AAMC practice MCAT -- distractions handled?

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Wanted to start a lighter thread due to my recent experience..

OK so I've been taking 2 practice AAMC or Kaplan full lengths a week in anticipation of the 7/10 MCAT. Scores are OK, they've been pretty tightly bunched and I'd be OK with any of them, happy if the actual score was closer to my upper range of practice exams.

In completing Saturday's test, my score was OK but 1-2 points lower in bio than I'd hoped for, given the amount of review I've recently done.

Realized that distractions for this test included:

-Dog barking. Incessantly, which gets distracting after the first 10-15 minutes.
-Neighbor's 5 yr old screeching at the neighbor's 8 year old, which happens to be right outside the window of the room I'm in.
-my children sparring downstairs.

all pretty normal, but then then 15 minutes before the bio/ochem section is done:

-Computer I'm at starts beeping once ever 15 seconds. I check it & see that the power cord has come unplugged and the battery is almost dead. I plug the computer in. Keeps beeping.
-Computer goes dead with 10 minutes to go. Let it charge 10 minutes. Get back online, which takes the computer 5 minutes. Computer goes dead again.
-Wait 20 minutes, get back online, finish the last 10 minutes of test (thankfully those AAMC practice tests stop the timer when the connection is lost)

Any one else have problems like this or other really distracting things? Just thought it was kind of funny for all of these things to happen at the same time.

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[beancounter21]

i had lots of distractions too, mainly family members bugging me all the time...i learned to deal with it, and on the real thing i was incredibly focused and actually scored a few points higher than my highest practice test. maybe having the distractions helped me focus better when i was in the testing booth, but i wouldn't recommend it!

 

[StarStup]

haahaa! Just think...during the actual test it will seem so quiet! You'll probably be able to score higher without all those distractions! I usually keep my window open when I am taking a practice test so there is some noise....can't stand it when it is really quiet!

 

[IvyLeagueThug]

When I took the real one, I didn't even know that I was in a room with anyone else.

The only thing to me that would be distracting is a pair of those hot-ass headphones.

 

[unsung]

Yes, I was taking a practice AAMC at a computer in the public library, just to get used to taking it in a public setting w/ ppl close by, coughing, etc. Then this woman sits down at a computer next to me. She's having problems getting it to do what she wanted, and cursing, etc. Then she turns to me and stares at me. At this point I'm in the middle of the PS section with time ticking. I'm trying to avoid eye contact with her because, obviously, I'm busy. She starts asking me what's wrong with her computer. I respond something like I'm sorry I can't help you out, I'm in the middle of something. (There are 2 libraries right near who she could easily ask for help.) She says sarcastically "that's so kind of you."

That seriously aggravated me the rest of that section. I mean, there are librarians right there she could ask for her help and that's what they're there for. Plus I had studiously tried to avoid eye contact with her... you'd think she'd see take a hint that I'm busy or something. But yeah.. that probably won't happen in the real MCAT

 

[Libtech]

Yes, I was taking a practice AAMC at a computer in the public library, just to get used to taking it in a public setting w/ ppl close by, coughing, etc. Then this woman sits down at a computer next to me. She's having problems getting it to do what she wanted, and cursing, etc. Then she turns to me and stares at me. At this point I'm in the middle of the PS section with time ticking. I'm trying to avoid eye contact with her because, obviously, I'm busy. She starts asking me what's wrong with her computer. I respond something like I'm sorry I can't help you out, I'm in the middle of something. (There are 2 libraries right near who she could easily ask for help.) She says sarcastically "that's so kind of you."

That seriously aggravated me the rest of that section. I mean, there are librarians right there she could ask for her help and that's what they're there for. Plus I had studiously tried to avoid eye contact with her... you'd think she'd see take a hint that I'm busy or something. But yeah.. that probably won't happen in the real MCAT

Pause button for the win? It does knock you off your rhythm, but just think of it as an extra break

 

[CommSNTS]

Yes, I was taking a practice AAMC at a computer in the public library, just to get used to taking it in a public setting w/ ppl close by, coughing, etc. Then this woman sits down at a computer next to me. She's having problems getting it to do what she wanted, and cursing, etc. Then she turns to me and stares at me. At this point I'm in the middle of the PS section with time ticking. I'm trying to avoid eye contact with her because, obviously, I'm busy. She starts asking me what's wrong with her computer. I respond something like I'm sorry I can't help you out, I'm in the middle of something. (There are 2 libraries right near who she could easily ask for help.) She says sarcastically "that's so kind of you."

That seriously aggravated me the rest of that section. I mean, there are librarians right there she could ask for her help and that's what they're there for. Plus I had studiously tried to avoid eye contact with her... you'd think she'd see take a hint that I'm busy or something. But yeah.. that probably won't happen in the real MCAT

Hahahaha, nice.

I just tell everyone in the house to keep as quiet as they can, but it never ends up working out.

 

[SN2ed]

Well the computer problems don't help, but it's actually a very good thing that you're taking the test with distractions. That kind of environment will aid you when you take the real thing since there will be plenty of distractions there as well.

 

[nontrdgsbuiucmd]

Well the computer problems don't help, but it's actually a very good thing that you're taking the test with distractions. That kind of environment will aid you when you take the real thing since there will be plenty of distractions there as well.

thanks, I'm trying to look at the bright side, the time on this exam for me is so tight that it seems like any distraction that throws my focus off for 5 minutes could cause me to miss a few questions! The toughest thing, that I just now am feeling comfortable about, is that if there's a problem that seems really tough, it doesn't get more than maybe 3 minutes or so; guess and move on!

hopefully the real thing will be fairly distraction-free. I was going to see if the test center has some of those earphones to kill outside distraction sounds. I can block things out pretty well, comes with having taken the subway to work in a major city for years.

 

[SN2ed]

The headphones they had at my center made the sound worst. It both amplified the sound and it created a kind of echo. Think of a seashell. My test was also far from distraction free...