A mock exam only helps if you treat it as measurement, not entertainment. The score is less important than the list of topics and trap types that produced the misses.
Before you start
- Same time-of-day window as your real sitting when possible.
- No notes, no pausing the timer, no second screens.
- Decide your flag rule: only flag stems you would still be unsure about after a 20-second reread.
During the paper
Keep moving. True/false papers punish perfectionism on item three of a five-item stem. Answer what you know, flag the rest, return once with a clear time buffer.
After the mock — the real work
- Sort misses by topic, not by “I was tired.”
- Re-answer Incorrects the next day without looking at notes first.
- Schedule Topic Focus on the top two failing modalities within 48 hours.
How many mocks?
For most candidates: one diagnostic mock early in dedicated revision, then one every 1–2 weeks, with a final dress rehearsal in the last 7–10 days. More than that only helps if you still complete a full review cycle each time.