Please help me guauge my progress

[Nasrudin]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Thanks in advance.

I was wondering if anyone could help me guauge my progress?

I am studying for the PS section--my weakest areas--and am scoring in the 7-10 range with more 8's than anything on the BR sectional exams and the EK sectionals. I am doing these as I finish each section.

I am concerned because it's clear that I have a weak grasp in some of the physics areas and it's unclear how to estimate my progress. I do feel I am understanding a lot more after going over my sectional tests, but I am really trying to figure out if my impending May 27 test date is realistic given that I'm crawling through the physics material.

I am moving on to chemistry which I have a better foundation for and I have taken many Bio courses--micro, physio, genetics, anatomy, more recently so I feel stronger there.

I know this is rambling so i guess I am just wondering how you guys manage hitting walls in your preparation that rattle your overall preparation time frame plans? And if you thought I still am on schedule? I need a 31+ given a lower gpa and an average intelligence.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

Thanks in advance.

I was wondering if anyone could help me guauge my progress?

I am studying for the PS section--my weakest areas--and am scoring in the 7-10 range with more 8's than anything on the BR sectional exams and the EK sectionals. I am doing these as I finish each section.

I am concerned because it's clear that I have a weak grasp in some of the physics areas and it's unclear how to estimate my progress. I do feel I am understanding a lot more after going over my sectional tests, but I am really trying to figure out if my impending May 27 test date is realistic given that I'm crawling through the physics material.

I am moving on to chemistry which I have a better foundation for and I have taken many Bio courses--micro, physio, genetics, anatomy, more recently so I feel stronger there.

I know this is rambling so i guess I am just wondering how you guys manage hitting walls in your preparation that rattle your overall preparation time frame plans? And if you thought I still am on schedule? I need a 31+ given a lower gpa and an average intelligence.

First take a real test to gauge were you actually stand, then analyze all your questions and determine why you are missing questions, and what you are doing wrong.

 

[Nasrudin]

First take a real test to gauge were you actually stand, then analyze all your questions and determine why you are missing questions, and what you are doing wrong.

Yeah. This is premature, I suppose. I'm going to pretest after I've prepared for the PS section. I'm just getting a little jittery getting my butt kicked by physics.

 

[tncekm]

IMHO one of the best things to do is analyze every single PS problem you do until you're blue in the face. Ask yourself questions and simplify it.

E.g. You're looking at a simple circuit consisting of a battery and three resistors, two in parallel with the other one. The battery is 12V. Resistor 1 is 5OHM and resistor 2 is 7OHM, they are in series with each other, but in parallel with Resistor 3 which is 10OHM.

Which side will get more current? Don't start looking for equations, yet. Consider this. One side of the parallel system has 12OHM resistance and the other side has 10OHM resistance, and the current, like anything else (water, cars in traffic, etc) will follow the path of least resistance (the bigger, wider, road). So, most of the "electron traffic" will go down the path with the 10OHM resistance (R3 only). But, because at some point its the traffic will fill up that large road, it may be more beneficial for some of the "electron traffic" to follow the other path. So, how many electrons flowing through the circuit go through either of the two paths is dependent on how big the roads are. And, just because one road is bigger than the other doesn't mean that all the "electron traffic" will go down that road.

That's the kind of analysis that is most helpful, IMHO, not the stuff that involves equations.

edit: Oh, and try to keep the jitters to a minimum. The universal score killer is nervousness and lack of confidence.

 

[fenguin]

For physics, as long as you've memorized and know how to apply a jillion formulas, you'll be golden. As a result, flashcards and other methods of rote memorization work wonders here - if writing down just the formulas on one side and something like "force due to point charge" on the other doesn't work for you, then try instead to put a very simple problem involving the formula on one side and then the solution on the other side. The point is to be able to recognize right away the formula you need upon exposure to a problem, and recognizing certain features of problems by putting them on flashcards might help you out.