TPR > Kaplan > AAMC in difficulty?

[Pantaloons]

Hi everyone,

 

I've only written one Kaplan practice exam; however, I've also written Princeton Review ones.

 

Is it just me, or are Kaplan's practice tests easier than TPR?

In the verbal section, at least, this difference seems clear.

 

Thanks.

[polarb]

I haven't done the Kaplan ones but I find that TPR physics is a LOT easier than AAMC physics.

Verbal I find the the AAMC passages longer but difficulty around the same.

Biology I find is also easier with AAMC.

[Madz25]

Hi everyone,

 

I've only written one Kaplan practice exam; however, I've also written Princeton Review ones.

 

Is it just me, or are Kaplan's practice tests easier than TPR?

In the verbal section, at least, this difference seems clear.

 

Thanks.

 

agreed. kaplan VR is easier than TPR's.

[unknown user 7]

It'll probably be best to go with EK for VR.

[The Law]

I found both TPR and EK VR to be great prep tools. The TPR VR that's on the online exams, however, was sometimes waaay too hard (although, I think it's good prep to try to get through it, but don't be too dismayed if you don't do well). The TPR booklets are really good prep and the scores you get in those (at least for me) were generally close to my real score (as with EK 101).

 

Kaplan is way too easy and in my opinion, not the best way to prep for VR.

[Pantaloons]

I agree with the posts regarding VR.

 

TPR passages are good; however, I did the TPR course last year but used none of their strategies for verbal--they were just too mechanistic and distracting when trying to absorb a passage.

I still got consistent 10s or higher in VR, but I got an 8 in PS last summer (which is why I'm writing again this year).

 

For the Science, though, I found Kaplan Practice Exam 1 to be significantly easier than TPR's. More straightforward experiments, more transparent questions, less complexity, etc.

I was wondering if it was just me, because I'm trying to decide whether to do Kaplan Practice exams, or to redo old TPR and AAMC exams. I suppose I could buy EK exams, but that'd be more money down the MCAT hole.

 

Thanks for the input so far, everyone!

[Odie]

People have been saying in another thread that they find Kaplan to be way harder than AAMC

[unknown user 7]

^^^

 

I've been hearing the same thing. That and that Kaplan is apparently very detail specific in the questions that they ask you than others.

[tallguy81]

Yea Kaplan Science is too picky at times (especially Bio/Orgo), but also retains alot of conceptual thought, at most times harder than the AAMC tests. I remember doing a Kaplan Topical Test on circuits--I got 17/30! I learned from all my mistakes and now get 13-14's on the AAMC sciences, thx to Kaplan shattering my confidence. As for Kap VR, it's wayyy easier...nothing even close in difficulty to AAMC VRs.

[chuntingche]

so for TPR, what scores do you guys get on the practice exams and what score do you get on the actual MCAT?