AAMC 3 Diagnostic: Need Help For Study Plan

[Shirafune]

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So I just took the AAMC 3 free test as a diagnostic to see how my studying is. I ended up with a 13/7/12. Mistakes in PS and BS were mainly because I didn't have a chance to learn/review the material. I'm just really worried about verbal. The actual verbal section was more of a surprise than the score. I knew I totally bombed half the verbal. Some of my major concerns for verbal:

(1) I read too slowly. Doing a history minor so I'm used to reading dense things a lot of the time, but I just somehow got lost and zoned out while reading. Perhaps just in this test?
(2) I'm possibly tired from PS. I didn't take a break in between any of the sections...so I was kind of dead by the end. Not sure if a small break would have helped a lot.
(3) Didn't have nearly as much trouble on PR passages (the verbal review book) compared to these.
(4) I actually seemed to better on passages that I rushed through and tried to answer questions using the search function.

Here's my current progress:
PS: 50% through reading material, 20% through applying material.
VR: 80% through PR
BS: 70% through reading material, 20% through applying material.

I can dedicate at least 5 hours a day until August when I get more time (~8 hours a day?). My test date is Sept 12.

Here's my current book list:

PR Review Books (main source of material learning)
PR Cracking the MCAT (source for full length tests)
EK 1001 (trying to grind formulas into my head and general recall)
EK 101 Passages
TBR (tougher review questions and supplemental reading)

I'm hoping for a 13/12/13 +/-1 in each section (35-41 composite).

tl;dr
1) Reading verbal slowly and getting lost in material for some reason.
2) About 50% through reading material, 20-30% through review.
3) I have PR review books, EK 1001, and TBR review set.
4) I'm hoping for a balanced score around 38.
5) 5-8 hours a day for studying until test day (Sept 12).

Thanks to anybody that can give me some solid tips on amending my study schedule and getting a better verbal score!

 

[Sed8&Intub8]

You won't have the search function on the actual exam.

 

[GolfUSA]

I swear that verbal is mostly just testing your ability to focus on a few topics that you do not care about in any regard to see how you do. With that in mind, I think a big part of it is being able to mentally pump yourself up so you can truly care about retaining the information.

 

[thatfeelwhen79]

yup. verbal is all about focus. what did it for me is taking supplements that help with focus and meditating to beta waves (serious)

 

[Sirenity]

When a particularly annoying question pops up on a verbal exam, it helps to remind myself that the answer is right there in the passage so just look again. It sounds obvious, but it helps avoiding that dark zone where you start blanking out on questions that come after a difficult one because you're not sure if you're doing this correctly, and you begin to lose focus.

EK 101 is awesome. It's been working for me. My scores have went up from like 5,7 - 10,11,10. I noticed a change after my seventh EK 101 verbal exam. So it may take a while.