How to "smoke" the BS and PS

[thebillsfan]

I'd say I have a very good grasp of the concepts in both bs and ps (not completely, but by the time I take the test I should). Obviously, that's not the only key to a high MCAT score. For a few questions on those sections where you need "something extra" to hone in on the right answer. So my question is, if you're down to two choices (or even three) on a tough question, and it seems like both answers can be right (even though you know one is wrong) how do you figure out the correct MCAT answer?

Any thoughts would be appreciated

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[unDRdog]

flip the scrip...figure out why one is WRONG...thats how i do it. Pray, then guess.

 

[pandoraaj009]

Check out the 30+ mcat scores tips and tricks thread-its a sticky @ the top of this forum

 

[muhali3]

Most likely you looked over something in the passage and didn't mentally digest it well enough.

 

[IveyGirl]

Most likely you looked over something in the passage and didn't mentally digest it well enough.

Yeah, I find a lot of my mistakes like that are when I overlook something in the passage, or am rushing and misread something like "least, not, does not support", etc.

From my experiences the key is to focus, especially on the questions + their related content in the passage. When it boils down to two, figuring out which one is wrong would work, or trying to find evidence in the passage (sometimes it's the most obscure sentence in the middle of nowhere that proves the correct answer).

Also, I like to keep thinking, at the back of my mind, "what are they trying to test with this question?" It helps to put it in perspective. If there's no info given in the passage, then think concepts, and then just POE.

 

[0Complications]

Yeah, I find a lot of my mistakes like that are when I overlook something in the passage, or am rushing and misread something like "least, not, does not support", etc.

From my experiences the key is to focus, especially on the questions + their related content in the passage. When it boils down to two, figuring out which one is wrong would work, or trying to find evidence in the passage (sometimes it's the most obscure sentence in the middle of nowhere that proves the correct answer).

Also, I like to keep thinking, at the back of my mind, "what are they trying to test with this question?" It helps to put it in perspective. If there's no info given in the passage, then think concepts, and then just POE.

The bolded statements are golden. You have to not only pick the right answer, but the answer that relates back to the passage.

For instance, today I missed a question because I applied outside knowledge that was beyond the knowledge tested by the MCAT. It was a neurophys question and that's my specialty, so I picked an answer that I knew to be correct, but was debating between that one and the one that was supported by the passage. In the end, I got the question wrong, becaue the one that was supported by the passage was more correct under the circumstances the passage laid out. This is because the passages not only act to give you additional information to test your knowledge, but also to rule out possible exceptions. This is a key that I'm glad I learned today, because I'm going to apply it on my next MCAT this Wed with confidence, then on the real deal this Friday.


Bottom line: Use the question stem AND the passage information.


If all else fails, start to eliminate ones you know are wrong, then think which one of the remaining answers is more correct, pick it, mark it, and move on. Then at the end you can revisit the question. Don't waste too much time on one question though. It's better to finish the section and know exactly how much time you can afford to spend on analysis for the few questions you were unsure about.

 

[MedSchoolNoob]

I'd actually look at the SDN MCAT Review Book. It has a lot of high-yield info in it if you have some time to study. It def helped me out with my BS and PS content review, but only when I used it with other test prep material as well.