Official 2014 Step 1 Experiences and Scores Thread

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Bancrofti said:
I've only seen a few people in passing post anything about 6 month study plans. Tried to help and do a search myself and couldn't find something easily. Closest thing you could take a look at is Phloston's write-up, but his prep took about a year, not 6 months. I looked through a majority of the 2013 thread and for people that mentioned light study in their last term of MS2, most just said they spent time trying to get complete runs through 1st Aid and completing any qbanks they had purchased. A couple people mentioned trying to do weekend reviews of MS1 topics.

I actually plan to finalize my schedule sometime soon. We're in a different boat though, as in reality the only thing I haven't covered up until this final term is Pharmacology.

You probably already know, but it would be best to just completely make your own plan catered to your school schedule and centered on what you've seen already and what you haven't. Then secondarily build that schedule around maximizing looks at material you personally don't feel confident with. Seems to be the general gist of the information.
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Thanks a lot!!! appreciate it. Where do I find Phloston's post for a year of studying? I did a search but unfortunately I can't find it.
 
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All of you who are talking about hitting 250, 260, just wait until you start studying and taking tests. It's very easy to set a goal to work towards, but there is a reason the average score is 227. It's because this test and this prep is so difficult, and there is so much material. Just getting a 230 is an achievement. I'm a slightly above average student at a good school, and I've had to work my butt off for a month to hit average. Almost 3 weeks left to see how high I can get, and to decrease my chances of getting below that.

Just keep expectations in mind. I have no doubt that there will be many 250s and 260s on this thread - there always are - but there should be even more 230s and 240s. Don't feel ashamed, even to get the "average". There is a reason medical school is so difficult to get into, why there are so many obstacles placed in our path. It's to weed out those who can't do it. We're the ones who are left.

As for me, if I break 240, I will be ecstatic.
 
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Snuke said:
All of you who are talking about hitting 250, 260, just wait until you start studying and taking tests. It's very easy to set a goal to work towards, but there is a reason the average score is 227. It's because this test and this prep is so difficult, and there is so much material. Just getting a 230 is an achievement. I'm a slightly above average student at a good school, and I've had to work my butt off for a month to hit average. Almost 3 weeks left to see how high I can get, and to decrease my chances of getting below that.

Just keep expectations in mind. I have no doubt that there will be many 250s and 260s on this thread - there always are - but there should be even more 230s and 240s. Don't feel ashamed, even to get the "average". There is a reason medical school is so difficult to get into, why there are so many obstacles placed in our path. It's to weed out those who can't do it. We're the ones who are left.

As for me, if I break 240, I will be ecstatic.
Click to expand...

Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud. . .
That's just what everyone's doing here, snuke.
So aim high!
 
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900829 said:
Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud. . .
That's just what everyone's doing here, snuke.
So aim high!
Click to expand...

Just be realistic. It's something else to aim for a 260 and be disappointed with a 250.
 
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900829 said:
Reach for the stars so if you fall, you land on a cloud. . .
That's just what everyone's doing here, snuke.
So aim high!
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I'm aiming for a 300 so I can honestly tell people I didn't meet my goal since I got a 270. Just kidding! 😀

I've become outcome-independent in my studies and have focused on hitting my Pomodoro goals whenever possible. My grades have improved since I can easily pinpoint were my weaknesses are based on the time spent studying that subject.
 
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ninjasurgeron said:
I'm aiming for a 300 so I can honestly tell people I didn't meet my goal since I got a 270. Just kidding! 😀

I've become outcome-independent in my studies and have focused on hitting my Pomodoro goals whenever possible. My grades have improved since I can easily pinpoint were my weaknesses are based on the time spent studying that subject.
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Good for u
 
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Debating on whether I should annotate common presentations into 1st aid as I work through RX. I did that for class and it helped to recognize what something was since typically they write questions based on what the most common presentation is. I've heard varying opinions on how straightforward the step is as far as information they include in a stem so I don't know if those annotations will be worthwhile. Want to make sure I'm not doing excessive writing.

Thoughts?
 
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@Bancrofti
I personally dislike seeing annotated FA books. Especially the filthy ones that have more writing than FA itself AND sticky notes on top of that. GOD! They make me wanna :bang:(Deep breaths). . .
With that said, a few notes. . . not so bad lol.
 
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I found it very helpful when using Rx. There is a limited amount of information to add, and it's nice that the page numbers are given where the information is (usually) found.

For Uworld, it's much less helpful, simply because so many concepts are not in FA, or they rely on remembering which cardio drug is hepatotoxic, etc. Annotating is less helpful, though I have done some. I have found it useful to keep a notebook and write down concepts that I've obvious never had, or never knew well enough. Every day, I go over what I have written down.

Some people swear by annotating. I say, annotate wherever you're going to read it again.
 
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@900829 Agreed. I've seen some snaps of densely annotated FA books and I'm always a little confused. I can understand going into depth on a topic you aren't confident with or something you haven't seen previously, but having that volume of extra info on every page seems a bit OD. Granted, you want to put yourself in the best position to do well on the exam, but if there is that much you don't understand then maybe you have bigger problems :shrug:

Thanks Snuke!

I guess I've stalked the 2013 thread and read enough that I already know what the answers are. In reality there is no 1 format fits all guide to achieving a certain score. Sometimes it is a little reassuring to see that someone else has a similar mindset though.
 
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Shooting for 240+, at my second pass through first aid now and halfway through rx with a 73% average.

Hoping to get through UWorld and KapQbank after. Doing at least one practice NBME or full length a week.

First practice full length (KapSimExam1)- 74%.

Anyone have experience with Goljan's 36 Page High Yield for step? Useful? Not?
 
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I have a question for you guys. When it comes to the dedicated study time, will you be spending a majority of the time reading first aid or doing questions from UWorld? I feel like taking a block of questions of Uworld and reviewing the answers will take forever and don't know if i should even bother reading first aid
 
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Flamen04 said:
I have a question for you guys. When it comes to the dedicated study time, will you be spending a majority of the time reading first aid or doing questions from UWorld? I feel like taking a block of questions of Uworld and reviewing the answers will take forever and don't know if i should even bother reading first aid
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I think after this last pass through first aid, I'm going to just do questions. It's near impossible to do both, I was originally doing 3 blocks with review and trying to read 50 pages of first aid a day, then it started snowballing. Reading through first aid is a comfort tool.
 
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OMG PASSED WITH A SCORE I DIDNT MANAGE I WOULD ACHIEVE!!!!!!! PRAISE TO THE LORD

nbme 7 - 3 months out - 177
nbme 11 - 2 month out - 207
nbme 12 - 1 month out - 212
nbme 13 - 2 weeks out - 217

Actual Score: 231

Just to let you guys know I walked out of the exam feeling like complete ****. I was depressed for 4 days and all I did was browse around the forums on people who failed step 1 and how they were able to match into residency. Remind you im an IMG so I can't afford to fail the Step1. I was miserable. To make things worse I had to wait 5 weeks for my score because of all the holidays etc. I bought the new edition of Goljans to begin what I thought was going to be a loooong loong way ahead. When I saw my score i scrolled slowly and saw the Pass. At that moment I was relieved because at that point thats all I wanted. Then I see the 231 and I was confused, I honestly did not think I would get that score. During the exam I marked about 20 questions per block. I was ready to give up and just leave after the 4th block. Praise to the LORD!!!


 
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OMG PASSED WITH A SCORE I DIDNT MANAGE I WOULD ACHIEVE!!!!!!! PRAISE TO THE LORD

nbme 7 - 3 months out - 177
nbme 11 - 2 month out - 207
nbme 12 - 1 month out - 212
nbme 13 - 2 weeks out - 217

Actual Score: 231
Just to let you guys know I walked out of the exam feeling like complete ****. I was depressed for 4 days and all I did was browse around the forums on people who failed step 1 and how they were able to match into residency. Remind you im an IMG so I can't afford to fail the Step1. I was miserable. To make things worse I had to wait 5 weeks for my score because of all the holidays etc. I bought the new edition of Goljans to begin what I thought was going to be a loooong loong way ahead. When I saw my score i scrolled slowly and saw the Pass. At that moment I was relieved because at that point thats all I wanted. Then I see the 231 and I was confused, I honestly did not think I would get that score. During the exam I marked about 20 questions per block. I was ready to give up and just leave after the 4th block. Praise to the LORD!!!
Click to expand...
Congrats!!
Can you share your study plan? Thanks
 
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Hey, does anyone know if we need to know what diseases are reportable? I see a number of those questions come up. if so, can we come up with a list?
 
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Xbocker said:
OMG PASSED WITH A SCORE I DIDNT MANAGE I WOULD ACHIEVE!!!!!!! PRAISE TO THE LORD

nbme 7 - 3 months out - 177
nbme 11 - 2 month out - 207
nbme 12 - 1 month out - 212
nbme 13 - 2 weeks out - 217

Actual Score: 231

Just to let you guys know I walked out of the exam feeling like complete ****. I was depressed for 4 days and all I did was browse around the forums on people who failed step 1 and how they were able to match into residency. Remind you im an IMG so I can't afford to fail the Step1. I was miserable. To make things worse I had to wait 5 weeks for my score because of all the holidays etc. I bought the new edition of Goljans to begin what I thought was going to be a loooong loong way ahead. When I saw my score i scrolled slowly and saw the Pass. At that moment I was relieved because at that point thats all I wanted. Then I see the 231 and I was confused, I honestly did not think I would get that score. During the exam I marked about 20 questions per block. I was ready to give up and just leave after the 4th block. Praise to the LORD!!!
Click to expand...

Dude, CONGRATS!!!!!!!!
Awesome start to the step score reports.
 
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Xbocker said:
OMG PASSED WITH A SCORE I DIDNT MANAGE I WOULD ACHIEVE!!!!!!! PRAISE TO THE LORD

nbme 7 - 3 months out - 177
nbme 11 - 2 month out - 207
nbme 12 - 1 month out - 212
nbme 13 - 2 weeks out - 217

Actual Score: 231

Just to let you guys know I walked out of the exam feeling like complete ****. I was depressed for 4 days and all I did was browse around the forums on people who failed step 1 and how they were able to match into residency. Remind you im an IMG so I can't afford to fail the Step1. I was miserable. To make things worse I had to wait 5 weeks for my score because of all the holidays etc. I bought the new edition of Goljans to begin what I thought was going to be a loooong loong way ahead. When I saw my score i scrolled slowly and saw the Pass. At that moment I was relieved because at that point thats all I wanted. Then I see the 231 and I was confused, I honestly did not think I would get that score. During the exam I marked about 20 questions per block. I was ready to give up and just leave after the 4th block. Praise to the LORD!!!
Click to expand...

Hey congrats, i am sure you worked very hard to get that and yes, this exam is pretty damn tough!!! You actually went higher than your NBMEs by quite a margin, thats really awsome to see 🙂. I was expecting my score today, but it didnt come..in fact a lot of people didnt get their scores today...
 
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Snuke said:
All of you who are talking about hitting 250, 260, just wait until you start studying and taking tests. It's very easy to set a goal to work towards, but there is a reason the average score is 227. It's because this test and this prep is so difficult, and there is so much material. Just getting a 230 is an achievement. I'm a slightly above average student at a good school, and I've had to work my butt off for a month to hit average. Almost 3 weeks left to see how high I can get, and to decrease my chances of getting below that.

Just keep expectations in mind. I have no doubt that there will be many 250s and 260s on this thread - there always are - but there should be even more 230s and 240s. Don't feel ashamed, even to get the "average". There is a reason medical school is so difficult to get into, why there are so many obstacles placed in our path. It's to weed out those who can't do it. We're the ones who are left.

As for me, if I break 240, I will be ecstatic.
Click to expand...

There are only two things you need to do to excel on Step1:

1) Do as many practice questions as you can.
2) Read FA as much as possible.

Everything else is (generally) superfluous.

People in med school aren't stupid. The reason the average is a 227 is because people don't do enough questions. Fact.

That doesn't mean someone can't get a really high score if he or she "only does FA + UWorld" and "only took 6 weeks," but that person had also secretly studied really hard for two years and won't admit it. For most people who have lives and don't study all of the time during the first two years of med, by the time they approach the real deal, it really just comes down to how many questions they did and how much time they spent memorizing FA.

If you can stay committed during MS2 and complete USMLE Rx + Kaplan QBank + UWorld (reading all of the explanations for both incorrect AND correct questions), you're practically guaranteed a 250+.
 
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A good rule of thumb I've found is that if there is a vaccine for it, it's probably reportable. Plus food poisoning bugs.
 
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Snuke said:
A good rule of thumb I've found is that if there is a vaccine for it, it's probably reportable. Plus food poisoning bugs.
Click to expand...
Phloston said:
That list doesn't say it (unless I'm blind), but one of the really HY tidbits for Step1 is that Varicella (chickenpox) is a reportable disease in the US.

Wikipedia confirms it though.
Click to expand...

Thanks Phlos, I just came across the post you started about this topic from 2012, my bad.
 
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Just did the Kaplan diagnostic. 59% overall :/
I've seen people say they started low with their scores, so hopefully it's the same here. I think it's recommended NBMEs are saved until dedicated study time, so until then should I just focus on question banks and not do any more simulations.

If anyone has Kaplan though I'd recommend it. I'm trying to finalize a schedule for myself and it definitely helps you see where your weaknesses are. Not even that much of a time waste as you can consider it as qbank practice since you can review all 150 questions. I also realized half my battle on exam day is going to be having the ability to focus for that long and managing my breaks.
 
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Bancrofti said:
Just did the Kaplan diagnostic. 59% overall :/
I've seen people say they started low with their scores, so hopefully it's the same here. I think it's recommended NBMEs are saved until dedicated study time, so until then should I just focus on question banks and not do any more simulations.

If anyone has Kaplan though I'd recommend it. I'm trying to finalize a schedule for myself and it definitely helps you see where your weaknesses are. Not even that much of a time waste as you can consider it as qbank practice since you can review all 150 questions. I also realized half my battle on exam day is going to be having the ability to focus for that long and managing my breaks.
Click to expand...

My diagnostic undershot my QBank % and Kaplan full-length exams by 10 percentage points.

Kaplan does that in order to beguile you into thinking you've benefited from them more than you actually have (i.e., so you finish their platform saying, "wow, I've really improved."). It was the same for their SAT course.
 
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I have no clue honestly. I tried to search to find something and there isn't much info on it and what I have seen varies widely. So I'm just going with the fact that a 50 anything % isn't a good score. That being said, I think I would have been content with a .65 as a good starting position, so it isn't like that was extremely far off. 30 of the questions were Pharm also, and that is the one thing I haven't covered at all.

My study plan as far as developing one or as far as what I've touched to begin studying? If the latter, than essentially nothing. I do FC and I did some sections of Kaplan qbank for Path and Micro studying last term. Only section I've touched in FA is Hematology for a quick run-through and did the associated rx questions. Also went over Pathoma over winter break as I tended to rush through it in favor of studying class notes during my course since our tests tend to be way more detailed than Pathoma.

Phloston said:
My diagnostic undershot my QBank % and Kaplan full-length exams by 10 percentage points.

Kaplan does that in order to beguile you into thinking you've benefited from them more than you actually have (i.e., so you finish their platform saying, "wow, I've really improved."). It was the same for their SAT course.
Click to expand...

You should probably stop being so good at answering questions or I'm going to have to start PMing you like everyone did in the 2013 thread lol. Thanks though, that helps me feel a little better about it.
 
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Snuke said:
All of you who are talking about hitting 250, 260, just wait until you start studying and taking tests. It's very easy to set a goal to work towards, but there is a reason the average score is 227. It's because this test and this prep is so difficult, and there is so much material. Just getting a 230 is an achievement. I'm a slightly above average student at a good school, and I've had to work my butt off for a month to hit average. Almost 3 weeks left to see how high I can get, and to decrease my chances of getting below that.

Just keep expectations in mind. I have no doubt that there will be many 250s and 260s on this thread - there always are - but there should be even more 230s and 240s. Don't feel ashamed, even to get the "average". There is a reason medical school is so difficult to get into, why there are so many obstacles placed in our path. It's to weed out those who can't do it. We're the ones who are left.

As for me, if I break 240, I will be ecstatic.
Click to expand...
Phloston said:
There are only two things you need to do to excel on Step1:

1) Do as many practice questions as you can.
2) Read FA as much as possible.

Everything else is (generally) superfluous.

People in med school aren't stupid. The reason the average is a 227 is because people don't do enough questions. Fact.

That doesn't mean someone can't get a really high score if he or she "only does FA + UWorld" and "only took 6 weeks," but that person had also secretly studied really hard for two years and won't admit it. For most people who have lives and don't study all of the time during the first two years of med, by the time they approach the real deal, it really just comes down to how many questions they did and how much time they spent memorizing FA.

If you can stay committed during MS2 and complete USMLE Rx + Kaplan QBank + UWorld (reading all of the explanations for both incorrect AND correct questions), you're practically guaranteed a 250+.
Click to expand...

This is the most ridiculous comment I have ever seen from you. I agree with Snuke, actually. I had set out to break 250 before I started my dedicated study period, but I underestimated how much actual studying it would take to get me there. I only started to break 250 on my practice exams about 2 weeks out (started with a 215 baseline 6 weeks out). You are not "practically guaranteed" anything. This type of comment is what causes people to have unrealistic expectations of what they can expect on the real deal, and it implies that anyone who scores below a 250 is incompetent or didn't study correctly. Come on, dude.
 
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With 12 weeks of dedicated study time and rx 100% completed, would it be more advantageous to complete uworld 2x or complete uworld + kaplan bank? Clearly, kaplan would be done prior to uworld.
 
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boogaloo said:
This is the most ridiculous comment I have ever seen from you. I agree with Snuke, actually. I had set out to break 250 before I started my dedicated study period, but I underestimated how much actual studying it would take to get me there. I only started to break 250 on my practice exams about 2 weeks out (started with a 215 baseline 6 weeks out). You are not "practically guaranteed" anything. This type of comment is what causes people to have unrealistic expectations of what they can expect on the real deal, and it implies that anyone who scores below a 250 is incompetent or didn't study correctly. Come on, dude.
Click to expand...

lol.
 
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Realistic expectations never put men on the moon, or Usain Bolt finishing 100m in 9.58s, or let Stephen Hawking continue to work despite having AML. They never let Terry Fox run across Canada with an amputated leg, get Pacquiao 10 world titles, or any musician/actor their careers. They didn't get Lance Armstrong his wins (In a Sport Where EVERYONE is blood doping, using erythropoetin and test), they didn't get the discovery of the Higg's boson, and they didn't get Easy company through Bastogne. Come to think of it, realistic expectation never got anyone anything worth talking about. If you want to do something profound, you have to let go and get a little crazy. Those who constantly say to themselves and believe they can and those who say they can't are always right.

I barely passed all my classes in a school that focused on recalling minutiae and rote memorizing lists of symptoms/signs/lab/rx, with no emphasis on why. People laughed and said I'd get 200-210. They said I was crazy for trying and might as well just go home. I thought "allright... so if I'm crazy for trying, I may as well be crazy enough to shoot for 250+." I just believed, and I worked, and I used those four resources @Phloston and @maryjane85 said. I kept it simple, and annotated the bare minimum: "what is the question trying to teach me, and how could I have come up with this answer using my FA knowledge." I went into my test and damn near thought I had a pheochromocytoma during that first block, but I calmed myself, and just kept at it and I came out with a 254.

F*** limiting beliefs. See it as it is, but not worse than it is, then see it as it could be grander; and see you as you could be grander.

Proficiency comes from belief, raw effort, consistency and persistence. Oh and a lot of good ol' fashioned light-hearted **** talking between your peers.
 
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Modeselektor said:
Realistic expectations never put men on the moon, or Usain Bolt finishing 100m in 9.58s, or let Stephen Hawking continue to work despite having AML. They never let Terry Fox run across Canada with an amputated leg, get Pacquiao 10 world titles, or any musician/actor their careers. They didn't get Lance Armstrong his wins (In a Sport Where EVERYONE is blood doping, using erythropoetin and test), they didn't get the discovery of the Higg's boson, and they didn't get Easy company through Bastogne. Come to think of it, realistic expectation never got anyone anything worth talking about. If you want to do something profound, you have to let go and get a little crazy. Those who constantly say to themselves and believe they can and those who say they can't are always right.

I barely passed all my classes in a school that focused on recalling minutiae and rote memorizing lists of symptoms/signs/lab/rx, with no emphasis on why. People laughed and said I'd get 200-210. They said I was crazy for trying and might as well just go home. I thought "allright... so if I'm crazy for trying, I may as well be crazy enough to shoot for 250+." I just believed, and I worked, and I used those four resources @Phloston and @maryjane85 said. I kept it simple, and annotated the bare minimum: "what is the question trying to teach me, and how could I have come up with this answer using my FA knowledge." I went into my test and damn near thought I had a pheochromocytoma during that first block, but I calmed myself, and just kept at it and I came out with a 254.

F*** limiting beliefs. See it as it is, but not worse than it is, then see it as it could be grander; and see you as you could be grander.

Proficiency comes from belief, raw effort, consistency and persistence. Oh and a lot of good ol' fashioned light-hearted **** talking between your peers.
Click to expand...
:claps:You, sir/ma'am, have earned my respect. This comment was absolutely necessary, and it is greatly appreciated.
 
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Modeselektor said:
...

F*** limiting beliefs. See it as it is, but not worse than it is, then see it as it could be grander; and see you as you could be grander.

Proficiency comes from belief, raw effort, consistency and persistence. Oh and a lot of good ol' fashioned light-hearted **** talking between your peers.
Click to expand...

No one is saying that you shouldn't set goals, nor *lower* expectations. I'm saying that you have to respect yourself and where you are. FA + 10,000 questions seems like a pretty easy formula until you try and find out : you don't have enough time, you're missing some major concepts, you don't have the money, or *it just isn't working for you*.

If you try your best, and you get a 230, then you should be dmn proud of that 230, no matter what anyone else says or scores.
 
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@Snuke So you're saying aim high, do your best and be proud with what you have, no regrets?

I am totally 100% behind this man.
 
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Modeselektor said:
@Snuke So you're saying aim high, do your best and be proud with what you have, no regrets?

I am totally 100% behind this man.
Click to expand...


Yes. And never be ashamed of what you do, if you put your heart and soul into it.

Anomalies may happen even on test day. The only thing you can do is your best, and what happens happens. Whatever you get, it's *yours* and you worked for it.
 
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I totally understand, agree and am pretty uplifted by that post man. I gotta bounce, its Saturday over here and my friends are calling, but thanks for that man. I understand what you mean.
 
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