UW first attempt 40%...help!

[Unch]

I have a test date about nine weeks away but have three weeks of protracted finals to get through as well. On advice from a friend, I did a practice full day of UW today to get a baseline. I did 5 50-question tests (mixed/all Qs) and averaged around 40% (range from 35% to 46%) on each of the sections. I haven't really begun my study in earnest yet... just bought all resources and have been noodling around with FA over the last 8 weeks or so.

I know that the NBME tests are more diagnostic but how worried should I be right now with my UW average? I'm shooting for a 220ish score if I can get there. (Of course higher would be better but I have two kids and realistic expectations that study time will be very limited, now and evermore.) I have the rest of UW, the USMLERx Qbank, FA and various HY books. Any advice on whether these are enough and what I should focus on? I just want a gauge of how $%£^ed I might be with entry UW scores like those.

Thx

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[Blesbok]

First, 250 questions is way too many to be doing in UW/day. You need to really read through those explanations and make sure you understand them.

Second, 220 is still very realistic. A little brushing up on biochem and pharm drugs that you haven't covered in a while can jump your score 10-15% on UW in just 3-4 days if you are just starting out and haven't studied yet. Don't get discouraged, just keep your goals in site and work your butt off after your tests are over.

 

[DOctorJay]

UW is used to LEARN, not to predict your score - so just do as Blesbok suggested and you'll be fine - plus you still have 9 weeks (6 weeks solo prep studying), you have enough time, just organize it and plug away.

 

[Unch]

Thanks. I only did the 250 in a day to simulate the marathon of test day... to begin addressing/avoiding the panic of tanking on test day when it's so many sections in a day. Perhaps too early to do the marathon simulation but that was the advice.

I'll take the time to work through all the solutions to those 250 Qs so 250 in a day isn't a waste that way...maybe a little less hunger to see the solutions, though, when there were so many.

Still so hard to gauge, though. At least I have five weeks of focus time at the end to really gear up.

 

[Unch]

Sorry, just to ask that niggling Q again. If I were preoccupied with approximating my test day score, are the NBMEs the best bet still, even though they're not full length?

 

[78222]

Thats fine. I started out scoring 40's and 50's on UW about 4 weeks ago and now I am scoring 60's and 70's

 

[Blesbok]

Sorry, just to ask that niggling Q again. If I were preoccupied with approximating my test day score, are the NBMEs the best bet still, even though they're not full length?

Yes. NBMEs are really the only good way to estimate your score. Qbank calculators help, but are no replacement for an NBME. I would take one immediately after your last test, then take one 2-3 weeks out then another one 1 week out.