EK 101 verbal reasoning...effective or overated?

[lilspark]

I am doing the passages in EK 101 verbal reasoning book along with the kaplan verbal reasoning passages online and to be honest I feel that the Kaplan verbal passages are way more representative on what is in the AAMC practice tests. I have read in this thread that Kaplan Verbal is way too easy and I think it is the opposite. I feel their questions are challenging and have some substance to it. Is it me or does it just feel that the EK passages questions are way off and not really representative of the real MCAT? If they are it's great because I am scoring ok in them but I don't know that I would put all my trust in this book for verbal prep. Any opinions from anyone who has already taken the MCAT or others who are preparing for it...?

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[RoadRunner17]

Not going to lie... but Kaplan's VR is NOT at all representative of the actual MCAT's VR. The best indicator of your future performance will be the VR passages on the AAMC CBTs available on e-mcat.com. ExamKrackers' 101 VR is the next best of all the prep companies' verbal practice materials in my opinion.

I always got 14's and 15's on Kaplan's VR sections on their FL tests; I found it basically to be read the question, recall the details, look up the detail in the passage, and choose the obvious answer. Inference questions were either too easy or non-existent. I ended up with 12's on the EK material, and on the CBTs... and I ultimately ended up with a 12 on the real thing. I would like Kaplan's VR to be reflective of the real thing but alas, it is not.

 

[Isoprop]

i've also done both. i think kaplan's vr is too easy; however, the language seems to be on par with the aamc's imo. however, the question language in ek's 101 vr is a little off (i can't explain how, it just is). but the difficultly of the questions seem to match e-mcat's.

i agree with rr, after the aamc's, the next best practice material is ek's 101

 

[bigserve99]

Wow, so far you guys are all opposite my problem!

I score pretty well on the EK 101 Verbal passages (12-14) and I find it pretty easy, especially using the EK method that is given.

However, I am finding the Kaplan Verbal, especially on the full-lengths to be impossible!!!!! I'm not struggling with any of the other sections on the Kaplan FL's. I just finished taking a full-length and got 14's on both PS and BS; but a freaking 7 on the Verbal.

What gives.....it's like none of the methods from EK transfers. I mean, most of the Kaplan VR's have nothing to do with the main idea, it pisses me off.


Should I just skip Kaplan verbal sections? I'm going to do an AAMC test next to see where I stand on verbal and go from there; however, at this point, it would seem that my best bet is to stick with EK101 from here on out.

 

[Isoprop]

Wow, so far you guys are all opposite my problem!

I score pretty well on the EK 101 Verbal passages (12-14) and I find it pretty easy, especially using the EK method that is given.

However, I am finding the Kaplan Verbal, especially on the full-lengths to be impossible!!!!! I'm not struggling with any of the other sections on the Kaplan FL's. I just finished taking a full-length and got 14's on both PS and BS; but a freaking 7 on the Verbal.

What gives.....it's like none of the methods from EK transfers. I mean, most of the Kaplan VR's have nothing to do with the main idea, it pisses me off.


Should I just skip Kaplan verbal sections? I'm going to do an AAMC test next to see where I stand on verbal and go from there; however, at this point, it would seem that my best bet is to stick with EK101 from here on out.

i miss questions on kaplan's vr because i read the question wrong or the answer wrong. they don't ask as many "main idea" questions as EK imo.

 

[tdjn]

Not going to lie... but Kaplan's VR is NOT at all representative of the actual MCAT's VR. The best indicator of your future performance will be the VR passages on the AAMC CBTs available on e-mcat.com. ExamKrackers' 101 VR is the next best of all the prep companies' verbal practice materials in my opinion.

I always got 14's and 15's on Kaplan's VR sections on their FL tests; I found it basically to be read the question, recall the details, look up the detail in the passage, and choose the obvious answer. Inference questions were either too easy or non-existent. I ended up with 12's on the EK material, and on the CBTs... and I ultimately ended up with a 12 on the real thing. I would like Kaplan's VR to be reflective of the real thing but alas, it is not.

Just out of curiosity, what did you get on your mcats?

 

[RoadRunner17]

Just out of curiosity, what did you get on your mcats?

Not sure how that's relevant to this thread, but I got a 35.

 

[cliquesh]

where can I get kaplan and princeton review tests? do i need to buy their classroom packages?

 

[ChubbyChaser]

overrated.

 

[lilspark]

overrated.

I would have to agree with you there. I am not impressed by EK 101 at all and I can not understand why so many people swear by this. How did you prepare for verbal? I would appreciate your input

 

[ChubbyChaser]

I would have to agree with you there. I am not impressed by EK 101 at all and I can not understand why so many people swear by this. How did you prepare for verbal? I would appreciate your input

Ek 101 lol, I went from a 13 Vr on my diagnostic to an 11 on the real thing, so. I guess I have always been decent in verbal, eventhough I despise english classes.

 

[tdjn]

Not sure how that's relevant to this thread, but I got a 35.

Hence, the "just out of curiosity." No need to be a tool about it

 

[Isoprop]

there's no one mcat solution for everybody. many people swear by ek vr 101 because it has worked for them.

 

[liripez]

ek worked for me..my second mcat improved 5 points...3 in verbal (english is my second lenguage)...so, I believe ek is the best out there..

ps Kaplan course didn't work for me

 

[RoadRunner17]

Hence, the "just out of curiosity." No need to be a tool about it

Didn't mean to sound petulant or anything. Just seemed like a semi-random question