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blackandgold1

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So idk why but i feel pretty discouraged. No matter how much I study, my score seems to just be stuck. Its not moving at all. I'm stuck at upper 30's and while I know thats good, I realllyy realllyyy want a 34+. But for some reason I'll do good on PS on one ttest, drop on BS on another test, do bad on verbal on another test. Its so frustrating. My test is 5/26.. anyone have any suggestions how to boost my score about 2 points?

Any encouragement/advice would be appreciated. Thanks
 
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I don't know how spiritual or religious you are but I will say pray about it. You've done all that you could and more and with that being said you should be proud of yourself. So many people stop in the middle of their study schedule because they can't take the pressure but you preserved.

I'm studying for the August MCAT and all I can suggest from reading posts in the 30+ posts is throughly review your AAMC tests like you've never done before and even take notes on questions you got wrong and re-do those questions until you get them. Maybe you can even make a fact book based on things you see yourself missing and can review it a few days prior to taking your test.

At this point all you can do is improve your test taking skills and tighten up on topics you seem to always miss. Besides that I strongly believe you should be at peace and know that you will get a great score because you did the work.

Stay encouraged and know you're in my prayers!
 
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As I'm going over my last practice exam, I'm starting to see that if I had taken a second to ask myself what the question was really asking, I'd get it right.

Also, not looking at the answer choices while doing the math because then I jump to a number I get that I see on there instead of finishing the work. That and working on test taking.

Honestly, because I've taken so many practice exams now, I don't feel like I have that edge when taking practice exams anymore. For the first few practice exams I took, I used to feel this rush when I sat down to do them and figure things out. Since I didn't know much content then, I used to have to figure out ways to solve stuff on the fly. Now I revert to content instead of instinct and end up overthinking the simple things...
 
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blackandgold1 said:
So idk why but i feel pretty discouraged. No matter how much I study, my score seems to just be stuck. Its not moving at all. I'm stuck at upper 30's and while I know thats good, I realllyy realllyyy want a 34+. But for some reason I'll do good on PS on one ttest, drop on BS on another test, do bad on verbal on another test. Its so frustrating. My test is 5/26.. anyone have any suggestions how to boost my score about 2 points?

Any encouragement/advice would be appreciated. Thanks
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How to boost from upper 30s? No, I don't think there really is advice. A score in the 40s is more a matter of luck than skill; it's a difference of a handful of questions. If you're averaging in the upper 30's then you're very likely to get >= 34 on your actual test.
 
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HatWobble said:
How to boost from upper 30s? No, I don't think there really is advice. A score in the 40s is more a matter of luck than skill; it's a difference of a handful of questions. If you're averaging in the upper 30's then you're very likely to get >= 34 on your actual test.
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Lol sorry when I meant upper 30's i meant "low 30's" definitely not past 34. Ughhh.

Thanks for all the encouragement guys, I've definitely been praying for this test. I hope it all works out.
 
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ridethecliche said:
Honestly, because I've taken so many practice exams now, I don't feel like I have that edge when taking practice exams anymore. For the first few practice exams I took, I used to feel this rush when I sat down to do them and figure things out. Since I didn't know much content then, I used to have to figure out ways to solve stuff on the fly. Now I revert to content instead of instinct and end up overthinking the simple things...
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Ditto
 
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elusiveCHILD said:
I don't know how spiritual or religious you are but I will say pray about it. You've done all that you could and more and with that being said you should be proud of yourself. So many people stop in the middle of their study schedule because they can't take the pressure but you preserved.

I'm studying for the August MCAT and all I can suggest from reading posts in the 30+ posts is throughly review your AAMC tests like you've never done before and even take notes on questions you got wrong and re-do those questions until you get them. Maybe you can even make a fact book based on things you see yourself missing and can review it a few days prior to taking your test.

At this point all you can do is improve your test taking skills and tighten up on topics you seem to always miss. Besides that I strongly believe you should be at peace and know that you will get a great score because you did the work.

Stay encouraged and know you're in my prayers!
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I like your style elusivechild.

Hang in there...heed EC's advice!

Oh, and if your test isn't until August, do not hesitate to take a week off of studying. Even a few days will suffice. You may very well be in the burnout plateau and your brain needs a little rest.
 
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elusiveCHILD said:
At this point all you can do is improve your test taking skills and tighten up on topics you seem to always miss. Besides that I strongly believe you should be at peace and know that you will get a great score because you did the work.

Stay encouraged and know you're in my prayers!
Click to expand...


Thank youuu that means alot, and definitely calmed me down a bit. I've def been praying alot for this test... I've put in hard work for five months so I'm just gonna leave the rest to God. 🙂
 
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you realize once you get in that upper 30's range it's only a few questions that separate each score? It really all comes down to sheer luck at that point
 
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I'd definitely echo elusiveCHILD on this one. I teach students to create a "why I missed it" chart after practice tests. It's pretty basic: you have a column with Test Section, Topic; another one for Question Type; and another one for "Why I missed It". Possible reasons are "wrong calculation" "didn't know formula" "brought in outside knowledge" "misread question" "answer choice was in the passage but not relevant to the question" and so on.

If you review it, you should be able to tease out a pattern. Think of it like a football player watching game tape after a game. The player has to do that otherwise he'll make the same mistakes over and over. No one wants to watch tape, but everyone does (ask Peyton or Brees) because it pays off big time.

I also definitely agree that a day or two completely off will allow you to refresh and rest up those synapses that have to keep firing over and over when you're prepping for the MCAT. Best of success! 😀
 
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I echo everyone here - take a day off. Rest those synapses. Stressing out about the MCAT is the last thing you want to do. You've been working hard for five months - it will pay off in a great score. Just be confident, keep your eyes on the prize, and ATTACK.

I am the religious type, as you seemingly are, too. You are giving your 110%, so let God do the rest. Ask for help in remembering, not stressing, and trusting your instincts.

Ridethecliche hit it dead on when they talked about overthinking. Maybe you are doing a little bit of that, too. The real MCAT will challenge you to think above what you've been practicing (similar to AAMC 11). Just identify what they're asking you about, bring together all the pieces associated with that topic, and answer with boldness and confidence. 🙂

Rest, relax, and then go get 'em, tiger!
 
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