Worried about my base score

[Aspiring4MD]

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Hi SDN,
I took a practice FL through AAMC and scored a 488. My target score is a 508, and I have about 3 months until my MCAT. According to my base score, is it unrealistic for me to reach my target in 3 months?
Also, do you guys have any advice on different studying methods to improve my score?
Thanks in advance!

 

[morejedi]

If I were you, I would hold off on doing the AAMC material to start. It's nice that you have a baseline but with a score like that I'm assuming you have a bunch of content review/test taking strategy to learn.

There are other practice exams out there but if you want my opinion you should start reviewing content/learning content then start incorporating passages and full lengths into your schedule. Taking a full length test with no knowledge honestly sounds like a waste of a full length.

Tl;dr yes it's more than possible to increase your score to a 508 in 3 months, just work at it.

 

[Aspiring4MD]

If I were you, I would hold off on doing the AAMC material to start. It's nice that you have a baseline but with a score like that I'm assuming you have a bunch of content review/test taking strategy to learn.

There are other practice exams out there but if you want my opinion you should start reviewing content/learning content then start incorporating passages and full lengths into your schedule. Taking a full length test with no knowledge honestly sounds like a waste of a full length.

Tl;dr yes it's more than possible to increase your score to a 508 in 3 months, just work at it.

Thank you!
Also, do you think NS is pretty good for FLs?

 

[AnotherLawyer]

Hi SDN,
I took a practice FL through AAMC and scored a 488. My target score is a 508, and I have about 3 months until my MCAT. According to my base score, is it unrealistic for me to reach my target in 3 months?
Also, do you guys have any advice on different studying methods to improve my score?
Thanks in advance!

Whether you can reach your target depends on how much time you have to work at this, how disciplined you can be, and, to an extent, your standardized test taking potential. Do not try to reinvent the wheel. There are many reputable plans floating around. Pick one and stick to it.

I also second the poster above. You just wasted one of only three precious AAMC FLs. Don't use any more AAMC material until you've done some content review.

 

[morejedi]

Thank you!
Also, do you think NS is pretty good for FLs?

From what I've been told, NS gives you the most relate-able numbers. In the end, the practice tests that will best prepare you are the AAMC materials/practice tests, the others are just useful for understanding how the test feels & content review.

 

[mc1214]

Hi SDN,
I took a practice FL through AAMC and scored a 488. My target score is a 508, and I have about 3 months until my MCAT. According to my base score, is it unrealistic for me to reach my target in 3 months?
Also, do you guys have any advice on different studying methods to improve my score?
Thanks in advance!

It's not unrealistic! My base was a 487, goal of 515, with one month to study. I only made a 513, but nonetheless the jump you're wishing for is totally achievable! Make sure that after practice problems and full lengths you're doing analysis of why you're missing problems. That will help a lot going forward. Don't just take test after test without learning where you're going wrong


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[Aspiring4MD]

It's not unrealistic! My base was a 487, goal of 515, with one month to study. I only made a 513, but nonetheless the jump you're wishing for is totally achievable! Make sure that after practice problems and full lengths you're doing analysis of why you're missing problems. That will help a lot going forward. Don't just take test after test without learning where you're going wrong


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

Wow! Great job! That gives me lots of encouragement.
Did you just review content and did lots of practice exam for that month? Or did you take a course, or something along those lines?

 

[mc1214]

Wow! Great job! That gives me lots of encouragement.
Did you just review content and did lots of practice exam for that month? Or did you take a course, or something along those lines?

I "took" Kaplan's online, self paced course. I started out following their lessons plans Perfectly, doing a lesson a day. Then I realized watching 6 hours of video a day is NOT how I learn well, so I stopped watching videos and did more practice sets. I only did two full lengths plus their diagnostic before the MCAT.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile

 

[byrdhouse]

The MCAT is a marathon of an exam. Your stamina is probably not where it needs to be yet if you just started. Work on your stamina and test taking, practice practice questions, and learn from your mistakes. Keep grinding every day (with appropriate days off) and keep getting better

 

[begoood95]

ExamKrackers all the way. It, in my experience, was far more comparable to the actual exam in terms of types of questions asked and content. It was harder than the actual exam, but so are all other third party exams.