AAMC VI Verbal-Any Thoughts????????????????

[DZT]

Any thoughts on AAMC verbal and its relative difficulty to the other AAMCs, Kaplan, or the "real thing?"

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[Neuronix]

It's similar to the other AAMCs IMO. My verbal on the actual MCAT was HARD AS HELL. There was like 2 easy passages, 2 moderate passages, and 5 hard passages. The funny thing was that the HARDEST passage had 10 (!) questions associated with it so I couldn't just skip it (I did do it last tho). I ended up with a 12 anyways.

I thought AAMC V was hard too, I ended up with a 10 on it just 1 week before I took the actual MCAT. But more or less AAMC's stuff is right on. I dunno about Kaplan, TPR was pretty similar too though. The general trend on the MCAT is to increase general understanding questions (main idea, simple inference) and decrease fact retrieval questions. Of course though, expect some of both.

Two tips: Get used to making the mind work early! Don't Stress!

 

[Street Philosopher]

I agree with everything Neuronix just said. I took the April test; it was hard as hell. Scraped out a 10. Took AAMC V a few days ago (a week before the upcoming one just like Neuronix) and got a 10-11. The two are very similar. The real verbal questions focus a lot on understanding, getting the correct main idea, and focusing on what the author's viewpoint is. Some of it is retrieval, but those are the questions that are designed so that most people get them right.

 

[calbears84]

i took last summer's mcat and am re-taking the mcat this week. i took aamc VI last week and thought the verbal was a little easier than the real thing. although i think the real thing is a little harder, you get a better curve on it. good luck on the mcat

 

[Yogi Bear]

i just took verbal section of aamc vi today. missed 26 which equates to a high 7 (25 would have been a 8). I've usually averaged an 8 on the kaplan test so it looks like i'm in super trouble. however, i've also not been able to concentrate on these pratice exams...i tend to focus more under actual conditions. i was going along pretty ok until the 2nd to last passage which was ridiculously hard. somehting about critiquing novels. also missed a bunch on one of the middle passages.

 

[Spiderman [RNA Ladder 2003]]

I got a 6 <img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

 

[Mr. Z]

I have Kaplan's MCAT Comprehensive Review book (97-98 edition), also the Betz Guide, and was wondering if the verbal passages in them are similar to what you found on the real exam in terms of difficulty, passage length, and question types?

Another question, did those of you who took the MCAT this April use any particular techniques that you found to be helpful? I've experimented with the "reading the questions first" technique with abysmal results. Not sure if its not the technique for me or maybe I just haven't given it enough practice.

Any help would be appreciated
Mr.Z

 

[Pneumo]

I tried reading 'techniques' described in different review books only to find they did nothing more than confuse me. Why try to conform the reading style you have developed over the past 15 years into some half-assed 'formula' developed by folks who may not have even taken the MCAT. My advice is to plow through the passage, start answering questions, and refer back to the passage as needed. I stuck to my natural reading pattern and scored a &gt;12 on AAMC Practice Test VI verbal.

 

[Pneumo]

Bump