Really need advice on how to improve

[nextinteraction]

Hey guys,

I really need advice on what to do to improve. I’m 60-70% done with content review so I do feel it’s a mix of lack of content and reading comprehension. But I am worried about my score progress and not sure why I’m not doing well at all. My score has been pretty stagnant. I feel super defeated and I know a lot of you guys can relate or have gone through this so I’m just seeking some advice or approaches to use.

I’ve taken 3 FLs so far and will post my breakdown below:

Altius FL 1 - 123/124/121/122 ; 490

Altius FL 2 - 122/123/122/124 ; 491 (taken 3 weeks after the first one)

Altius FL 3 - 121/122/124/123 ; 490 (taken 4 weeks after the second one)

And I know I should wait to take the FLs when I’m done w content review but I want to stimulate the test and get more practice.

When I do content review, I do questions alongside but I genuinely feel my biggest lacking is that I haven’t been able to dissect and focus on each section one at a time. I have UWorld and have used it for CARS and some P/S bc I’ve watched the KA vids for P/S and completed the MileDown anki and review it daily. I think for P/S, maybe it’s bc I haven’t exhausted UWorld completely? I’m not sure. I plan on using it for the other sections too but I guess I’m struggling with how to improve and don’t know where to begin.

Another thing is that I have struggled a lot with CARS especially when I first started but now I’ve seen HUGE improvement when I do passages daily. I went from getting 50-60% to 80-100%. I don’t know what goes wrong when I do the FLs bc my scores aren’t close to how I perform when I do daily passages. For reference, I’ve finished Uworld CARS (not the best but good practice). Currently, I’m using KA, Testing Solutions (both of these I see my scores be in the higher ranges), and I use Altius question sets and prac problems (my scores here are also correlated with KA and TS).

I have the AAMC CARS QPacks but am saving those.

Any advice on what to do to improve or how I should approach my studying going forward?

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[PlsLetMeIn21]

This opinion may be in the minority, but I found UWorld to be overrated. You need something with more questions and a broader range of difficulty. I don't know anything about Altius review materials but I used their tests and thought they were okay. What helped me was starting with easier questions and not worrying about timing. I took my time to learn the content from Phase 1 of the homework and I didn't pay attention to how poorly I was doing (usually I got 15/25 right.) When I went over those questions I focused on definitions, formulas, concepts, and the basics. On Phase 2 homework I worried about timing and getting better at making quick and smart decisions. I got better at test taking and found myself getting 65% (16/25 to 39/59 depending on the book.) From one homework to the next I could literally feel myself getting better. On Phase 3s I was hitting 70 to 75% and more importantly was able to apply what I knew to weird passages and experiments I had never seen before. This more than anything helped prepare me for AAMC tests which in turn got me ready for the actual MCAT. I loved the way my books broke homework into phases and found this a more useful way to review.

It seems like most people here doing basic content review and watch KA videos and then jump into the deep end of the pool on FLs. For me, the gradual stepping up of difficulty in the homework phases made a big difference, so there was never a shock value. I'd suggest you spend more time on simple questions and medium difficulty questions before trying another exam. People will tell you about scores on commercial exams being deflated or off, and true as that may be, you know when you are getting better and when you are not.

 

[nextinteraction]

This opinion may be in the minority, but I found UWorld to be overrated. You need something with more questions and a broader range of difficulty. I don't know anything about Altius review materials but I used their tests and thought they were okay. What helped me was starting with easier questions and not worrying about timing. I took my time to learn the content from Phase 1 of the homework and I didn't pay attention to how poorly I was doing (usually I got 15/25 right.) When I went over those questions I focused on definitions, formulas, concepts, and the basics. On Phase 2 homework I worried about timing and getting better at making quick and smart decisions. I got better at test taking and found myself getting 65% (16/25 to 39/59 depending on the book.) From one homework to the next I could literally feel myself getting better. On Phase 3s I was hitting 70 to 75% and more importantly was able to apply what I knew to weird passages and experiments I had never seen before. This more than anything helped prepare me for AAMC tests which in turn got me ready for the actual MCAT. I loved the way my books broke homework into phases and found this a more useful way to review.

It seems like most people here doing basic content review and watch KA videos and then jump into the deep end of the pool on FLs. For me, the gradual stepping up of difficulty in the homework phases made a big difference, so there was never a shock value. I'd suggest you spend more time on simple questions and medium difficulty questions before trying another exam. People will tell you about scores on commercial exams being deflated or off, and true as that may be, you know when you are getting better and when you are not.

Thank you for your reply. I think that is a good idea that I need to do simple/medium level questions rather than keep jumping. It's hard bc I am in a course so I have to take these FLs according to the schedule. Did TBR improve C/P? Thats the general consensus I hear

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

I got a 132 on C/P and feel it was mainly due to TBR. The general consensus is pretty accurate.

 

[nextinteraction]

I got a 132 on C/P and feel it was mainly due to TBR. The general consensus is pretty accurate.

Do you know where I can get the latest C/P TBR books? I only have the 2010 PDFs and not sure if those would be useful.


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[haz46865]

I improved my score by 7 points when I took the test again. For me, taking weekly FLs was important. Also, I know it can be tempting to spend a long time on a particular concept, and that's how I got bogged down the first time. To me, your scores indicate a possible timing problem or a content problem. I changed my study strategy from spending, for example, a week on general chemistry and plowing through a ton of it in a week to doing a different subject every day. Spaced learning helped tremendously.
Just my two cents but I hope it helps

 

[nextinteraction]

I improved my score by 7 points when I took the test again. For me, taking weekly FLs was important. Also, I know it can be tempting to spend a long time on a particular concept, and that's how I got bogged down the first time. To me, your scores indicate a possible timing problem or a content problem. I changed my study strategy from spending, for example, a week on general chemistry and plowing through a ton of it in a week to doing a different subject every day. Spaced learning helped tremendously.
Just my two cents but I hope it helps

Yeah I’ve been doing a mix of content as well, not focusing on one topic at a time and using space repetition. My tutor says it’s a comprehension issue but I genuinely feel it’s both. Thank you for your advice!


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[Blueprint Med School]

Hey guys,

I really need advice on what to do to improve. I’m 60-70% done with content review so I do feel it’s a mix of lack of content and reading comprehension. But I am worried about my score progress and not sure why I’m not doing well at all. My score has been pretty stagnant. I feel super defeated and I know a lot of you guys can relate or have gone through this so I’m just seeking some advice or approaches to use.

I’ve taken 3 FLs so far and will post my breakdown below:

Altius FL 1 - 123/124/121/122 ; 490

Altius FL 2 - 122/123/122/124 ; 491 (taken 3 weeks after the first one)

Altius FL 3 - 121/122/124/123 ; 490 (taken 4 weeks after the second one)

And I know I should wait to take the FLs when I’m done w content review but I want to stimulate the test and get more practice.

When I do content review, I do questions alongside but I genuinely feel my biggest lacking is that I haven’t been able to dissect and focus on each section one at a time. I have UWorld and have used it for CARS and some P/S bc I’ve watched the KA vids for P/S and completed the MileDown anki and review it daily. I think for P/S, maybe it’s bc I haven’t exhausted UWorld completely? I’m not sure. I plan on using it for the other sections too but I guess I’m struggling with how to improve and don’t know where to begin.

Another thing is that I have struggled a lot with CARS especially when I first started but now I’ve seen HUGE improvement when I do passages daily. I went from getting 50-60% to 80-100%. I don’t know what goes wrong when I do the FLs bc my scores aren’t close to how I perform when I do daily passages. For reference, I’ve finished Uworld CARS (not the best but good practice). Currently, I’m using KA, Testing Solutions (both of these I see my scores be in the higher ranges), and I use Altius question sets and prac problems (my scores here are also correlated with KA and TS).

I have the AAMC CARS QPacks but am saving those.

Any advice on what to do to improve or how I should approach my studying going forward?

How are you preparing for CARS on a daily basis? If you are seeing good returns with individual passages and struggling to deal with full length sections, it might be a good idea to start practicing full-length sections on a weekly basis. When I took the exam, a couple of friends and I would meet every week into a full-length cars exam interview and review it. Incorporating group study really helped me and the timing is just slightly different for full length exams.

Just one thought, hope it helps!

David D, MD - MCAT and USMLE Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[nextinteraction]

How are you preparing for CARS on a daily basis? If you are seeing good returns with individual passages and struggling to deal with full length sections, it might be a good idea to start practicing full-length sections on a weekly basis. When I took the exam, a couple of friends and I would meet every week into a full-length cars exam interview and review it. Incorporating group study really helped me and the timing is just slightly different for full length exams.

Just one thought, hope it helps!

David D, MD - MCAT and USMLE Tutor
Med School Tutors

I do all my questions timed. 5 question CARS = 9 min, 6 question CARS = 10 mins, 7 question CARS = 12 mins. When I use Testing Solutions, all the timing is done for me.

That is a good idea, I think I need to start doing the regular amount of CARS in my week. How many of those do you think I should do? 1-2 CAR full sections?


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[Blueprint Med School]

I do all my questions timed. 5 question CARS = 9 min, 6 question CARS = 10 mins, 7 question CARS = 12 mins. When I use Testing Solutions, all the timing is done for me.

That is a good idea, I think I need to start doing the regular amount of CARS in my week. How many of those do you think I should do? 1-2 CAR full sections?


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I would do 1 full per week. Back in my day (when it was a 60 minute section) I would do 1 full length and then 3-4 days a week I would do 3 passages and review them. Considering that it's a longer section these days, I wouldn't recommend doing more than 1 full length a week unless there's extenuating circumstances.

David D, MD - MCAT and USMLE Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[Lawpy]

I do all my questions timed. 5 question CARS = 9 min, 6 question CARS = 10 mins, 7 question CARS = 12 mins. When I use Testing Solutions, all the timing is done for me.

That is a good idea, I think I need to start doing the regular amount of CARS in my week. How many of those do you think I should do? 1-2 CAR full sections?


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You got good advice here. But for some additional CARS help, the following resource may help:

TestingSolution's 30 Day Guide to MCAT CARS Success

 

[nextinteraction]

You got good advice here. But for some additional CARS help, the following resource may help:

TestingSolution's 30 Day Guide to MCAT CARS Success

Thank you! I have the TS passages. Do you suggest to follow it to a T?


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[Lawpy]

Thank you! I have the TS passages. Do you suggest to follow it to a T?


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I think it's better to customize it specifically to your strengths/weaknesses. The great thing about the guide is it has a pretty thorough overview of passage analysis and question types that will really help you read actively and thoroughly in timed conditions, as well as helping you understand the correct answers and reasoning after completing some practice passages.

TS passages are good practice... but they are also really difficult (way harder than the real deal). Part of doing well on the exam is having a good, confident mindset. TS tests can probably train you but it can be pretty brutal. Good practice if you need some CARS passages but don't be discouraged if things don't go well.

 

[nextinteraction]

I think it's better to customize it specifically to your strengths/weaknesses. The great thing about the guide is it has a pretty thorough overview of passage analysis and question types that will really help you read actively and thoroughly in timed conditions, as well as helping you understand the correct answers and reasoning after completing some practice passages.

TS passages are good practice... but they are also really difficult (way harder than the real deal). Part of doing well on the exam is having a good, confident mindset. TS tests can probably train you but it can be pretty brutal. Good practice if you need some CARS passages but don't be discouraged if things don't go well.

Thank you, yeah I’ll definitely do that. I agree that the TS passages are harder, but for some reason, my scores on TS tend to always be high.

I don’t know how much it correlates to the AAMC bc I haven’t done the QPacks but when I take the Altius FLs, my score is so bad and not reflective. It’s very discouraging bc I feel like I finally have a grip on CARS but my FL didn’t reflect that.

Hoping the TS guide can help me. I know we shouldn’t trust 3rd party but 124-122 is still pretty low even for 3rd party I feel, correct me if I am wrong.


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[Lawpy]

Thank you, yeah I’ll definitely do that. I agree that the TS passages are harder, but for some reason, my scores on TS tend to always be high.

I don’t know how much it correlates to the AAMC bc I haven’t done the QPacks but when I take the Altius FLs, my score is so bad and not reflective. It’s very discouraging bc I feel like I finally have a grip on CARS but my FL didn’t reflect that.

Hoping the TS guide can help me. I know we should trust 3rd party but 124-122 is still pretty low even for 3rd party I feel, correct me if I am wrong.


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If your scores on TS tests are high, you're probably facing a timing issue. That can be resolved through regular practice in strict timed conditions and forcing yourself to read with the purpose, such as asking yourself: why did the author write this passage? What are they trying to tell me? If i'm interviewing the author, what do i want to know more from the author?

You can extend this approach for each paragraph (why did the author write this paragraph? What purpose does this paragraph serve?)

The TS guide is essentially asking yourself those questions while you read the passage. By reading with a purpose, you'll be able to better formulate the main idea and answer the questions without having to look repeatedly back at the passage. This will help you do well without rushing.

 

[nextinteraction]

If your scores on TS tests are high, you're probably facing a timing issue. That can be resolved through regular practice in strict timed conditions and forcing yourself to read with the purpose, such as asking yourself: why did the author write this passage? What are they trying to tell me? If i'm interviewing the author, what do i want to know more from the author?

You can extend this approach for each paragraph (why did the author write this paragraph? What purpose does this paragraph serve?)

The TS guide is essentially asking yourself those questions while you read the passage. By reading with a purpose, you'll be able to better formulate the main idea and answer the questions without having to look repeatedly back at the passage. This will help you do well without rushing.

Literally thank you so much for such a thorough reply. I really appreciate it. I’ll def be doing this bc I agree, I ran out of time in CARS and I know I got distracted during my reading. I did see some passages where I got 100% but the ones I did poorly on, I was getting 1 answer correct per passage. So I agree w you on the timing and focusing better.

Thank you, again. I hope I can report back in the future hahah!


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[Lawpy]

Literally thank you so much for such a thorough reply. I really appreciate it. I’ll def be doing this bc I agree, I ran out of time in CARS and I know I got distracted during my reading. I did see some passages where I got 100% but the ones I did poorly on, I was getting 1 answer correct per passage. So I agree w you on the timing and focusing better.

Thank you, again. I hope I can report back in the future hahah!


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Glad i could help, and good luck

 

[CoitusInterruptus]

I think Uworld is really fantastic. You absolutely cannot beat those explanations. Build up your content knowledge with Uworld then do the section bank under timed and stressful conditions. You need the foundational knowledge to do well but most of your points improvement will come from passage strategy. Do a bunch of full lengths. I like ExamKrackers but it's expensive ($50 each). Altius is pretty good and the exams looked like the real thing. NextStep was good because it was harder than the real thing. I learned strategies from blogs (
https://medicalschoolhq.net/what-is-the-best-way-to-work-through-mcat-passages/, https://link.medium.com/z068GinHjZ, How to Take a Systematic Approach to Problems on the MCAT). All the premeds at my school and scribe program use Kaplan and TPR and they score terribly lmao but I found it was pretty easy to do well with focused content review that came by reviewing my full length exams well. Use flashcards (everyone uses Anki) to get key **** down cold like ages for Erikson's stages. If you do all this for 3 months then 1 month before your actual exam do the four AAMC official practice tests and you will be scoring in the 520+ range with sufficient practice. Study those like they're religious scripture and add everything you don't know to Anki! When I did all that, I was able to get a 525 and I think it's very possible if you are not slammed with too much and can't put in the time for the resources I outlined above.

 

[nextinteraction]

I think Uworld is really fantastic. You absolutely cannot beat those explanations. Build up your content knowledge with Uworld then do the section bank under timed and stressful conditions. You need the foundational knowledge to do well but most of your points improvement will come from passage strategy. Do a bunch of full lengths. I like ExamKrackers but it's expensive ($50 each). Altius is pretty good and the exams looked like the real thing. NextStep was good because it was harder than the real thing. I learned strategies from blogs (
https://medicalschoolhq.net/what-is-the-best-way-to-work-through-mcat-passages/, https://link.medium.com/z068GinHjZ, How to Take a Systematic Approach to Problems on the MCAT). All the premeds at my school and scribe program use Kaplan and TPR and they score terribly lmao but I found it was pretty easy to do well with focused content review that came by reviewing my full length exams well. Use flashcards (everyone uses Anki) to get key **** down cold like ages for Erikson's stages. If you do all this for 3 months then 1 month before your actual exam do the four AAMC official practice tests and you will be scoring in the 520+ range with sufficient practice. Study those like they're religious scripture and add everything you don't know to Anki! When I did all that, I was able to get a 525 and I think it's very possible if you are not slammed with too much and can't put in the time for the resources I outlined above.

Thank you so much, I will definitely be doing this alongside the other tips for CARS I got. What did you use for the content review portion like the studying aspect of it?


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[hungrydoc710]

When you review your tests - for EVERY question, dissect the stem of the Q and why every wrong answer was wrong and why the correct answer is right. This will take 5 days if done well. When doing this you solidy known content, add knowledge of new content, and become better at synthesizing information.

Worst case - shell out the cash for an MCAT tutor.

 

[nextinteraction]

When you review your tests - for EVERY question, dissect the stem of the Q and why every wrong answer was wrong and why the correct answer is right. This will take 5 days if done well. When doing this you solidy known content, add knowledge of new content, and become better at synthesizing information.

Worst case - shell out the cash for an MCAT tutor.

Thanks, yeah I did do that for the first two FLs. I’m going to review the 3rd FL this week.

I have an MCAT tutor also


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[hungrydoc710]

Thanks, yeah I did do that for the first two FLs. I’m going to review the 3rd FL this week.

I have an MCAT tutor also


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Pains me to say this but maybe your best bet may be getting a 495+ and getting into a direct SMP or find interest in Pods field.

 

[nextinteraction]

Pains me to say this but maybe your best bet may be getting a 495+ and getting into a direct SMP or find interest in Pods field.

Yeah I understand. I did re read your message and you said 5 days to do a full length. Usually I take 2 days. Do you really recommend the 5 day? Bc I don’t take that long to review.

Do you also put everything in Anki?


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[hungrydoc710]

Yeah I understand. I did re read your message and you said 5 days to do a full length. Usually I take 2 days. Do you really recommend the 5 day? Bc I don’t take that long to review.

Do you also put everything in Anki?


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You can't possibly review a FL length exam in depth in 2 days. I would take FL's on Mon. Review from Tues until Fri/Sat the same test.
I didn't even know what Anki when I was studying for the MCAT.
I am a huge fan of it now for boards studying though, esp for the micro and pharm.

 

[nextinteraction]

You can't possibly review a FL length exam in depth in 2 days. I would take FL's on Mon. Review from Tues until Fri/Sat the same test.
I didn't even know what Anki when I was studying for the MCAT.
I am a huge fan of it now for boards studying though, esp for the micro and pharm.

Thanks for the feedback. I’ll def take a longer time and thoroughly review this full length. I think I want to go back to the other two and do that as well.

Yeah Anki is great. Glad it’s helped you.


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[PlsLetMeIn21]

Do you know where I can get the latest C/P TBR books? I only have the 2010 PDFs and not sure if those would be useful.


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I ordered mine from their website. I emailed my order form and had the books a couple days later.

I'd only recommend the science books (chemistry, physics, orgo, and biology.) Definitely the best answer explanations you'll find anywhere. Read EVERY explanation and pay close attention to how they eliminate answers or apply tricks.