Help me understand the whole "Peaking" idea

[golfman]

Help me understand the whole peaking idea.

I don't get it when someone says they've peaked, for example, at 230 (had a friend say that). Does he not think if he studies 14 hours a day for another week he could bump up his score??

I know that the more you postpone, the more you forget. But if you are studying 14 hours a day, aren't you actually helping your cause by reinforcing some things?

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[donkeyboy]

the question is can you really put in another 14 hours/day for another week, i mean there's something called burnout. i think at the end of most people's study period you couldn't pay them any amount of money to study for an extra week for a couple of extra points on step 1

 

[MilkmanAl]

Yeah, peaking is just hitting your threshold of effective studying. You might be studying for 14 hours, but if you're getting done in that time what used to only take you 8, it's probably time to take the test.

 

[coldweatherblue]

eventually you get to the point where you're happy with your practice tests, and feel that it's really impossible to get to "the next level" whatever that may be.. then you realize that every day you have to study 5-6 hours just to avoid getting dumber.. and that you could study 12 hours in a day and not get a single extra question correct on the exam, so then it's time to just take the dumb thing!

 

[BenCarson]

Well to me peaking occurs when I study and study and i'm not improving much on my NBMEs. Much meaning 2-5 points.

 

[greg1184]

Well my NBME's were still going up right before my exam. So I HOPE that I peak right at the correct time.