Okay so here's my issue with verbal. When I first started out, I only focused on finishing the passages within 7 minutes, but I found myself not getting the answers right, and I honesty feel like the ones I did get right was just dumb luck because I was more focused on timing my reading.
Since then, I've been reading strategies with Altius. They really emphasize on understanding the questions that MCAT will ask and understanding only the main idea. They say not to look back at the passage unless you really need to (forgetting a name, how a word was used in a sentence). That strategy has been working for me. The problem I have with a part of their method is mapping. I don't write fast and I will never write fast. I was always that student lurking over my friend's shoulder trying to get the last couple words for notes. So I'm done with that.
Right now, I'm just trying to focus on understanding what I read and what types of questions MCAT asks. I'm reading between 3-3:40 (closer to the 40) minutes on the passages which I know isn't ideal, but I'm hoping that I can work on my speed a little later, once I've grasped how to answer the questions. What do you think about that concept? I'm really curious what you guys have been doing to help improve your VR. Has it been working, has it not? I'm just experimenting here and I'd like some advice.
One more question, do you ever have a mental block when the subject you read reminds you of something negative? For me, I took a philosophy class my last semester in college and it left a sour taste in my mouth. Whenever I read a passage related to something I studied, I tense up, phase out, and start
reliving my time taking that course. I don't know if it sounds silly, but it's an issue for me. Do you know if there's anything I can do to prevent my mind from doing that? I don't know if there is a solution besides suck it up and do work, but it was worth asking. Thanks.
I wrote a book. Jeeze. Need to save this for my practice writing prompts.