Should I push step2 back

[pvabc15]

Currently coming towards the end of dedicated for step2 but wondering if I should push the test date back given my practice scores:

NBME 9 - 13: low 240s
NBME 14: 233 (I don't know what happened here today)

Testing in less than 2 weeks. I feel like I just hit a plateau with NBME 9-13...literally got the same 24X score for all but 1 of them despite taking them weeks apart. On Uworld (2nd pass) averaging above 80%. At this point I know the content, I see the questions I got wrong and I realize what a dumb mistakes I made.

I go to a mid/low tier school and hoping to apply to a competitive specialty so ideally aiming for 260+ to set myself apart. Right after the test date we have to start electives so if I did push back it wouldn't be 100% dedicated study time. We're not required to take it now but I would hate to throw these weeks of dedicated away. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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[voxveritatisetlucis]

What were your shelf scores?

 

[GoSpursGo]

Hard to say what you should do. It does seem like you've plateaued, and if you take in <2 weeks then it is unlikely that you'll get the 260 that you were aiming for. That said, you may never hit that level, and it's hard to imagine that you'll jump 20-30 points when you're on an elective.

Honest truth is that everyone wants to hit a 260+, but not everyone will. I would probably hunker down and do your best, get your score, and then figure out if you really are competitive for the specialty you were aiming for.

 

[pvabc15]

70s and 80s

 

[pvabc15]

Hard to say what you should do. It does seem like you've plateaued, and if you take in <2 weeks then it is unlikely that you'll get the 260 that you were aiming for. That said, you may never hit that level, and it's hard to imagine that you'll jump 20-30 points when you're on an elective.

Honest truth is that everyone wants to hit a 260+, but not everyone will. I would probably hunker down and do your best, get your score, and then figure out if you really are competitive for the specialty you were aiming for.

appreciate the honesty. Not really sure what's happening, the highest score was a 246 3 weeks ago. At this point I honestly just want to be done.

 

[LunaOri]

My kid felt the same way, but the last couple of weeks of dedicated study with repetition made a huge difference and they scored over 260.

 

[Med Ed]

At this point I know the content, I see the questions I got wrong and I realize what a dumb mistakes I made.

Is there a pattern to your mistakes?

If the issue is test taking rather than content, aside from more practice questions, the best approach is to relax the day before the exam, get a good night sleep, go in appropriately fed and caffeinated, and then just keep your wits about you.

 

[pvabc15]

My kid felt the same way, but the last couple of weeks of dedicated study with repetition made a huge difference and they scored over 260.

Gives me hope! Anything they focused on particularly during the last week?

 

[pvabc15]

Is there a pattern to your mistakes?

If the issue is test taking rather than content, aside from more practice questions, the best approach is to relax the day before the exam, get a good night sleep, go in appropriately fed and caffeinated, and then just keep your wits about you.

I read too fast.

I end up "skimming" the question, read one point and then I anchor to a answer in my head. In my uworld blocks where I read word for word (literally pointing at the screen), end up averaging high 80s, low 90s...I think just the timing gets me flustered?

This last NBME, went over incorrects - I probably knew the answer to at least 60% of them. I just read a word wrong / didn't read a particular sentence properly.

 

[pvabc15]

Have you taken UWSA2? If not, take that as soon as you can. It's been with my experience and the experience of my friends that it is more accurate for score than pretty much any of the NBMEs. I consistently scored low 220s on NBMEs, ended up with 250s on the real deal. My UWSA2 score was 4 points from my actual score.

I haven't! my plan was to finish the CMS forms, go over uworld incorrects (rapid skim) and then take it. How far in advance did you take UWSA2 from the real test?

 

[LunaOri]

Gives me hope! Anything they focused on particularly during the last week?

A different area or two every day; lots and lots of practice questions.

 

[GoSpursGo]

I read too fast.

I end up "skimming" the question, read one point and then I anchor to a answer in my head. In my uworld blocks where I read word for word (literally pointing at the screen), end up averaging high 80s, low 90s...I think just the timing gets me flustered?

This last NBME, went over incorrects - I probably knew the answer to at least 60% of them. I just read a word wrong / didn't read a particular sentence properly.

Do this:

1) Ignore the prompt--read the last sentence (question stem) first. Not infrequently, the details in the prompt are just red herrings.
2) Read the answer choices and eliminate any answers that you know for sure are distractors
3) Read the prompt quickly
4) Eliminate more wrong answers. If you still have multiple options that you can't narrow down either one, decide which one you feel best about and don't change unless you have a good reason.
5) Move on. Sitting and staring at a question usually is not going to make knowledge pop into your head.

 

[pvabc15]

A different area or two every day; lots and lots of practice questions.

Appreciate it, hope they're doing well

 

[pvabc15]

Do this:

1) Ignore the prompt--read the last sentence (question stem) first. Not infrequently, the details in the prompt are just red herrings.
2) Read the answer choices and eliminate any answers that you know for sure are distractors
3) Read the prompt quickly
4) Eliminate more wrong answers. If you still have multiple options that you can't narrow down either one, decide which one you feel best about and don't change unless you have a good reason.
5) Move on. Sitting and staring at a question usually is not going to make knowledge pop into your head.

Been trying this out, reading the last sentence is making such a difference and I feel like the reading of the actual passage is much more focused. Not sure how I wasn't doing that before.

Getting progressively more nervous approaching test day.