Help!!!!!!

[new12]

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I've been studying for the mcat all summer.....well granted i had to work full time and study for the test at the same time but now its 2 weeks till my test and my scores are EXTREMELY LOW!! Im trying to take every practice test i can get my hands on but my scores aren't looking great. What do i do? Should i just keep practicing and reviewing until the test and take it? or is it better to void my test and take re-register for the sep. 11 test?? I'm soooo scared.....someone plz help!!!

 

[PanRoasted]

if you are taking AAMC FLs, STOP. Do not burn through any more of those. Look through your tests and if it's content that is tripping you up, you are probably going to have to delay to next cycle. You should also post what your practice scores are and what tests you are using, and people will be able to give you better answers.

 

[new12]

if you are taking AAMC FLs, STOP. Do not burn through any more of those. Look through your tests and if it's content that is tripping you up, you are probably going to have to delay to next cycle. You should also post what your practice scores are and what tests you are using, and people will be able to give you better answers.

PS VR BS TS
Gold standard 1 5 5 5 15
Gold Standard 2 6 6 6 18
Gold Standard 3 8 7 7 22
AAMC 3 17
AAMC 4 7 6 5 18
AAMC 5 7 5 6 18 (took this test in a noisy coffee shop...bad idea!!!)


I have noticed that I have to review maybe one or two topics from each section but for the most part i know the material but when i see it on the test, my blood pressure goes up, i can't focus and everything looks like the right answer.

 

[whoknows87]

you are not going to be ready in 2 weeks, a 15 pt jump is not likely, you will pressure yourself and then breakdown during the exam , take it as a practice test and VOID or Cancel and get $ back if possible take your time with content review and take the test next Jan I would not risk it

 

[PanRoasted]

Have you tried practice problems? and from what book(s)? What was your score on those? Did you approach those practice problems differently, and how might you apply this approach to when you're taking a practice FL? I think very low PS/BS scores means that you are too weak on content. It could be the kind of thing where you know it when you're looking at a textbook, but when you're asked to apply it to something, you freak out because you've never had to use the information in the way they're asking you to.

It could also be that you really are just way too nervous when you're taking the exam. Or, you have poor logical reasoning skills. These two things are certainly fixable, but I don't think it's the type of thing that will happen overnight (or in two weeks, for that matter). Some people do get locked up when they are taking standardized tests, and the only way to really combat that is to practice, practice, practice (using something other than AAMC FLs).

Either way, those scores are not promising, especially considering you already have a significant number of FLs under your belt.My advice is to delay until September (at the earliest), more probably January if your schedule permits it. If you take the test in two weeks, I would be prepared to get somewhere around your AAMC average, maybe a little higher at best.

 

[tttgo]

even 9/11 won't be enough time. you're at sub20. If you're past the refund date, you might as well void. Make sure you don't feel good decide to score it. No point in scheduling for 9/11 since that'll be just a waste of money if you don't do well. Are you still working? that explains it: you didn't put enough time into studying. could be the materials too.

 

[new12]

I'm not too sure its the content that's causing this because when im not taking FL exams and taking practice questions from books like TBR, i do fine but on the full length tests its a total mess. Plus i thought because of my GS 3 test that my scores were looking up but then i took AAMC FL and it just dropped and stayed there. I think im just going to stick it out and as soon as i take the test, register for the sep. 11 date. I guess i shouldn't have tried to work and study for the mcats at the same time

 

[titleist975j]

i dont know whether you will be ready for the september test. but i agree with the others on not using up any more AAMC's.

you might want to try taking a prep course

 

[tttgo]

I just took GS5 yesterday. 12/8/10. I'm weak in content in physics, bio and ochem. You're most likely weak in content too. trying to find time in between the practice tests to fix them. will probably do the assessment or official guide in the next 2 days so I know what to focus on. What were your %'s in tbr?

 

[PanRoasted]

If you're doing well on TBR, then I really don't see how you could be doing so much worse on your FLs. Is it timing? Do you time yourself on practice problems? Definitely void on 8/23, and if your practice exam scores are not looking up by 8/23, postpone until January or after if you can't find the time to put your full attention on studying. September is too soon to make any significant movement toward a higher score if you haven't quite figured out what you're doing wrong.

 

[tttgo]

If it's just the sciences, you might be able to improve in a month. but you're consistently getting 5 and 6's in verbal (even the aamc ones). some guy in the 7/6 thread was scoring around there and got even lower of the real thing. not sure what score you're aiming for, but if you're happy with a 10/10/7, then yeah it's not impossible.

 

[new12]

% on tbr are 9s and 10s on bs and ps.....and around an 8 for vr. i know i need to spend more time on verbal but when i got such low scores on aamc i had to question everything. Like i mentioned before, i'm just going to keep moving on, review some content and take another practice test in a few days and see what happens on the test i take before the real deal. Plus im pretty sure it'll help if i take the practice test in a more controlled environment and learn to calm my nerves before i start

 

[tttgo]

don't mean to stress you out, but you sound way too relaxed. "Its not content weakness, it's nerves. You'll casually take a practice in a few days. You'll see what happens". Dunno if it's just me, but an all or nothing method (which is what I'm doing) would probably be more effective in this short amount of time.I'll let you how it goes in a few weeks.

 

[new12]

believe me i am as far from relaxed as possible. My intention is to still try like hell to raise up my score! I already have a planned out schedule to attack my weak areas before test day but at the same time im trying to be a bit realistic as to what to expect of my score on test day (I am usually always so optimistic that when reality finally hits i go into a slump of depression....trying to avoid that this time by being a bit more realistic before hand).....don't know if that makes any sense to you.....

 

[tttgo]

ic. Well, If you're going to take it 9/11, might as well void the earlier test just to see what testing is like. Only risk is not being able to find a seat when you register. You have a full 30 days to improve verbal. If you're taking it in september, I would go in with the intention of taking the test only once. First I would round up all my verbal material. How many psgs each do you have from tprh, ek101 and tbr. Do a full length for verbal everyday and analyze. allocate 1hr take+ 2hr max review if you're going slow. That's only 3 hours/day. Focus on quality when you're doing them though. Don't just take blindly, but use to perfect your strategy (see one of the verbal threads ie the panroasted one) and timing. Spend 1 day planning and stick to it. You don't want to change your plan of attack halfway through (like I did), since it would waste too much time.