should I postpone?

[epsilonprodigy]

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I am scheduled to take the test on June 16. Here are my practice scores so far:

GS-1: 8/8/9 25
GS-2: 8/10/11 29
GS3- 10/10/11 31
GS-4: 8/10/10 28
GS-5: 10/10/11 31

TBR-1: 11(11.5?)/13/10 34.5 ish
TBR-2: 11/11/10 32
TBR-3 12/12/10 34
TBR-4 10/11/10 31

now the really scary part... I got a 27 with a 9/8/10 breakdown today on TBR-5. I did NOT feel like I could concentrate and was also experimenting with a new method during PS. But still... really really scary. What do you guys think?

 

[ridethecliche]

No.

Stop freaking out over little things.

You were experimenting and it didn't work, plus you couldn't concentrate. Your average is good and you've been doing well so far.

Calm the eff down and get this stuff over with. You'll never feel 100% ready, but you need to get your nerves under control. Srsly.

 

[SeminoleVesicle]

Those GS tests are hard! Most people I've seen scoring 26-30, end up getting 34-38 on the AAMC's. Don't sell yourself short. Chill yo, you got this.

 

[MDminded]

No.

I agree. No. Keep pushing through tests. Did you do an in-depth analysis to determine why you scored poorly? Was it the subjects that were covered?

Typically your weaknesses shine through on a MCAT, not your test-taking [in]abilities. Focus on what you got wrong, why you got it wrong, and then assess yourself.

You are in the last stretch. Just keep pushing, and analyze yourself for several hours. Why did you answer that way? What was your thought process? Why was your thought process wrong?

 

[raltima07]

Switch to real AAMC tests

 

[ridethecliche]

FYI, relative to the TBR exams the aamcs are usually:

+1 PS/-1VR/+1BS

TBR BS is really challenging. You're doing quite well. You should honestly know better than to let one aberrant result shake your entire foundation at this point.

 

[epsilonprodigy]

Thanks for the wise words guys.

You know, I was trying out a strategy I read about on here where you don't really read the PS passages, just go straight to the questions and pick out info as you need it. To my surprise, it didn't really save me much time and also made me feel like I didn't have a grip on things, which obviously affected me throughout the entire test. Tried the same on a GS PS section just to have a sample size >1 and got similarly dismal results. Ah well, live and learn. Not like you usually pick up many useful things from the passage anyway, but there's a lot to be said for the psychological comfort of reading it. Just trying to iron out the timing kinks for PS.

 

[Catburr]

Switch to real AAMC tests

I definitely second this! It sucked for me that they're kinda expensive (35 each!), but at least get the free one and a few more. Later numbers are more recent, buy those if you're not buying them all.

 

[epsilonprodigy]

Problem is, I took the AAMC's last year, with the exception of 11. I am going to take them again, but it's hard to say how reflective they'll be.

Although I did take a GS test a month ago that I took last year, and I literally remembered absolutely nothing, whatsoever. I would imagine the section that it's most significant for is verbal, although on that test nothing from any section rang a bell. Would love to hear others' thoughts about retaking old exams (1 yr+ later.) I know SN2ed doesn't think much of it... but I mean I literally remembered nothing.

 

[MDminded]

Problem is, I took the AAMC's last year, with the exception of 11. I am going to take them again, but it's hard to say how reflective they'll be.

Although I did take a GS test a month ago that I took last year, and I literally remembered absolutely nothing, whatsoever. I would imagine the section that it's most significant for is verbal, although on that test nothing from any section rang a bell. Would love to hear others' thoughts about retaking old exams (1 yr+ later.) I know SN2ed doesn't think much of it... but I mean I literally remembered nothing.

I'm a retaker, too. Like you, the only one I didn't take was 11. My plan of attack is to take TBR exams, and then use 11 for closer to the date (maybe three weeks out), that way, when my score is low, I'll have two TBR exams help bring my confidence back up which will help me POUND the real MCAT. YAY.

 

[ridethecliche]

Problem is, I took the AAMC's last year, with the exception of 11. I am going to take them again, but it's hard to say how reflective they'll be.

Although I did take a GS test a month ago that I took last year, and I literally remembered absolutely nothing, whatsoever. I would imagine the section that it's most significant for is verbal, although on that test nothing from any section rang a bell. Would love to hear others' thoughts about retaking old exams (1 yr+ later.) I know SN2ed doesn't think much of it... but I mean I literally remembered nothing.

I took aamc 3 right around when I began content review. And retook it 3 months later. I didn't remember anything. I think a year is long enough to forget almost everything...

If you recognize passages, well, then you know that you remember stuff.

 

[SN2ed]

Don't switch your technique this late in the game, especially when it's towards a terrible strategy.

I've already written at length on why it's a bad idea to retake practice tests, so I won't go over it again here. Something else to keep in mind though, do you really want to risk your retake on the chance that your AAMC scores are inflated?

 

[ridethecliche]

Don't switch your technique this late in the game, especially when it's towards a terrible strategy.

I've already written at length on why it's a bad idea to retake practice tests, so I won't go over it again here. Something else to keep in mind though, do you really want to risk your retake on the chance that your AAMC scores are inflated?

Taking 11 should sort that out. And honestly, if the OP is doing as well as they are on TBR's I think that they'll be fine.

If you've taken all but one of the AAMC's and are taking other practice tests including good ones such as TBR's, what other options do you really have?

 

[salim271]

FYI, relative to the TBR exams the aamcs are usually:

+1 PS/-1VR/+1BS

TBR BS is really challenging. You're doing quite well. You should honestly know better than to let one aberrant result shake your entire foundation at this point.

^I'm surprised by this because I took a TBR test and found it easy, people have told me that AAMC tests are much more difficult... I'm planning on ordering some of those soon, but I wont start taking them for a few more weeks because my MCAT isnt scheduled until end of July and I'm still reviewing. I just took one of the TBR tests I had to see where I stand...

Anyone have a good idea of when I should start just taking practice tests for practice? Like how many weeks before my test? Two or three?

 

[epsilonprodigy]

Don't switch your technique this late in the game, especially when it's towards a terrible strategy.


Uhm, you aren't kidding. That was a completely terrible experience. Although it does seem that quite a few people have said that CBT 5 has been one of their lowest.

Incidentally, when I re-took GS-1 from last year, I got a LOWER score much of this was due to technical issues and lots of distraction and noise, since I hadn't planned on taking a FL that day but then decided to, the circumstances weren't ideal.

 

[Notsureuser]

whats gs

 

[MDminded]

whats gs

Gold Standard. Another prep company.

 

[bfarn30]

Start taking AAMC practice exams STAT!!

 

[BME11]

^^^ they are much easier than the BR and I the BR CBT #5 was fairly difficult on the PS and VR section

 

[epsilonprodigy]

Thanks guys, got my groove back today 👍 Raw scores on TBR 6 weren't bad, too bad I can't open the bleepin' conversion chart (email is down.)

My verbal score was a little lower, which I've noticed in the past 2 tests, but not too worried, verbal is usually my strongest suit. Might be a touch of burnout.

 

[epsilonprodigy]

*doh* I just realized that I completely looked at the WRONG CONVERSION CHART when calculating my score for CBT 5. I actually got a 31. LOL.

 

[Im Learning]

This is a very good lesson that many on SDN should absorb. A lesson regarding mental toughness.

Before you discovered your score was incorrect, you were distraught, discouraged and frankly, scared. Once the score was corrected, that was all alleviated.

If we are to become doctors, we must find strength from within. Just like in a poker game, the chips go up and they go down, but our emotions cannot ride with them.

Rather than trusting on our internal intuition to analyze our potential, we rely on external, fleeting feedback. Whether it be over a patient on an operating table, or responding to a patient's allergic reaction after a routine allergy shot, these fleeting moments will come suddenly, often, and without regard to the patient nor you.

Confidence must come within, and it must be constant. Be aware of your abilities and acknowledge your intuition. You know who you are, not some silly test.