Not sure what to make of my score

[kaleerkalut]

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So I'm 3 weeks away from Step 1 and I'm not really sure what to make of what to do from here. Thus far, I've watched Kaplan videos for Pharm, Micro, Behavioral, Anatomy (except Neuro which I'm saving for next week), Biochem (did molecular during the year and skipped genetics). Haven't really touched FA much

My school CBSSA: 245
Today UWSA #1: 258 (Block 1 80%, Block 2 73% (felt worse on this block the whole time), Block 3 80%, Block 4 82%)

I felt like **** the whole time taking the UWSA but apparently I didn't do that bad. I've got 30% of UWorld left to do and I did ~50% of Kaplan during the year (just to sort of do a Qbank but I didn't vigorously annotate or anything like that). During 2nd year I did Pathoma as intro, RR chapters for that section (i.e. Pulm), Goljan audio, then another pass through RR before the school final exam.

The score report confuses me a little b/c wider bars means inconsistency but tighter bars means consistency. A lot of the bars were very wide but I don't see how that's possible given that I got a 258.

I know my weakness are for sure Endocrine, Female Repro, Molecular Bio, Embryo, Pharm. I should mention that I plan to make another pass through Rapid Review (not sure if I have time to go through audio) but I'm worried that I'm not using FA.

I'm shooting for a very high score so I'm not sure if I should get any comfort from my results today since I've heard that UWSA overpredicts by about 10-15 points (that scare the crap out of me because it makes me feel like my score is the same as it was a few weeks ago).

Thoughts appreciated. 😀

 

[Phloston]

Regardless of your numbers at this point, with three weeks left, READ FA!!! Divide the number of pages to read by 2.5 weeks and make sure you are at a minimum covering that per day. Also try to finish UWorld if you can by doing questions after you read a particular day's FA. In the final 3-4 days, after you've finished FA, go back through and continue to re-memorize the charts, tables and HY lists. With three weeks remaining, FA is your sole priority, regardless of your current scores.

 

[JJMrK]

So I'm 3 weeks away from Step 1 and I'm not really sure what to make of what to do from here. Thus far, I've watched Kaplan videos for Pharm, Micro, Behavioral, Anatomy (except Neuro which I'm saving for next week), Biochem (did molecular during the year and skipped genetics). Haven't really touched FA much

My school CBSSA: 245
Today UWSA #1: 258 (Block 1 80%, Block 2 73% (felt worse on this block the whole time), Block 3 80%, Block 4 82%)

I felt like **** the whole time taking the UWSA but apparently I didn't do that bad. I've got 30% of UWorld left to do and I did ~50% of Kaplan during the year (just to sort of do a Qbank but I didn't vigorously annotate or anything like that). During 2nd year I did Pathoma as intro, RR chapters for that section (i.e. Pulm), Goljan audio, then another pass through RR before the school final exam.

The score report confuses me a little b/c wider bars means inconsistency but tighter bars means consistency. A lot of the bars were very wide but I don't see how that's possible given that I got a 258.

I know my weakness are for sure Endocrine, Female Repro, Molecular Bio, Embryo, Pharm. I should mention that I plan to make another pass through Rapid Review (not sure if I have time to go through audio) but I'm worried that I'm not using FA.

I'm shooting for a very high score so I'm not sure if I should get any comfort from my results today since I've heard that UWSA overpredicts by about 10-15 points (that scare the crap out of me because it makes me feel like my score is the same as it was a few weeks ago).

Thoughts appreciated. 😀

The UW scale is pretty generous; you can miss a bunch of questions and still get a high 3 digit score. I'd interpret this the following way: Your knowledge base is good across all subjects and you've got the test taking skills, but you've still got weaknesses. Likely it's because you haven't read something in first aid. I'd start reading FA, and start with the areas that showed inconsistency. I've been in a similar situation lately and at this point I'm measuring success on practice tests by tightening of those error bars.

 

[kaleerkalut]

The UW scale is pretty generous; you can miss a bunch of questions and still get a high 3 digit score. I'd interpret this the following way: Your knowledge base is good across all subjects and you've got the test taking skills, but you've still got weaknesses. Likely it's because you haven't read something in first aid. I'd start reading FA, and start with the areas that showed inconsistency. I've been in a similar situation lately and at this point I'm measuring success on practice tests by tightening of those error bars.

Thanks! Most of my bars are pretty wide though by my opinion. 3 subject areas I fall into the "border zone" (Histo & Cell Bio, Micro & Immuno, Repro & Endocrine). 2 subject areas touch the border bar (Cardio & Heme). I guess I'll start w/ these. All of what I miss are just the crammable things (i.e. pathways, what each DNA polymerase does, etc.). I can often reason through questions even if I don't know it cold.

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming everyone 😀

 

[JJMrK]

Thanks! Most of my bars are pretty wide though by my opinion. 3 subject areas I fall into the "border zone" (Histo & Cell Bio, Micro & Immuno, Repro & Endocrine). 2 subject areas touch the border bar (Cardio & Heme). I guess I'll start w/ these. All of what I miss are just the crammable things (i.e. pathways, what each DNA polymerase does, etc.). I can often reason through questions even if I don't know it cold.

Thanks for the advice and keep it coming everyone 😀

These three are all just classic "you know it or you don't." If I were you, I'd make two passes through FA in these last three weeks. Take 10 or so days to get through it the first time and then another week to do it again. You're obviously in good shape. I'd take an NBME or 2 as well since the UW tests can sometimes overpredict (2 more than 1, supposedly).

 

[kaleerkalut]

These three are all just classic "you know it or you don't." If I were you, I'd make two passes through FA in these last three weeks. Take 10 or so days to get through it the first time and then another week to do it again. You're obviously in good shape. I'd take an NBME or 2 as well since the UW tests can sometimes overpredict (2 more than 1, supposedly).

Thanks a ton! Will do. 😀

 

[kaleerkalut]

These three are all just classic "you know it or you don't." If I were you, I'd make two passes through FA in these last three weeks. Take 10 or so days to get through it the first time and then another week to do it again. You're obviously in good shape. I'd take an NBME or 2 as well since the UW tests can sometimes overpredict (2 more than 1, supposedly).

Basically I was just planning on using this upcoming week to go through RR, Kaplan Neuro, HY Embryo. Then the next week lose everything and just do FA 1x while doing questions and the following week again just do FA while doing questions. Problem is that reading questions and explanations takes me FOREVER. I can't say that it doesn't help because it helps me understand a lot but it is extremely inefficient (~4.5 hours per block to do the questions and review including a break). Plus I have to fit in 2-3 NBMEs in there somewhere (I'd like to be able to review these as well but I'm not sure if that is feasible at this point).

For questions (during week 2 & week 3) I was going to reset UWorld and instead of spending hours and hours reading just reading the Educational Objectives + full explanations on any questions I got wrong. Seem reasonable?

 

[gravitywave]

don't go through RR again, or any of those other books. instead: make sure you finish UW and complete at least one pass through FA. i'm not the world's biggest FA fan but i did see everything in it at least once. only go back to the other books if you read something in FA that doesn't make sense.

if you're lucky you'll have time to review your missed UW q's, but it's no biggie if you don't. also, i don't think you have to do 2 or 3 more NBMEs if you do the remaining UW stuff in consecutive blocks, timed. it's the same thing for your brain as an NBME, except you get the explanations to do in the reading after. maybe do one more.

again: finish FA, finish UW. it sounds like you are on track. push hard to the finish!!

 

[kaleerkalut]

don't go through RR again, or any of those other books. instead: make sure you finish UW and complete at least one pass through FA. i'm not the world's biggest FA fan but i did see everything in it at least once. only go back to the other books if you read something in FA that doesn't make sense.

if you're lucky you'll have time to review your missed UW q's, but it's no biggie if you don't. also, i don't think you have to do 2 or 3 more NBMEs if you do the remaining UW stuff in consecutive blocks, timed. it's the same thing for your brain as an NBME, except you get the explanations to do in the reading after. maybe do one more.

again: finish FA, finish UW. it sounds like you are on track. push hard to the finish!!

OK. That's a bit tough though in terms of there is a lot of stuff that's not in FA. I went through FA 1x throughout 2nd year by using DIT (I just watched the videos and went a long with each block we were in). I just wish there was a way to speed up the reviewing UWorld process without skimping. Thanks for the push though I'll pound it out! Wish me luck

 

[auburnO5]

There's not THAT much that FA doesn't include. At least IMO for Step 1 material.

 

[Radonkulous]

I have FA 2010. Any need to upgrade to FA 2012?

 

[mdeast]

FA 2012 is a lot better than previous editions because (1) it's in color (2) high yield images are now integrated into the text (instead of in the back).

 

[Radonkulous]

how about content?

 

[auburnO5]

how about content?

Probably close to the same. In my opinion 2012 >>>> 2010 + 2011, just for the fact that it includes color pictures throughout.