Did you use a tutor for verbal reasoning? What kind? Check all that apply.
Did you use a tutor for verbal reasoning? What kind?
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I did. I not only completed, but throughly reviewed, every last question and passage in EK 101, TPR VR Workbook, TBR VR, and all AAMC passages in all AAMC practice tests, the AAMC self assessment, and the AAMC Guide to the MCAT. My score: 12/7/12. And I paid an MCAT VR tutor over $1000 of a bunch of help.
Tonight I'm going to meet with an SAT/ACT tutor who thinks she can help me with MCAT VR. Only she wants to work from an ACT book. IDK, I'll try it for a couple sessions and see if I think it's helping or not.
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I try to avoid being a grammar Nazi, but if you use the wrong iteration of your/you're while demeaning someone who is looking to improve their verbal reasoning, then you are asking for it.
I have been a tutor for molecular biology for 3 years. Nothing negative should be said about a student who seeks out a private tutor. The only deductions I draw if someone reaches out for a tutor is that they want to succeed more than your average Joe.
That said, I don't know how effective a tutor would be for verbal reasoning. I liked the Princeton Review book for the VR section.
It brought my score up from a 7 to an 11.
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Khan Academy. Practice scores went up from 32 to 36 after a few weeks. Peaked at a 38. 32 on the real test though (got a 10 on organic heavy bio)
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Do not work with a tutor who is dedicated to the SAT/ACT verbal unless she has substantial experience with the MCAT. It sounds, to me, like that tutor has never even seen an MCAT verbal passage.. let alone done some herself, not to mention has experience TEACHING it.
They are very, very different exams. Using an ACT book is the most foolish thing I've ever heard a tutor trying to do. Of course, you'll do great during tutoring sessions.. SAT/ACT verbal isn't the same. You'll just show up on test day and get your butt handed to you because you're expecting something high-schoolers take.
Honestly, whoever tutored you for over $1000 and failed to help you should be ashamed.. I tutor regularly and it's pretty easy to tell when you won't be able to help a student.. continuing to take their money is ridiculous. If I don't meet goals that the student and I set out together, I cut my prices because I'm not doing my job as a tutor.
If you can't find an MCAT VR tutor, look into LSAT/GRE verbal tutors. The SAT/ACT are so different that its seriously not worth your time, let alone your money. LSAT/GRE requires at least the same level of critical thinking as the MCAT so the skills you can develop there will help you. SAT/ACT don't develop those same skills, the emphasis on those tests is on reading comprehension.
Reading comprehension =/= critical thinking. Strategies you learn/teach on the SAT/ACT are different than strategies you learn/teach on the MCAT. Don't waste money on someone who doesn't understand the distinction to the point where she wants to exclusively use a resource that is wholly obsolete in its application.
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"Your a chump if you gotta use a tutor period! Just study hard"
Could you explain a bit more in depth exactly how you go about studying hard for the Verbal? Could you be a little more clear? I know if I want to get a great score on the Physical Science section, I know what studying hard means. However, I am not exactly sure how to do so for the Verbal Reasoning. So could you please Clarify. Thanks.
Could you explain a bit more in depth exactly how you go about studying hard for the Verbal? Could you be a little more clear? I know if I want to get a great score on the Physical Science section, I know what studying hard means. However, I am not exactly sure how to do so for the Verbal Reasoning. So could you please Clarify. Thanks.
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I think once you get into the 12-15 range, it's a matter of relative luck. Everything can be treated with ambiguity on the VR section. However, I do believe that low of a score can be improved to around at least a benchmark 9 or 10. Can you describe your method of tackling the VR section, both FL and the real exam? Did you utilize the EK method or the Kaplan method?
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I don't think luck quite explains the shocking consistency people exhibit in the 11-13 range. I scored straight 11s, scattered 12s on my AAMCs. 12 on the real thing.
Maybe 14-15 is luck, because you're literally talking one to two questions. But the notion that everything >11 is luck just isn't true. One can be really consistent in nailing 35-37/40 for the 11-12 because they GET the passage, but fall down on the tricky ones they have for each passage.
I know because that was my life story. Lol
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he probably ignored the thread entirely and referred to Khan Academy for sciences --
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Yup.
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My bad, must have had crust in my eye. For some reason "verbal reasoning" didn't register.
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I totally agree with Jepstein30, except GRE. IMO, the VR in GRE is very much vocabulary based. Also, the passages in GRE, in general, are not as convoluted as those in MCAT. If you can find someone whom you can do the MCAT passages and discuss main ideas, questions and answers together (after doing a passage individually), it might be helpful to you.
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I agree with you on that. Getting the idea(s) of the passage is/are essential to productive increase in score. It's a matter of who is good and who is not good starting off. I guess I was too low in understanding the scoring but isn't it like 2-3 wrong on the whole section can drop your score to a 12-13? The grading is real harsh on the MCAT from what I hear. Granted, aptitude on the VR section would correlate to a higher score depending on the practice used or just the ability to understand the passages given. I still feel there is so much ambiguity to that section alone. I recall someone saying that it is a flawed portion of the test and I would agree on that. That being said, I am treating VR with almost the same amount of practice/drilling as the other sections because it is 1/3rd of your total score. I think you said something like the schools first consider your total score before deciding on interview invites based on the subsection (clarify if I'm wrong) but VR is an important part and should be given equal grounding (depending on your "finesse" so to speak) in regards to practice. (Iverson reference lol) Yes, I would agree that 14-15 scores are hard to come by because, even though you can challenge the crap out of a wrong answer, it's still wrong and it affects your score. Of course I'm speaking only of the practice VRs as I haven't encountered an AAMC-style VR passage yet. Although I've never heard of anyone exhibiting a consistent 13-14 range, that would be impressive for us science-geeks lol. Alas, I talk too much (coffee-influenced, wait wtf how does that related to a forum) and I must get back to my beloved TBR set(I'm going nuts) grind out these passages.
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Yes, you're right: the scale is very often 1x=14, 2x=13, 3-4x=12, etc. Not always, but very often. But one can still be very consistent in scoring in that range.
That the total score matters more than any subscore is a point @LizzyM has made over and over again. Granted, this is only one perspective at one top-tier, but as I've said before, with my knowledge of undergraduate admissions through working with my UA office, schools in the same tier generally view admissions things in the same light. The only strong evidence we have of schools being really picky with subscores is the Canadian obsession over VR.
@gettheleadout scored consistent 13-14s on AAMCs and ended up with 13 on real thing. I scored consistent 11-12s on mine, 12 on real thing. It's possible to be very consistent in only getting a handful wrong.
Also, not everyone is a science geek.
I have decent science grades, but I'm not a science buff at all. All those poli sci and history courses and readings did wonders for my VR. Whenever someone asks me for advice in VR, I'm like errr idk bro
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I'm having issues with verbal. I can't seem to be able to finish the last two passages on time. By the time I get to the last two passages I'll have about five minutes to go until the section is over. I pretty much end up having to guess on the last two passages/skim through the intro and conclusion…Any tips on how to fix this time issue?
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Read more things outside of MCAT VR. Speed with good comprehension can only be strengthened through practice. There's no shortcut.
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I was like that when I first started out. Give yourself a hard cut off time of 7 minutes each passage. Eventually you adjust to it, both time-wise and score-wise. At least that's how I did.
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Don't get a tutor for verbal, come on meow.
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Getting a private tutor seems like it might help to appease any nervousness you might have about studying. But as far as how helpful they are, it depends on the student more than the tutor. If you are using them to get answer explanations verbalized, then you really aren't maximizing their utility. You might as well save the $30/hour.
Tutoring can be helpful, but tutors are all about the same. You can get great explanations from posters like milski, GTLO, and Schenker in the Q&A forum for free, so why spend the money?
Tutoring can be helpful, but tutors are all about the same. You can get great explanations from posters like milski, GTLO, and Schenker in the Q&A forum for free, so why spend the money?
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If you do passages every day and really study what you did wrong that is better than any tutor. Any practice material, especially EK, will have detailed answers. Also after you do enough you end up seeing patterns. It's better experienced than taught
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If you're getting a tutor to explain answers for you, save your money.
Tutors can be helpful in developing a strategy for verbal that works for you, though. Hard to find such a tutor that can do that rather than simply explain things.
Tutors can be helpful in developing a strategy for verbal that works for you, though. Hard to find such a tutor that can do that rather than simply explain things.
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Excellent point Jepstein. I've read a few replies from you on this subject and have to say you have a great perspective. I'm not sure if you tutor privately, but if you do, you're a 5-star based on your insights alone.
To elaborate on my perspective, I've listened to some freelance verbal tutors over the years and many seemed to be doing things they read about in a review book. And they'd often just regurgitate the answer explanation from the materials. It really didn't seem like they were providing much of a service to the tutee. And often times a tutee doesn't know how to ask for what they need.
BR doesn't offer private tutoring packages, feeling that the course office hours fill that need. But if a student really wants private tutoring, then we give them some names and contact info and the tutee works directly with a tutor so they don't have to pay an administrative cut. We keep a list of private tutors and the feedback of students who used them. There really are just a few people who get stellar reviews, and it's rarest in verbal.
To elaborate on my perspective, I've listened to some freelance verbal tutors over the years and many seemed to be doing things they read about in a review book. And they'd often just regurgitate the answer explanation from the materials. It really didn't seem like they were providing much of a service to the tutee. And often times a tutee doesn't know how to ask for what they need.
BR doesn't offer private tutoring packages, feeling that the course office hours fill that need. But if a student really wants private tutoring, then we give them some names and contact info and the tutee works directly with a tutor so they don't have to pay an administrative cut. We keep a list of private tutors and the feedback of students who used them. There really are just a few people who get stellar reviews, and it's rarest in verbal.
