 518
NS2: 514
NS3: 519

Will take NS4+5 within the next 2 weeks to compare.
Overall; easier scale than TPR/kaplan, I believe. Questions seem easier as well, and less "ambiguous" as I believe a fair percent (maybe ~3-4%) of TPR/Kaplan questions to be or I just am better at the more experimental style passages/interpretations asked by NS as opposed to TPR/Kaplan which definitely have a different question style. My TPR avg. is a 513 while my Kaplan avg is a 512, I believe.

I'd say that NS exams do feel much, much more similar to the real MCAT than TPR/Kaplan (took it in April and voided as a practice run, half price) albeit somewhat more difficult and the passages are much longer (from what I recall). With that said, I enjoy TPR/Kaplan as they are challenging, and I believe it is of the utmost importance to practice tests that will be more difficult than that of the actual MCAT.

I literally just finished NS3 about 20minutes ago, and am kicking myself because all the questions I got wrong in chem/phys were simple unit conversions and gen chem topics, which I tutor! My focus now is making sure I stay 100% committed to every question and read it precisely. 30 days left for me to hone in everything.

I will say that without a doubt, after so far taking 12-14 full lengths, they feel about 4x easier than when I first started. I'd recommend taking at least 10+ full-lengths before crunch time, if you still have time left. The simple act of taking them in mass just helps so much, it's impossible to describe the benefits because they just manifest all of a sudden.
 
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When exactly did NS update their scale? I took NS 1 and 2 in early July and got 511 and 512, respectively. Was that using the new, easier scale?
 
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NS1-508
NS2-505
NS3-508

IMO NS FLs are slightly harder than the AAMC material and the C/P definitely is calculation heavy for certain passages. From what I've been hearing, that' s not how it is on this newer exam. So, our NS scores might not be a good depiction of our real score. Don't be discouraged if you get 500s on your first few tests. I also got 500 on the first two Princeton Review tests, but when I sat down and reviewed what I had gotten wrong and right, my score jumped on the next few Princeton and other tests. Good luck to you!
 
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TheAnonymous said:
haha what did you do man that's a nice improvement
Click to expand...
I started taking FL's more frequently, which I'm finding is helping A LOT. I used to take them about once a week during my content review, and have now stepped it up to like one every other day or every two days. It helps because I don't feel like I have to acclimate my brain to the MCAT again every weekend, my brain is still in MCAT mode after a day or two. Content review is important, but I'm finding that taking more exams is definitely boosting my score more. The more you do, the better you get at them. I 100% agree with people who say taking the MCAT is a skill which can be practiced and learned.

I took the NS diagnostic again today just for some light practice and scored a 513, 17 points higher than the last time I took it about 2.5 months ago at the beginning of my studying. I probably got a score boost because I've already taken it, but I also think my prep has helped me improve dramatically.
 
Last edited:
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Just got a 515 on NS3, pretty happy about that with only 11 days to go. EK 4 on Wednesday and then 5 days of cramming for me.
 
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