Help! Verbal is my weak point

[evensten]

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HI CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE A VERBAL SCORE WOULD BE? I TOOK MY MCAT AND SCORED THE LOWEST ON VERBAL AND I FEEL LIKE I COULD HAVE GOTTEN A 31 OR HIGHER IF IT WASNT FOR VERBAL. i will be taking my mcat in the end of july. I JUST NEED A STRATEGY. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

 

[peripherin]

Hiya!

You could start by not posting in all caps. 😉

Other than that, a good starting point would be telling us your verbal score and studying strategies that you have used thus far.

 

[apumic]

HI CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE A VERBAL SCORE WOULD BE? I TOOK MY MCAT AND SCORED THE LOWEST ON VERBAL AND I FEEL LIKE I COULD HAVE GOTTEN A 31 OR HIGHER IF IT WASNT FOR VERBAL. i will be taking my mcat in the end of july. I JUST NEED A STRATEGY. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

Start reading. Stop posting in all caps.

VR is, by far, the most resistant score to change. How were your verbal scores on prior standardized tests? (GRE, SAT, ACT)

 

[SN2ed]

Are you having trouble on the MCAT? Here is a list of strategies and guides that others have applied to become successful.

Breaking Down the MCAT: A 3 Month MCAT Study Schedule - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=623898

BloodySurgeon Verbal Guide- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=509702

QofQuimica & Shrike - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=516521

30+ MCAT Study Habits- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=503250

Tips for MCAT Studiers- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=3719232

Vihsadas Verbal Guide- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=6022602&postcount=96

Bozz's Study Tips - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=499207

gecko45's Study Tips - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=499808

Rabbit36s Study Tips - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=578461

Official "Please Help" Thread - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=535393

Post a Tip for Current MCAT Studiers - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?p=3719048

 

[evensten]

my verbal score was a 7 unfortunately. Sorry didnt mean to write it all in capslock. I am just so worried. I have used exam crackers but since i was taking a hard load in college during that i dont thikn i did much in verbal as i was kind of racin gthrough all the passages i did. I didnt go over the answesrmuch,just kept doing passages and timing myself. I did the aamc verbal ones to oand highest i got was an 8. What else can i do. TPR i have done but i dont find it useful. Is there any other book or approach?

 

[fullset]

I have found the EK strategy to work for me. My general conclusion so far:

Reading the passages slowly bogs my mind down with details. On particularly detail oriented passages, it is really hard to keep up. Reading the passages fast even if you think you're not understanding is better. Ultimately, it is not like a science passage where you have to understand the information. I think it is the same conclusion from another poster who did really awesome on verbal (I think vihsadas). I didn't believe it when I originally read it, but it works.

 

[G1SG2]

my verbal score was a 7 unfortunately. Sorry didnt mean to write it all in capslock. I am just so worried. I have used exam crackers but since i was taking a hard load in college during that i dont thikn i did much in verbal as i was kind of racin gthrough all the passages i did. I didnt go over the answesrmuch,just kept doing passages and timing myself. I did the aamc verbal ones to oand highest i got was an 8. What else can i do. TPR i have done but i dont find it useful. Is there any other book or approach?

I have found the EK strategy to work for me. My general conclusion so far:

Reading the passages slowly bogs my mind down with details. On particularly detail oriented passages, it is really hard to keep up. Reading the passages fast even if you think you're not understanding is better. Ultimately, it is not like a science passage where you have to understand the information. I think it is the same conclusion from another poster who did really awesome on verbal (I think vihsadas). I didn't believe it when I originally read it, but it works.

I like EK as well. However, I think it depends on the individual. I've had opposite results-my verbal scores have jumped ever since I started reading the passages slower. Reading the passages at a slightly slower pace helps me to understand them more (especially with the longer passages on the real thing, and also, I ignore details), and thus answer the questions more swiftly. I think the OP should try different strategies until he/she finds one that works. Just my 2 cents.

 

[NickNaylor]

Hi im 12 and what is this

 

[Flapjacks]

im 13 and i still dont know what is this

 

[evensten]

I think just reading them and going straight to the questions, isnt helping me. I know we arent supposed to do this but how bout skimming the questions first then looking for those key terms in the passage itself or even reading the passage but looking specifically for what we rememebred from the questions. I really need major verbal improvement. If it wasnt for verbal, i would be at a 30 AT LEAST on my mcat. THe first time, i got a 7 on verbal, then second time even worse, 6. WOuld i be screened out do to this? I have a really high gpa and loads of other stuff; its just my verbal score, which unfortunately determines your composite score on the mcat.

 

[startswithb]

Maybe instead of focusing on reading the passage more effectively, you could try focusing harder on the questions.

Process of Elimination! Learn the questions types and the common tricks! The explanations in the EK 101 book should go over these.

 

[Signifier]

Yes, and it's always a mystery, "very high GPAs" and awful MCAT scores. The suggestions given are good - read, write, take more practice tests so you can better feel out what verbal is like - and ask yourself, "Why did I miss that one? Where did my thinking go wrong?" etc.

 

[anbuitachi]

verbal is so hard!!! often i finish reading the passage and its like i read nothing at all cause i didn't understand. so more or less its just diong the questions w/o reading anything for me.. which doesn't work well

 

[JWP07]

What is the best way to improving verbal? Everyone keeps saying "practice, practice, practice," but what does that mean exactly? Do I just keep doing passages and taking verbal practice tests.....and my scores well begin to improve? I feel like I read some passages and don't understand them too well. My test is in August. Also, I have the Kaplan Verbal Workbook with 11 practice tests and the EK101. I want to save these for the days that I get closer to the test date. What do you guys think I need to do?

 

[coach55]

What is the best way to improving verbal? Everyone keeps saying "practice, practice, practice," but what does that mean exactly? Do I just keep doing passages and taking verbal practice tests.....and my scores well begin to improve? I feel like I read some passages and don't understand them too well. My test is in August. Also, I have the Kaplan Verbal Workbook with 11 practice tests and the EK101. I want to save these for the days that I get closer to the test date. What do you guys think I need to do?

Yes, taking lots of passages is the key to improve your score because you get to see the trend of the questions that come up. However this is only the half of the story. The other most important point is that you have to review your answers thoroughly (both the ones u got correct and wrong) and figure out WHY you got it right or WHY you got it wrong.
Taking 200 passages can improve your score by 2-3 points but taking 50-100 passages with thorough review can boost your score 5-7 pts
Of course, those r just exaggerated numbers..but you get the idea..

 

[JWP07]

Yes, taking lots of passages is the key to improve your score because you get to see the trend of the questions that come up. However this is only the half of the story. The other most important point is that you have to review your answers thoroughly (both the ones u got correct and wrong) and figure out WHY you got it right or WHY you got it wrong.
Taking 200 passages can improve your score by 2-3 points but taking 50-100 passages with thorough review can boost your score 5-7 pts
Of course, those r just exaggerated numbers..but you get the idea..

Sounds good! Thanks for your input. I am willing to do as many passages as possible until August 20. I feel like I need more than the Kaplan workbook and the EK 101 as I would be able to finish them in about 3 weeks if I work at it every day. Including TPR, what are other good sources for verbal?

 

[fullset]

I'd recommend EK101 over kaplan. EK has wonderful solutions for the most part.

 

[RevMD]

I'm pretty much in the same boat floating in rough waters. I got a month left and have already went through at least 80 passages so far with little consistency.

I have found the EK strategy to work for me. My general conclusion so far:

Reading the passages slowly bogs my mind down with details. On particularly detail oriented passages, it is really hard to keep up. Reading the passages fast even if you think you're not understanding is better. Ultimately, it is not like a science passage where you have to understand the information. I think it is the same conclusion from another poster who did really awesome on verbal (I think vihsadas). I didn't believe it when I originally read it, but it works.

I agree on this. I just switched to strategy to read the passage slower and highlight more often a few days ago thinking it might help. Result: my score dropped an estimated two points (rule of thumb: 10 questions wrong on BS, VR, or PS gives approximately a 10 score +/- 1-2 questions). So I am now going back to reading the passage faster with less understanding, which seems to help me avoid unnecessary details that will result in choosing the baited wrong answer.

 

[Silverfalcon]

It's not just thorough review that will bring people's scores up. Thorough reviewing and practices will get you to be familiar with patterns in question stems and structure of the passages.

However, if you run into a passage that you don't understand, all of that would be useless. Hence, it is crucial to be reading some external, non-practice-test materials to work on reading comprehension as well because actual Verbal on the test will feel harder than the practices.

 

[DreamingPremed]

With enough practice, you will begin to "feel" the right answer. You'll be able to read an answer stem and immediately have a sense of how "right" it is or to determine if it is the best answer. I have never left a verbal section feeling good. I always feel crappy afterwards like, "dang, there is no way I got even an 8 on that." But you'll be surprise by how good you do when you practice enough. Outside reading helps a ton too. I read a lot of classical novels, philosophy, The Economist, and National Geographic.

 

[BStill]

I have trouble with verbal, especially remembering details in the passage when I get to the question stems.
What I started doing was highlighting "landmarks" in the passage to give me a feel of how the passage was laid out, so when I got to the question stems I could go back and read if necessary.

After doing this for a while, what I started doing was reading the question stems fast looking for key words and at the same time finding those words (if I could do it fast) and highlight them in the passage BEFORE I started reading.

This did three things for me ..1 allowed me to get a feel of what the passage was about, 2 gave me a fast reference point to go back to, 3 made me less worried about trying to remember all the detail. Hence, I could read the passage faster for the main idea more.

David.

 

[theWUbear]

Hi im 12 and what is this

 

[NickNaylor]

Worth the bump. 👍