What's wrong with Kaplan's 6-10 FL?

[cliquesh]

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Everyone seems to say that Kaplan's 1-5 tests are good but 6-10 are bad? Is that true, and, if so, why?

Thanks

 

[greg1184]

Everyone seems to say that Kaplan's 1-5 tests are good but 6-10 are bad? Is that true, and, if so, why?

Thanks

Kaplan's 1-9 Full lengths are fine. 10 and 11 I didn't take because from what I heard, they are significantly harder and curved more harshly.

 

[Vihsadas]

Let me give you the downlow. I spent a CONSIDERABLE amount of time trying to figure out what I thought was 'wrong' with the later kaplan exams. In a sentence, here it is:

Kaplan exams 7-10 present you with extremely convoluted passages, question types, and concept material that causes you to approach and critically think about problems in a way that is NOT conducive to doing well on the MCAT.
I found this was especially true for the verbal section. So much so, that when I stopped using kaplan verbal sections to study, my AAMC verbal practice scores started hitting 13, 14 and 15.

The science sections of the later kaplan exams are completely labyrinthine in nature. They present you with passages that introduces material that you would NEVER be presented with on the real MCAT. In my opinion, the content of the kaplan exams is good to reinforce the concept material, but, the structure of the question types and the passages are not beneficial for practicing test-taking methods. They completely bork the methods that you use to budget your time on the real exam, and often require you to make large logical leaps or extremely tenuous inferences to arrive at the correct answer. Because of this, I believe that I started to second guess myself on AAMC practice exams, instead of realizing that the most obvious answer is usually the correct one.

The MCAT itself does not do this. If you understand the concept material cold, have done massive amounts of basic problems, and some advanced or 'nuanced' problems, then you realize that the MCAT itself is largely straightforward in terms of how you should pick your answer choices, and attack the problems. The later kaplan exams, simply, are not. Because they are not difficult in the same way that the AAMC exams are difficult they do not serve to help you develop a good test-taking pattern for the real MCAT.

 

[smeagol]

Hrm that's interesting V.

It seems like you'd advise against taking Kaplan's 7-10 exams. Do you think the same would apply to some of Kaplan's other supposedly difficult material? I hear mean things about their section tests and the Kaplan 45 book.

 

[Vihsadas]

Hrm that's interesting V.

It seems like you'd advise against taking Kaplan's 7-10 exams. Do you think the same would apply to some of Kaplan's other supposedly difficult material? I hear mean things about their section tests and the Kaplan 45 book.

Well now hold on a second. I wanted to say that I thought that kaplan's later exams were not good for testing in timed, MCAT-like conditions. That is, I don't think they are good for getting you used to actually taking the test, and coming up with a strategy on how to budget your time, and keep your fatigue level to a minimum and to learn how to do the problems in a way that is the fastest, most logical way.

The material in the tests themselves though ARE good for really drilling the information into your head concept wise, and getting you exposed to some (extremely) hard concept material. In that sense, these tests are useful. What I mean is that you shouldn't use the later kaplan exams to formulate methods on how to approach each type of problem on the MCAT and to attack the problems in the most efficient way. You should use the AAMC practice exams to come up with those strategies.

The section tests in particular I found very, very helpful. I derived many useful techniques through those problems...

 

[Cp22kjer]

1-6 are still good for practice then? And what happens once 1-6 Kaplan and 3-10 AAMC's are exhausted?? Anywhere else to turn? I think I am going to save the last 3 AAMC's for later taking and work with Kaplan 1-6 and lower AAMC's for now.

I thought Kaplan's diagnostic was tougher also. Concepts are more complex and require more time not just manipulation of one formula. Above poster hit the nail on the head if you ask me.

 

[ahmedqman]

Let me give you the downlow. I spent a CONSIDERABLE amount of time trying to figure out what I thought was 'wrong' with the later kaplan exams. In a sentence, here it is:

Kaplan exams 7-10 present you with extremely convoluted passages, question types, and concept material that causes you to approach and critically think about problems in a way that is NOT conducive to doing well on the MCAT.
I found this was especially true for the verbal section. So much so, that when I stopped using kaplan verbal sections to study, my AAMC verbal practice scores started hitting 13, 14 and 15.

The science sections of the later kaplan exams are completely labyrinthine in nature. They present you with passages that introduces material that you would NEVER be presented with on the real MCAT. In my opinion, the content of the kaplan exams is good to reinforce the concept material, but, the structure of the question types and the passages are not beneficial for practicing test-taking methods. They completely bork the methods that you use to budget your time on the real exam, and often require you to make large logical leaps or extremely tenuous inferences to arrive at the correct answer. Because of this, I believe that I started to second guess myself on AAMC practice exams, instead of realizing that the most obvious answer is usually the correct one.

The MCAT itself does not do this. If you understand the concept material cold, have done massive amounts of basic problems, and some advanced or 'nuanced' problems, then you realize that the MCAT itself is largely straightforward in terms of how you should pick your answer choices, and attack the problems. The later kaplan exams, simply, are not. Because they are not difficult in the same way that the AAMC exams are difficult they do not serve to help you develop a good test-taking pattern for the real MCAT.

I agree with this post wholeheartedly.

 

[RapplixGmed]

I generally agree with the above posts. However, once you feel confident in your testing skills and want to look for a real challenge, then those tests aren't so bad. Just keep in mind that your score will not be very representative of what you will actually get. They are a "worst case scenario." I took 10 and 11 a week before the real thing and they were kind of demoralizing but made the actual test seem easier somehow.