How to manage fatigue during the test?

[whiteclaww]

Even though I knew it for a long time, I just had an epiphany that it's my fatigue that is affecting my scores.
I've tried a CARS passage after ~7 hrs of studying, and I managed to get ~60% right (even though my CARS qpack averages are much higher than that). [Funny thing is that I didn't feel that tired. but I was so exhausted after]. I was actually happy to see this because I can have something to work on before the test day.

Anyways... So... I want to figure out how everyone alleviated this stress/fatigue during the test.

Should I try chocolate during breaks? Should I close my eyes during breaks? What do you recommend?

Thank you!

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[GoPenguinsGo]

You build endurance by taking full-length practice exams under test-like conditions. Soon, you'll notice the exam length doesn't even phase you.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

Take full length practice tests and make sure to get your food and caffeine optimized during your breaks. Nothing too filling. Close your eyes for a few moments during breaks and let your ocular system rest. Take some deep breaths and find your Zen.

David D MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[whiteclaww]

Take full length practice tests and make sure to get your food and caffeine optimized during your breaks. Nothing too filling. Close your eyes for a few moments during breaks and let your ocular system rest. Take some deep breaths and find your Zen.

David D MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

Always so helpful -- Thank you.

I am not tired by the length of it, but I think my body is slowly getting fatigued without me even noticing. This results in some score differences.
I might try some chocolate during break and close my eyes during my breaks -- I think my brain processes too much info too fast.

Thank you so much.

 

[mikemars]

Treat the MCAT like four exams, not one. This way - it feels less like a marathon and more like four short races.

 

[Osminog]

Caffeine pills.

 

[ParaMagic1]

To echo @Osminog , caffeine pills are pretty cool if needed... Don't over-do it though.

Like a marathon, long test-taking takes practice... Continue to practice doing exams for that long and you will find yourself getting less fatigued.

As also mentioned earlier, take a few seconds to close your eyes and just breathe. Give your mind a minute to reset...

You've got this!

 

[DoReMiMD]

You can play with caffeine pills and ibuprofen if you get headaches on practice days. Caffeine pills can make some test day anxiety worse though. For eye fatigue I wore +1.00 reading glasses from dollar tree (or anywhere else but hey $1...) and they helped me out. I've had some success with the blue-light blocking glasses too (just$10-20 a pain on amazon)

 

[whiteclaww]

You can play with caffeine pills and ibuprofen if you get headaches on practice days. Caffeine pills can make some test day anxiety worse though. For eye fatigue I wore +1.00 reading glasses from dollar tree (or anywhere else but hey $1...) and they helped me out. I've had some success with the blue-light blocking glasses too (just$10-20 a pain on amazon)

hehe i took the test! I had no issue with focusing. It was much much easier to focus. My problem was that I was too focused and when I was getting out from the test center, i got a massive headache and the world looked a little squished (the font of the real test could be the cause!)

*i am commenting for those who are wondering the same thing!

 

[KnightDoc]

hehe i took the test! I had no issue with focusing. It was much much easier to focus. My problem was that I was too focused and when I was getting out from the test center, i got a massive headache and the world looked a little squished (the font of the real test could be the cause!)

*i am commenting for those who are wondering the same thing!

So, other than focusing, how was it???

 

[whiteclaww]

So, other than focusing, how was it???

I felt like FL3 and 4 were really representative of the real thing! It was ok overall. I doubted myself a few times but I pushed it through

 

[scubascuba]

During my practice tests I went up and down stairs during the breaks which seemed to help. During the actual exam we weren't allowed in the stairwell so I did some squats and stretched during each break. Got a few weird looks but helped keep me focused for each section.

 

[chemistry hahgdgjjhdf]

I felt like FL3 and 4 were really representative of the real thing! It was ok overall. I doubted myself a few times but I pushed it through

I got rocked by CARS tbh. But P/S was representative I feel

 

[caterwaiter]

I found that what worked during my AAMC FL practices worked during my actual test. Small snacks EVERY break. I went in with the intention of using the full break every time, but ended up returning early due to nerves. Things that saved me: packing good snacks and water, and allowing myself time to close my eyes, breathe, and walk around.

The biggest advantage, IMO, is practicing like it's the actual test day. Get yourself rev'd up. Get yourself a little anxious. Which tactics are getting you through the AAMC FL practice tests with good results? The more you can replicate testing conditions and your mental state, the better.

(I also got home from my actual test with the intention of going out with friends and immediately fell asleep for like 10 hours. The test day fatigue is REAL.)

Good skill to you

 

[KnightDoc]

I felt like FL3 and 4 were really representative of the real thing! It was ok overall. I doubted myself a few times but I pushed it through

I actually didn't perceive a big difference between the real thing and any of the FLs, other than the timing, which I was prepared for. I always doubt myself on some questions, but I came to expect that based on the QPacks and Section Banks!

 

[whiteclaww]

I actually didn't perceive a big difference between the real thing and any of the FLs, other than the timing, which I was prepared for. I always doubt myself on some questions, but I came to expect that based on the QPacks and Section Banks!

YUP! I think the best thing I picked up during doing FLs is that I am no longer a perfectionist. When a very low-yield discrete question popped up, I was like "I could get this wrong but let me make the most educated guess right here." And I just moved on.