Which tests better reflect the current MCAT

[Ahmed786]

In terms of difficulty, not score predicatability.

From the year or so that I have been using SDN, it seems that everyone who comes out of the MCAT feel that the AAMCs are too easy. While they do seem to be the best "score predictors" they def dont seem to be on par in terms of the difficulty of the actual MCAT. I am currently doing the Berkeley Review CBT series and have done a couple of Gold standards and am wondering which test company do you guys feel best represents the current MCAT (Princeton Review, Goldstandard, Kaplan, Berkeley Review)

Thanks for the input

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[clc8503]

In terms of difficulty, not score predicatability.

From the year or so that I have been using SDN, it seems that everyone who comes out of the MCAT feel that the AAMCs are too easy. While they do seem to be the best "score predictors" they def dont seem to be on par in terms of the difficulty of the actual MCAT. I am currently doing the Berkeley Review CBT series and have done a couple of Gold standards and am wondering which test company do you guys feel best represents the current MCAT (Princeton Review, Goldstandard, Kaplan, Berkeley Review)

Thanks for the input

Well, I have taken tests 3-10 under real time conditions, as well the actual MCAT today, and all I can say is WOW! The practice tests didn't even compare. There was so much Molecular and Genetics on the B.S. that I actually considered voiding. However, keep in mind that the test is curved, which is the only reason I didn't void. I know I answered a lot of things right, but there were also many questions that were little more than educated guess on my part. That said, I did find the VR to be more interesting on the actual MCAT today, but the passages were longer than any that they have on the AAMC tests. To answer your question: When it comes to difficulty alone, many people say Test 8 is the hardest. However, I have also heard people say that they found 10 to be difficult as well. Personally, I found AAMC Test 9 to be the hardest, but thats just me. Everyone has different strenths and weaknesses. In my opinion, making a high score comes down to 30% what you know, 25% chance/luck of getting the right test that doesn't exploit too many of your weak areas, and 45% reasoning. Point being, no individual test will answer your question. Just study like a mad man and hope for the best!

 

[JBruin]

I used the TBR tests and found them to be good. Took the actual test today, Verbal was spot on, TBR Bio is harder than real, Real physics was harder than TBR.

 

[NYR56]

Just to put it out there, I think a lot of people see the AAMCs as easier because they aren't that stressed when taking them. I honestly thought they were perfect for practice and had the same difficulty as the real test but I seem to be in the minority opinion for that. Sure the MCAT seems to be trending towards more biochem/genetics but that doesn't make the types of questions any different. I did try one Kaplan test and thought it was awful, not representative of the MCAT by any means.

 

[SN2ed]

When considering all of the easily accessible tests (BR, GS, AAMC), unlike MCAT prep books, I don't think the agreement on practice test ranking is that strong. Most tend to agree that the later AAMC tests (#7-10) are the best, but beyond that, there isn't much of a consensus. There's even an argument to be made that the AAMCs are only really good for verbal since BR has been more representative in regards to the sciences when compared to the current MCAT.

 

[J ROD]

BR and AAMCs

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I used the TBR tests and found them to be good. Took the actual test today, Verbal was spot on, TBR Bio is harder than real, Real physics was harder than TBR.

Interesting about the physics. Does harder mean weirder topics, harder calculations, or not as many gimme questions on the real thing as BR's practice tests?

 

[JBruin]

Interesting about the physics. Does harder mean weirder topics, harder calculations, or not as many gimme questions on the real thing as BR's practice tests?

My test was very calculation heavy, I filled up 3 pages of scratch just on PS, I never passed 3/4 of a page on the TBR practices.

Also I just found some of the passages to be odd. Not the type of topics I was expecting.