Plan from here??

[moodee]

I'm starting to bug out about my study plan. My test is Jan 8th, and I'm a little less than halfway done with content review. I started out what I now see as way over reviewing for the early chapters, took up too much time and stressed myself out to the point where I would skip a bunch of days.

Now I'm ~6.5 - 7 weeks outs and don't know what to prioritize. I feel like I should be focusing on passages and tests but don't want to do so at the expense of completely missing sections. I have the EK review books I've been working out of, Chad's videos, and a bunch of question/review sources from most of the big companies.

I've taken:
AAMC #3 - 33 (10/12/11)
GS #1 - 29 (09/09/11)

I'm thinking my best bet might be to focus on tests (2 per week) and thoroughly reviewing those, and toss in review and practice problems (1001/BR/TPRSW) on weak areas. During this time I'll skim the rest of the EK books and I do EK Audio osmosis during my 2hrs of commuting a day. I figure this will make sure I at the very least get eyes/ears on everything and will highlight what I'm weak on even if it doesn't come up in a practice test.

I'd really like to have more time on verbal but I'm thinking I might be limited to really taking the time out on my practice tests.

I'm two years out of school, so I'm definitely lacking in some areas (to the point where I think a passage could kill me on the real thing). Anybody been in this situation? Advice?

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[Sammy1024]

I wasn't sure which tests you were planning on taking, but I think you should focus more on AAMC tests than GS. While GS does seem to help some people, recently it hasn't. From when I took GS 1, it was more of a knowledge/ content based test, asking you to spit out facts. However, in the recent tests, there has been a large push for even more critical thinking skills.

You could wonder, how do they do that??

So what happened is that the practice AAMC tests, tend to have some straight forward categories. You read a passage, and you go that's definitely circuits, or that's definitely periodic motion and waves. BUT now what they've been changing towards is you read a passage and go, omg, this is somehow circuits AND periodic motion and waves, and have to critically figure out how you could possibly get to the answer.

As for the areas you are lacking in, try reading EK if you're one of those people where just enough information is enough. If you're one of those people who finds comfort in knowing more than you need to, then go and read TBR.

Practice, practice, practice is key! :] Good luck!!

 

[NextStepTutor_1]

I see this a lot. Most people want to take as many practice tests as they think they can and it's hardly of much benefit. Practice tests are indispensable study material, true, but taking more than 14-15 is overkill in my opinion, so aiming for 2 a week for the next 6.5 weeks may not be the best use of your time - though of course with thorough review it wouldn't directly hurt.
Definitely take the rest of the AAMC tests (7 tests) and use the time in-between them to finish your content review and take a lot of practice passages on the areas in which the practice tests hurt you, as you mentioned. With the AAMC #3 score, though, you look like you're in pretty good shape, so I'd say keep doing what you're doing overall and avoid burn out.

Good luck!!