Is the SAT verbal similar to the MCAT's?

[KingTutATL]

Are these two testing sections fairly similar to one another?

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[SanDiegoSOD]

No, they are very different. Google "practice MCAT" for a sample.

 

[ascrimmins]

Are these two testing sections fairly similar to one another?

NOT IN THE LEAST. I've taught both - SAT Verbal (especially any SAT given until 2005) was VERY heavily weighted towards vocab. MCAT verbal focuses far more on comprehension and some reasoning skills.

 

[Phil Anthropist]

Moving to the MCAT forum

 

[KingTutATL]

Oh that sucks then. I always hated the comprehension on the verbal but the analogies and senctence completions were really easy. If you're still tutoring for the SAT(the new one) how do you tell your students to prepare for the Essay?

 

[Neurolemma]

Are these two testing sections fairly similar to one another?

Actually they are the same, believe it or not. The only difference is that the MCAT humanities passage is much much harder. I also don't think you'll find a science passage on the SAT... however, you will find this on the ACT, and if I remember right, its the same (I think the ACT has 2 science passages - the experimental science passage on the ACT is different in that there is no experimental science passage on the MCAT... actually there is, in PS, but not in VR). The science passage on the MCAT is actually the easiest, and the humanities passage (the one dealing with a philosophical topic or whatever) is the most difficult. Yes, you can use SAT verbal as practice if you feel its necessary. Don't believe this nonsense about Kaplan/Princeton Review being the only accurate guide to the MCAT; thats simply a marketing ploy.

 

[Peterock]

Actually, I think the SAT II's would be a better example of what the MCAT is like

Verbal: SAT II Literature (except hte SAT has poetry). Also, the MCAT literature questions are much harder and fewer in number.

Physical Science: SAT II Chemistry + SAT II Physics.

Biological Science: SAT II Biology (the non evolution one) + Organic ... there is no SAT equivalent.

Writing: SAT II Writing (essay only) or SAT I NEW section 1 (25 min essay) x 2

Of course, everything is longer and more difficult (passages and questions), but I think they focus on the same concepts etc.

 

[Will Ferrell]

Apples:Oranges::SAT Verbal:MCAT Verbal

Nothing alike, thank god. vocabulary words suck.

 

[The Smart Guy]

I talked to a girl who got a 42 on it in high school. She said that the MCAT is like the ACT Science Section and SAT critical reading. So if you rocked Critical Reading then the MCAT Verbal shouldn't be much of a problem. This is what she said. I've looked at some MCAT practice tests and I have to agree.

 

[Peterock]

I am a TPR instructor for both the new/old SAT (well now just new) and MCAT.

new SAT:
1 experimental section

3 Math sections - just like before except no more quantitative comparison... the column A is greater than B, column B is greater than A, etc. Some algebra II concepts as well as more graphing though it's pretty much the same math we remembered.

3 Verbal sections.
Long reading passages like we had + short reading passages 1 paragraph long with one question at the end + fictional reading passages thrown into short/long passages (this is actually the most difficult thing on the exam). No more analogies, but there is still sentence completion.

3 Writing sections. Section 1 of every SAT is a 25 minute section on an essay prompt. This is VERY similar to the MCAT writing except there is only one prompt and obviously most high schoolers don't write that well.
There is always a mini section of "improving sentences" - for those that don't know there are ~15 questions where you read up to two sentences and correct the underlined portion for errors. The next portion is improving paragraphs and error identification. Error identifcation is finding grammar mistakes of selected underlined readings.

Total length of test is 4 hours.


Anyhoo... there are definitely parallels b/t SAT's and MCAT, but I think SAT II's can help you draw a better comparison (even more than the ACT).

 

[Peterock]

Oh ok thanks for clarifying. Can you comment on the passages of the new SAT verbal as it compares to MCAT???? I can see what you are saying about SAT II and MCAT, but I would like to know more about the new SAT I vs. MCAT just for conversation's sake. And is it more difficult then the old SAT I verbal???? I think they did a good thing in getting rid of the dumb analogy section. The GRE should follow the same example and revise their test like the SAT did. I never saw the point of that section or what you could really learn out of it because it required pure memorization of the dictionary whereas MCAT questions about vocab often can be figured out by reading the passage and critically trying to see which choice fits best as a replacement of the word they are asking about.

There is nothing new about the new SAT. It is really just the old SAT + the SAT II writing. In fact, ETS still recycles SAT questions from previous tests verbatim.
Both tests are designed around reading for main idea questions/ author's attitude / and main ideas around certain themes/ideas. Then more specifically they want you to find smaller details in the passage and translate certain words. It really is similar in theory, but MCAT verbal is just much more difficult.

MCAT verbal has longer passages, much more convuluted language, more variance in terms of passage subject, and the questions are vastly more difficult. However, I do think that if you did extremely well on the SAT verbal reading comprehension sections than you will probably do at least above average (>8) on the MCAT verbal. Also, remember that >75% of college students have an SAT of >1150... The student body you're being compared against has changed big time!

 

[Peterock]

By the way, do you plan on teaching TPR courses once med school starts??? I know many med students teach in the summers but don't during the year. I was just curious.

I think the people at TPR think I'm going to keep teaching though I've blown them off in about 40 different ways. I guess it's not b/c I'm a "good" teacher, but b/c I don't get many complaints, show up on time, turn things in on time etc.

I really don't like teaching the SAT other than that it is really really easy. MCAT verbal is also a lot of fun. MCAT biology makes me work and I don't like that. For the most part though, most of the students I've taught in my MCAT classes have been really cool, likeable people... it's still too much work for me though.

I have a full ride and most of my living expenses covered. I am not the most materialistic person in the world, but I really can't buy that many things for medical school after a television, bed, etc. What's the point of working in the summers when I could be improving my resume? I guess if I can't find anything good, then sure, I'd work for them again. It's a really nice job when things go right.

 

[Neurolemma]

However, I do think that if you did extremely well on the SAT verbal reading comprehension sections than you will probably do at least above average (>8) on the MCAT verbal.

Exactly the point I was trying to drive home. Based on what you've said, theres absolutely nothing wrong with using SAT practice material for MCAT verbal. I would also add that the ACT science passages are good practice for PS. And this nonsense about verbal being the hardest section. Hahahahaha... anyway.

 

[Peterock]

Exactly the point I was trying to drive home. Based on what you've said, theres absolutely nothing wrong with using SAT practice material for MCAT verbal. I would also add that the ACT science passages are good practice for PS. And this nonsense about verbal being the hardest section. Hahahahaha... anyway.

I would not use SAT material to practice for the MCAT verbal. I'd just stick b/t AAMC's 3-8R, TPR, and EK's (I really think kaplan blows btw). If you exhausted all those, I would do LSAT reading comprehension. Verbal is by far the hardest section to change your score and it is the most important section, therefore I'd say it is the hardest (though for me it is the easiest, that and the writing).

The problem with the ACT/SAT II's is that they're just much simpler in both presenation and material than the MCAT. I actually attempted to look over an old AP chemistry website that had all the old AP exams on it for the past 50 years or so. I was stunned at how dumb I was in high school and how easy most of the questions were (though i'd still say it covered about 50-60%% of what we needed to know for gen chem).

My whole point about the MCAT was that it really isn't anything new for most of us... just more difficult.

 

[perfectmoment]

"

Then why did you say that a good score on SAT verbal indicates >8 on the MCAT verbal? >8 is not very far removed from double digits, e.g. the "safe zone" of scores, if you will. I for one think SAT verbal is largely the same as MCAT verbal. I am, of course, referring to the passage-based portion. Some ppl try & say SAT verbal & MCAT verbal are different because SAT contains sentence analogies? WTF? Obviously! Any fool can see that if theres any similarity, it'll be only be between the passage-based portions. The way some ppl argue on this forum, I'm not at all surprised about their verbal score. I would recommed Hooked on Phoenics, Cat-In-The-Hat, and Websters Dictionary for these losers... to hell with the MCAT. They take it two or three times and still get the same dumb score. No surprise! Then they come to SDN and complain about how hard verbal is. Go figure.

hmm? if the SAT is a lot easier than the mcat in terms of passage content and questions asked, why would it be useful to use it as practice? there's plenty of mcat vr material out there.... there's no need to use the SAT.

 

[PrincetonRocks]

I thought that the longer passages on the SATs closely resemble that of the MCATs. I actually scored a perfect on the verbal section of the SAT and had a 12 on the Verbal MCAT. I personally liked Verbal and did not spend a lot of time on it. But a group of my friends struggled with Verbal even though they did well on the Verbal sections of the SATs. The best way to study for Verbal is practice with the Kaplan Verbal Topicals. I think you can download them online somewhere. I would limit myself to about 7 minutes/passage. Always time yourself when you're doing the Verbal section.

 

[Neurolemma]

The level of difficulty may vary somewhat between the two. However, the thought process utilized to arrive at the relevent answers is largely the same. Once your reading comprehension skills reach a certain level, you'll see this very clearly.

 

[wetlightning]

have you taken the mcat???

i got an 800 sat verbal and 800 satII writing, and my mcat verbal scores ranged from 11-14, with an 11 on the real thing. mcat verbal is very very different, don't kid yourself.

and DON'T stop practicing the verbal b/c you think you'll be fine or b/c you do well on one diag....it'll come back and bite you later, as it did me!

 

[Neurolemma]

I have a gut feeling many ppl do well on MCAT; a lot better than they presume. But they end up judging the test on the basis of the curve, which is very harsh. There is a difference between the difficulty of the test, and the impact of the curve. The two are mutually exclusive. With this in mind... if the curve suddenly became generous, ppl might start saying VR is the easiest section.

 

[perfectmoment]

once MY reading comprehension skills improve? sorry to disappoint you good sir, but my VR is fine. you can take that high and mighty condescending **** of yours somewhere else.

 

[vincikai]

i do better in MCAT verbal, than in SAT verbal
so no i dont thk they are even close to the same.

 

[Neurolemma]

once MY reading comprehension skills improve? sorry to disappoint you good sir, but my VR is fine. you can take that high and mighty condescending **** of yours somewhere else.

Did I say theres problems with ur VR, a------? Either quote me on it, or shove it.

 

[perfectmoment]

"The level of difficulty may vary somewhat between the two. However, the thought process utilized to arrive at the relevent answers is largely the same. Once your reading comprehension skills reach a certain level, you'll see this very clearly"

hmmm?

 

[Neurolemma]

This goes with what I said before: the thought process utilized to arrive at the relevent answers is essentially the same, whether for the SAT Verbal or MCAT Verbal. Once you master this thought process, your ability to comprehend grows by leaps and bounds. What Kaplan, PR, and other test prep companies try to do is teach ppl to is take a passage and analyze it using a particular comprehension technique (sorry if that sounds obvious). IMO, it fails for a lot of ppl because the thought process is lacking. They (Kaplan, PR) don't hide their motivations by claiming to teach ppl how to think. Only experience will accomplish that one. A test prep company is all about shortcuts, which is not necessarily bad... the MCAT, like any other standardized test, has certain limitations (an obvious example is time) and test prep companies know how to exploit those. Those who do well with the test prep companies, and this is my belief, know how to adjust/manipulate the strategies they're taught... in other words, there isn't a total dependence on them to do well. Your own intellect will stand out at the end of the day, and it won't be based on any example you memorized from a review book. This is what the test was designed to measure in the first place.