MCAT Anxiety - How do you deal with it?

[the Undergrad]

Thats right I'm talkin abt the anxiety you feel DURING the test...

Whats goin through your mind at that time, besides fear of failure and hunger?

Any successful ways youve find useful that relaxed yall?

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[Wrigleyville]

Wank off before the test. That's how I got my 37.

Wrigley

 

[Jugador75]

How bout during the test? Is that even allowed? I didnt read anything about it on the AAMC site.

 

[the Undergrad]

Wow, so very helpful responses so far....

 

[Wrigleyville]

I'm dead serious!

 

[PublicHealth]

wanking makes you tired....

 

[soonerpillow]

Okay, here's what I did, it may or may not help you:

About four weeks before the test, I started taking full length practice tests on Saturdays, at the same time the MCAT would be. That way, when I was at the test, it just flowed like my practice tests. I was used to it, and didn't think about it too much.

But I was still anxious a few days before the test, so I made a special "get psyched for the MCAT" CD, which I listened to on the way in the car, and as I walked to the test. It really helped me focus and get ready to take on that mother of all tests. It may sound cheesy, but "Eye of the Tiger" really is the best for this sort of thing.

Also, take protein bars for breaks. That way, instead of spending that time thinking about questions you may have answered wrong or worrying about the rest of the test, you can spend that time thinking about how awful those things taste. That's what I did.

Also, and this is pretty important: don't talk to people. at all. you'll hear about all the people who studied 5x as much as you, you'll see people cramming for the test, and you'll worry that maybe you should be cramming, too. You'll lose your focus and get more nervous. So keep listening to your music or special CD. Keep focused. Get in the zone.

Don't cram. It'll make you more nervous.

Okay, I think that's about it for my strategy. Do with it what you will.

 

[Echinoidea]

Having just took the April MCAT (and wondering what my scores will be) I can say that probably the biggest help for my nerves was taking those damn kaplan practice tests every sunday for the five weeks preceding the test. They helped my body get accustomed to sitting and concentrating for 8 hours at a time. When test day came it was like old hat to me.

And I totally, 100% agree with soonerpillow. Stay the hell away from all your fellow test-takers during the breaks. There will always be some a$$ complaining that that test was too easy or that they finished with half an hour to spare. Don't let them freak you out. Go by yourself and just meditate. I brought a good magazine to read during lunch.

Then when it's over, do some EtOH research!

 

[DW]

a key to test day anxiety relief: dont study the day before! You've probably busted your ass for several months, so take a day off and chill out. Do something relaxing before test day (preferably without mind altering substances), go for a long run, watch some funny movies, play with your dog, whatever you do that mellows you out

 

[RobbingReality]

For me just chewing gum helped me when I was taking the TEST. It allowed me to focus and took my mind off everybody around me. If you have freinds taking the test at the same testing center talk during the breaks, just not about the sections.

Different strokes for different folks!

 

[Chronotropic]

By yourself something interesting a day or two before the test. Then just mess with that until the test roles around. A good book, a pda, stack of DVDs, an X-box etc etc.

 

[enamine]

beta blockers, valium, xanax, etc....

 

[Lactic Folly]

Practice, practice, practice. Know the speed at which you should work so that you don't need to stress out looking at your watch all the time. Go in knowing that you're prepared to do your best. Check out the test site ahead of time, get familiar with it, and arrive early. Visualize yourself taking the exam, confident and relaxed.

For me, the actual sitting was more relaxed than the practice tests I'd been doing at home.. my testing site had well over a 100 people and there were significant delays while distributing and collecting papers.. sit back, relieve tension, approach the next task with a fresh mind.. also, the breaks that are built into the test day force you to get up and move around.

 

[Enkindu]

I actually convinced myself that I didn't care about the test. I made a list of reasons for not going to med school and came up with some cool alternate plans. By the time I took the test I was completely relaxed. I just had to shake that "screwing up this test is going to ruin my life" feeling.

 

[loomis]

another thing that might help if something terrible goes wrong and you start freaking on the actual exam.....take a 30 second break. put your pencil down, close your eyes, take a few breaths...then go back into it. this happened to me during PS. had 3 passages that were really hard for me....got on my nerves. I stopped for about 30 sec....reorganized my thoughts then dived back into it. while it may seem that you're "wasting" time....trust me...the 30 sec spent on just getting your bearings is well worth the time vs. having a constant "freak out" conversation with yourself while trying to do the exam. good luck!

 

[deez4life]

i just took the april 2003 mcat... during the kaplan practice mcats i always felt fine and did decently well, but in the week before the actual test, a tiny voice appeared in my head and began telling me that I wouldn't be able to do it that damn voice really pissed me off, and i started losing confidence in the days before the test...

on test day, during the test the voice was no where to be found... my months of preparation and the reality of the test kept me focussed all day .... the test went by extremely fast, so don't sweat it at all.... i think the key is to not think about it, just do it... the more you think about it, the more anxious you become... go watch a movie or two to get your mind off the mcat in the days before...

in hindsight, it's just a stupid test... don't make too much of it...

-n-

p.s. getting hyped up to the mortal kombat theme music helps... as does vibing to bach's canon in D... at least for me anyways... that's what all the cool people do

 

[jberg4]

don't forget to stretch for two seconds between passages. keeps the blood flowin and gives you a chance to switch focus from one passage to the next. don't know if it worked but I also ate a lot of salmon during the two weeks before this test. Its got omega threes that are supposed to help concentration. I think it was adrenalin that actually helped me the most though.

 

[Ramoray]

hey jberk did u take april at ASU? do i know u? i was there. probably know u do u go to ASU?

 

[basupran]

I can't stress this enough: Lay off the studying the day before the exam. I studied until about 10pm the day before the exam, and all I saw the entire night was formulas and numbers...my heart was racing, and I couldn't fall asleep till about 3 AM. Sleep is so important, so make sure you get a decent amount, otherwise, you will feel groggy, and that will impact your performance.