Just thought I would post some thoughts to an audience that might be able to understand 
I started the Kaplan classroom course, took the practice MCAT, and got a 16. It was very humbling!! However, it was a good thing to realize that I am very rusty on a lot of the Biology, Chemistry… but the real shocker was that I thought I was a good reader!! 6 on VR? Wow, I must have fell for every trick in the book.
My low score, I felt, was mostly due to not studying a minute for this test, and not knowing that the Physics formulas weren’t presented on the MCAT.
At any rate, this class is really helping me get in gear so far. I guess we will see when the first full length comes in a month. I have been spending at least 2-3 hours a day studying. When people said that they were spending that much time, I thought they were exagerating… but for me, that may be underestimating it!!
All I can say, is that I underestimated this test. It is a dousy, and the mother of all tests. LOL. If I can’t score 30s on the pre-tests, I won’t take the real deal… just wait until August. It doesn’t make sense to just rely on luck and the test makers putting an abundance of "B"s on the test.
Anyway, good luck to all studying right now, it certainly is not easy.
As a Kaplan teacher I can tell you that those tests are harder than the real thing. Many people score higher on the real deal then on these practice tests (although some score lower…usually the ones that seem so anxious about the whole thing…learning to relax and be comfortable is an important part of taking the test). Shooting for a 30 on the last Kaplan practice test is great, but even if you hit a 28/27, etc., you can probably still do well on test day. Be sure that you take the AAMC practice tests towards the end. Those will be your best predictors of how you might do on test day. Good luck…
I got similar diagnostic score that was in the mid teens.
I don’t worry about my diagnostic score anymore and I try to think positive that my score will be improved significantly by the end of Kaplan course.
I try to think I did ok on my diagnostic exam considering the fact that I slept only 1hr the day before the exam and I have other disadvantages…(ADHD, English as a second language…irritable bowel syndrome 
etc) heehee 
cbrownstar & others…same thing w/ me. I took the diagnostic two weeks ago and didn’t break 20. Considering it’s been almost 20 years since gen. chemistry & physics (but I’m taking Org. Chem now) and that I didn’t try to “prepare” prior, I was expecting it to be a poor showing but still it was tough to see that score…which was significantly below where I need my MCAT to be.
Count me in as being shocked by the verbal as well…I got a 6 too. This is one of the areas I thought in which I would do well.
I talked w/ a fellow OPM who took this prep course for the April '03 MCAT and she reassured me, as have others, that the diagnostic tends to be tough. BTW…she never scored above a 28 on the full length practices and scored over a 30 on the real thing, so you might want to consider that come test time.
I’m having a tough time putting in 2-3 hours a day though. I’m sure you’re right on track.
I remember filling out the eval sheet at Kaplan on my first night and putting down that my target score was 30. I chose that one because everything seemed to point that 30 was he target score for getting on (not true however).
I scored an 18 on my first practice exam (it’s been so long though that I don’t remember the breakdown). My last practice exam was a 26 and I just new that the real exam was going to be a bear. In the end, the real deal was in the 30’s. So more valuable than the actual Kaplan exam questions themselves was learning how to pace myself for a full day exam. I sat near several people during the real exam that did not finish 3 or 4 passages in some sections. That is a crucial no-no!! And the Kaplan exams are what helped me make sure that didn’t happen.
The AAMC old exams were better for actually getting a feel for what the real exam material covered and how questions would be.
Hope this helps,
Tara
I agree, the practice tests through the people that put out the MCAT are much better indicators as to the real MCAT. They are previously given MCATs so they are the best practice you can get. And for only $80 for all the online tests they offer, they are also a good buy.
Here’s the link for those who don’t know.
http://services.aamc.org/AAMC_STORE/catalog.cfm
I got a GASP… 3VS on my Kaplan test and almost had a heart attack. Thankfully my real one was much better and my AAMC practice test was 1 point away from my actual score.
Good luck.
Thanks for the encouragement! It seems like most people are in the same boat too, it’s not like everybody memorizes the kinematic equations before knowing that they have to for the MCAT!!
Anyway, if the Kaplan tests are harder than the real deal or the practice ones (which I will be downloading today), that probably is a good thing. In my case, I will be taking a full length practice, and I hope I can at least get a 23-25 on it.
Good luck to all studying for it!!
Quote:
I remember filling out the eval sheet at Kaplan on my first night and putting down that my target score was 30. I chose that one because everything seemed to point that 30 was he target score for getting on (not true however).
I scored an 18 on my first practice exam (it’s been so long though that I don’t remember the breakdown). My last practice exam was a 26 and I just new that the real exam was going to be a bear. In the end, the real deal was in the 30’s. So more valuable than the actual Kaplan exam questions themselves was learning how to pace myself for a full day exam. I sat near several people during the real exam that did not finish 3 or 4 passages in some sections. That is a crucial no-no!! And the Kaplan exams are what helped me make sure that didn’t happen.
The AAMC old exams were better for actually getting a feel for what the real exam material covered and how questions would be.
Thanks! That helps a lot. I just started Kaplan. Am shooting for April.
Wahoo!
Calvin, I feel that “shooting for April” thing too. I don’t think I will take the test if I am not prepared for it, I could definitely use some more time (this summer) to get ready.
In the meantime, I will be memorizing terms like my life depended on it!!
Hi Calvin, Where is your Kaplan center?
The one in Mst? Just curious…
I’m taking Kaplan at Arlington. I know several Kaplan teachers teach both at Arlington and DC.
We might have same teachers…
Yep, the one on M.