Need advice MCAT in Jan enough time to raise score by 10 points?

[phixius12345]

Hey guys. I really need some advice. I finished my content review using the SN2ed schedule and I started taking practice tests. I'm not sure if I'm nervous during the tests causing me to terribly but I've taken TPR 2 got a 17 and AAMC 3 got a 20...I'm so incredibly terrified that I'm psyching myself out thinking I can't improve in time. Does anyone know if its possible to increase from a 20 to a 30 in like 2 months? Of just solid taking practice tests and reviewing them / doing more problems? I feel like even though i finished my content review, I'm rusty on everything I learned because I didn't get enough time to practice using SN2eds schedule. But I don't know, I could really use some motivation / tips on if I can raise my score by that much in 2 months. If anyone has any info I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you!

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[NeuroMaster316]

In my opinion, yes you can. But first we need to identify what exactly is the problem, why are you scoring so low? You said you felt rusty about everything, and that, imo, means you never actually nailed down the content. Following SN2ed's schedule is useless if you're passive, i.e. if you only care about completing the day's work.
Now if you see yourself as being good in the content department, then yes do lots and lots of exercise and review your mistakes focusing on the type and reason for your mistake.
But usually, scoring so low indicates a deficiency in knowledge (excluding the verbal section).
Can you elaborate more? Like what are you averaging on each section? What are the mistakes you're doing.....

 

[TheAnonymous]

Yes, it's possible. IMO 20 means you are lacking significant content knowledge. I'd come up with a list of the topics you are doing poorly on, and make sure I know the content very well.

Although SDN members downplay the importance of content review, I still think no matter how many passages and full lengths you take, you have to know the concepts extremely well and that doesn't mean just memorizing all of the little facts but rather understanding the fundamentals.

But, I think, ANYONE can improve from ~2o to ~30 if you can get an 8-9 on VR, and if you put in the effort (quality study time)

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Doug Underhill]

If you're still getting 20s a week before your test date, you may want to cancel or even void the exam after taking it. Do NOT take the MCAT if you're getting scores significantly below the national average of 25: below-average scores will keep you out of med school. Nobody likes to lose the $375 or whatever the exam costs these days, but losing out on med school is a lot worse. If you have to, eat the cost and consider it a lesson: reschedule for 2015.

I like content review, honestly. Practice questions are essential, but some content review is also essential: most premeds can't game theory their way past enough questions to get a 31 without content review. BS in particular requires it: there are many passages where you just have to know the biology in your head to get the question right.

 

[phixius12345]

In my opinion, yes you can. But first we need to identify what exactly is the problem, why are you scoring so low? You said you felt rusty about everything, and that, imo, means you never actually nailed down the content. Following SN2ed's schedule is useless if you're passive, i.e. if you only care about completing the day's work.
Now if you see yourself as being good in the content department, then yes do lots and lots of exercise and review your mistakes focusing on the type and reason for your mistake.
But usually, scoring so low indicates a deficiency in knowledge (excluding the verbal section).
Can you elaborate more? Like what are you averaging on each section? What are the mistakes you're doing.....

Thank you all for your responses! I think you guys are right I feel like I kind of rushed through the SN2 schedule because it said to finish the content in a day and I never got a firm grasp on things. So during the aamcs I'll see something and remember that I've seen it but forget exactly what I remember. I believe thats because of lack of content? But if you guys think content is my problem, what's the best way to fix that? How can I tell what I'm weak in? I was thinking about just going through the notes for every chapter and hammering problems for them every day. Would that be a waste of time?
Also, my AAMC 3 score was 8/5/7 and the TPR 2 was 5/4/10
as a side note I don't know what the hell is going on with verbal because the first time I took an AAMC cold I got a 7 on AAMC 10 like 6 months ago, since then I've practiced every day with the TPR and EK101 and I rarely miss more than 1 or 2 questions per passage in their practice passages in their books. But when it comes to the FL's I seem to miss whole passages I don't know whats going on

 

[NeuroMaster316]

My advice, since you have 2 months, redo all the content. Use Princeton for Bio and organic, Berkley for Physics and General Chem, and do all the exercises from Berkley. I did the SN2 schedule in a month and a half and it was hell. You have more time and I would advise you to do 2 chapters per day of any subject. You need to write a schedule and try to save it least 2 weeks dedicated for AAMC exams and practice exercises.

Also, as an alternative, if you're into flashcards, you can use @mehc012 's Anki deck which is all comprehensive and really helps you in retaining the details. You can find this here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/sn2d-first-day.1074344/page-88#post-15621971

Concerning verbal, this section is a pain in the ass. But you should analyze what went wrong, why did you pick this answer over the other etc... The only way to improve is to practice, which you seem to have done, but also to know where's the error in your thinking.

 

[phixius12345]

My advice, since you have 2 months, redo all the content. Use Princeton for Bio and organic, Berkley for Physics and General Chem, and do all the exercises from Berkley. I did the SN2 schedule in a month and a half and it was hell. You have more time and I would advise you to do 2 chapters per day of any subject. You need to write a schedule and try to save it least 2 weeks dedicated for AAMC exams and practice exercises.

Also, as an alternative, if you're into flashcards, you can use @mehc012 's Anki deck which is all comprehensive and really helps you in retaining the details. You can find this here:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/sn2d-first-day.1074344/page-88#post-15621971

Concerning verbal, this section is a pain in the ass. But you should analyze what went wrong, why did you pick this answer over the other etc... The only way to improve is to practice, which you seem to have done, but also to know where's the error in your thinking.

thank you so much for the advice @NeuroMaster316 ! I really like what you're saying. Do you think it would be okay to do 1 chapter from each subject a day? So like review notes and do problems for all the ch 1s then all the ch 2s the next day etc. That's what I was thinking to do anyway. Or would it be better to do what you said 2 chapters for one subject a day? Really appreciate your help

 

[NeuroMaster316]

No problem my pleasure! First, you need to write down a schedule (like SN2) and then start manipulating each day's work to see what really works for you.
If you do all the exercises of a particular chapter in the same day, then you must do other exercises for these chapters towards the end of your study period.

For example, if you do all the TBR exercises for chapter 1 of physics, about 10 days before your break day before the MCAT, start going through the Princeton Review workbook.
Alternatively, you can do half the exercises in TBR now and then save the rest towards the end of your study period.

But be careful about doing the chapters of all the subjects in one day! You really need to master the concepts you're studying, not just memorize. So my opinion would be do 2 chapters, not necessarily of the same subject, and take your time in understanding them. You don't have to do all the exercises for them, but just enough to test yourself.