The MCAT Twitter Thread (AKA MCAT-oholics)

[ridethecliche]

Alright, so many of us are in the same boat, right?

We all have to take this exam, and lets be honest, it sucks. It's a roadblock and it's annoying. But we HAVE to do it, so we might as well enjoy it.

At the same time, I think having a 'support group' would be helpful. So why not post about MCAT trials/tribulations here?

Did you have an awesome study session? Grasp concept that you were having trouble with? Beast that practice test?

If so, post!

Did you have a crappy study session? Are you failing miserably at figuring out something seemingly simple? Just get frustrated at that practice exam you just took?

If so, post!

MCAT-oholics unite!

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[blackandgold1]

****kkkkkkkkkk. Idk why all of a sudden I've become illiterate but my verbal is consistently falling. What the eff.

@ berriesandcream- I'm having the same problem. I'm consistently 2-3 stupid silly mistakes away from a point higher in each section. I seriously just wanna punch something right now. Ughhhhhh fml x 10000000

 

[ModusProbandi]

With a nearly a week left, I notice the stress levels going through the roof. It's just a test. Be thankful that it's not free response.

 

[ridethecliche]

how exactly did you fix this? this is my downfall.

Few things.

First of all, there is no insanely difficult material on this exam. You've seen most everything and barring maybe all of 5ish questions, you know how to do everything. For those 5-8ish questions, you can use everything you know to figure something out and then maybe guess between the last two choices. Don't stress about those.

I've started thinking about this test as a race, i.e. I have to beat it. So I pump myself up before the test with pre-race music.

Then when I'm taking the test, I'll force myself to think about what I'm doing before answering each question. I found a few times that if I was rushing, then I would have missed something.

Also, the test has it's own tactics to 'win'. One of them is leading you down a certain train of thought, and then putting in something unrelated that might be related based on what you've been answering so far. This can make you pick the wrong associations even though you know the answer. Take a second before you move on to look at what you've done. Mark it if you're not sure.

Make sure what you're answering is actually a pseudo discrete. I've found that a lot of those question 'types' actually have some info in the passage. So I've been making myself look up stuff just to make sure.

Take a few seconds before moving to the next passage.

Oh, and if I find myself getting distracted and thinking about something else, I'll give myself a second to think about it and then get back to it. Fighting it only makes it harder to concentrate.

And lastly, I find it helps to do the discretes first. A friend gave me the tip and I think it allowed me to finish the PS section in time.

Good luck

I've been consistently 1-2 questions away from the next score up in a lot of my exams. So I really need to push through and get that last little bit. I've been dead calm taking these exams, except when running out of time on verbal. So I just need to fix the timing issues. Honestly, I can't believe that I ran out of time. I was so pissed. Still am a little. I know I would have had an 11 on vr. I'm actually going to do the passage I didn't finish right now.

 

[ridethecliche]

Just took that last VR passage. Finished in 7 mins and got 5/6 right.

Having done that yesterday would have given me straight 11's across the board and that's not counting the future predictions based on improving the PS/BS slightly by making less 'careless' mistakes.

Things are shaping up. I just need to get my VR timing down. I'm going to start being very conscious about the 8 mins/passage dealio.

Nice.

 

[blackandgold1]

So I have aamc 8,9,10, and 11 to go. Since my test is 5/26 I was planning on taking aamc 8 tomorrow, but i think I'm gonna hold off.

I'm gonna do qbank questions like crazy this rest of the week, and work on verbal since its stressing me out.

Then next week, aamc 8-mon, 9-wed, 10-fri, 11-mon, and then take the two days off before my test. Seriouslyyyyyyyy hoping qbank helps me to stop second guessing myself on easy questions

 

[ridethecliche]

So I have aamc 8,9,10, and 11 to go. Since my test is 5/26 I was planning on taking aamc 8 tomorrow, but i think I'm gonna hold off.

I'm gonna do qbank questions like crazy this rest of the week, and work on verbal since its stressing me out.

Then next week, aamc 8-mon, 9-wed, 10-fri, 11-mon, and then take the two days off before my test. Seriouslyyyyyyyy hoping qbank helps me to stop second guessing myself on easy questions

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that you're probably a little better off if you space the exams out a little more. Qbank is good and all, but it doesn't really help with test taking all that much because at the end of the day kaplan asks different styles of questions.

From my taste of kaplan q bank, the bio stuff was pretty good (but much harder) and the physics stuff was nutso. I might go back and play with some of the stuff on their q bank, but I'll probably just do nova passages instead.

You need to get better at taking the test. I'm pretty sure you have most of the content down. I'm honestly starting to see that the difference for me between a 31 and 33/34 is just getting better at taking the test and not falling for the test makers tricks of leading you down a train of thought and then throwing a curveball which you miss because your mind is still following the train. I miss the next score up by 1-2 questions. That's easily fixed because the mistakes are oversights the most of the time.

I only have 2 aamc's left. I wish I had more. I might retake 3 because I took that 3 months ago. Not for score prediction, but just to get another FL down and practice paying attention etc. I think 3 months of not having looked at something is enough to forget most of it. Lets see.

A friend got a 36 (another a 40), but mr. 36 just got his score back. He was trying to convince me to take kaplan FLs right now, but I freaked a little because I don't want to look at anything else but aamc stuff for tests, besides I've done 9 TBR's and 6 AAMCs (with 2 left).

Anyway... His point was that it's really important to take the tests to get the test taking skills down. I know we all take practice exams and then look at what we get wrong, but I'm not sure how many people actually jump into the review and look at what their thought process is and take away that they need to improve their test taking skills. Work on those skills too, it's as important as content review if not more important.

Passage practice is never a bad thing though, so you're planning things out right methinks

 

[blackandgold1]

You need to get better at taking the test. I'm pretty sure you have most of the content down. I'm honestly starting to see that the difference for me between a 31 and 33/34 is just getting better at taking the test and not falling for the test makers tricks of leading you down a train of thought and then throwing a curveball which you miss because your mind is still following the train.

ugh i know. thats why i was thinking of doing qbank to work on my train of thought, my ability to not second guess myself, really drilling down POE, and timing issues; i'm not really using kaplan for content. i'm hoping that doing qbank, even though its harder, would help me get the test taking skills down, without wasting aamc's. i've been spacing aamc's out pretty evenly, and i feel like it hasnt helped with learning to take the test, so maybe cramming them all together will help after i hone my test taking skills with qbank?

 

[ridethecliche]

ugh i know. thats why i was thinking of doing qbank to work on my train of thought, my ability to not second guess myself, really drilling down POE, and timing issues; i'm not really using kaplan for content. i'm hoping that doing qbank, even though its harder, would help me get the test taking skills down, without wasting aamc's. i've been spacing aamc's out pretty evenly, and i feel like it hasnt helped with learning to take the test, so maybe cramming them all together will help after i hone my test taking skills with qbank?

Sounds like you have a plan then. I hope it works

What about taking a kaplan FL or two while you wait to take the AAMCs?

 

[blackandgold1]

Sounds like you have a plan then. I hope it works

What about taking a kaplan FL or two while you wait to take the AAMCs?

Haha thanks! I actually took all the Kaplan FLs in April when I was done with content review, minus FL#4. Soo since I take my next AAMC Monday, I have like 4 days, so maybe i'll take #4 this wknd.

 

[ridethecliche]

Haha thanks! I actually took all the Kaplan FLs in April when I was done with content review, minus FL#4. Soo since I take my next AAMC Monday, I have like 4 days, so maybe i'll take #4 this wknd.

How are the tests compared to aamc's?

It might be a good idea for me to just take a bunch of FL's on my days off. I'm debating whether I want to take the kaplan ones or if I'm good just retaking 3 then taking 11, then 10. If I take 10 on monday or tuesday, I won't see another FL till friday.

I wonder if that's too long. So maybe I'll take 10 on tuesday night so I have time to fill for another FL or two. Conundrum!

 

[blackandgold1]

I say take FL's in your free days

From Kaplan, if you have time, definitely take #3,5,9. I felt like they were pretty representative, but just grade them according to AAMC scales, since Kaplan inflates scores.....or go w the kaplan score for a confidence boost


Currently:
1) Caffeine overdose
2) F kinetics
3) I'm cooped up in the lib staring at the florida sunshine outside and being jealous
4) Just planned a Miami trip after this test... hellooo motivation

 

[circulus vitios]

I'm getting my butt kicked on TBR passages.

Some of these questions are so wierd. Check this one out:

"An organic compound with a density that is less than 1.00 g/mL is added to an organic liquid, also with a density that is less than 1.00 g/mL. What can be said about the concentration of the solution?

The (molality or molarity) is greater than the (molality or molarity) of the solution; the (density of the solution is greater than that of pure organic liquid or the relative densities of the solution and the organic liquid cannot be determined without more information)."

Talk about mind F**K.

I'm on the question right now. After reading the answer a dozen times I still have no ****ing idea what it's talking about.

 

[ModusProbandi]

4) Just planned a Miami trip after this test... hellooo motivation

Vegas here! Yea motivation is sweet....

 

[sacha]

hey guys, which do you think are more representative of the test; the TPR bio passages or BR bio passages?

 

[utb2extreme]

thank you

 

[blackandgold1]

So Kaplan Qbank BS is HARD, but so far I've realized where I'm making mistakes in test taking skills. I keep forgetting to refer the passage and use BG knowledge instead, and it's hurting me. UGH. But on the good side, I'm gettting 75%'s on Qbank so I guess I'm not doing too bad. Their questions are just so freaking conceptual.

Vegas here! Yea motivation is sweet....

Haha shut uppp you dont need motivation... you're literally a genius aka your PS scores

 

[ridethecliche]

So Kaplan Qbank BS is HARD, but so far I've realized where I'm making mistakes in test taking skills. I keep forgetting to refer the passage and use BG knowledge instead, and it's hurting me. UGH. But on the good side, I'm gettting 75%'s on Qbank so I guess I'm not doing too bad. Their questions are just so freaking conceptual.

Called it!

 

[ModusProbandi]

Yea, referring to the passage helps. Also I went a little slower on BS and referred to the passage more often and read every single answer choice. I got 5 more right than I usually do for an 11. There are very few answers that you can answer with only background knowledge (discretes mainly) and even these are pretty basic compared to review content Q's, for TPR at least. The TPR practice test are really unrepresentative with respect to bio, a lot can be answered without referring to the passages. Also AAMC Ochem is harder.

Haha shut uppp you dont need motivation... you're literally a genius aka your PS scores

Yea, that's the only thing that holding my scores up. If you think about it, it's kinda bad to rely on it. I miss 2 Q's, I miss 2 MCAT points, I'd rather have more balanced scores which are easier to maintain. 12 11 12 would be better than 15 10 10 any day.

Schedule for the day:

Ochem ExamKrackers Chapter 2
Biologically Important Molecules TPR
AAMC#5

 

[berriesandcream]

What do you guys think of Kaplan section tests? I'm averaging about 60%

Since BS is my weak area, I'm trying to use section tests and make my own section tests using qbank. But damn, they're hard!

On today's agenda is AAMC 7. Let's see how I do on the BS section and how many less silly mistakes I make on everything else

 

[ridethecliche]

Alright 4 day weekend. Woo!

I'm going to retake aamc 3 just cause. It's been 3 months, so I don't think that I'll remember anything. The score won't matter. Just doing it more for timing and such.

Then going to go through the physics and chem books and write out formulas into a notebook. Some review and bed.

AAMC 11 in the morning. I'll save 10 for monday or tuesday.

 

[ridethecliche]

Haha, I guess I didn't remember much from the test...

11/10/11

Honestly this test confused me more than the more recent aamcs. Which is weird and makes me a little nervous. The bio section was definitely more memorization and less application based for the most part. Less passage driven.

A few of the mistakes do show some of the things that I've slacked a little bit on and/or just didn't think of at the time. So this was a good practice exercise as well. I guess I've been getting good at cutting down on my careless mistakes as well.

I was expecting better, but I think I have AAMC 11 tomorrow and aamc 10 on monday or tues to figure stuff out as well. Then I can do some content stuff for the rest of the week and figure things out.

Edit: Lol. I forgot the speed of light and the formula for ph. Facepalm...

 

[Monocles]

Haha, I guess I didn't remember much from the test...

11/10/11

Honestly this test confused me more than the more recent aamcs. Which is weird and makes me a little nervous. The bio section was definitely more memorization and less application based for the most part. Less passage driven.

A few of the mistakes do show some of the things that I've slacked a little bit on and/or just didn't think of at the time. So this was a good practice exercise as well. I guess I've been getting good at cutting down on my careless mistakes as well.

I was expecting better, but I think I have AAMC 11 tomorrow and aamc 10 on monday or tues to figure stuff out as well. Then I can do some content stuff for the rest of the week and figure things out.

Edit: Lol. I forgot the speed of light and the formula for ph. Facepalm...

ridethecliche, judging from your recently posts in this board it seems like you are making quite the progress. I'm jealous!

 

[ridethecliche]

Wow. So many mistakes that I made on aamc3 this time around were ones that I DIDNT make the first time.

I think that learning more info has made me quicker to jump to answers meaning I don't read the question carefully enough.

I still have to take aamc 10 and 11. I think I'm going to retake aamc 4 tomorrow morning to practice test taking.

11 will be on sunday or monday and 10 will be on tues or wednesday.

I was planning on taking the last test on monday but I don't think that's a good idea because then I'll have 4 days of no tests before my exam.

I'm not using 3 and 4 for diagnostics really, but they will probably predict my score now given that I don't remember anything from them and that I need to practice test taking skills. This seems to be a good way to do it.

ridethecliche, judging from your recently posts in this board it seems like you are making quite the progress. I'm jealous!

Thanks. You're too kind. I'm trying to work on every detail of preparation. I think I'd been neglecting the test taking skills aspect of things and now I'm trying to dial that in. Hopefully it works!

In my entire history as a student, I've been pretty prone to making stupid mistakes, which is why multiple choice exams are my downfall. I'm well aware of that, so I'm just practicing taking as many of these things as possible to make myself figure it out!

 

[ridethecliche]

AAMC 4 retake.

Edit: Started the PS section and a lot of things looked pretty familiar. I finished the first 3 passages in 10 mins. Probably not bad practice, but I x'ed out because it didn't seem like a great use of my time.

Going to go to the gym and do some content review today and tomorrow. AAMC 11 on monday AM same time as my friday test. AAMC 10 on tuesday night, review on wednesday, and then a little brush up/chill time on thursday.

I hope all of you have a productive weekend!

 

[blackandgold1]

I think Kaplan test writers need to take an MCAT class themselves. Their questions are ambiguous and annoying and dumb. /end rant

Anywhoooo OMG GUYS WE'RE SO CLOSE TO BEING DONE!!

Doing more content review, qbank today and tomorrow, and then starting my aamc practice test bootcamp monday.

 

[ridethecliche]

I think Kaplan test writers need to take an MCAT class themselves. Their questions are ambiguous and annoying and dumb. /end rant

Anywhoooo OMG GUYS WE'RE SO CLOSE TO BEING DONE!!

Doing more content review, qbank today and tomorrow, and then starting my aamc practice test bootcamp monday.

This about sums it up.

http://youtu.be/9jK-NcRmVcw

 

[ridethecliche]

Got my first 11 on an EK verbal section. Looks like there's some upward trend after all.

I think I've been reading too slowly and highlighting too much. I made MANY more mistakes in the first 20 questions where I got stuck on 2 passages for 10 mins each, then had to speed read the rest and underline only the really important stuff. I finished with 6 mins left.

More than 2x the mistakes in the first half vs the second. Also I think that the ek exams get really sketchy as time goes on, some of these explanations are really really pushing the limits of extrapolation. Also, some of their answer keys are wrong, so you're better off checking through the passage explanations instead of only looking at the key.

I'm going to do 2-3 more of these just to dial in the timing on verbal. I do NOT want to run out of time again on a vr section because I am counting on a 10+.

 

[ModusProbandi]

Nearly there..no more studying for me. I'm just gonna do practice tests.

TPR currently, latter today, AAMC#5.

TPR
PS13
BS10
VR10

PS: -5, 3 of which are dumb errors.
-getting kicked out of the library, will review at home
BS: -13, 9 of which are ochem, fack!!
VR: don't care




33

 

[ridethecliche]

Nice going MP.

I did some orgo and bio in the PM today. Jeez, I HATE opening my books now. I'm going to do some PS stuff tomorrow and call it a day.

The most I'm going to do of content review after this is looking at some of the picture stuff in the EK books to familiarize myself with some of the mechanisms.

Home stretch for me. Friday's the day.

Hopefully it won't be raining tomorrow. I've got a 40ish mile bike ride planned to clear my head and get rid of this pent up energy.

 

[ModusProbandi]

I haven't been the most studious person compared to a month ago. But whatevas, I'm actually going to do Ochem today, since my BS scores were....BS apparently.

 

[ridethecliche]

Off to do ~6 hrs of PS review. Then that's the end of the hardcore studying for me.

Taking aamc 11 on monday. I'll go find the test site in the afternoon. Review the exam at night. Tues, I'll brush up. Weds aamc 10. Thurs review aamc 10. Friday.

Well, yeah...

 

[ridethecliche]

Disclaimer: I'm an immigrant. I moved to the US from India when I was 11. Cultural assimilation and all the other associated stuff were things I had to navigate as a kid. I made it out okay, going to a good college and doing pretty well there. However, race and cultural navigation etc are things I think about every now and then especially when I write (I do some slam stuff).

I found this article on an asian friend's FB page and started reading it. It's really long and I'm probably going to read a few pages at a time for study breaks but it's a lot of food for thought. An interesting perspective of the immigrant experience and what it all means regardless if you're an immigrant or as whitebread as they come.

Hope you learn something.

http://nymag.com/news/features/asian-americans-2011-5/

 

[blackandgold1]

Well looks like i'm sick again. I just woke up from a nap and its 4pm...havent studied anything today.


Sooo guess I'm staying up late tonight. Just did some verbal passages. Now, 1 PS and 1 BS section test, then reviewing them. Then doing content review for microbio and gases/phase changes.

 

[blackandgold1]

Just did a BS section. 75% was immunology mixed in molec/micro bio. Does anyone know how high yield immuno is for aamc tests?


Edit: Got an 87% on the section test- only 8 wrong, down from usually getting 15-17 wrong..........and the whole reason was: I REFERENCED THE PASSAGE EVERY SINGLE TIME. Eeeeeeeeeeek finally getting better at this!

 

[blackandgold1]

Disclaimer: I'm an immigrant. I moved to the US from India when I was 11. Cultural assimilation and all the other associated stuff were things I had to navigate as a kid. I made it out okay, going to a good college and doing pretty well there. However, race and cultural navigation etc are things I think about every now and then especially when I write (I do some slam stuff).

I found this article on an asian friend's FB page and started reading it. It's really long and I'm probably going to read a few pages at a time for study breaks but it's a lot of food for thought. An interesting perspective of the immigrant experience and what it all means regardless if you're an immigrant or as whitebread as they come.

Hope you learn something.

http://nymag.com/news/features/asian-americans-2011-5/

Lollllll is it sad that I've deactivated my fb while studying for this test and all my friends hate me?

The article actually looks pretty interesting though. I plan on reading it later for verbal practice

 

[ridethecliche]

No bike ride today so I slept in and did more work.

I feel like a lazy turd compared to when I used to be this guy.

----
Onto work stuff today.


So, I've been having a LOT of trouble with oxidation-reduction potential stuff lately.

I think I finally figured it out today. I have to look at everything in context of the question and go by the E0 convention (higher reduced if both are reduction potentials) if they're giving you 2 reduction potentials and asking what happens, or if they're giving you an equation with directionality and then two potentials you have to do it based on that.

I was getting really confused, because I was solving for optimal conditions and sometimes with the direction of the equation they're giving, you end up with a - potential meaning it's going to be in reverse, but they're ASKING for what happens in the 'non spontaneous' direction so you have to do that.

Shaking my head that it took me so long to figure that out.

(Sorry for the ramble, but it just clicked for me and I'm psyched.)

----

Tomorrow's AAMC 11 day. I figure I should do it tomorrow so I can take 10 on weds.

Waking up at 6:30. I'll shower and eat breakfast/drink coffee by 7:15-7:30, look at a couple of things for half an hour and then take the test starting at 8.

In the afternoon, I'll trek to the test center where I'm going on friday to get bearings and make sure I can be on time. And I'll review the test and do laundry in the PM. Tuesday will be reviewing any concepts that I need to review post aamc 11.

All I want to do on this test is minimize stupid errors as compared to past exams. Lets see how this goes.

GO TEAM!

 

[ModusProbandi]

AAMC#11

13 PS- was harder, there was less reading I could skip. Also more figures
than I prefered, more elimination than you know the right answer, especially because of the "EXCEPT" which of the following type. Missed more than I wanted....

10VR- Same. VR is VR, I select what I feel like. The first passage was pretty cool cuz I knew what they were talking about.

13BS- Finished it with less time than I usually do. I did better than I usually do. I know basic biology and that's about it lol, most of the information is in the passage as usual

 

[ModusProbandi]

Tomorrow's AAMC 11 day. I figure I should do it tomorrow so I can take 10 on weds.

Waking up at 6:30. I'll shower and eat breakfast/drink coffee by 7:15-7:30, look at a couple of things for half an hour and then take the test starting at 8.

In the afternoon, I'll trek to the test center where I'm going on friday to get bearings and make sure I can be on time. And I'll review the test and do laundry in the PM. Tuesday will be reviewing any concepts that I need to review post aamc 11.

All I want to do on this test is minimize stupid errors as compared to past exams. Lets see how this goes.

GO TEAM!

Good luck! It's a trip. I was more nervous before this one just because everyone on SDN was freaking out. I took it right after I saw your logical suggestion to take #11 instead.

 

[berriesandcream]

AAMC 8--10/12/12

I honestly had felt good about the PS, but I guess when the curve gets steep, even a few mistakes can cost.

In verbal, I did "cheat" a little using the solutions button to see when and where I was down to two. If I honestly could have reasoned it, I changed my answer if needed. So 12 is not FULLY representative.

BS, some of the questions were so damn weird! the ochem bit was easy though. Still don't know how I did better than PS since PS is my strength.

 

[ridethecliche]

AAMC#11

13 PS- was harder, there was less reading I could skip. Also more figures
than I prefered, more elimination than you know the right answer, especially because of the "EXCEPT" which of the following type. Missed more than I wanted....

10VR- Same. VR is VR, I select what I feel like. The first passage was pretty cool cuz I knew what they were talking about.

13BS- Finished it with less time than I usually do. I did better than I usually do. I know basic biology and that's about it lol, most of the information is in the passage as usual

Good job!

I'm up and getting ready now. I think I'll push it back till 8:30 so I have some time to digest and look at a couple of things. I honestly thought about sleeping in this morning because I couldn't fall asleep last night between my thoughts and how loud the rain was.

AAMC 8--10/12/12

I honestly had felt good about the PS, but I guess when the curve gets steep, even a few mistakes can cost.

In verbal, I did "cheat" a little using the solutions button to see when and where I was down to two. If I honestly could have reasoned it, I changed my answer if needed. So 12 is not FULLY representative.

BS, some of the questions were so damn weird! the ochem bit was easy though. Still don't know how I did better than PS since PS is my strength.

Ahhhh!!! Don't leave solutions on from now on! You've got what it takes to figure this all out for yourself.

Your sciences total is awesome though. Good job!

Lollllll is it sad that I've deactivated my fb while studying for this test and all my friends hate me?

The article actually looks pretty interesting though. I plan on reading it later for verbal practice

Not sad that you've deactivated at all. I deleted my online dating profile thingamajigger. I'm not even going to say what happened with the person that I had mentioned earlier other than to say that it has been a tremendous waste of energy and I hope to not think about it again till after this test. That isn't working so well till now, but hopefully it won't be too distracting...

 

[blackandgold1]

About to take AAMC 8 in about 30 minutes. I'm feeling so freakin nervous... really really really want a 34+.. any breakdown.

 

[ridethecliche]

Holy &$&#

I didn't finish the PS on aamc 11. I had to guess on 3-4 questions. I had no idea what was going on for so many of them...

I'm going to go back and give myself 2 more mins on it since I started the test early by mistake. As in I let the timer run down while doing something else.

wow...
That hurt.

MP, I have NO idea how you do it, but damn duder.

 

[raltima07]

AAMC 8 in 2 hours - Hoping for a 34+ as well, but I would be happy with a 32.

Currently doing EK1001 for Biology - fixing up weak areas. Leggo

 

[ModusProbandi]

Holy &$&#

I didn't finish the PS on aamc 11. I had to guess on 3-4 questions. I had no idea what was going on for so many of them...

I'm going to go back and give myself 2 more mins on it since I started the test early by mistake. As in I let the timer run down while doing something else.

wow...
That hurt.

MP, I have NO idea how you do it, but damn duder.

My parents called during my test, I almost threw the phone.

Here's how my thought process went for one of the PS individual questions:

WTF, I've never seen this before, diagram looks slightly familiar though....damn I got to do process of elimination on this one...OK, not tooo bad....(A) doesn't make any sense....(B) has to be wrong...it can't be (C) therefor it must be (D)!! But let me read (D) to make sure.....[At this point I have A-C crossed off] NOPE! Can't be (D) either! [All answer choices are crossed off] DAMN-IT! ...back to square 1....

BS should have probably been an 11, but I got lucky with where they didn't concentrate the material.

 

[ridethecliche]

Seriously.

I'm writing the essays right now and clearly not taking it too seriously. It feels weird writing in their format. I'm so used to staring at a page outline.

I think I got a 9, if I'm lucky. I am going to take those 2 minutes before I do anything else. I was super cocky when I realized I started late and thought it didn't matter that I had less time since I always finish PS early. Clearly not when it's all bloody conceptual.

AAMC 10 better be similar to this. I need to prove to myself that I can do it. Atleast I finished verbal right on the buzzer. Was pretty unsure about that as well, but that's verbal for ya.

 

[blackandgold1]

Just finished AAMC 8 PS.. holy mothereffing ****.. it wasn't necessarily hard, but so ambiguous. I would always be stuck at two answers and both sounded wrong so I made so many educated guesses wahhhhh.

MP can you please send me some of your PS vibes. Seriously. Please and thanks.

 

[ridethecliche]

Just finished AAMC 8 PS.. holy mothereffing ****.. it wasn't necessarily hard, but so ambiguous. I would always be stuck at two answers and both sounded wrong so I made so many educated guesses wahhhhh.

MP can you please send me some of your PS vibes. Seriously. Please and thanks.

Yo, get in line. K, thx.

I'd be more than content with a 10 or 11 in PS on the real deal. I'm hoping I can get a 11 or 12 in BS for sure, and atleast an 11 in VR. That would be pie.

Atleast 10 for everything with 10+ on two sections. That's all I ask. Magic number 32.

 

[altered states]

Love the idea of this thread!

I just started studying last week and I'm having a lot of trouble with the verbal passages, mainly with timing. I took 2 EK Verbal tests and I scored a 7 under timed conditions. The second test I did under untimed conditions just to see if I was understanding what I was reading and scored an 11. It seems that I am having trouble absorbing everything in the passages when being stressed for time. So my question is how can I improve my reading comprehension while reading quickly, or is this just something that comes with practice?

 

[ridethecliche]

Yo, get in line. K, thx.

I'd be more than content with a 10 or 11 in PS on the real deal. I'm hoping I can get a 11 or 12 in BS for sure, and atleast an 11 in VR. That would be pie.

Atleast 10 for everything with 10+ on two sections. That's all I ask. Magic number 32.

I got a 30. Straight 10s.

Missed 32 by 1 question in PS and 1 question in BS. Likely caused by stupid mistakes as I didn't have as much spare time as normal in either the BS or PS section.

I'm hoping AAMC10 is like AAMC11, I need to get some confidence back going into the exam. I can't get a 30 on the real deal...

I'll take 10 tomorrow after work and be super cognizant of timing issues. I can't believe that this is starting to be a problem now! I've never finished a bio section on the dot. I always have 15-20 mins left. Not this time! Wowza.

Seriously hoping for some test day magic so I can get those last couple of questions magically right...

Love the idea of this thread!

I just started studying last week and I'm having a lot of trouble with the verbal passages, mainly with timing. I took 2 EK Verbal tests and I scored a 7 under timed conditions. The second test I did under untimed conditions just to see if I was understanding what I was reading and scored an 11. It seems that I am having trouble absorbing everything in the passages when being stressed for time. So my question is how can I improve my reading comprehension while reading quickly, or is this just something that comes with practice?

I would read the passages and try to sum up what the author says at the end of each paragraph as you're going along. Underline what you think are a couple of key phrases or a sentence in each paragraph. Then go on to answering the questions. I revert back to the passage, sometimes too much, but you should have finished reading everything in about 2-2.5 mins and then have 5.5mins to answer questions.

 

[arborvitae3]

I've been reading this thread for a while, and I love it!

I've been studying for the June 16th date and with a month to go, I'm not putting in as much effort as I'd like. I'm stuck in the high 20's so I hope to break 30 by the next AAMC I take (AAMC #6)...which is tomorrow or day after tomorrow.

I finished up Kaplan FL 1 and...got a 27 (PS 12/ VR 6/ BS 9). Sigh. BS and VR are my strong areas (>/= 9) on the AAMCs and I usually suck on the PS section (</= 9). I'm going to review the crap out of this one and then take another FL at some point today. Mebbe.