So I am about 2 weeks from finishing my content review, leaving me about a month - 5 weeks for FL tests, which is normal right? I took a Kap course last summer and ended up voiding the MCAT bc my score wasn't so hot so I have a pretty decent idea on what I need to work on. My parents are being extremely anxious though and keep asking me why I haven't taken a practice test yet. To make matters worse, my sister is taking the MCAT too, and has already started on FLs. She isn't improving though on the tests, which I believe is due to her rushing through content review so I don't want to make the same mistake...
It's a bad idea to take a test when there are things you KNOW you will bomb right? Is there anything I can do? I was trying to rush and do more per day to finish sooner but then I get overwhelmed and I don't want to do anything.
Everyone has
their best way to do things, so if you feel finishing content review before testing is critical, then that's what you need to do. Personally, I lean towards your sister's plan for a few reasons.
(1) The real test will have a few things that don't look familiar, and learning to deal with that anxiety is part of your preparation. Your cautious approach may placate your emotions for the moment, but at some point you need to develop a strategy for handling that one passage which trips most people up.
(2) You learn from doing an exam. If you thoroughly review everything you missed and everything you felt uncertain about, then you've reviewed in context rather than in general.
(3) The MCAT tests not only your understanding of the concepts, but also your ability to take a standardized exam. Reviewing material is important, but without applying it you don't really
learn it.
These are my personal opinions that work for me, but if they don't work for you, then you need to make a list of the reasons why your apporach is best for you. No matter what, DO NOT take the MCAT until you feel as ready as you think you can realistically be.
As for parents, that is a slippery slope. There is a fine line between support and added stress. I'd recommend that they make an appointment with an advisor or counselor and get a thorough rundown of the entire application process from a professional. Over the years, I've been part of meetings when our manager and I would sit down with helicopter parents and go over the timeline and schedule for a student. We found that when we'd suggest that parents back off and be a safety net more than a tour guide on the journey, it was generally well received. See if someone from your prep course would sit down with your parents for an hour and field their questions. You'd be surprised how much stress this will take off you. It helped that the manager was older (same age as the parents), so that might be something to keep in mind when you ask someone.
