help! i'm beginning to panic...

[lola]

i'm taking kaplan right now and just took #2. i scored worse on it than the original diagnostic even though i took my premed requirements years and years ago and hadn't begun reviewing it until after the diagnostic. i thought i was learning things these last couple of months, but apparently not! i feel like i understand the concepts when i read them in the books but then forget the details when it's time to take the exams. i don't know what to do ... more passages or learn the details. my gut tells me to practice passges, but if i don't know the equations and stuff i won't get the answer right anyway.

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[Sweet Tea]

Lola, BREATHE!! Please don't let this test psych you out! Have you taken it before? I saw on the pre-allo forum that you're waiting on transmission to schools, so i'm going to guess you took the April test. You know this test is all about how you approach it and the confidence you bring to the test. So step back, inhale, exhale... slow down... inhale exhale...

My first suggestion is to take a day (or 2) from studying and go do something healthy and fun. Don't think about this test. Put the book down now, get off SDN, and escape while you still can. But if you're like me and relaxing doesn't fit into your vocabulary, then at least take a break on the amount you study. If YOUR gut is telling you to do some passages, then MY gut says do some passages. You said you feel comfortable with the details when you read the book-- doing the passages will ground those details into your skull, and will point out which ones you need to review.

Good luck, Lola!!

 

[wgu]

1) Not all tests can accurately provide you w/ a score
2) Variance, standard deviations, % CV. Whatever you like to call it, only a larger sample population via "good" tests can correctly predict the real score you'll get.

 

[lola]

well, i've calmed down a bit now. went over some practice aamc stuff and seem to be understanding it better. i just don't understand like 1/3-1/2 of the kaplan passages which makes it REALLY hard to take the test. i'm sitting there thinking "i'm so stupid, what are they talking about, aaaah" while i should be answering questions. when i went over the aamc stuff yesterday, i understood every single passage and got most of the questions right. that makes me feel much better.

 

[burlypie]

I hear you lola -- When I took #2 last weekend I was kind of freaking out too. The verbal passages seemed harder than I'd seen and then the bio: Um, yeah, I haven't taken biochem or done researche SO HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS??!

My strategy? For the passages that look over my head from the begining, I glance at the questions first just to see what I need to comcentrate on in the reading. And a lot of times the questions aren't as hard as the passage reading is, and that takes some of the pressure off too.

Good luck, I'm sure you'll do great. And yes, I'm finding it's all about practice questions.

 

[kittyjuice]

by taking too many tests sometimes, u can actually shoot yourself in the foot with panic.

u dont want to get over confident, but you dont want to think that you dont have a chance.

u gotta stay in a zone of thought where you know that if you study hard, and focus beyond belief come test time you will kicck arse .


especially as far as verbal is concerned....

just channel that energy into studying harder and just envisino yourself doing well.

 

[lola]

yeah, i think part of it is that i'm taking these tests before i've memorized some of the basics. over the last week i've definitely started memorizing a lot more biological sciences info, and next week i'm going to get cranking on the physical sciences. then hopefully will a lot of practice passages, i'll start to improve my scores.

burly pie, are you in an sf kaplan course?

 

[burlypie]

Yes, I'm at the SF Center -- Scott's my instructor. We're not in the same class, are we?

 

[qweewq11]

Silly cow, MCATs are for people!

j/k, I know the feeling. Spend a lot of time with the explanations so you fully understand why you got what you got wrong. Good luck!