Anyone have this problem?

[cfdavid]

I realize that this issue is one of discipline. But, lately, I've found myself in a kind of comfort zone w/r/t MCAT prep. I feel that I know the material quite well, and so the last 1 1/2 weeks I've kind of been slacking on my prep.

It's like when the fear of not doing well is present, I kick it into high gear and will do whatever it takes. But, when I get more confident, I tend to take it for granted a bit, and get too relaxed. Almost like I need to be scared about the exam to be truly motivated. It sucks, but I tend to lose a bit of interest when this happens. Can you relate?

I think part of it is that I (like many of us) have been studying for quite a while, and it's a big endurance challenge.

Regardless, I'm going to do my taxes tonight, and then get super serious again. Now's not the time to slack. If we use the remaining time to drive home the material, and go crazy on the practice passages, we will do great on the test. Just a few more weeks and we're home free on this thing.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[MollyMalone]

I can totally relate. Whenever I'm feeling too confident I go over the questions I got wrong on past practice tests. It helps to remind myself that mistakes can be made not just when you don't know the material but because you misread a question, or zoned out, or even filled in the wrong little circle. I find that motivating to practice, practice, practice, hopefully minimizing preventable errors.

And then I also remind myself that there's only three weeks to go.

 

[juniper456]

i hear you. ever since i got a 31 on my last practice test, i've been slacking excessively. the thing is, i know i could get a really outstanding score if i just focused on this stuff for a few more weeks, but part of me keeps thinking, "well, a 31 is good enough. another couple points won't make much difference". my real fear is that i'll forget everything in the next few weeks and get a 25 on the real thing. . .

 

[cfdavid]

i hear you. ever since i got a 31 on my last practice test, i've been slacking excessively. the thing is, i know i could get a really outstanding score if i just focused on this stuff for a few more weeks, but part of me keeps thinking, "well, a 31 is good enough. another couple points won't make much difference". my real fear is that i'll forget everything in the next few weeks and get a 25 on the real thing. . .

First, Darkside, good advice on humbling oneself on doing passage problems. I need to get back into that, cause you're right, you can know the material yet a solid passage can still kick your butt.

Juniper, I know what you mean. I'm at the point where I know I won't do superb, but feel like I can pull a good score nonetheless. And you're right that if you can just focus for a few more weeks, you can really put it over the top, hopefully. I think it can easily make a point or two difference per section.

So, let's just stay focused, not get too comfortable, and reallly try driving this content home. Now's NOT the time to slack due to some false sense of security. Good luck!

 

[nishi]

i find the "30+ MCAT study habit" thread to be super motivating. i printed off a few pages and keep it in my books for times i feel like slacking.

 

[Shredder]

I realize that this issue is one of discipline. But, lately, I've found myself in a kind of comfort zone w/r/t MCAT prep. I feel that I know the material quite well, and so the last 1 1/2 weeks I've kind of been slacking on my prep.

It's like when the fear of not doing well is present, I kick it into high gear and will do whatever it takes. But, when I get more confident, I tend to take it for granted a bit, and get too relaxed. Almost like I need to be scared about the exam to be truly motivated. It sucks, but I tend to lose a bit of interest when this happens. Can you relate?

I think part of it is that I (like many of us) have been studying for quite a while, and it's a big endurance challenge.

Regardless, I'm going to do my taxes tonight, and then get super serious again. Now's not the time to slack. If we use the remaining time to drive home the material, and go crazy on the practice passages, we will do great on the test. Just a few more weeks and we're home free on this thing.

My Princeton class has been going on since November, I studied all throughout spring break and much of winter, my scores are pretty high, and I'm sick of studying for it. I'd take it tomorrow if I could. I've grown totally complacent, which may be curbed or exacerbated depending on my Diag number 4/5 this weekend. I feel like I know everything when I look over all of the material, and I have this COME ON attitude like an awesome tennis player. After seeing my score jump on the AAMC tests compared to the hard Princeton ones, I got really laid back. I'm almost hoping to do poorly on this next diag, but then again I'm not so I can really shift into low gear ha. I can relate a lot.

 

[QofQuimica]

I took the test last August but I was the same way. I think when you are ready, you know you are, and you don't want to keep studying as if you weren't ready. I was ready to take the test at the beginning of July. But not only was the test day a month and a half away, but then we also got postponed two more weeks here in FL because of the hurricane. So it was nearly two months later by the time I took the test. I didn't totally slack off because I took the rest of the full-lengths with the class. But starting two months before I took the test, I didn't do any more of the on-line workshops, review notes, or shorter practice tests.

I guess what I am trying to tell you guys is that if you are doing reasonably well on the practice tests (however you define that), and you have finished all of the review that you really NEED (note: not all of the review that is humanly possible!), then it is ok to let up a little bit with your studying. You're still human, and there is a life outside of the MCAT. In the whole scheme of things, this one test is not going to make or break your chances of getting into medical school, although of course it is better to have a higher score than a lower one. Keep taking your practice tests, and if you are done reviewing for the sciences, then ok, you don't need to re-review every detail a zillion times. And the week of the test, don't do any more heavy studying. You aren't going to learn that much so close to the test day anyway. At that point, just work on staying in a positive mindset, and make sure you are caught up with all of your sleep.

I hope all of you do well in April.