Where to go from here?

[elitehacker1337]

So I finished content and took some 1/2 FLs and FLs.
NS 1/2 FL: 506 (126/123/128/129)
Altius 1/2 FL: 506 (127/126/127/126)
TPR Demo FL: 501 (125/123/125/128)
TPR FL1: 497 (124/121/125/127)
TPR FL2: 497 (124/121/126/126)
All Uworld (except CARS bc preset timing was weird): 70% for all sections (done before starting tests)-> 61% Bio, 63% Gen Chem, 68% Physics. rest >70%
Averaging about 65% on Daily JW CARS
Everything under timed conditions.

I still have an EK FL and will likely buy some NS exams to do before starting AAMC.

I was wondering if I can get some help with where I'm going wrong. For background, I did TBR (except CARS and P/S) and a pass through UWorld and I don't really feel that my content is lacking (but a sub 500 TPR does suggest that it is) so I'm reconsidering doing some more content review.
I feel that TPR CARS was really long because I have been doing JW and their lengthy passages were like 620-630 words while TPR CARS were all like 720+ from putting them into a word counter. In C/P, I generally know the idea, like Snells Law for example, but get bogged down on how to properly apply the knowledge and what incidence angles to use or other obscure passages that seem to warp C/P that are seen in Uworld and TBR.

I am feeling a bit distraught with the TPR FL because I feel like I should be breaking 500 at least. I test March 14, 2020 and plan to start AAMC late Dec/ early Jan. I am considering pushing my date a little further back to April, but I chose the 14th due to scheduling with work and family events. My goal is to get a decent score considering my GPA is not good and I am CA ORM.

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[Blueprint Med School]

You seem to have hit a snag going from 1/2 FL to FL. Have you noticed timing issues? Also, how often are you doing these practice exams? How are you prepping before the practice exams itself?

Just a few probing questions to see if I can give more specific advice.


David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

 

[elitehacker1337]

You seem to have hit a snag going from 1/2 FL to FL. Have you noticed timing issues? Also, how often are you doing these practice exams? How are you prepping before the practice exams itself?

Just a few probing questions to see if I can give more specific advice.


David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors

That's a good point. It could be a timing issue.
In terms of the 1/2 lengths, I finished early and had about 10 min to recheck answers.

The passages are where I take more time, mostly because I would read through but I'd have to go back and check as the question requires. When I was doing Uworld and TBR, I would finish with 10-20 minutes left and I was doing 50 questions blocks twice a day (for Uworld). I think the 1/2 FLs gave me some time to go back and check answers.

On the FLs, I was barely finishing sections but I noticed that I spent a lot of unnecessary time on early passages and was rushing toward the end to finish.

I did all these practice exams within the past 2 weeks or so and split up TPR FL1 and FL2 on two days each because I had work.

 

[Blueprint Med School]

That's a good point. It could be a timing issue.
In terms of the 1/2 lengths, I finished early and had about 10 min to recheck answers.

The passages are where I take more time, mostly because I would read through but I'd have to go back and check as the question requires. When I was doing Uworld and TBR, I would finish with 10-20 minutes left and I was doing 50 questions blocks twice a day (for Uworld). I think the 1/2 FLs gave me some time to go back and check answers.

On the FLs, I was barely finishing sections but I noticed that I spent a lot of unnecessary time on early passages and was rushing toward the end to finish.

I did all these practice exams within the past 2 weeks or so and split up TPR FL1 and FL2 on two days each because I had work.

Interesting. Have you had timing issues in the past, both in course exams and in standardized exams like SAT / High School Standardized Exams? If so, how did you cope with that then?

Do you find that you are checking the clock often?

David D, MD - USMLE and MCAT Tutor
Med School Tutors