Getting majorly freaked out

[InTheMiddle73]

I'm signed up for the April 16th exam but every time I take a practice AAMC test, my score gets lower. I don't know what's going on and am even thinking about re-scheduling because I'm so nervous this is how it's going to be on the real thing. Is anyone experiencing the same or am I just freaking out?

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[Lindindite]

I feel you! I'm taking the April 16th too and my scores dropped all last week! I'm still going to go for it though. After reviewing the ones I got wrong, my guess is that my nerves got the better of me. Anyway, there isn't even another seat available until June (unless I want to drive over an hour to a testing site) and I can't wait that long! I might forget everything I know! Best of luck to you whether or not you take in on the 16th!

 

[MDee]

Wow. Good to hear I'm not the only one experiencing that!! I'm taking the April 16th exam, too. Oddly, my scores on the Kaplan full lengths are much higher than my scores on the AAMC practice..and they keep dropping. It could be nerves..I dunno. Whatever it is..it better be gone by the 16th!!

 

[endofevangelion]

the kaplan curves are too high

 

[InTheMiddle73]

See I didn't think I was nervous anymore...I mean of course staring down the last few minutes of every section makes me anxious but I'd think most of that would go away by now. So it makes me think that maybe I just don't know the material anymore? Would it help to re-schedule?

 

[MDAdam]

I am getting the MCAT-jitters as well. I took the AAMC 8 CBT yesterday to make the final decision if I was going to continue with the April 16th date. I decided to suck it up and take the MCAT head on with full force (F=ma).

 

[DynMD]

My scores went down for a while too, but now they are going up again.

 

[splashpea]

The same thing has been happening to me as well. The highest I scored on a Kaplan full length was a 28, and the highest I scored on an AAMC was a 31 (3R, which is supposedly the easiest). I have taken AAMC 3-7, and have been averaging 25-27 on them. However, when I go through my AAMC exams after I'm done, I realize I made the stupidest mistakes and my score jumps 3-4 points overall. I am taking AAMC 8-10 this week...

I just hope I don't make these stupid mistakes on the 16th :/

 

[MDAdam]

Do you think they will let us do a SDN group effort test on the 16th? We can create a thread and go through the questions with each other.

 

[InTheMiddle73]

Do you think they will let us do a SDN group effort test on the 16th? We can create a thread and go through the questions with each other.

haha that would be amazing. count me in!

 

[surferdoc]

I just took the April 7th exam...I didnt feel nervous at all that morning or the week before and then when I sat down at my computer I was like shaking. Anyway I think I did sooooo horrible and Im taking it again the 16 th ahhh

 

[Symphony101]

I just took the April 7th exam...I didnt feel nervous at all that morning or the week before and then when I sat down at my computer I was like shaking. Anyway I think I did sooooo horrible and Im taking it again the 16 th ahhh

hm... you're not going to wait for your scores to come back before taking it again? i guess it's good to do it again while the memory is still fresh... but you might have done really well on the test.

if it makes you feel better, for the whole PS section I was just... out of it. I think I picked the answers without even reading through all of the answers. i was so nervous/excited that i was finally doing the REAL test that... well I didn't actually put effort into it.

And for those of you yet to take the MCAT reading this post, try to NOT study the morning of the MCAT (no looking at flashcards, equations), it just stresses you out more.

 

[finality333]

I took the january exam, voided it, i felt nervous as well. As for all who feel their exam scores are going down...i believe that after some level of studying...you just gotta go take it!!

 

[DiverDoc]

I took the january exam, voided it, i felt nervous as well. As for all who feel their exam scores are going down...i believe that after some level of studying...you just gotta go take it!!

I agree. I have taken 12 practice exams, read the kaplan books many times, took the course and I still dont feel ready, but at this point what else can I do BUT take the actual exam and see.

 

[dochoov]

I think I was actually too confident starting out. I went through the tutorial with such a positive attitude. But then when I started the test I wasn't focused and was so reluctant to actually consider a question for the first 10 minutes that I bounced through all the sections basically scanning the test. I didn't have a nervous feeling, it was just a complete lack of focus. And since the way you review your unanswered and marked questions at the end was different from the practice tests, I ended up almost skipping a really easy passage. I realized I hadn't touched it with about 4 minutes left in the test. I saw that thing and I don't think I have ever felt such a panic in all my life--and I've been through some ****ed up **** in my life, no joke--my heart was beating so fast but I decided not to look at the timer and just go through the questions.

I'm sure I got them all but I had to completely guess on two harder questions because I had less than 15 seconds left after that easy passage. Well I definitely started rambling, but the point I want to make is this: just focus. That's all. If you can achieve that, you can reach your potential, whatever it may be.

 

[ParvatiP]

Don't worry too much about your practice scores. I peaked early on in my practice tests and then kind of went through a small decline. The very last 2 practice tests I took were a little better though. You are probably getting a little burned out, just as I was, and just try not to stress too much over it. I took the April 7th exam and the week before it, I really didn't do too much studying. I read over the EK bio book and read over a notebook I kept of all the concepts I had missed in practice tests. My boyfriend was also really helpful and encouraged me alot, assuring me not to worry too much and that I was going to do really well (true or not, it's nice to hear!).

So try to relax a little if you can and be confident in your abilities. You have probably been studying for a long time and you are ready to take this test.

I was surprisingly very calm when I took the test. A few butterflies a little into PS, but after that I was in business and just went through the test smoothly.

Good luck and believe in yourself!

 

[MDee]

Don't worry too much about your practice scores. I peaked early on in my practice tests and then kind of went through a small decline. The very last 2 practice tests I took were a little better though. You are probably getting a little burned out, just as I was, and just try not to stress too much over it. I took the April 7th exam and the week before it, I really didn't do too much studying. I read over the EK bio book and read over a notebook I kept of all the concepts I had missed in practice tests. My boyfriend was also really helpful and encouraged me alot, assuring me not to worry too much and that I was going to do really well (true or not, it's nice to hear!).

So try to relax a little if you can and be confident in your abilities. You have probably been studying for a long time and you are ready to take this test.

I was surprisingly very calm when I took the test. A few butterflies a little into PS, but after that I was in business and just went through the test smoothly.

Good luck and believe in yourself!

Thanks for the optimistic message I've been studying since October and I'm just ready to take this ^%$#*& test!!!!!!!

 

[InTheMiddle73]

Yeah all this support is really helping me out guys. Optimism...not the easiest thing to come by when you're pre-med. But I think I'm just gonna suck up my fears, anxiety, whatever and just hope for the best. Thanks again guys!

 

[MSTPbound]

Yeah all this support is really helping me out guys. Optimism...not the easiest thing to come by when you're pre-med. But I think I'm just gonna suck up my fears, anxiety, whatever and just hope for the best. Thanks again guys!

Let me tell you... while I did almost suffer a "minor" nervous breakdown during the exam, it didin't happen until the bio section, and even then it probably lasted all of 30 seconds although it seemed like an eternity.

Overall though, I was confident, focused, and honestly felt like I gave it my best. I think that's why despite freaking out yesterday, I'm fine now. The truth is, if my score is aweful, I'll be a little surprised, and probably sad - but then I'll suck it up and retake.

If my score ends up being stellar, I'll be overjoyed... but not surprised. Why? after several hundred hours of intense studying, 9 practice full lengths, and a full day of creative writing, visualization and self-motivation the day before, I walked in feeling confident, resourceful and indomitable. I know this will all seem silly if the score report disagrees with my perception, but I can tell you that on test day, I know I gave it my best, and for that I can have no regret.

I highly recommend that you take a lot of time for self-reflection, visualization and confidence-building a couple of days before the test. You can do more than suck up your fears and anxiety... you can walk into the test feeling unstoppable. Will you walk out the same way? Perhaps not laugh: )... but if you can bring it to the test, along with a clear, focused mind and hold on to it as long as possible, how can you go wrong?

Best wishes for success,

-MSTPbound

 

[surferdoc]

ahah nooo i dont want to see my score!! When I was taking the verbal all I could hear was about 20 people typing on the keyboard. I dont know if it worked this way for everybody but they started everyone at different times. Of course I started last even though I was one of the first people to arrive. So when I was on my verbal, majority of people were doing their writing sample and I got sooo distracted by the typing sounds I just couldnt focus on anything. Then after that section I decided my verbal is probably so bad that it really doesnt even matter how I do on BS. I should have just voided it. So hopefully April 16th will be much better!