Score predictors?

In your experience, have practice tests been good predictors of your official MCAT score? And did the difficutly and style seem consistent?


I’m particularly interested in the AAMC practice tests, but feedback on Kaplan, EK, etc would be most welcome as well.


Many thanks .

I may be the anomaly, but I was getting 29s and 30s on all the AAMC practice tests before taking it in May and I got a 26. Although last August when I took it, I got a 27 and my highest practice test score before that test was a 26. I am not sure why there was such a big differnce this time around between the practice tests and the real thing, I honestly thought it was mis-scored! I think typically it is within a point or two for most people. I would just aim high on the practice tests (keep on plowing through them until you achieve a better than competitive score) and that way if you go down a couple of points on the real thing, you are still happy with your score and if you go up, well then you are dancing in the streets! I hope everyone goes up on the real thing!


I am still contemplating re-taking it again but I was told it will hold up my applications at this point. In fact, I asked this question on this forum but no one responded yet. I understand, it is a tough call. Kasia did answer me off-line though and that was real sweet (thanks Kasia!). It may just set me back when I need to be concentrating on all these secondaries and pray someone takes notice and gives me a chance to prove I am worthy. I really do believe I will get in somewhere someday. If not, it will not be from lack of trying

Adam,


On my practice tests I scored 28s and 29s (toward the end); the breakdown was different every single time - usually with verbal highest, bio in the middle and physics the lowest. I scored 27 on the real MCAT with very low verbal, and more-than-average physics.


Kasia

I took 10 practice tests last year before taking the MCAT in April 06. My scores ranged from 25 - 30, with the average being 28. On the real deal I got a 29.

I scored around 29-31 (one or two careless answers away from a 32) on my last few Kaplan and AMCAS practice tests, and managed a 30 on the real thing. I would say the practice exams are useful to an extent, but like a stage performance versus a rehearsal, you should expect to do 75% or 80% as well on the real thing as you can do on a practice. Obviously, the best way to approximate your practice performance is to “rehearse” ad nauseam–study the material, practice, and take any practice questions you miss and beat them to death. The MCAT is one of those wonderful little rites of passage–master it, slay the beast, and move on to the next set of challenges. I must say, the preparatory phase is intellectually stimulating and a good measure of how well you can perform under pressure–a skill you will need to practice from here on out. Best of luck,