Finishing all passages????

[MeMyselfI]

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Hey guys,
I'm finding that I'm having trouble getting through all of the passages in the science sections. Can anyone shed some light as to what they do to work faster?

 

[shaqkillz451]

Why aren't you finishing on time? Are you reading slow b/c ur afraid you might overlook something important or b/c what is being discussed is just hard to comprehend.

If u r reading slow to avoid missing something important, I would stop doing that. As long as you get teh gist of the experiment/information, then u r ok. B/c if u get a question that u don't understand at first, its pre-med nature to go back to the passage and look for something that might relate to it (for a reasonable period of time) so its better not to waste time the first time u read the passage. Chances are that u might not even be asked about the small details.

If ur reading slow b/c ur having trouble understanding the gist of the passage, then u should note down what concepts the passage is referring to and refresh ur memory on the concept. If u get good at understanding the general concepts (e.g. kinematics), u'll have an easier time getting the gist of the passage.

My advice might sound a little vague b/c i haven't really given an example, but if u have a specific passage u want to discuss (i have access to kaplan,aamc), then u can post it here or PM me and we can talk about it further. Good Luck!

 

[ChePibe]

Those are very good points brought up by shaqkills. However, if your problem is not in reading then your background knowledge might need some polishing. It may be that you are spending a little bit longer on questions trying to recall the material you should use to answer it. Knowing and understanding the formulas cold would definitely improve on this problem.
Hope this helps.

 

[MeMyselfI]

Thanks for the advice guys.I'll give specific examples the next time I take an exam.If anyone else can shed some light on the matter, please feel free to do so.

 

[jochi1543]

I find that with orgo, phys, and gen chem passages in particular, you don't even need to read the passage to answer the questions. So try starting with questions first and then if you find one that you realize you can't answer w/o reading, quickly scan the passage to locate the relevant info. See if it works for you.

 

[WurangBlang]

I find that with orgo, phys, and gen chem passages in particular, you don't even need to read the passage to answer the questions. So try starting with questions first and then if you find one that you realize you can't answer w/o reading, quickly scan the passage to locate the relevant info. See if it works for you.

i must disagree on that. I took mcat three times so far, and the actual tests are much more passage based(and considerably longer in length) than the practice ones. While it's true that some passges(esp. orgo) sometimes don't ask passage related questions, i strongly recommend you to focus on passages. Even if you do that, you should have plenty of time to finish all the questions and more(i usually finish 12min before). I think you should speed up on problem solving rather than saving time with reading passages.

 

[MeMyselfI]

About how much time do you guys average per passage(including the questions)in order to have extra time left over?Also, I find it easier to do the stand alones first, but I'm wondering if it's a waste of time flipping from screen to screen.

 

[ACD]

Also, I find it easier to do the stand alones first, but I'm wondering if it's a waste of time flipping from screen to screen.

Don't do the stand alones first. Those are your breathers during the exam to rest your reading brain muscles.
Also, try timing yourself if you're not happy with your speed. Your internal clock will start to adjust after a while.

 

[TarHeel55]

Hey guys,
I'm finding that I'm having trouble getting through all of the passages in the science sections. Can anyone shed some light as to what they do to work faster?

What practice tests are you using? AAMC, Kaplan, others...?

FWIW, I was sometimes unable to finish the Kaplan science section tests, even towards the end of my studying. It seemed to me that the questions on the Kaplan section tests were about as difficult as the medium- to most-difficult questions on the AAMC tests. The Kaplan tests tended to not have easier questions, as the AAMC tests do. So they were harder on the whole. Even when I was unable to finish the Kaplan section tests, I ended up with decent scores (11 - 13), because Kaplan seems to have a generous curve. On the real deal, I scored on the high end of my Kaplan practice test scores.

I think it's more worrisome if you are having trouble finishing AAMC tests. On my first two practice tests (Kaplan), I was way too slow. Sometimes my mind would just blank out. I'd forget equations, stare off into space... I found that my speed improved as I spent more time with the material. Repetition was key. Spend lots of time with the equations and relationships. Eventually you will internalize them. When you know them like the back of your hand, your speed and scores will increase. I think a big part of the MCAT is pattern recognition. When you see a question asking about ion migration in galvanic cells for the 20th time, you automatically start thinking along the lines that lead you to the answer.

After about three months of studying and four Kaplan practice tests, pattern recognition set in for me. No more spells of blanking out. When I started taking AAMC tests, they seemed easier in comparision. I was able to finish the PS and BS with time to spare.

Take heart. I am no science whiz, but with lots of repetition, I was able to exceed my expectations for myself on the PS and BS. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to study. Once you have thoroughly internalized the concepts, you will see dramatic improvements.

 

[Nikki2002]

I find that with orgo, phys, and gen chem passages in particular, you don't even need to read the passage to answer the questions. So try starting with questions first and then if you find one that you realize you can't answer w/o reading, quickly scan the passage to locate the relevant info. See if it works for you.

exactly--this is great advice.