Best Verbal Practice?
Started by Rolling
TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook and BR are the only good sources left. Also, Kaplan isn't good in verbal and EK doesn't really have another book. The two versions of EK 101 contain the same passages, but different number of questions. EK took out questions when they updated the book.
Well, there is Examkrackers 16 mini MCAT's which has 32 verbal passages (~5 verbal exams) and there are 3 EK full lengths with their verbal passages (~ 3 verbal exams).
TPR Verbal Workbook again has lots of verbal passages. TPR also has In-class compendium, which has 31 verbal passages, but I am not sure if they are the same as their verbal workbook.
As for BR, make sure you buy either a new verbal book or used from someone who did not take BR course. The reason is 'cause BR uses 10 of the verbal tests that are found in their verbal book as part of in-class verbal exams, so they don't have those 10 exams in the books that they hand out to those who sign up for their class (all the other books are exactly same as home study). Also, I think BR recently "updated" their verbal book by adding crazy-long answer explanations (it is BR after all 🙂)
Also, you may want to check your library for AAMC official guide to the mcat 2009, which has around 7 VR passages (1 verbal exam). Besides that, there was a publication by AAMC called Verbal Reasoning Practice Items, which I believe has ~30 passages. Unfortunately, that is not sold anymore. You may get it from craigslist if you persist looking for it.
Other than that, I would say that if even after all this practice you are not reaching your goals on the verbal section, than that means that you may want to change the game plan. Analyze your mistakes. Try to figure out if there are a particular type of questions that you are missing and than try to see how you should reason through those type of questions. Also, if you realize that you are missing questions on a particular type of passage (i.e. philosophy or economics or arts or historical or literary criticism) more frequently than others, than try to get some practice reading those types of essays from scholarly journals.
TPR Verbal Workbook again has lots of verbal passages. TPR also has In-class compendium, which has 31 verbal passages, but I am not sure if they are the same as their verbal workbook.
As for BR, make sure you buy either a new verbal book or used from someone who did not take BR course. The reason is 'cause BR uses 10 of the verbal tests that are found in their verbal book as part of in-class verbal exams, so they don't have those 10 exams in the books that they hand out to those who sign up for their class (all the other books are exactly same as home study). Also, I think BR recently "updated" their verbal book by adding crazy-long answer explanations (it is BR after all 🙂)
Also, you may want to check your library for AAMC official guide to the mcat 2009, which has around 7 VR passages (1 verbal exam). Besides that, there was a publication by AAMC called Verbal Reasoning Practice Items, which I believe has ~30 passages. Unfortunately, that is not sold anymore. You may get it from craigslist if you persist looking for it.
Other than that, I would say that if even after all this practice you are not reaching your goals on the verbal section, than that means that you may want to change the game plan. Analyze your mistakes. Try to figure out if there are a particular type of questions that you are missing and than try to see how you should reason through those type of questions. Also, if you realize that you are missing questions on a particular type of passage (i.e. philosophy or economics or arts or historical or literary criticism) more frequently than others, than try to get some practice reading those types of essays from scholarly journals.
To my knowledge, kaplan tells you to write out the main theme of each paragraph of the passage. Or even to write down the main scope of the passage. Doing all this affects time so no one really adheres to the Kaplan Strategy.
Kaplan passages are usually harder than real day, they are great practice if you don't have much resources left. I would use EK 101 or others before Kaplan. Their passage wording is very odd to me. EK 101 is laid back and looks like similar AAMC passages (taken the MCAT before).
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=297705
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=285092&page=2 (Post #96 - Vihsadas' verbal quide)
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=206944
Guys - lets have a petition to bring lorelei back on SDN. Please come back lorelei
Why is Kaplan's verbal bad?
Kaplan is bad in verbal because it doesn't stress the same things as the actual MCAT. For the MCAT, the main idea and author's point of view/opinion are the keys to success. Conversely, Kaplan focuses more on the detail oriented questions which are easy to teach; the kind of questions which make you go back over the passage to find the minute detail being tested. On the MCAT, going back to the passages will kill your timing. Furthermore, you rarely receive such questions and when you do get them, they can typically be answered with the main idea or author's opinion.
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TPR Hyperlearing Verbal Workbook is good practice.
If you find someone selling it, yes. They frequently pop up for sale on here and sometimes on Amazon. If you have problems getting it, pick up BR instead.
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Same here...this better be worth it. I don't want their writing book though, but it comes bundled, so I guess we have no choice to pay $75..+$16 for shipping, lol wow.
As you mentioned, if you've basically finished TPR Hyperlearning and EK 101, this is really your last option.
You could try the For Sale forum on here for a cheaper price.
So here are my two cents. I don't think that the Kaplan material is all that great but what I do believe in is their method of paragraph mapping. While it is tedious at first with a lot of practice it does work because you learn to cut down on your time with it. I would suggest getting the Exam Krackers books and applying the Kaplan method to it as well and you shouldn't have a problem
The reason I say this is because I did a little of bit of an experiment where I tried to EK method of getting the big idea and also the kaplan method. It turns out that I was getting more answers correct with the Kaplan Method than with the EK method.
However, keep in mind that everyone is different and while the Kaplan method might work well for me it might not be the case with you. But try it out and see.
The reason I say this is because I did a little of bit of an experiment where I tried to EK method of getting the big idea and also the kaplan method. It turns out that I was getting more answers correct with the Kaplan Method than with the EK method.
However, keep in mind that everyone is different and while the Kaplan method might work well for me it might not be the case with you. But try it out and see.
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Their website really is a joke.
