Anyone do realllly bad on a practice and improved?

[MAnne]

I just took the AAMC #4 and am too embarrassed to disclose what I got. Put it to you this way, was not better than these people's http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=626980.

I should've paced myself in verbal, which killed me. I missed a whole passage.

I've been studying for 2 months and I am feeling really crushed. I am scheduled to take it on May 31st. I need some hope please! Any success stories?

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[MAnne]

Take a month or three off.

Order the TBR books.
Start. From. Scratch. Do the Sn2ED schedule. Stretch it out a little longer if you need the time.

If you want to do this, do it right!

You got it!

I have TBR. I was just wondering if TPR was necessary to get.

 

[ridethecliche]

I have TBR. I was just wondering if TPR was necessary to get.

No. it's not.

I wouldn't start doing FL's till you have 1/3 and 2/3 of the passages done.

Give yourself the time. If you want to do FL's before that, then start with TBR's own exams.

 

[RetailBoy]

I have TBR. I was just wondering if TPR was necessary to get.

On AAMC FL's I had a 19 untimed and 6~ months later I am scoring 30-32 range now. Used TBR books. Used TPRH science workbook too, but it doesn't come close to the reality of the TBR passages. TPRH has some really good passages that test your knowledge and stuff but TBR's are way more like the real thing (more abstract application, more POE, more ability estimate and get answer). Also I loved TBR's method of explaining answers - helped A LOT. TPRH would just explain why X was right. TBR would explain why it was right, why everythgin else was right/wrong and then go into even more detail about the concept. Anyway, time + TBR will get you there.

When your base score is real low, your weak on concepts. Take it slower on the concept review part. I took 2 days per chapter when most people took 1. AND stop wasting FL's until you have the concepts semi-down, go through material atleast once, or else your just wasting them. You use them to find weak areas and improve testing strategy, but when you are scoring below 20 (I'd say 25)... it you don't just need to improve 'some weakness' or 'test strategies.' you need to go back through all the content.

 

[littlegreen88]

I am not MCAT master myself. In order for myself to FULLY understand material i first read it once in a large Princeton book, then read it again and took notes and then took a quiz (for each chapter) for physics,gen chem. orgo. After i went through all of this i bought an indepth book of each subject. I went through each chapter and took notes and did 2 quizzes in the back. I also did problems throughout each book and covered the answers and then checked if i did it right. For some chapters such as electicity/magnetics i didnt know a thing. It took me 7 days to get through the chapter in the indepth book. Note, for bio i just read the books and took notes (my strength). My point here is I pretty much read through/took notes 3 different times on the same concept because if i didnt i wouldnt learn. Maybe you need a more intense approach and reading a chapter once won't be enough for you. Read then read again and rewrite. I will guarantee you will improve!

 

[MAnne]

I am not MCAT master myself. In order for myself to FULLY understand material i first read it once in a large Princeton book, then read it again and took notes and then took a quiz (for each chapter) for physics,gen chem. orgo. After i went through all of this i bought an indepth book of each subject. I went through each chapter and took notes and did 2 quizzes in the back. I also did problems throughout each book and covered the answers and then checked if i did it right. For some chapters such as electicity/magnetics i didnt know a thing. It took me 7 days to get through the chapter in the indepth book. Note, for bio i just read the books and took notes (my strength). My point here is I pretty much read through/took notes 3 different times on the same concept because if i didnt i wouldnt learn. Maybe you need a more intense approach and reading a chapter once won't be enough for you. Read then read again and rewrite. I will guarantee you will improve!

I think you are right. I def need to put more time into each chapter. I guess I was just following the schedule just to try and keep up without entirely getting it all. I'm starting from the beginning and will be focusing on sections I am especially weak. Thank you!

 

[littlegreen88]

I think you are right. I def need to put more time into each chapter. I guess I was just following the schedule just to try and keep up without entirely getting it all. I'm starting from the beginning and will be focusing on sections I am especially weak. Thank you!

My suggestion is start with physics. Read the chapters. The go back and take notes on the chapters. And cover the problems, do them as you read and take notes the second time. Then take small quizzes. Do these untimed. Try to really understand the questions. Then go back and review what concepts are confusing. When you are confused, engulf yourself in it. For example, I was terrified of electrolytic cells. They are now my friends! i am hoping for them on this exam. For verbal, keep practicing, im not the best at it i just kept reading and reading. My point is you need a strategy, what you are doing now is not working. Its okay that its not, i changed my strategy completely from my last exam and had to adjust my strategy a few times through this cycle too. Don't get discouraged. Just take your time. Engulf yourself in the material. Some people can get away with studying a few hours a day for a month. I knew that wasnt going to be me, I needed more like 6-8+ a day for 4.5 months. everyone is different.

 

[Myro]

Sheesh, you always sound so condescending in your posts, it would be nice to choose a more empathetic way of communication and be less judgmental. Is this the way you talk to complete strangers, peers, teachers? But maybe you don't mean it that way, just saying that is how you come across..

Hey, you're right and I'm sorry if I came/come across as mean, it wasn't my intention. I understand where you're coming from as far as not putting off another application cycle, given your situation. I just don't want you to do extremely bad and destroy yourself mentally. I'm glad you decided to postpone. When exactly is your new date? Just remember that no matter when you take the exam, be sure to at least submit your app for grade verification as close to June 5th as possible. Submit your app, order your transcripts, and turn in your LORs, and apply to a single school. This way, your app will be verified (the longest part of the process) and you'll only be waiting on your mcat score. In the meantime, look through the school-specific threads and start filling out secondaries to the schools you plan on adding once you get your mcat score back.

I'd also like to advise you to keep your volunteering to a minimum as well as cut back on your work/personal business hours as much as you can (just do enough to pay the rent and live frugally over the next few months) and focus as much possible time in a day to the mcat. You have a good 2 to 3 months which, I'm sure if you change your studying habits (try S2NED's schedule), can bring about a nice increase in your score. Good luck and please keep us posted!