AAMC Material Guide · Full Length

How to use the AAMC Unscored Sample Test

The free, unscored AAMC Sample Test is the classic starting line. On a retake, it plays a slightly different role.

What it is

The AAMC Sample Test is a full-length practice exam offered free by the AAMC. It contains all four sections (C/P, CARS, B/B, P/S) under real timing, but it returns a percentage correct rather than a scaled score.

It is official material, which means the passages and distractors behave like the real exam. The only thing missing is the scaled score.

How a Retaker gets the most from it

Use it as a conditions rehearsal and a baseline. Take it timed, in one sitting, with real breaks. The percentage correct per section gives you a working map of where you stand.

On a retake, resist the urge to skip it because you have "already done it." A fresh pass early in your new cycle shows you what actually stuck from your first prep, which is information you cannot get any other way.

Review it with full discipline: every miss gets a written explanation covering the credited answer, your answer, and the trap involved.

Where it lands in a retake plan

Pillar Prep's standard plan schedules the Sample Test first among the full lengths, early enough to inform the rest of the plan. On compressed timelines, the plan moves the most recent scored exams first and the Sample Test to the end as a final conditions rehearsal.

Pillar Prep's study plans are built around official AAMC material because it is the gold standard for MCAT practice. If you want a personalized schedule that places every AAMC resource for you, start with the free Retaker Calculator or explore The Retaker Course. You can also see how a plan is structured on our 3-month retake schedule guide.

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