Has anyone taken nbme practice exam for step 1 or 2 without timing?

[stellarartois]

I know it’s less than ideal but Just wondering if this really changes your score

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[GritsNGuts]

It absolutely does. I'd argue that the most important part of those exams is actually figuring out good pacing. Almost everybody performs better when they aren't racing the clock. Although you should review your tests and learn from them, NBMEs are not really learning tools. They're more of a gauge to see where you are. If you're gonna do anything untimed, do untimed UWorld blocks. Save the NBMEs for test-like conditions. They're much more useful and predictive then.

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

I took all mine except the first without timing because I finished the first in half the amount of time (no brag) and I’ve always been a fast reader so I knew time wouldn’t be an issue and it gave me more of a chance to take the nbmes at my own pace

 

[stellarartois]

I took all mine except the first without timing because I finished the first in half the amount of time (no brag) and I’ve always been a fast reader so I knew time wouldn’t be an issue and it gave me more of a chance to take the nbmes at my own pace

Do you think this made a difference in your nbme scores or not really?

 

[voxveritatisetlucis]

Do you think this made a difference in your nbme scores or not really?

I don’t think I would have been able to make it through all the forms if I didn’t do it this way so it actually probably helped if anything

 

[GoSpursGo]

There is no valid reason for taking NBMEs untimed. Even if timing isn't an issue, the mental fatigue you feel after doing multiple blocks and figuring out how to overcome that is important. Don't do them untimed just because it's more convenient.

 

[GritsNGuts]

I don’t think I would have been able to make it through all the forms if I didn’t do it this way so it actually probably helped if anything

This doesn't make sense.

 

[ChordaEpiphany]

There is no valid reason for taking NBMEs untimed. Even if timing isn't an issue, the mental fatigue you feel after doing multiple blocks and figuring out how to overcome that is important. Don't do them untimed just because it's more convenient.

Agreed, though you may find you simply rise to the occasion on test day when it comes to endurance and focus. It obviously depends on the person, but I never completed an NBME under strict testing conditions before step 2. I'd get tons of anxiety while taking a practice test and just pause the test. I took long breaks between sections, sometimes just stopping for lunch and getting angry at what seemed like never-ending vague/ambiguous questions without a real answer. I was terrified I'd crash and burn on test day and run out of time on every section. However, the adrenaline of test day wound up just pushing me through. I felt calm and collected through the whole thing. I had a few moments where I wanted to throw my hands up and walk away, but I knew I couldn't so I just picked the most logical answer and moved on, and I was so hyped up I didn't even take all my break time. I ended up scoring slightly higher than my last practice test.