need some advice about MCAT verbal

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shantibala

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Hey guys, so i read the verbal reasoning tips that were posted, and i am getting frustrated because i keep practicing on passages, and my score isnt improving. Im sure i am doing something wrong, and i cant figure out what it is. should i take time in improving my reading comprehension and if yes how? or what else should i do to learn how to destroy the mcat verbal? thanks guys for the help! oh and on my first diagnostic writing samples i got 4 4 O is that bad?

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I get my MCAT score in a few days (I took it on the 31st) but I was constantly scoring 10+ on the AAMC practice test never scoring below a 9. So take my advice for what you will.

First what study materials are you using? Kaplan, EK, TPR, etc??

What type of questions are you having the most difficulty with? Are you reviewing the ones you get wrong and understand why they are wrong? What verbal test are you taking?

I used EK and I really liked their strategy. I think the key to verbal is to read for the main idea not necessarily the details. Most people who take the MCAT are science majors and like to find precise and definite answers and so a lot of the (wrong) answers refer to something that you can easily grasp or verify.

EK suggest after reading the passage take like 20 seconds to compose the "main idea" or main point of the passage and to basically stereotype the author.

I think the hardest thing about verbal is that the MCAT will sometimes ask you to make logical jumps/conclusions but the trick is to make sure they don't go to far and/or stay relevant to the passage.

I would suggest take a verbal test but don't time yourself. Take as much time as you need to really read and digest the passage and after you read make sure you spend 20 to 30 seconds THINKING about the passage and its point. When you answer your questions try not to refer back to the passage a lot to verify your answers. Try to pick your answers based on what you remember/ main idea.

I don't know what else to say except keep practicing. I got consistently better with verbal everytime I practiced. Eventually you'll get a 'feel' for the right mcat type answers.

Good luck!
 
A great place to start is the "Don't Know Where To Start?" sticky up top: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=526557

There are some links in it to verbal help threads.

I think your problem might be based on your post-test analysis. What kind of analysis are you doing when you finish a VR test?
 
i am looking at the reasons why i got the question wrong, it makes me feel stupid because i feel like i have overlooked the answer, and i just dont know how to stop doing that. i think my biggest problem is eliminating the answer choices. I read the VR tips page at the from the dont know where to start link. I am taking the TPR class but am doing kaplan practice passages, maybe i should stop? i feel that if i perfect my skill on the kaplan or on EC then i should be able to apply the skill anywhere and do well so i saved the TPR last.. good idea or bad idea?
 
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