yad
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 30
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Hi all
Need advice...I am taking exam on Sept 21. I am doing Kaplan Q-bank now and halfway through. Subscription ends Sept. 6. I was going to get USMLE World after and then do their qbank until the test. I am however, noticing that everyone is suggesting UW over Kaplan Q-bank.
Question: Should I stop Kaplan Qbank now at 52% completed and focus the rest of my time on trying to do all of UW instead?
Very confused and nervous....please advise!!!
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| wildwind00
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
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I would say finish Kaplan , I know people who just did Kaplan Q bank online , inside out , ending with agg of 70 % plus and got 90's . Just try to score high ( my rough estimate is score of > 50 in USMLE world and > 60 for Kaplan should make u pass the exam , if done mixed timed unused mode ) , However you must do NBME 2 thats the real predictor. GL
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Try and Try and Try , for the pain in trying is less than the frustration of feeling lost.
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| yad
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 30
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Thanks for the advice wildwind00....I needed it  I really need to boost up my spirits for the last few weeks...
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| nyimalay
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 280
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Hi, if you have really want to do UW, I would recommend to start now.
I have done both Kaplan and UW. I m taking my test in Sept 28.
UW is really good. Don't panic with the scores in UW if they are lower than Kaplan (for reference, my average is 80 in Kaplan but 75 in UW) but read all the explainations as your study tool. No need to even look up your other notes again if you have UW till your exam.
Just do 100 Qs each day and you will get a lot from it.
Also don't forget to do NBME.
I m really sorry now as I haven't extend my UW till my exam.
Good luck,
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| yad
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 30
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nyimalay,
Wow....Im jealous...looks like you are more than ready! So I should go ahead and do more UW than Kaplan Qbank? Have you done any NBMEs yet? How are you doing?
Thanks for the advice...I really need the motivation.
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| nyimalay
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 280
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I haven't done any NBME , would take it in a few days.
For me I prefer UW as they really teach you. Their explainations are better than Kaplan. I don't mean kaplan is bad. You can also keep going on with kaplan. There are lots of people who got 99 without ever doing UW. But if you really decided to do UW after you finish Kaplan, just start it now. Lots of time ahead to prepare. Don't worry.
Lets motivate each other.
Good luck,
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| nyimalay
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 280
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I haven't done any NBME , would take it in a few days.
For me I prefer UW as they really teach you. Their explainations are better than Kaplan. I don't mean kaplan is bad. You can also keep going on with kaplan. There are lots of people who got 99 without ever doing UW. But if you really decided to do UW after you finish Kaplan, just start it now. Lots of time ahead to prepare. Don't worry.
Lets motivate each other.
Good luck,
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| starbrite520
Forum Guru
Topics: 131
Posts: 427
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i strongly recommend u do UW. it is a lot harder, and will prepare you for the crazy hard questoin son the exam. kaplan qbank is good, but a little too mild id say. or why not just do the extension they offer on kap qbank for like 2 weeks or one week. and do UW for the rest?
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| dr_dstudy
Forum Newbie
Topics: 2
Posts: 27
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Hi Yad
I wish you good luck!!!!!
Hi everybody
I have the same question. I'm not sure which practice test is better. I heard that Usmle World is good, but realy hard. Other doctors say that Qbank is more helpful. I can't decide which one i have to buy. What do you recommend me?
Thank you and good luck
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| nyimalay
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 280
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After your 1st read, do Kaplan.
After your second read, do UW.
If you intend to do only one, choose UW.
You will be better prepared for the exam if you have done lots of difficult questions even though the real exam is not that difficult. Though UW is tough it doesn't contain irrelevant questions. You will see the difference if you do both Kaplan and UW.
Hope this helps.
Good LUCK
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| wildwind00
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
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nyimalay, thanks for the input . Your scores are impressive , are you studying full time or part time. I am preparing part time ( working 60 hrs / week including weekends, studying 20 -25 hrs). My score in Kaplan Q bank is 68 % aggregate ( done subject wise tutor mode) I am still doing 2nd read , any suggestions how can I improve , exam in 2 months .
___________________
Try and Try and Try , for the pain in trying is less than the frustration of feeling lost.
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| nyimalay
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 280
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To wildwind00,
I m studying full time. When I started Kaplan Q bank after my first read, I had average of 65%. When nearly finished with second read, my score rised up to 80% in Kaplan. Then I started UW in which i had average of above 70 first , then score rised up to the end and had a cumulative 76%. (All of the UW are done in unused, timed mode). I did 100Qs a day, studied all the explinations and also reviewed kaplan notes in 1/3 of the day.
you have still lots of time. Lets motivate each other.
good luck
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| wildwind00
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
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Thanks man , the bottle neck is i get only 3-4 hrs after 11 hrs at work , Let me know how I can be of help
___________________
Try and Try and Try , for the pain in trying is less than the frustration of feeling lost.
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| nyimalay
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 280
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To wildwind00,
I m sorry that I didn't take account on your really situation.With such given time, you can do 60 questions of UW each day,(so that you will finsih UW in 1 month), try at least to review all the explinations in UW for that block. And if there is time left for that day, read FA and flip Kaplan only for your weak area. Then for the rest of your time, digest all in FA. I highly recommend to use FA as I found it as the most efficient weapon and I m now using it for the last few weeks before my exam.
GL
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| nyimalay
Forum Elite
Topics: 9
Posts: 280
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PS. 60Qs per day, and then use the last 350 Qs in UW as a simulated exam.
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| wildwind00
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
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Thanks Man  sounds good
___________________
Try and Try and Try , for the pain in trying is less than the frustration of feeling lost.
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| starbrite520
Forum Guru
Topics: 131
Posts: 427
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hey i will warn you though, UW is aalot lot lot HARDER. so whenyou do it , you will feel discouraged.dont let yourswelf down though and keep at it.
with me, i tend to do the whole subject questions, after im done a subject, rather then in bw.
but, daily i do some random questions of any subject, but i do them in tutor mode on UW. that way if i dont know the answer, i learn from their explanation.
so ifeel like its more of a lecture/quiz in one. so if my scores r reli low there, its okay cuz im adding to my knowledge
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| wildwind00
Forum Newbie
Topics: 1
Posts: 15
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Thanks Starbrite , I did read some of your posts they are very encouraging. Thanks for the input guys.
___________________
Try and Try and Try , for the pain in trying is less than the frustration of feeling lost.
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| telomerase
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 39
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hi yad,
me too takin xam on21.hw z ur prep goin on????have u taken nbme???
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| yad
Forum Junior
Topics: 12
Posts: 30
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Hi telomerase,
I just did NBME and I scored very low. I am so depressed. My Kaplan Qbank just ended, I finished with 57% overall. My last few exams I was getting 74% and 78% which makes me happy. But my NBME performance puts me down. I am going to start UW tomorrow. I will take another NBME next week. Hoping things improve.
How is your prep? What are you doing? Did you take an NBME?
Good luck! Nice to meet you....
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| telomerase
Forum Junior
Topics: 6
Posts: 39
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hi yad,
i too did nbme felt d same.not upto d mark.i was depressed a little bit.hope i can improve a little bit in d coming days.
i listed out my weak topics n they r about 15-20.so i started to read each 1 a day .bcos it hardly takes 1 hr but improves our performance a lot.started reading kaplan notes again.
hw is ur prep??dont let ur self down.
GOOD LUCK.
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