how to improve timing for verbal questions

[OneManShow]

verbal scores so far:
EK1= 10
EK2= 10
EK3= 10
EK4= 10
EK5= 10
EK6= 9
EK7= 12

I believe those are "ok" scores but the thing is that I spent 9-10 minutes per passage on average. I usually finish reading the passage in 4 minutes but the questions take me a lot of time..sometimes i go up to 12 mins on the tough passages such as philosophy (there are some rare easy passages that take me 6-7 mins though)
What can I do to reduce my timing on questions? my exam is in january.

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[EricMont]

verbal scores so far:
EK1= 10
EK2= 10
EK3= 10
EK4= 10
EK5= 10
EK6= 9
EK7= 12

I believe those are "ok" scores but the thing is that I spent 9-10 minutes per passage on average. I usually finish reading the passage in 4 minutes but the questions take me a lot of time..sometimes i go up to 12 mins on the tough passages such as philosophy (there are some rare easy passages that take me 6-7 mins though)
What can I do to reduce my timing on questions? my exam is in january.

Have more faith in your first instinct. It has helped me a ton with timing, and I have consistently scored better with around 10 minutes left in every verbal practice section

 

[OneManShow]

Have more faith in your first instinct. It has helped me a ton with timing, and I have consistently scored better with around 10 minutes left in every verbal practice section

It's usually the main idea that's determining my timing. If I understand the main idea well in the first 4 mins, I never refer back to the passage and finish the passage in 7-8 mins. But sometimes I don't get the main idea well and keep referring back to the passage. :-\

 

[apumic]

I'd suggest working on your reading speed. You should be taking 7-8 min/passage. I know for me, I do best if I relax and read the passage at my own pace; however, "my own pace" means reading it in about 2-3 min. This gives me plenty of time to do the questions. I do not make any "notes" or anything. I simply read and comprehend it. That takes 2-3 min. Then I answer the questions. Very rarely do the questions require detail. They're usually more conceptual and/or instinctual. This is why verbal strongly favors people who have read a fair amount their entire lives. If you're not one of those people, become one now. (Actually, about 5 years ago would be better, but unless you've gotten your physics knowledge up to par w/ building time machines, you'll probably have to settle w/ now, unfortunately.)

What works for you, however, will vary. That's simply what I do and it serves me well (generally 95-99th percentile on verbal tests across every standardized test taken)

 

[mzblue]

Those scores look good. I did the first 3 tests and i surrendered. This time, i'm focusing a lot on the verbal. You can always practice speed once you've mastered your comprehension level. There are free speed reading resources on the internet. The goal is to read at your fastest rate while maintaining comprehension 80% or above. keep up with the good work.

 

[Charles_Carmichael]

Don't try to rush through reading the passage. I think that's a mistake a lot of people make in trying to cut down on time. Rushing through the passage won't cut down any significant amount of time and increases the likelihood of you needing to refer back to the passage frequently while answering the questions. This would ultimately, IMO, take up more time than if you read the passage in a relaxed pace (as apumic put it) and really try to understand it.

 

[apumic]

Don't try to rush through reading the passage. I think that's a mistake a lot of people make in trying to cut down on time. Rushing through the passage won't cut down any significant amount of time and increases the likelihood of you needing to refer back to the passage frequently while answering the questions. This would ultimately, IMO, take up more time than if you read the passage in a relaxed pace (as apumic put it) and really try to understand it.

The thing is...to do well, you have to get that relaxed pace up to a quick speed. It's like training to be a world-class fighter (or to fight in general). If you start out trying to throw kicks, punches, and controls at lightning speed, you'll like like a total ***** and get your butt kicked every single time. You need to start slow and establish your technique; learn where to aim; learn how to effectively block; and so forth. However, If you walk into a real fight in slow motion, it doesn't matter how good your technique is, you're still gettin' an a**-kickin'!

So... start slow. Ensure you understand the passages. Practice reading (NOT just MCAT stuff). Read classic literature, read journals from outside the sciences, etc. Practice will naturally make you a better and quicker reader. Comprehension is primary but w/o speed you'll still never make it, so develop them in the proper order. Keep in mind, however, that the reason test prep companies try to find shortcuts is that, unlike the sciences, verbal skills take a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time to develop. Gimmicky "tricks" may work for some question (esp. the ones offered by the company selling said "trick"), but you can rest assured the AAMC is well aware of those "tricks" and is actively avoiding writing questions that will fall for those tricks too easily. The AAMC has even stated explicitly that it watches for those companies' "strategies" and updates question writers on them, asking that they ensure the "tricks" simply won't work on their questions.