AAMC Sample Test

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fldoctorgirl

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Just took the sample test and not sure how to interpret percentages...I know there's no way to convert into a real score, but if anyone has any input on these numbers I would appreciate it!

Overall: 72.5%
C/P: 47% (I know, this is dismal...chem and phys have always been the hardest subjects for me so I really need to focus on drilling these topics and memorizing whatever I can to get easy points on easy questions)
CARS: 92%
B/B: 68%
P/S: 83%

Obviously my C/P score needs to be brought up, but overall how am I looking other than that?

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CARS is more than perfect
P/S is very good
B/B needs work

BB and PS typically require a higher % correct to achieve a higher standardized score - most people do the best on these 2 sections.

Khan academy is a great resource for C/P practice problems and reinforcing content review
 
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Just took the sample test and not sure how to interpret percentages...I know there's no way to convert into a real score, but if anyone has any input on these numbers I would appreciate it!

Overall: 72.5%
C/P: 47% (I know, this is dismal...chem and phys have always been the hardest subjects for me so I really need to focus on drilling these topics and memorizing whatever I can to get easy points on easy questions)
CARS: 92%
B/B: 68%
P/S: 83%

Obviously my C/P score needs to be brought up, but overall how am I looking other than that?
what have you been doing to achieve such a high CARS score?
 
what have you been doing to achieve such a high CARS score?
Honestly...nothing. I got the TPR box set for content review and didn't even crack open the CARS book because I've always been an avid reader and I did really well on reading comp on the ACT/SAT. I didn't want to waste time prepping unless I took a practice score and did terrible. So, I've done zero CARS practice thus far.
 
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I used this reddit calculator and it converted my score to a 511..not sure how accurate the calculator is, but I'm pretty pleased for now!

Figured I'd post it in here in case anyone else was wondering how to convert their score.

Edit: Just found another reddit calculator and it gave me a 509...so probably don't put too much stock in these haha
 
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Your CARS score is goals. Tell me your secret! I did well in chem phys, I would suggest going over the exam and looking at the questions that require content. Chad's videos are great to close gaps in chemistry and physics too.
 
Your CARS score is goals. Tell me your secret! I did well in chem phys, I would suggest going over the exam and looking at the questions that require content. Chad's videos are great to close gaps in chemistry and physics too.
I wish I had better CARS advice, but like I said, I didn't do much prep! The only advice I can offer is, try to read all of the passages fully if you can. I'm a fast reader so this isn't a problem for me, but if you're a slower reader at least try and skim the entire passage. What I did was highlight key terms/conclusions made in the passage so that I could easily find them when answering questions, but I made sure not to over highlight. The last thing that really helped and I think made the most difference is my score was taking the time to really make sure the answer I was picking answered the question being asked and was something that was actually relevant to/true in the passage. So, I can usually eliminate at least 2 of the CARS answer choices right away. Sometimes the correct one is obvious, but sometimes I get a little stuck between two. I find that asking myself those questions: "Does this truly answer the question? Is there evidence for it in the passage?" helps me a lot. For the second question, I just quickly skim over the passage again. So, for instance, if a passage is discussing ethanol use in gas, the answer probably isn't going to be discussing patents for entrepreneurs, even though the explanation given in the answer choice might look good at first. My last tip would be avoid extreme answers. I know most people already know this when it comes to standardized testing, but just a reminder that especially in CARS, if an answer says "never" or uses extreme words like "the author was horrified/disgusted/etc" it is probably not the correct answer.

That may have been a lengthier explanation that you want, but I thought maybe it could also benefit @the Mannis or anyone else who might glance at this thread.

Thanks for your C/P tips. I've been reviewing my exams and writing down useful topics to review, so I'll definitely check out those videos.
 
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Not to bring anyone down, but the sample test cars is a lot easier than everything else. It's still good practice though :) good job!


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Not to bring anyone down, but the sample test cars is a lot easier than everything else. It's still good practice though :) good job!


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I have heard that from SDN. I was told by someone to aim for 80%+ on the sample test CARS since it is easier, but since I scored 92% I feel pretty confident that even if I dropped a few percentage points, I would still be okay.
 
Your CARS is impressive! I have some challenges in C/P as well, and I am just doing passages.
 
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lol me too..hopefully the test isnt physics heavy not my strong suit but apparently neither is CARS i just got a 79% on the sample CARS
 
lol me too..hopefully the test isnt physics heavy not my strong suit but apparently neither is CARS i just got a 79% on the sample CARS
I'm with you on physics! Definitely not my strong point. Read my tips above for CARS, they may be helpful!
 
Just took the sample test and not sure how to interpret percentages...I know there's no way to convert into a real score, but if anyone has any input on these numbers I would appreciate it!

Overall: 72.5%
C/P: 47% (I know, this is dismal...chem and phys have always been the hardest subjects for me so I really need to focus on drilling these topics and memorizing whatever I can to get easy points on easy questions)
CARS: 92%
B/B: 68%
P/S: 83%

Obviously my C/P score needs to be brought up, but overall how am I looking other than that?

Your CARS vs everything else tells me you are vastly under-performing your potential. Keep practicing and brushing up on content weaknesses.
 
Your CARS vs everything else tells me you are vastly under-performing your potential. Keep practicing and brushing up on content weaknesses.
That's been my current focus. I am generally weak in C/P all around, but I've noticed from reviewing my practice tests that in B/B, I generally only miss an average of 1 question per passage but screw up more on the free-standing questions due to a lack of content knowledge. So, I'm in the process of brushing up on those areas currently. Thanks for the advice!
 
I did a lot fo things to study but the most helpful was meeting with two of my professors for about 45 min each. I chose passages that were challenging and sent the ahead of time. I didn't have money for a tutor or prep class but this was maybe even better. Keep pounding on the chem and physics. You'll get there. There were topics I reviewed even the week before that showed up on my test and I knew how to answer those questions. Good luck!
 
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