MCAT verbal reading power

[byeh2004]

what are some of the things i should be reading for the mcat verbals that may boost my score? Is SciAm acceptable? what else? thanks!

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[MoosePilot]

what are some of the things i should be reading for the mcat verbals that may boost my score? Is SciAm acceptable? what else? thanks!

When are you taking it?

Have you looked at some practice tests? Basically my suggestion would be to start with AAMC practice tests and see what the passages look like. The passages aren't anything special. They're purposefully picked to be a varied bunch and edited to remove some clues as to their meaning, opinion, etc.

Read just about any articles in reputable magazines. Answer questions like you'd find on the MCAT: what is the author trying to say, what are his opinions, what is the main idea? It might help if you study with someone who is good at verbal so they can check you. Maybe you can find a study partner who needs some help on Bio or Physical.

 

[byeh2004]

it wont be for another year and a half or maybe a year, i still need to do ochem and physics

should i start off with the kaplan comprehensive review or stick with the aamc practice tests?

 

[MoosePilot]

it wont be for another year and a half or maybe a year, i still need to do ochem and physics

should i start off with the kaplan comprehensive review or stick with the aamc practice tests?

I don't have an opinion on that, except to recommend you save a significant number of AAMC practice tests for the last 3 months or so of your studying.

With that kind of time, you can read a lot of different things for improvement. Reading is the one common thread that I hear behind Verbal Champs.

 

[byeh2004]

When are you taking it?

Have you looked at some practice tests? Basically my suggestion would be to start with AAMC practice tests and see what the passages look like. The passages aren't anything special. They're purposefully picked to be a varied bunch and edited to remove some clues as to their meaning, opinion, etc.

Read just about any articles in reputable magazines. Answer questions like you'd find on the MCAT: what is the author trying to say, what are his opinions, what is the main idea? It might help if you study with someone who is good at verbal so they can check you. Maybe you can find a study partner who needs some help on Bio or Physical.

when im answering the questions like what is the author saying and his main idea and stuff, should i be jotting it down like on paper, or should it be a mental thing in my head?

 

[MoosePilot]

when im answering the questions like what is the author saying and his main idea and stuff, should i be jotting it down like on paper, or should it be a mental thing in my head?

Up to you, but the best way to hold yourself to one solid, concrete, thought out answer is to write it out. You won't necessarily want to on the test due to time constraints, but some do.

 

[DrYo12]

Part of the problem with the MCAT verbal section is that people are unfamiliar with the style of passages that are included on the test. Expecting people to read in a way that they've never practiced before leads to problems with timing and with interpreting what the author is trying to say.

Suggested things to read:

NewYorker
Washington Post
New York Times
The Economist

These can be heavy reading for someone not used to it and I don't suggest that these are by any means comprehensive. However, they do give you an idea of the different types of reading you should become familiar with before tackling MCAT passages.

 

[NonTradMed]

Suggested things to read:

NewYorker
Washington Post
New York Times
The Economist

These can be heavy reading for someone not used to it and I don't suggest that these are by any means comprehensive. However, they do give you an idea of the different types of reading you should become familiar with before tackling MCAT passages.

I completely agree.

I did well on verbal (scored a 12) in April, and I barely studied for the verbal other than doing some practice problems on it. But I have been reading the new york times and washington post, along with various historical books and novels all my life, especially since I got out of college. This, IMHO, is the BEST way to do well on verbal.

When I was taking the exam, my greatest asset was being able to read and comprehend quickly. I had plenty of time to look over the verbal and think about what they were asking, my pacing gave me extra time near the end to look over questions I wasn't sure about and I never panicked for lack of time.

If you have the extra half a year or, this is what I'd do to improve verbal skills. Doing verbal practice problems for six months or more won't help nearly as much as learning to read and comprehend quickly. And, make sure it's adult level reading material. News, novels, history books, it doesn't matter the subject matter.

I didn't bother to write book reports on them, but I picked reading material that was of interest to me, so I naturally paused to make sure I understood it while reading them.

Good luck.

 

[RayhanS1282]

I tried the Times magazine and the Scientific America stuff but for some reason it did not work for me. The stuff was too dry and I couldn't get into it. Verbal had been the most difficult section for me to improve upon and study for, I got a 6 on it last August. But that said, this time around I got the EK 101 book and got my hands on all of the 13 Kaplan verbal practice tests and also did the verbal sections from the Kaplan full lengths. Now, many people (myself included) are going to say that the Kap stuff is not very similar to AAMC questions and they are right for the most part. But the key point for me was that the passages were incredibly dense and every other passage was dealing with philosophy or arts or some dry subject or other. By practicing reading these types of passages and answering questions, you are pretty much sort of ready for the passages that the MCAT might throw at you. That kinda helped me and I finally got the 10 I've been aiming for. It's not too high but that depends on individual aims. You basically need to try out both methods and see what works for you.

 

[isabelle18]

Hey, I just got a 14 in Verbal (with 12 in both bio and phys) . I think it helped that I absolutely love reading. I don't read the New York Times, or extremely famous magazines. To me, from my experience, anything will do. I primarily read fiction(yeap, even Harry Potter). Because of my major, I also read philosophy books. I think all that matters is that you become used to reading.

 

[Shrike]

Scientific American is not nearly difficult enough, For science passage practice, get Science , the journal of the AAAS.

 

[MoosePilot]

Hey, I just got a 14 in Verbal (with 12 in both bio and phys) . I think it helped that I absolutely love reading. I don't read the New York Times, or extremely famous magazines. To me, from my experience, anything will do. I primarily read fiction(yeap, even Harry Potter). Because of my major, I also read philosophy books. I think all that matters is that you become used to reading.

I would agree, but I've read voraciously all my life. It has produced some interesting faux pas, actually. Just like there are people who can speak a language but not read it, I have skirted the edge of being able to read English but not speak it. I thought "awry" was pronounced "awwree". Someone at HS graduation asked me what I was trying to say

I don't know if someone who is getting a late start becoming a reading machine can take the same tactic.

 

[PhillyEaglesFan]

But I have been reading the new york times and washington post, along with various historical books and novels all my life, especially since I got out of college. This, IMHO, is the BEST way to do well on verbal.

I concur. Nonfiction--histories and biographies--and newsmagazines are the way to go.

 

[byeh2004]

thanks for all the suggestions guys

my goal is to get a 13 on the verbal... verbal is something i worry about alot being that i scored horribly on the verbal and writing sections of the SAT1/2... do you guys think a year and a half will land me this goal if i commit to it right now? I've been reading alot ever since i got out of school last week. Finished the monthly issue of sciam in a week and i think ill move onto the economist as suggested.

 

[MoosePilot]

thanks for all the suggestions guys

my goal is to get a 13 on the verbal... verbal is something i worry about alot being that i scored horribly on the verbal and writing sections of the SAT1/2... do you guys think a year and a half will land me this goal if i commit to it right now? I've been reading alot ever since i got out of school last week. Finished the monthly issue of sciam in a week and i think ill move onto the economist as suggested.

13 is a tough goal, but you can never aim too high - just don't count on it. Working towards it is awesome, though.

 

[byeh2004]

Suggested things to read:

NewYorker
Washington Post
New York Times
The Economist

of the 4, which one do you think is the most challenging? I read some of the economist's articles today and really sat down and thought about each article, boy am I really slow =( , but it really made me digest everything in, hope that in time my speed in comprehending the articles will become much faster

 

[Shrike]

I read some of the economist's articles today and really sat down and thought about each article, boy am I really slow =( , but it really made me digest everything in

See, that means you're not doing what we're advising, or at leats what I'd advise. You need to read these things quickly, looking for the big concepts. Read them as you would a passage, eventually, though at first this won't be easy. I have instructed some students (in tutorials) to read the entire Economist magazine every week. That's unreasonable wothout reading pretty rapidly, and that's what you should do.

By the way, we have a new forum for questions like these; the VR thread is here and related threads can be found here.

 

[byeh2004]

if an article is about 6-10 paragraphs long, how long should i spend on one passage reading and comprehending?

 

[JayQuah]

when im answering the questions like what is the author saying and his main idea and stuff, should i be jotting it down like on paper, or should it be a mental thing in my head?

do it just like you would on the test...probably best to do it on paper. Topic-Scope-Purpose (for all my Kaplan Krew)

 

[JayQuah]

thanks for all the suggestions guys

my goal is to get a 13 on the verbal... verbal is something i worry about alot being that i scored horribly on the verbal and writing sections of the SAT1/2... do you guys think a year and a half will land me this goal if i commit to it right now? I've been reading alot ever since i got out of school last week. Finished the monthly issue of sciam in a week and i think ill move onto the economist as suggested.

yeah, also, the thing about verbal--if you know how it is scored, you know that if you've practiced and you are confident, you can break 10. once you get up into the 12-13-14-15 range, all of those are a difference of one quetion. On any one test , you can get a 14 if you are lucky or an 11 if you guess wrong on 2 or 3 questions! I think a better goal would be to shoot for anything better than a 10.

 

[IgweEmeka]

you guys hit the nail right on the head...you have to love reading, or at least not despise it to do at least above average. I have never really loved reading, i can count the amount of books i have read in my life on one hand and not all fingers. I haven't read anything major since i graduated highschool 4 years ago and my verbal score reflected it. For the sake of the mcat, i would suggest reading non-fiction and some fiction books at least a year or 2 ahead and the verbal would come so much more easily. and maybe start reading some of the articles from the aformentioned magazines maybe 6 months ahead. Just practicing mcat passages does not help instead it tends to burn people out like it did me and may even lower ones score.

 

[byeh2004]

been reading economist for a straight week now... not only its great material, i actually find the articles to be very interesting! But man... 129 bux for a suscription! does anyone know where student discount can apply for these types of mags?

also, i dunno if this is good or anything but I did the sample verbal from the AAMC webpage, out of 10 passage questions I missed two, am I off to a good start? Thanks!

 

[perfectmoment]

Maybe you can just buy it weekly from Barnes and Nobles and get their discount that you get if you have Barnes and nobles card. That will help some---maybe. Other then that, can't think of what to tell you.

why don't you just read in the library? it's free, plus you will have access to a whole host of other magazines...

 

[Twitch]

But man... 129 bux for a suscription! does anyone know where student discount can apply for these types of mags?Thanks!

Student Discounted rate is $77/yr (51 issues?)

Save your money and get the half year subscription (online + print subscription) for about $39 at the student rate. The online version lets you look at past editions so you really won't run out of articles to read.