Distractions

[nekrogg]

How big of a factor do you think it plays? i took a practice test and i bombed the first two sections (lowest ive scored in awhile). i was conciously thinking while doing the test whether i should go over there or not and tell them to shut it.. when the people next door left and i took bio, i scored the highest ive ever scored.

when i review the verbal, i realized that i didnt even really read many of the passages. i just zipped right over them and semi guessed on all the answers.. earning me a 7

how should i interpret these results? should i take another practice test on thursday jsut to make sure i havent back tracked?

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[kidthor]

When I was taking one of the Kaplan FLs, the girl next to me was chewing her gum... Now, gum chewing is one of the most obnoxious sounds in my book, so it really threw me off - I went down about 4 points from my average, so yes it definitely screws you up! Don't worry too much about it...

 

[GujuMD]

Distractions play a huge role. When I took my Kaplan FL 5, a car's alarm was going off, an ambulance passed by...the room I was in had lots of windows. I went down on every section.

 

[ChymeChancellor]

When I was taking one of the Kaplan FLs, the girl next to me was chewing her gum... Now, gum chewing is one of the most obnoxious sounds in my book, so it really threw me off - I went down about 4 points from my average, so yes it definitely screws you up! Don't worry too much about it...

Wow... I'm not the only one. During one of my FL's the girl next to me looked like a panda and her gum chewing sounded like she was chewing on bamboo. It really brought by score down because I couldn't concentrate and lost easy points.

Just to make sure... gum chewing isn't allowed on the real test is it???

 

[ChymeChancellor]

How big of a factor do you think it plays? i took a practice test and i bombed the first two sections (lowest ive scored in awhile). i was conciously thinking while doing the test whether i should go over there or not and tell them to shut it.. when the people next door left and i took bio, i scored the highest ive ever scored.

when i review the verbal, i realized that i didnt even really read many of the passages. i just zipped right over them and semi guessed on all the answers.. earning me a 7

how should i interpret these results? should i take another practice test on thursday jsut to make sure i havent back tracked?

I retook the sections I bombed because of the distractions (not the exact same test). My scores shot back up to where they usually were. I wouldn't worry about a one time mess up. It happens to us all, just hopefully not they day of the test!

 

[mintendo]

Wow... I'm not the only one. During one of my FL's the girl next to me looked like a panda and her gum chewing sounded like she was chewing on bamboo. It really brought by score down because I couldn't concentrate and lost easy points.

That's one of the funniest things I have ever heard!!! Dunno why..

 

[Writer1985]

I usually go to the library to take practice tests, to avoid distractions like the party girls next door. It didn't help yesterday, when the only carrell I could find was next to the door -- lots of squeaking as people went in and out, and I never realized before how many people ignore the in-your-face "The Stacks are the designated quiet zone" sign, to the point of answering their phone and proceeding to have a 5 minute conversation instead of going out to the lobby.

Sigh, life in dorms has its ups and its downs, I guess.

 

[nekrogg]

I usually go to the library to take practice tests, to avoid distractions like the party girls next door. It didn't help yesterday, when the only carrell I could find was next to the door -- lots of squeaking as people went in and out, and I never realized before how many people ignore the in-your-face "The Stacks are the designated quiet zone" sign, to the point of answering their phone and proceeding to have a 5 minute conversation instead of going out to the lobby.

Sigh, life in dorms has its ups and its downs, I guess.

!!! the library was SO loud that day people were walking in and out, laughing, writing on chalk boards (the walls were paper thin). i wish i thought of retaking it, then i wouldnt have looked over my mistakes. but i definently know my mistakes were due to distractions.. for example: i missed the question in aamc 9 about aluminum being in the p group. i looked at my periodic table, thought p group but for some reason or another i chose s!!! i made 4 careless mistakes dropping my physics score from a 12 to a 10

 

[sweetstuff25]

the sound of ppl circling and underlining their passages like an animal throws me off!!! damn tpr advice of circling 'almost everything' has infected everyone in the room.

 

[MasterMD]

the sound of ppl circling and underlining their passages like an animal throws me off!!! damn tpr advice of circling 'almost everything' has infected everyone in the room.

haha im doing TPR and yeah that DRIVES me CRAZY!!! we do practice passages and i hear all the circling and im like "SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP!!!!!!" which distracts me even more!! i personally use the EK method of just straight reading through and circle about one word per passage for easy reference... but grr.... yeah the circling drives me nuts!

 

[pslee]

When I was taking one of the Kaplan FLs, the girl next to me was chewing her gum... Now, gum chewing is one of the most obnoxious sounds in my book, so it really threw me off - I went down about 4 points from my average, so yes it definitely screws you up! Don't worry too much about it...

I can't agree more. When I took SAT2 chemistry, I politely asked this girl to spit out the gum right before the test. Just tell proctor you don't want any gum chewing or just to gum chewers in person for a favor.