depressed about MCAT practice scores

[erythrocyte666]

Newbie here.
I'm getting so nervous on the last couple AAMCs that I end up giving up on the verbal at the 6th passage. I literally can't finish it, but I can still do the sciences on time. I've run out of time on practice tests before but never been so overwhelmed to be unable to finish! Even on EK and TPRH passages/tests, I might not have my desired accuracy (8-10 range), but I'd still be able to finish in the nick of time. What's going wrong???
Also, I honestly am finding the AAMC sciences FAR more overwhelming than all the TPRH SW and TBR practice I have done. On the AAMCs, I keep making test-taking mistakes - misreading question stem/answer choice, ignoring a passage detail with which I could have easily answered correctly. And frequently when I pick an answer, I feel a little unsure. I have done close to 15 TPR and Kaplan practice tests and I'm usually fairly confident when I do a section, but the AAMCs feel overwhelmingly difficult in comparison. How can I avoid these errors? Fortunately my content knowledge is solid, so I haven't been making content-related mistakes for the sciences.
In general, when I'm doing AAMCs I'm so nervous that whatever I read in verbal or sciences just goes out my other ear and I end up rereading.
Edit: on AAMC 7 and 8, I had 14 PS 13 BS and VR I'd estimate to no higher than 8
I'm signed up for the 10/21 date and really don't want to reschedule; I've already spent 4+ months of solid studying.

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[deleted480308]

what do you mean "estimate" no higher than an 8 on verbal....you took the tests, what we the scores?

 

[erythrocyte666]

what do you mean "estimate" no higher than an 8 on verbal....you took the tests, what we the scores?

I took them offline and as I mentioned I gave up at the 6th passage. I'm just estimating based on the ratio of right to wrong of the ones I did do and comparing to the scale. So I estimated 8 or lower.

 

[deleted480308]

I took them offline and as I mentioned I gave up at the 6th passage. I'm just estimating based on the ratio of right to wrong of the ones I did do and comparing to the scale. So I estimated 8 or lower.

don't do that anymore, it robs you of a real score

did you have this kind of trouble on your SAT/ACT verbal? you really need to postpone

 

[erythrocyte666]

No only have this trouble in the AAMCs; didn't have such trouble in EK or TPRH tests
Also, too late to postpone

 

[deleted480308]

No only have this trouble in the AAMCs; didn't have such trouble in EK or TPRH tests
Also, too late to postpone

then cancel and eat the money...you shouldn't risk an implosion where you only get through half the verbal on a real test

 

[John Buster]

Try to adopt a more mellow attitude about the test. Don't view at as this hard test put together to force you into making mistakes; view it like you're having a conversation with a friend.

You're walking down the street to get some money out of an ATM and someone approaches who is new to your area. They ask you if you know where the nearest coffee shop and what the fastest route to get there is.

Think about how you respond in this sort of situation - do you tense up and think really hard about how you're going to answer this as if you're being quizzed or you're on the spot? Or do you casually just say, "Oh, it's a few blocks down on the corner of Krebs Ave and Watson St. You can get there by going up this street, there is less traffic." Notice that when you answer this question, you're not fidgety, nervous, trembling with fear, or incredibly eager to get the right answer. Because you're just helping a fellow homie out to get to a coffee shop.

MCAT questions should be approached in the same way. Just add a little bit more confidence and maybe pick up the pace a little bit--you will realize that your thought process and reasoning are a lot clearer when you stop viewing the exam like a monster that has risen from the depths of hell and your only way to tread further through life is to slay it.

Mindset and perspective.