<p>I am a freshman chem engineering major. I took a Kaplan practice MCAT today. The format of this test was different from the actual MCAT. It was 10 minutes less per section (with less questions as well) and no writing samples section. It was also written (not on the computer).</p>
<p>The relevant courses I had taken prior to this exam were AP chem, AP physics C, and AP bio (5's on all of them). I am currently taking engineer chemistry w/lab (1 semester course which I am using to fulfill med school reqs; the other semester will be senior-year pchem II w/lab).</p>
<p>I'm getting my scores on Wednesday, but I was surprised at how little depth the MCAT had. If I had reviewed a little chemistry (electrochemistry to be specific), I think I would have nearly aced that section. The physics on that section were really simple as well.</p>
<p>As for verbal reasoning, I thought it was a complete joke. Looking back, it seems that the SAT was much harder than the MCAT verbal reasoning. Unless of course, I completely misunderstood the passages. We'll wait and see. Also, the passages were interesting and had clear questions as compared to the boring SAT questions with vague questions. Also, the lack of vocab questions was a huge plus.</p>
<p>As for biological sciences, I feel completely unprepared for this section. Obviously, this is due to not having taken orgo yet. Still, some of the material which was strictly Bio on this portion I blanked out on. I think I would be fine after taking an advanced level bio course (I think cell bio) or reviewing AP bio. The hormones and stuff are numerous and require some dedication to memorize, but I think it's doable if you know when your test is (I memorized them pretty well for the AP bio test).</p>
<p>Anybody else want to share any thoughts (or scores) about taking a practice MCAT as a freshman?</p>
<p>The lack of depth doesn't really mean anything since the test is curved. Whether the test is easy or rigorous, it's about outdoing everyone else who's taking the same test.</p>
<p>I remember taking a practice Kaplan MCAT as a sophomore, long before starting any prep for the MCAT. I think that was the easiest practice MCAT I took, surprisingly.</p>
<p>A shortened practice exam doesn't tell you much. Likewise, the format of the MCAT can give many testers difficult (including the computer based testing format). </p>
<p>It's pretty easy to go into an exam when you know it doesn't mean anything. One of the biggest things that causes scores to change on test day is nerves, and taking a practice exam 2 years before the real thing when it doesn't matter removes that from the equation.</p>
<p>The MCAT is unlike the SAT or ACT because the test makers actively use a number of misleading answer choices. It's possible you might be very surprised at what you missed. For example, any question with calculations will usually have the answers you get if you make the most common mistakes or if you stop a step or two short, unlike more general exams which provide you with an internal check of your work. </p>
<p>The stuff about the curves/scale has already been mentioned.</p>
<p>The actual science knowledge required for the MCAT is NOT extensive. But that's because it's not a test of knowledge. The content is merely a vehicle to assess critical thinking ability.</p>
<p>If you are a fast reader, you are at a significant advantage on the MCAT (or any standardized test). Gives you more time to think about questions and removes any anxiety that comes from time worries.</p>
<p>It's possibly you really are that brilliant...but let's wait until you get that score back, and then actually take the real thing.</p>
<p>This is kinda why I don't recommend taking the MCAT early. If you do extremely well, you probably would've done even better after 2 years of college. If you score in the teens, well, that's perfectly normal for someone who's not used to the timing and structure of the test. Whether you score a 30 or a 15 on the diagnostic test, is it really going to change the way you study in the next two years? (I hope not)</p>
<p>I personally didn't even know what the MCAT was scored out of until the end of my sophomore year (of college). I studied hard for a couple of months, took the test, got my score, and then moved on. I just don't see the use of letting the MCAT take over your life.</p>
<p>"It's possibly you really are that brilliant...but let's wait until you get that score back, and then actually take the real thing."</p>
<p>It's not that. The verbal portion of the test just seemed really easy compared to the SAT. Unless the curving is really harsh (harder than SAT verbal?!), I don't understand why it was so easy.</p>
<p>It might be possible that I applied the strategies I learned from prepping for the SAT much better after several rounds of standardized testing (i.e. I always look for textual support and I annotate important details). Unless my memory is very fuzzy, the SAT seemed easier than this practice test.</p>
<p>@norcalguy</p>
<p>It's not going to change my study habits. It will however change a bit of how I focus on my studies. I know I'm weak in biological sciences, so I'm going to try and take another course in it past the AP bio level. The physics is so basic that I don't think I need to wait until I've taken physics in college to take the MCAT (I'm still going to be taking physics in college to fulfill the prerequisites though); I'll just briefly review AP Physics AP review books.</p>
<p>But it does help to take advantage of these opportunities and take free practice exams. For one thing, you can familiarize yourself with the format (I knew nothing about the MCAT except the total points, names and numbers of sections). Of course, a written exam is quite different from the computer exam. That still doesn't mean you can't get a grasp of the breadth of the content.</p>
<p>I have the actual questions booklet with me as well if you want the questions. Be warned I won't type out every single question out because I value my time.</p>
<p>Hmm, interesting. When Kaplan offered the free MCAT here, we got to do it on the computer. Probably based on what resources are available that day, I guess.</p>
<p>So I got my scores back with a few surprises:
14 PS (with 7 wrong/45; I would have thought this would be much less than a 14)
12 VR (with 3 wrong/45; I would have thought this would be more than a 12)
8 BS (with 20 wrong; I was not surprised)</p>
<p>I did not omit any questions (even though I would have done so for some questions if it were the real thing).</p>
<p>The format of this "practice test" makes no sense. Why is the verbal section as long as the science sections when on the real test there's 52 questions/science section and 40 questions/verbal section?</p>
<p>1) People don't do as well on the PS section in terms of raw score. This illustrates perfectly why curving matters.
2) It's the dumbest thing imaginable to omit answers on a test in which there is no penalty for guessing.</p>