Verbal: Proof that practice makes perfect

[KoalaT]

I wanted to share this with everyone to show that practice DOES make improvement in the verbal section. I used to think practicing verbal was so hopeless and that I never got any improvement. I felt like every time I took and reviewed my verbal scores I just saw my mistakes, but it didn't improve my verbal score. Well, this proves it surely has.

Practice makes perfect! Just keep doing verbal practice every day!

*These are 3 passage long practices. The score is shown in the score column. The other columns are just ways of analyzing the raw scores. The first is an average of 6 passages (2 raw scores), the second is average of 9 practices (like a full test), the third 12 passages and the last row is a scaling average that puts greater weight on more recent scores and less weight on scores in the past.

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[ATPplease]

I am usually a lurker on this forum, but I just wanted to say, "Congrats!" This is very inspirational. I'm actually having trouble with CARS at the moment. Do you think the duration of 2 weeks is sufficient enough time to improve on CARS? And would you mind me asking whether you preferred TPR or EK? Thanks!

 

[kamara]

Congratulations!!!

 

[KoalaT]

2 Weeks would be 14 days on this schedule (Row 14 on the excel). I'd maybe suggest doing 2 sets of 3 passages a day if you really feel that CARS needs more attention than your sciences. As well, TPRH learning all the way. Like a million times better than EK. EK passages are too random and inconsistent and often have questions that just try to trick you with small technicalities and "did you catch that small detail" sort of questions.

TPRH is extremely consistent in difficulty and has passages that I feel are more realistic. EK passages seemed too interesting and easy to read compared to my experience with the real MCAT a few years ago. TPRH will have more realistic passages, and it's questions are 10x more realistic in the sense that they really focus on main point and the author. They still have that "multiple right answers" feel but are far more legitimate in their explanations than EK.

That being said, both can have benefits. TPRH is probably better for main point and author opinion (which is more important for the MCAT). However, EK can teach you to watch out for those tricky little details and technicalities.

 

[KoalaT]

Also, here's my strategy if anyone is interested.

Take the verbal straight up. Read the whole passage quickly from start to finish. Get used to quickly reading parts that aren't as important and really understanding the parts that are (i.e. quickly skim examples and really understand when the author is making a major point about the theme of the passage). Don't do this skip passages BS. It's worthless. You never know how hard a passage will be until you've done the full thing and all the questions. I've had the hardest passages with the easiest questions that I ace. I've had easy passages with ridiculously tricky questions that you miss a lot. You never know, so don't try. Do them all. In order.

When it comes to questions, I also just do it straight up. I go perfectly in order. Some people prefer to do "detail" and "quote" questions first, which is a legitimate strategy since it gives you more understanding of the passage before you go onto main point, but I personally just like doing the questions in order.

HERE IS THE GOLDEN RULE THAT WILL MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!
You know how there are multiple right answers it seems? You mark out those 2 horrible answers, but you sit there and stare at the next 2 thinking "those both sound so good". **PICK THE LESS WRONG ANSWER, not what you think is the right answer. Think about this... The less wrong answer. It is the one that you think is right but also does not say anything contradicting to the passage or anything the passage did not say. The other "right answer" will maybe sound way more right and on point with the passage, but it will inevitably have a small little detail that is either contradicting or missing from the passage that you just assumed. When you use this trick and read the answer explanations, you'll understand why this tool is so powerful. Wrong details in answer choices make them wrong. Correct details in answer choices do not necessarily make them correct.

You see after row 8 in the excel I have a sudden improvement, and I just continue to rise at a pretty good rate? That's when someone told me about the golden rule and I began to perfect it.

 

[MedOldAge]

2 Weeks would be 14 days on this schedule (Row 14 on the excel). I'd maybe suggest doing 2 sets of 3 passages a day if you really feel that CARS needs more attention than your sciences. As well, TPRH learning all the way. Like a million times better than EK. EK passages are too random and inconsistent and often have questions that just try to trick you with small technicalities and "did you catch that small detail" sort of questions.

TPRH is extremely consistent in difficulty and has passages that I feel are more realistic. EK passages seemed too interesting and easy to read compared to my experience with the real MCAT a few years ago. TPRH will have more realistic passages, and it's questions are 10x more realistic in the sense that they really focus on main point and the author. They still have that "multiple right answers" feel but are far more legitimate in their explanations than EK.

That being said, both can have benefits. TPRH is probably better for main point and author opinion (which is more important for the MCAT). However, EK can teach you to watch out for those tricky little details and technicalities.

May I ask if the TPRH you said here referring to the "OLD" pre-2015 "Golden" TP Verbal Reasoning Book or the new TPRH CARS book used in the new post 2015 PR classes?

 

[KoalaT]

May I ask if the TPRH you said here referring to the "OLD" pre-2015 "Golden" TP Verbal Reasoning Book or the new TPRH CARS book used in the new post 2015 PR classes?

TPRH 2011. So old.

 

[MedOldAge]

TPRH 2011. So old.

Thanks, KoalaT....
So, I am wondering if any forum members have any comments/experience comparing the equality of pre-2015 versus post-2015 TPRH Verbal Book.
(Sorry, I just dropped by and have not seen all the posts the past 14 months)

 

[KoalaT]

I also ought to mention that since I am working with old material, I have found it beneficial to remove any passages that are too science related. The new CARS section is primarily philosophy, history, and the arts. If I stumble upon a psychology passage, I don't use it in my verbal practice, but I do make note of it as worth doing later for psychology practice and background (I realize the new psychology section is not exactly similar to old psychology verbal passages, but I find it useful to do them for some background knowledge and interpreting psychology in an abstract passage).

 

[theonlytycrane]

Also, here's my strategy if anyone is interested.

Take the verbal straight up. Read the whole passage quickly from start to finish. Get used to quickly reading parts that aren't as important and really understanding the parts that aren't (i.e. quickly skim examples and really understand when the author is making a major point about the theme of the passage). Don't do this skip passages BS. It's worthless. You never know how hard a passage will be until you've done the full thing and all the questions. I've had the hardest passages with the easiest questions that I ace. I've had easy passages with ridiculously tricky questions that you miss a lot. You never know, so don't try. Do them all. In order.

When it comes to questions, I also just do it straight up. I go perfectly in order. Some people prefer to do "detail" and "quote" questions first, which is a legitimate strategy since it gives you more understanding of the passage before you go onto main point, but I personally just like doing the questions in order.

HERE IS THE GOLDEN RULE THAT WILL MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE!
You know how there are multiple right answers it seems? You mark out those 2 horrible answers, but you sit there and stare at the next 2 thinking "those both sound so good". **PICK THE LESS WRONG ANSWER, not what you think is the right answer. Think about this... The less wrong answer. It is the one that you think is right but also does not say anything contradicting to the passage or anything the passage did not say. The other "right answer" will maybe sound way more right and on point with the passage, but it will inevitably have a small little detail that is either contradicting or missing from the passage that you just assumed. When you use this trick and read the answer explanations, you'll understand why this tool is so powerful. Wrong details in answer choices make them wrong. Correct details in answer choices do not necessarily make them correct.

You see after row 8 in the excel I have a sudden improvement, and I just continue to rise at a pretty good rate? That's when someone told me about the golden rule and I began to perfect it.

Thanks so much for this tip!

 

[ATPplease]

2 Weeks would be 14 days on this schedule (Row 14 on the excel). I'd maybe suggest doing 2 sets of 3 passages a day if you really feel that CARS needs more attention than your sciences. As well, TPRH learning all the way. Like a million times better than EK. EK passages are too random and inconsistent and often have questions that just try to trick you with small technicalities and "did you catch that small detail" sort of questions.

TPRH is extremely consistent in difficulty and has passages that I feel are more realistic. EK passages seemed too interesting and easy to read compared to my experience with the real MCAT a few years ago. TPRH will have more realistic passages, and it's questions are 10x more realistic in the sense that they really focus on main point and the author. They still have that "multiple right answers" feel but are far more legitimate in their explanations than EK.

That being said, both can have benefits. TPRH is probably better for main point and author opinion (which is more important for the MCAT). However, EK can teach you to watch out for those tricky little details and technicalities.

Thank you for your help! I will definitely try to get in at least 2 sets of 3 passages a day. I will also be incorporating the "Golden Rule" while I am doing Verbal passages.

 

[KoalaT]

Glad this helped. And yes! definitely use the golden rule. It seriously revolutionized how I answered verbal questions and it works! Wrong details make answers wrong, indefinitely. Correct details do not make answers correct.

 

[aegistitan]

TPRH 2011. So old.

Congrats on the improvement. Can you send a link to TPRH you are using? I got the "verbal reasoning supplement" copyright 2012, but it only has 7 passages in it. Which are you using?

 

[KoalaT]

Congrats on the improvement. Can you send a link to TPRH you are using? I got the "verbal reasoning supplement" copyright 2012, but it only has 7 passages in it. Which are you using?

I am using The Princeton Review: Hyperlearning MCAT Verbal Workbook 2011 Edition

 

[aegistitan]

I am using The Princeton Review: Hyperlearning MCAT Verbal Workbook 2011 Edition

Where did you buy it, I'm looking on Amazon the cheapest is like $89

 

[KoalaT]

Where did you buy it, I'm looking on Amazon the cheapest is like $89

I was fortunate and have 3 older brothers. Two of them took the MCAT as well. I have old TPR and old Berkeley sitting around.

 

[KoalaT]

Okay, so people keep asking me about the golden rule. I feel my description here was sufficient, so I am not going to answer anymore messages. If you read this definition and go do 3 passages with it, you will understand. I have created an example to explain it better.

Ex: There is a passage about an author who likes art that makes one think. He enjoys art that portrays the world in a way that it is not normally seen with the human eye. He believes art, above all other things, should make one contemplate humanity because if it does not reflect humanity, it is not real art.

Which of the following would the author most likely enjoy?
A) A detailed drawing of a city skyline.
B) A realistic painting of an impoverished African child with no shoes.
C) A picture of his mother.
D) An abstract painting of a man alone on the subway.

So if there was a real passage, you get the main point that the author enjoys art that makes you contemplate humanity and the human experience. You mark out A and C and your stuck thinking about B or D. Both sound good because they both make one contemplate humanity. But you also know the author doesn't like art that portrays the world as it is normally seen. B sounds like its the best answer because a poor African child meets the description of making you contemplate humanity (which after all was the biggest point of the passage). HOWEVER, D is the less wrong answer. It fits the description of making one think about humanity (maybe not as well as the poor African child) and it is abstract so it is not how it is normally seen by the human eye. Because the passage stated he DOES NOT like things normally seen by the human eye, the art cannot be "realistic".

Its a rough example I just through together, but here's the point. Some answers sound better to the author's main point (answer B), but if they in anyway have a detail that is wrong (such as "realistic") then it is WRONG indefinitely. D may not sound as good as far as the main point of contemplating humanity, but it also doesn't in anyway contradict the passage. D will be the answer.

B is better to the main point but it includes a detail that is wrong, so it is wrong. D sounds okay with the main point and has no contradicting details. D is correct.

 

[Pound4Pound]

hey koala thanks for the advice. Quick question, can you elaborate on how you practice verbal. Do you do it timed? If so, what is your time limit for each passage and how many passages do you do daily? Thanks a lot.

 

[nejikon]

So you did 3 passages a day? how many days total?