Need Advice

[EAPoetic]

I'm about two weeks out until I take the MCAT. I have 2 Kaplan FLs, AAMC FL 2, and AAMC Unscaled that I haven't taken yet. What's the best way to use these exams in the next two weeks? I was planning to take the two Kaplan FLs and then AAMC FL 2 all under test-like conditions. And between those practice tests take the unscaled test a section at a time, not under test-like conditions.

Good/bad idea? Any advice?

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[Dox4lyfe]

I'm about two weeks out until I take the MCAT. I have 2 Kaplan FLs, AAMC FL 2, and AAMC Unscaled that I haven't taken yet. What's the best way to use these exams in the next two weeks? I was planning to take the two Kaplan FLs and then AAMC FL 2 all under test-like conditions. And between those practice tests take the unscaled test a section at a time, not under test-like conditions.

Good/bad idea? Any advice?

Kaplan FLs are something I would not take this far into your prep. They are not representative of the actual exam. I'd personally invest in one of the of NS or EK exams which are a lot better (from what I've heard). Have you done the section banks?

 

[EAPoetic]

Kaplan FLs are something I would not take this far into your prep. They are not representative of the actual exam. I'd personally invest in one of the of NS or EK exams which are a lot better (from what I've heard). Have you done the section banks?

I'm about half way through the sections banks atm. I finished the Biochem SB and I'm working on the C/P SB. Haven't started the other one.

 

[Dox4lyfe]

With two weeks left, I'd spend week one finishing up the section banks and taking the unscored sample. Early week two I'd take the FL 2. Rest of week two, I'd do a thorough review of FL 2 and a second review of the SBs.

 

[DBC03]

With two weeks left, I'd spend week one finishing up the section banks and taking the unscored sample. Early week two I'd take the FL 2. Rest of week two, I'd do a thorough review of FL 2 and a second review of the SBs.

I agree with this. Don't waste time on Kaplan.


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[EAPoetic]

With two weeks left, I'd spend week one finishing up the section banks and taking the unscored sample. Early week two I'd take the FL 2. Rest of week two, I'd do a thorough review of FL 2 and a second review of the SBs.

Would you recommend taking the unscaled in one sitting? Or section by section, reviewing each section after taking it.

 

[Dox4lyfe]

Would you recommend taking the unscaled in one sitting? Or section by section, reviewing each section after taking it.

This depends on personal preference. You could do it in one sit if you want to test your endurance or by section if you think you'll forget your thought process by reviewing at the end.
As long as you review every question and understand why the correct answers were correct and why the wrong answers were wrong, you'll be golden.

 

[DBC03]

Would you recommend taking the unscaled in one sitting? Or section by section, reviewing each section after taking it.

Note: Do as I say and not as I do. I only took the AAMC FL 2 in one sitting, timed. All the others (AAMC, NextStep, EK) were untimed. This was partly because I was at school and it was impossible to prevent people from interrupting me. But I probably would have done the same at home. That said, I recommend taking both AAMC exams timed in one sitting since you only have two to go and the AAMC are the most realistic exams available.

 

[EAPoetic]

This depends on personal preference. You could do it in one sit if you want to test your endurance or by section if you think you'll forget your thought process by reviewing at the end.
As long as you review every question and understand why the correct answers were correct and why the wrong answers were wrong, you'll be golden.

Awesome. Thanks for the advice. Also, I just realized I can get one NS exam for free. AAMC material is surely better but taking the unscaled and not getting a score seems rough. If you had to choose between NS and AAMC unscaled which would you choose?

 

[workaholic181]

Awesome. Thanks for the advice. Also, I just realized I can get one NS exam for free. AAMC material is surely better but taking the unscaled and not getting a score seems rough. If you had to choose between NS and AAMC unscaled which would you choose?

I would choose NS, but I agree totally with the other posters, Kaplan tests at this time aren't worth your efforts.

The best thing you can do is take AAMC FL 2 and really go over the questions you got wrong and understand how to approach passages better on the real thing. Learning the games the MCAT tries to play with you is what helped me most.

 

[DBC03]

Awesome. Thanks for the advice. Also, I just realized I can get one NS exam for free. AAMC material is surely better but taking the unscaled and not getting a score seems rough. If you had to choose between NS and AAMC unscaled which would you choose?

I'd do the AAMC, hands down. And I love nextstep. BUT - if you have the time, you might as well do three exams - do the free NS and the others as well. Maybe take that one untimed. You'll likely get a lower score than your AAMC, so maybe take it first so you don't feel like you're doing poorly going in to the exam. Just save the scored AAMC FL for before the exam (I took mine a week before, but you could do it within 4 to 5 days - I wouldn't take it any closer to exam day. Avoid burnout however you can).

 

[Dox4lyfe]

Awesome. Thanks for the advice. Also, I just realized I can get one NS exam for free. AAMC material is surely better but taking the unscaled and not getting a score seems rough. If you had to choose between NS and AAMC unscaled which would you choose?

Here's what I'd recommend: (Assuming you're taking the September 1st mcat)
1. Days 1-5 completing the SBs
2. Days 6-7 for the NS FL
3. Days 8-9 for unscored sample
4. Days 10-11 for aamc FL2
5. Days 12-15 for second review of SBs and aamc FL1 and anything difficult from FL2
6. Day 16 to chill
7. Day 17 is mcat.

 

[Lucca]

Moved to MCAT forum where Op is likely to receive more responses

 

[EAPoetic]

So I took NS FL1 and got a 505. It seemed way easier than Kaplan and even a bit easier than AAMC FL1. I've also heard that NS FL1 scores are inflated. Any truth to this? Should I feel okay about this score or be worried?

 

[DBC03]

So I took NS FL1 and got a 505. It seemed way easier than Kaplan and even a bit easier than AAMC FL1. I've also heard that NS FL1 scores are inflated. Any truth to this? Should I feel okay about this score or be worried?

It's a tough call. I got a 510 on NS1 and scored a 522 on the real thing, but I had 6 more weeks of studying and it was my first practice exam. I scored between 514 and 516 on NS2-4 and the half length test. The 514 was just 9 days before the real thing. I got a 521 on AAMC practice exam 2 one week before the MCAT.

I tutor students who use the NS exams and NS1 has been higher for them than NS2-4 (which can be frustrating).

Honestly, the practice exams are good for getting used to the testing experience and showing content gaps, but they are not especially accurate predictors of your score. The AAMC tests critical thinking and somewhat abstract reasoning and some students do better on that type of exam than others.


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[EAPoetic]

Can anyone help me interpret my AAMC unscaled practice test results?

Chem/Phys: 66%...... 39/59 correct

CARS: 79%...... 42/53 correct

Bio/Biochem: 69%...... 41/59 correct

Psych/Soc: 73%..... 43/59 correct

Not really sure how to feel about these results