What to Do When You Feel Behind Everyone Else

Probably not, at least not to the degree it feels like. This feeling shows up in almost every candidate at some point, often triggered by a single forum post or a friend's update, and it rarely reflects your actual position as accurately as it feels like it does in the moment.

First, check whether it's actually true

Compare your current mock scores against where you'd realistically expect to be at this point in your own timeline, not against a vague feeling triggered by someone else's post - this is a lot easier if you're already tracking your progress with real numbers instead of a gut sense. If your own trend line is genuinely moving in the right direction, the feeling of being behind is often more about anxiety than an accurate signal.

If you're genuinely behind schedule

Figure out specifically why, a slower start, a harder personal stretch, a section that's taking longer than expected, and adjust your plan concretely rather than just working harder in a panic. A clearer, adjusted plan usually closes a real gap faster than raw extra hours without direction.

If you're not actually behind

The fix here isn't a study change, it's recognizing that the feeling is coming from comparison, not from your own data. We've written separately about why comparing yourself to other candidates is generally counterproductive, and this is exactly the scenario that advice is meant for.

What actually helps either way

A concrete, honest look at your own numbers over time beats a vague feeling every time. Whether that look tells you to adjust your plan or tells you the feeling was misleading, either answer is more useful than staying in the anxious, undefined version of "behind."

The feeling of being behind is common enough that it's almost a universal part of this process. Whether it's accurate is a separate question, worth actually checking rather than assuming.