Format for the RC section??

[omegax8]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I recently been practicing the RC section and just wanted to know how the format is like. I like to look at all the questions before proceeding on reading just so I know the gist of the whole thing. I was wondering how the format is like on the DAT. I was just wondering if this method is time consuming for the DAT since I would have to press the back button for every question for each passage. For me personally, this method takes less time than the stupid Kaplan roadmap thing. Does anyone have any input on this? Thanks

 

[sacjumpman]

I recently been practicing the RC section and just wanted to know how the format is like. I like to look at all the questions before proceeding on reading just so I know the gist of the whole thing. I was wondering how the format is like on the DAT. I was just wondering if this method is time consuming for the DAT since I would have to press the back button for every question for each passage. For me personally, this method takes less time than the stupid Kaplan roadmap thing. Does anyone have any input on this? Thanks

RC opens up with the entire passage in front of you with no questions.

When you press next, it goes to the questions that take up about 3/4 of the screen. The passage appears on the bottom of the screen and you can scroll through it.

One question appears at a time. You can scroll through the passage and when you press next it resets it to the top of the passage.

It would waste some time to read through all the question because you would be pressing next, next, next and then have to go back through them all.

However, it would still be feasible.

I don't know if that answers all your questions, let me know if it doesn't.

It's actually very similar to Achiever except the passage is reduced to a even smaller part of the screen and the question takes up much more space.

 

[jigabodo]

I recently been practicing the RC section and just wanted to know how the format is like. I like to look at all the questions before proceeding on reading just so I know the gist of the whole thing. I was wondering how the format is like on the DAT. I was just wondering if this method is time consuming for the DAT since I would have to press the back button for every question for each passage. For me personally, this method takes less time than the stupid Kaplan roadmap thing. Does anyone have any input on this? Thanks

The formats are quite similar to TS and Achiever. If you practice that you shoudnt get any surprises on the actual.

Sorry to hijack, but god sacjumpman, you freaking raped the DAT...

 

[sacjumpman]

The formats are quite similar to TS and Achiever. If you practice that you shoudnt get any surprises on the actual.

Sorry to hijack, but god sacjumpman, you freaking raped the DAT...

Thanks man. I got very lucky. Check your PM's.

To keep it back on topic, to the OP: 🙂

When you get the random tone questions, try to eliminate answers. If you've semi-read the article, at least 3 of the answers will seem very out there and obviously wrong.

From there, if you're still stuck, mark it and move on, don't get hung up for too long. Strong possibility that you will have a better grasp on the tone questions when you get to the end of the questions for that passage. 🙂

 

[Electrons]

I recently been practicing the RC section and just wanted to know how the format is like. I like to look at all the questions before proceeding on reading just so I know the gist of the whole thing. I was wondering how the format is like on the DAT. I was just wondering if this method is time consuming for the DAT since I would have to press the back button for every question for each passage. For me personally, this method takes less time than the stupid Kaplan roadmap thing. Does anyone have any input on this? Thanks

Interesting that you mentioned this...because I'm doing the same. I checkout all the Qs first before reading the passage. However, it seem to waste at least 1.5-2 min 🙁 due to clicking backward to start reading the passage. It helps me to look for answer easier, but it just waste 2 min earlier. When I don't do that, I tend to try to memorize everything and usually end up finishing much longer. In addition, I also write down the "topic" to each paragraph like someone mentioned. Altogether, it's taking a lot of time but at least its consistent score of 17-18. 🙁 I like to change it to something a little faster, cuz it seem to be inefficient method. I've tried other people methods in hunting for answer here and there and its variance, but I tend to get much worse inconsistent score with it. Anybody got other advices or what to modify to?

Just wondering, why did you choose it this way?

 

[Electrons]

Sorry to hijack, but god sacjumpman, you freaking raped the DAT...

what score did sacjumpman get?

 

[jigabodo]

Its in his predents.com profile below his avatar.

 

[Solstica]

Wow, you both are genuises and have killer score. Congrats!

SacJumpMan, what's your technique for the RC to earn a 26?

 

[Solstica]

Interesting that you mentioned this...because I'm doing the same. I checkout all the Qs first before reading the passage. However, it seem to waste at least 1.5-2 min 🙁 due to clicking backward to start reading the passage. It helps me to look for answer easier, but it just waste 2 min earlier. When I don't do that, I tend to try to memorize everything and usually end up finishing much longer. In addition, I also write down the "topic" to each paragraph like someone mentioned. Altogether, it's taking a lot of time but at least its consistent score of 17-18. 🙁 I like to change it to something a little faster, cuz it seem to be inefficient method. I've tried other people methods in hunting for answer here and there and its variance, but I tend to get much worse inconsistent score with it. Anybody got other advices or what to modify to?

Just wondering, why did you choose it this way?

Too much work. I write slow. If I write, I won't finish on time for sure.

 

[sacjumpman]

Wow, you both are genuises and have killer score. Congrats!

SacJumpMan, what's your technique for the RC to earn a 26?

Man, I wish I had some good advice. I was freaking out panicky during this whole section, couldn't really focus it didn't feel like.

So I would start reading and get about half way through. Then look through the questions to find the detail questions. There were a fair number of them. At least 30/50 were detail questions. I would read the tone and oddball questions, mark the best answer I had at the time, and come back at the very end.

By the time I read through all the detail questions, I had a good sense of the passage. For the tone questions, really read the answer choices. Even if you just kinda know what's going on in the article, some of them (hopefully 3 of them) will jump out as just obviously wrong. So then you can narrow it down to two of them. And again, even if I wasn't positive of the right answer, usually the other one just seemed more wrong.

So all in all, I never had a good technique. I read about a technique of giving a title to every paragraph and writing that down as you read. I started doing this during my first passage. I actually think it helped for that passage. However, about half way through, I abandoned it cause I was just such a bundle of nerves.

That's when I switched and just decided to go hunting for the detail questions and hoping I would get the jist of the passage in the meantime.

The other thing that plays a factor, IMO, is that I read ALOT. I mean for all my classes, when a teacher assigns reading, my friends will say, "You don't even have to read, just read her notes, etc." But I'm the type that will still read everything, often times, once during that week of class and then re-read almost all the assigned reading during finals week.

It's just the way I learn. Lots of people need visual stimulation, others are auditory learners, I learn best by just sitting down and reading it in the text.

There's also a huge luck factor. I was very fortunate not to get that horrendous sounding ethics/morals passage...

 

[jigabodo]

I think as you are reading the passage, you should also try to identify whether if its a mostly factual vs. more opinionated type.

If its more opinionated, its usually easier to read so I just try to read and understand as much as possible. Then I just proceed to answer the questions based off memory.

If its more factual, I would still try to comprehend it, but i think writing down key words in factual types of passages are helpful. This type of passages usually give out a lot of info so it would be virtually impossible remember everything.

 

[Electrons]

Jigabodo & SacJumpMan, thanks for the smart and very useful advices. 👍 You both seem to have very similar method. If you guys ever need any help with other stuff, just holler / pm me.