Test in a week and I need some solid advice.

[AresAres]

This is my first post and here it goes:
I'm very very very nervous. I've not been scoring well on practice tests and taking the test next Friday. My goal is 508+, but it seems unrealistic now.
1) Kaplan FL 1: 489------ After this I went hard on content
2) Next Step FL 2: 498-----This was a bit relief
3) Kaplan FL2: 490------- At this point I promised myself that I'm not taking Kaplan.
3) Next Step FL 3: 498
4) Kaplan FL 3: 492------- Oh well, there I took it again for the last time 🙁
5) Next Step FL 1: 503----- OK finally I jumped 500 mark.
6) Next Step FL 4: 501----- Psych/Soc got 124, but again I had 4 weeks, I thought I can improve.
7) Next Step FL 6: 495----- Well FU*K ME. 3 weeks to go. This is where it hits me: "I can't do it."
8) Sample Test: C/P: 59%, CARS: 68%, B/B: 61%, P/S: 66%
9) Next Step FL 5: 500
I was planing of taking the AAMC FL1 tomorrow, but I think I need to just take a day off.

Between the tests I did content review that i felt needed improvement and did UWorld problems. Chem and physics, I did higher than average, but others not very well. I also did some Khan Academy Passages.
I did the Section Bank (B/B and P/S was hard). The AAMC question pack wasn't that bad (haven't finished it yet).
I'm just not feeling good lately, nervous that I can't get 508. Can someone here please help me how to improve; i can void the test and retake it in January, but I think if studying for 3 months can't help me, how studying for 5 more months going to help? Beside I'm also taking classes in falls. Looks like I'm not a good standardized test taker and this bothers me. How come this guy, who sits next to me, does equally good as me in classes, but is scoring 509-515 on his practice tests and I'm stuck at 500? (he did say he took Altius course and studied for 7-8 months).

Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you

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[Black Mamba Gene]

what have been your uworld %'s ?
what were %s in sb?
also NS exams have been said to give inflated score if you are scoring below a 504

I feel as if you still have gaps in your content review. If I were you, I would void and take in jan if your goal is 508+

 

[AresAres]

what have been your uworld %'s ?
what were %s in sb?
also NS exams have been said to give inflated score if you are scoring below a 504

I feel as if you still have gaps in your content review. If I were you, I would void and take in jan if your goal is 508+

Uworld i did untime, yet keep track of time. Biology: 49%, Biochemistry: 51%, Behavioral sciences: 52%, CARS: 46%, GenChem: 65%, OChem: 57%, Physics: 52%.


I took my sweet time to do SB passages.
C/P 59% B/B 56% and P/S 53%

How do I go studying about it? Reread the content and do passages and FLs?

 

[On_The_Way_Up]

This is my first post and here it goes:
I'm very very very nervous. I've not been scoring well on practice tests and taking the test next Friday. My goal is 508+, but it seems unrealistic now.
1) Kaplan FL 1: 489------ After this I went hard on content
2) Next Step FL 2: 498-----This was a bit relief
3) Kaplan FL2: 490------- At this point I promised myself that I'm not taking Kaplan.
3) Next Step FL 3: 498
4) Kaplan FL 3: 492------- Oh well, there I took it again for the last time 🙁
5) Next Step FL 1: 503----- OK finally I jumped 500 mark.
6) Next Step FL 4: 501----- Psych/Soc got 124, but again I had 4 weeks, I thought I can improve.
7) Next Step FL 6: 495----- Well FU*K ME. 3 weeks to go. This is where it hits me: "I can't do it."
8) Sample Test: C/P: 59%, CARS: 68%, B/B: 61%, P/S: 66%
9) Next Step FL 5: 500
I was planing of taking the AAMC FL1 tomorrow, but I think I need to just take a day off.

Between the tests I did content review that i felt needed improvement and did UWorld problems. Chem and physics, I did higher than average, but others not very well. I also did some Khan Academy Passages.
I did the Section Bank (B/B and P/S was hard). The AAMC question pack wasn't that bad (haven't finished it yet).
I'm just not feeling good lately, nervous that I can't get 508. Can someone here please help me how to improve; i can void the test and retake it in January, but I think if studying for 3 months can't help me, how studying for 5 more months going to help? Beside I'm also taking classes in falls. Looks like I'm not a good standardized test taker and this bothers me. How come this guy, who sits next to me, does equally good as me in classes, but is scoring 509-515 on his practice tests and I'm stuck at 500? (he did say he took Altius course and studied for 7-8 months).

Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you

You need to void and take it in January. And you can’t have the mindset “I studied for 3 months so what will another 5 do.” You aren’t studying the right way and need to change up your study plan. I was in your position. 4 months I “studied” but wasn’t using the best materials and didn’t put in enough time. I voided the exam in June. I strengthened my content and have done much more passage practice. Last Next Step exam I scored 511 but 4 months ago was scoring between 499-503. Don’t take any AAMC practice exams if you haven’t already. You would just be wasting them. Save them for closer to January. I highly suggest EK and Altius exams. Next Step are ok.

 

[toedrag]

NS exams scores <508 are inflated. If I remember correctly, you could get 45-50% correct on science sub sections and still be hitting 125 on NS. Sample test and question packs (excluding CARS pack) are NOT representative. Sections banks are extremely representative. Take a day off and take AAMC 1. Maybe you'll score much better in AAMC? Don't waste AAMC 2 and 3 though if you're unhappy with your score on AAMC 1. Your best bet is to sit for the exam, void it, and retake in January. At this point, you can't get a refund. It's best to sit for the exam and gain the experience.

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

Agree with everyone saying to void. You have large knowledge gaps that you need to close before you do any more practice tests and before you even think of taking it again. Schedule for January and hit the books, KA, and other channels like MedSimplified. Keep doing uworld but really pay attention to the explanations.

 

[AresAres]

You need to void and take it in January. And you can’t have the mindset “I studied for 3 months so what will another 5 do.” You aren’t studying the right way and need to change up your study plan. I was in your position. 4 months I “studied” but wasn’t using the best materials and didn’t put in enough time. I voided the exam in June. I strengthened my content and have done much more passage practice. Last Next Step exam I scored 511 but 4 months ago was scoring between 499-503. Don’t take any AAMC practice exams if you haven’t already. You would just be wasting them. Save them for closer to January. I highly suggest EK and Altius exams. Next Step are ok.

Thank you for replying. I'm leaning towards voiding it. What did you change from 4 months, what study habits, books, materials, schedule? Can you please elaborate on that? What was your mind set when you approached the passages/questions before (I think that's where I'm now), and what's your mind set doing them now? What changed?
How do you approach highly experimental, SB like, passages? How did you improve CARS or are you naturally good with CARS?

 

[AresAres]

NS exams scores <508 are inflated. If I remember correctly, you could get 45-50% correct on science sub sections and still be hitting 125 on NS. Sample test and question packs (excluding CARS pack) are NOT representative. Sections banks are extremely representative. Take a day off and take AAMC 1. Maybe you'll score much better in AAMC? Don't waste AAMC 2 and 3 though if you're unhappy with your score on AAMC 1. Your best bet is to sit for the exam, void it, and retake in January. At this point, you can't get a refund. It's best to sit for the exam and gain the experience.

I'm probably going to void. Yes, that's true, I got 34/59 (57%) in C/P and got a 126 and 31/59(53%) in B/B and scored a 125. I'm out of NS FLs. I can buy Altius FLs and do one of them to see how I do there. Or would you say do AAMC FL? Ideally I should be missing about 15 questions per section. Right?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

I'm probably going to void. Yes, that's true, I got 34/59 (57%) in C/P and got a 126 and 31/59(53%) in B/B and scored a 125. I'm out of NS FLs. I can buy Altius FLs and do one of them to see how I do there. Or would you say do AAMC FL? Ideally I should be missing about 15 questions per section. Right?

Personally, I wouldn’t waste an AAMC FL. You’re not likely to do well and will only have 2 left after you do more content review. If you absolutely want to take one to see if you miraculously do much better, then yes take 1.

 

[AresAres]

Personally, I wouldn’t waste an AAMC FL. You’re not likely to do well and will only have 2 left after you do more content review. If you absolutely want to take one to see if you miraculously do much better, then yes take 1.

What do you suggest I do for 9 days before this test?

 

[Matthew9Thirtyfive]

What do you suggest I do for 9 days before this test?

You’re voiding anyway, right? I would just do content review and use this test as a way to experience the real deal and get some of your nerves out.

 

[toedrag]

I'm probably going to void. Yes, that's true, I got 34/59 (57%) in C/P and got a 126 and 31/59(53%) in B/B and scored a 125. I'm out of NS FLs. I can buy Altius FLs and do one of them to see how I do there. Or would you say do AAMC FL? Ideally I should be missing about 15 questions per section. Right?

With 3 AAMC FLs out, it won't hurt you to gauge where you're at by taking AAMC 1. For a 508+, 45/59 in each section will probably net you a 127 ish (although it does vary). In one AAMC exam, I remember a 50/59 in P/S was a 126/127 which is nuts.

 

[Black Mamba Gene]

With 3 AAMC FLs out, it won't hurt you to gauge where you're at by taking AAMC 1. For a 508+, 45/59 in each section will probably net you a 127 ish (although it does vary). In one AAMC exam, I remember a 50/59 in P/S was a 126/127 which is nuts.

but he can convert his score through the sample test he took.
59% in c/p and 61% on bis on the sample test which is supposed to be lower difficulty compared to the AAMC scored FLs.

The sample test he took already showed that he is not where he wants to be. I think he should just save up every aamc material he has for testing in jan.

 

[toedrag]

but he can convert his score through the sample test he took.
59% in c/p and 61% on bis on the sample test which is supposed to be lower difficulty compared to the AAMC scored FLs.

The sample test he took already showed that he is not where he wants to be. I think he should just save up every aamc material he has for testing in jan.

Personally, I thought that the convertor for sample to AAMC FLs is unreliable