I took my MCAT diagnostic test yesterday, and I scored only 10 points away from my target score. I feel pretty good about that, considering I have about four months to study for the beast.
I hope that I’m not whistling past the grave yard.
Good luck to everyone else who is studying for the April MCAT.
10 points is a realistic increase IF your diagnostic score was high teens on Kaplan or Princeton etc. (which is what most people get).
If your diagnostic was a 35 on an AAMC test, it is going to take a lot to go up 10 points!
That’s great. And since you still have a number of months left to prepare it sounds like you are in good shape for the April MCAT. Just keep doing lots and lots and lots of practice tests and questions. Good luck!!!
Speaking of diagnostic scores, does anyone know how the scores in the different areas tend to compare to actual MCAT scores? My overall diagnostic score was pretty encouraging, but that’s because I did pretty well in verbal and a lot less well in BS and PS. I’m reviewing the science stuff like mad now! I’ve heard they make the diagnostic tests harder than the actual MCATs–has anyone else heard or experienced this?
I know Kaplan’s diagnostic tests are harder than they need to be. The questions can be really strange. I did take the Kaplan course but I reallly liked the real, actual previously given tests that AAMC puts out. Well worth the money. $80 bucks for access to all their online tests is a great way toe prepare. My score on their practices were almost identical to my actual MCAT.
http://services.aamc.org/AAMC_STORE/catalog.cfm
I did find the diagnostics tests to be more plug-n-chug type questions and believe the MCAT is not like that hardly at all. Thank goodness I also did the real MCAT AAMC practice tests! the MCAT is highly conceptual and you are trying to pull from previous knowledge in obscure never heard of read of material.
Yep… take those practice tests.
If you can’t afford the $80 to take them online, check out eBay for a bargain deal.
The questions on many practice tests, in general, are similar to but not really like the MCAT. Kaplan VR, for example, tends to be much too simplistic and straightforward; the PS practice tests were unrealistic (passages were much too long and difficult, required way too much time compared to real thing). So you will need to do practice tests from several different sources - be sure to do the AAMC tests III-VI mentioned above, which are available at your test center if you are enrolled in many commercial prep classes.
As far as how well your scores on practice tests reflect your actual MCAT score, the diagnostic is not predictive of your final MCAT score since there is such a wide variation in people’s study habits during the intervening months. Most people seem to find that their real MCAT score is within about 5 points of their average last few practice tests. So if you are getting high 30s on tests just before the real thing, you are probably going to do just fine!
Ash,
I didn’t notice if you said you were doing a prep course, but if not, at least do the practice tests. I did the diagnostic and did very well, even with classes missing, but even after studying and further tests, did not do what I expected on the MCAT. Just study hard. The practice tests will build up your stamina, because you WILL get tired during the test. Good luck,
Kathy
I learned from taking the full length practice exams that my neck gets very stiff and sore. So for the actual MCAT I took some advil before getting there which helped for the hours of looking down at the paper.