I need RC help!!! = )

[CuddlesUCLAbear]

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Hi everyone,

Any great advise on studying tips or materials that work out for improving one's RC score? I'm planning on taking my DAT beginning of September and haven't even touched RC yet. How much time should I allocate to studying RC? What kind of strategies work(ed) best on the DAT?

Thanks a bunch!! = )

 

[SanOnofre2002]

Don't waste any time preparing for the RC section. Maybe just read some samples from Kaplan to get a feel for the level of difficulty. I don't recommend the note-taking method or reading the questions first either. Notes waste too much time and there's too much info to know what to write. I'd say just jump in and above all FOCUS on what it is you're reading. Don't think about that you're taking a test, or how you can't wait to finish it; read it like it's the most facinating, interesting essay you'd ever seen.

 

[sarah_bellum]

Don't waste any time preparing for the RC section.

Agreed. There's no good way to prepare. I saw no prep materials that accurately predicted what it would be like. I'd just try to read scientific articles to get in the habit. I thought it was a difficult section. Percentile-wise, it was my lowest score.

 

[cskpeter]

How much time should I allocate to studying RC? What kind of strategies work(ed) best on the DAT?

Even though I agree with SanOnofre2002's idea that no prep is necessary for RC, I slightly disagree with the strategy part. Skim reading, jotting down, reading the questions ahead, or any strategy you feel comfortable with, go for it.

For me, it was like 50/50 of jotting down and skim reading. The RC section has 3 readings, 14 to 15 problems per reading within 60 minutes. So, I tried to first finish reading in 10 minutes taking as much note as possible with abbreviation and then solve problems in the rest 10 minutes. No waste of time on one hard question. If not sure, make a guess and move on. That worked for me.

 

[Fonz]

To prepare just do some practice tests and time them. Don't jot down notes or do the Kaplan road mapping strategy. Read it though fast but pay close attention to where certain information is so you can scroll back to it fast.

 

[TheWiredNerv]

I disagree with the above no practice. You need to practice RC just to get yourself in the habit of actively reading and carrying out whatever strat works best for you. I suggest reading every RC section you can get your hands on just so you know what the "feel" for each passage will be.

 

[Solstica]

Even though I agree with SanOnofre2002's idea that no prep is necessary for RC, I slightly disagree with the strategy part. Skim reading, jotting down, reading the questions ahead, or any strategy you feel comfortable with, go for it.

For me, it was like 50/50 of jotting down and skim reading. The RC section has 3 readings, 14 to 15 problems per reading within 60 minutes. So, I tried to first finish reading in 10 minutes taking as much note as possible with abbreviation and then solve problems in the rest 10 minutes. No waste of time on one hard question. If not sure, make a guess and move on. That worked for me.

I didn't do the jotting but i did it similar to yours. How did you do for most of this?

 

[cskpeter]

I didn't do the jotting but i did it similar to yours. How did you do for most of this?

Obviously we all have different approaches to RC and I don't mean my approach is better than anyone else's. I just do this because it helps me find an answer easier or at least where to look for it. For example, there were minimum 15 paragraphs in one RC topic of the DAT. I could've never remembered a thing if I hadn't jotted down one or two keywords per paragraph. But it could be just me.

Whether jotting down or not the more important thing is to keep up with reading and problem solving within time limits, I think. My strategy was like "Read a topic in 10 minutes, solve the problems in 10 minutes, do it 3 times and the RC's over". I actually ended up couple minutes short on the actual DAT and had to cut the reading time on the third topic. It was harder to look for an answer when I didn't read a full topic and have no clues what questions are about. Luckily I did fairly alright with RC at 21. I was extremely happy and thankful because the RC was the least prepared part.

What I really wanted to say is "find a strategy that suits you best and keep the pace". GOOD LUCK to you all!!

[Edit] I didn't do any RC practice before taking DAT.

 

[95881]

How did the length of practice tests compare to the length of the actual RC passages on the DAT? I find kaplan practice tests manageable but the barrons practice tests are really long and I run out of time. Thanks! DB

 

[cskpeter]

I don't have Kaplan RC test so can't comment on that but Barrons RC is way too lengthy. The DAT achiever has closer representations of the actual DAT in format than Topscore. Hope it helps.

 

[95881]

I don't have Kaplan RC test so can't comment on that but Barrons RC is way too lengthy. The DAT achiever has closer representations of the actual DAT in format than Topscore. Hope it helps.

Thanks for the reply! DB

 

[Smiling MD]

🙂 I am just going to suggest how I do it...


As I read I try to take note of each paragraph and what it is talking about.
Say you have an article all about fungus. As you read the first paragraph it talks abt the research, the next article is the biology of fungus, the next is about the way it reproduces, as you progress each article talks about something else until finally you get articles that relate to specific fungi with their disease/symptoms.
The questions you get ask about reproduction, then a specific fungi, then about medication. If you don't all ready know the answer- you will at least have a REALLY good idea of where it is.
Even base it on general sections.... first section- reference material, second section is functional stuff, then the last is specifics....
I don't know if this helps, but this is how I read- when I took my dat got a 24 on this part- the rest of it kind of sucked (lol)... but at least I don't have to worry about that....