Low verbal...help plz!!!

[Frostmoon]

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Hi guys,

I took my first MCAT last september, ending up with a 28O composite (12 - phy, 10- bio and a pathetic 6 for verbal🙁🙁🙁). I have a 3.92 overall GPA. EC looks average (D.O shadowing exp, oversea volunteering, intense biochemistry research exp and numerous scholarships). My friend told me I would not have a chance with that 6 on my report....T_T....

English is my second language and I am really really struggling with the verbal session. My next MCAT is coming up in a month, any tip for last minute cramming? I been doing over a lot of practices but it seems like my score is not improving much...
I used AAMC, EK and Kaplan for studying, is there any other good material out there? Is there any good strategy to follow when you jump into those passages? Any help is much appreciated~~
🙂
p.s. I heard TOURO-NY don't look at ur verbal score, is that true? If so, that would be my top choice LOL...

 

[WorldChanger36]

Hi guys,

I took my first MCAT last september, ending up with a 28O composite (12 - phy, 10- bio and a pathetic 6 for verbal🙁🙁🙁). I have a 3.92 overall GPA. EC looks average (D.O shadowing exp, oversea volunteering, intense biochemistry research exp and numerous scholarships). My friend told me I would not have a chance with that 6 on my report....T_T....

English is my second language and I am really really struggling with the verbal session. My next MCAT is coming up in a month, any tip for last minute cramming? I been doing over a lot of practices but it seems like my score is not improving much...
I used AAMC, EK and Kaplan for studying, is there any other good material out there? Is there any good strategy to follow when you jump into those passages? Any help is much appreciated~~
🙂
p.s. I heard TOURO-NY don't look at ur verbal score, is that true? If so, that would be my top choice LOL...

If english is your second language then very few schools will hold your low verbal against you. MD and DO will love to have you just make sure you state english is a second language on your primaries and secondaries and how you cope with language problems and i bet you will be ok. Good luck

 

[NeuroLAX]

I swear by EK Verbal... I went from a 6 to a 10, which in your case would put you over 30. I would do a search here because there are definitely other options than going over EK Verbal again. I went through it twice and did fine on the retake.

Perhaps it is the way your are studying? Are you setting a timer and practicing in a quiet place? Practice in testing conditions is a must.

Good luck! I know how you feel about that 6.

 

[Frostmoon]

If english is your second language then very few schools will hold your low verbal against you. MD and DO will love to have you just make sure you state english is a second language on your primaries and secondaries and how you cope with language problems and i bet you will be ok. Good luck

Wow...really? I never realize that...I was thinking quite the opposite...aren't med skus generally against ESL students? I already submitted my primary last month, it's still being processed, but I don't recall the application asking whether or not english is my first language.... I guess I should just mention that in my secondaries...Thanks a lot for your helpful input!

 

[Frostmoon]

I swear by EK Verbal... I went from a 6 to a 10, which in your case would put you over 30. I would do a search here because there are definitely other options than going over EK Verbal again. I went through it twice and did fine on the retake.

Perhaps it is the way your are studying? Are you setting a timer and practicing in a quiet place? Practice in testing conditions is a must.

Good luck! I know how you feel about that 6.

Congratz on such great improvement...I did finish all EK passages...but I didn't do them in a real exam setting...Most of the time, I was doing two passages a time....Maybe that's why I don't see my score improving much...T_T...I was also using the Kaplan book, but those passages seem way to easy in comparison to the real MCAT...so I don't know how much it's gonna benefit me...
Anywayz, thank you for your helpful input...really appreciate it...🙂

 

[NeuroLAX]

I'm not a fan of Kaplan. I would definitely take a closer look at EK Verbal. Take them in proper testing conditions, though.

 

[docmayer]

I have your same breakdown and GPA. I'm applying this cycle and not re-writing the MCAT. I'm pretty confident we will be okay...3.92 is way above average and 28 is slightly above.
Goodluck.

 

[WorldChanger36]

Wow...really? I never realize that...I was thinking quite the opposite...aren't med skus generally against ESL students? I already submitted my primary last month, it's still being processed, but I don't recall the application asking whether or not english is my first language.... I guess I should just mention that in my secondaries...Thanks a lot for your helpful input!

Not as long as you can communicate well. Actually being multilingualism is helpful in getting into medical school ( although not much). Primaries don't useally ask if you are ESL but you can put it in your PS. You should let every school know by putting it on your secondaries in some way. You'll do fine, you have earned it, it would be complete bull**** if schools rejected you because of your weakness in English. If I had to take the MCAT in spanish I think I would have trouble with it no matter how hard I studied and knew the language because I don't think in spanish phrases, Just like you don't think in English phrases, med schools hire smart people for ADCOMs if you explain yourself you will get into some great schools. I mean come on I have been useing this english language for years and I still screw it up.

 

[Frostmoon]

I have your same breakdown and GPA. I'm applying this cycle and not re-writing the MCAT. I'm pretty confident we will be okay...3.92 is way above average and 28 is slightly above.
Goodluck.

😱😱
well...I just got denied last cycle...probably due to my late application tho. At that point, I was thinking about optometry...so I didn't hand in my primary till Nov.
Anywayz, I certainly hope you are right....Good luck!!!

 

[Frostmoon]

Not as long as you can communicate well. Actually being multilingualism is helpful in getting into medical school ( although not much). Primaries don't useally ask if you are ESL but you can put it in your PS. You should let every school know by putting it on your secondaries in some way. You'll do fine, you have earned it, it would be complete bull**** if schools rejected you because of your weakness in English. If I had to take the MCAT in spanish I think I would have trouble with it no matter how hard I studied and knew the language because I don't think in spanish phrases, Just like you don't think in English phrases, med schools hire smart people for ADCOMs if you explain yourself you will get into some great schools. I mean come on I have been useing this english language for years and I still screw it up.

you spoke my mind, man...I've been practicing english for 6 years...still, there seems to be a gap between me and the native speakers, in terms of critical thinking...I mean I can communicate just fine but verbal reasoning is just so many levels beyond that...Thank you for your valuable info and tips...It does give me a lot of confidence.🙂

 

[docmayer]

😱😱
well...I just got denied last cycle...probably due to my late application tho. At that point, I was thinking about optometry...so I didn't hand in my primary till Nov.
Anywayz, I certainly hope you are right....Good luck!!!

Oh god. Well I applied early June and have been submitting secondaries, so I hope it was because you applied in November.

 

[Frostmoon]

Oh god. Well I applied early June and have been submitting secondaries, so I hope it was because you applied in November.

secondaries already? wow, that's fast! when did u submit ur application? how long did it take aacomas to process it? I handed in my application on June 23rd, haven't heard back from them yet....🙁🙁🙁

 

[Temperature101]

Congratz on such great improvement...I did finish all EK passages...but I didn't do them in a real exam setting...Most of the time, I was doing two passages a time....Maybe that's why I don't see my score improving much...T_T...I was also using the Kaplan book, but those passages seem way to easy in comparison to the real MCAT...so I don't know how much it's gonna benefit me...
Anywayz, thank you for your helpful input...really appreciate it...🙂

Dont waste your time with Kaplan VR. These passages are too easy...

 

[coolingglasses]

Yeah, I'll be honest I can't speak +/- to Kaplan VR questions. Going over strategies in the prep class was fairly helpful at least.

 

[docmayer]

secondaries already? wow, that's fast! when did u submit ur application? how long did it take aacomas to process it? I handed in my application on June 23rd, haven't heard back from them yet....🙁🙁🙁

June 6th I think. Took me like a week to get verified and was released 24th of June.

 

[Goro]

We interview lots of people like you, an accept them, so unless your speaking skills are poor, quit fussing.

Hi guys,

I took my first MCAT last september, ending up with a 28O composite (12 - phy, 10- bio and a pathetic 6 for verbal🙁🙁🙁). I have a 3.92 overall GPA. EC looks average (D.O shadowing exp, oversea volunteering, intense biochemistry research exp and numerous scholarships). My friend told me I would not have a chance with that 6 on my report....T_T....

English is my second language and I am really really struggling with the verbal session. My next MCAT is coming up in a month, any tip for last minute cramming? I been doing over a lot of practices but it seems like my score is not improving much...
I used AAMC, EK and Kaplan for studying, is there any other good material out there? Is there any good strategy to follow when you jump into those passages? Any help is much appreciated~~
🙂
p.s. I heard TOURO-NY don't look at ur verbal score, is that true? If so, that would be my top choice LOL...

 

[Temperature101]

Hi guys,

I took my first MCAT last september, ending up with a 28O composite (12 - phy, 10- bio and a pathetic 6 for verbal🙁🙁🙁). I have a 3.92 overall GPA. EC looks average (D.O shadowing exp, oversea volunteering, intense biochemistry research exp and numerous scholarships). My friend told me I would not have a chance with that 6 on my report....T_T....

English is my second language and I am really really struggling with the verbal session. My next MCAT is coming up in a month, any tip for last minute cramming? I been doing over a lot of practices but it seems like my score is not improving much...
I used AAMC, EK and Kaplan for studying, is there any other good material out there? Is there any good strategy to follow when you jump into those passages? Any help is much appreciated~~
🙂
p.s. I heard TOURO-NY don't look at ur verbal score, is that true? If so, that would be my top choice LOL...

You are ok for DO even with a 6 in VR...If you want MD, you need to increase that VR score to an 8+. I think you are a shoo-in for DO.

 

[aspDO]

Yeah, I'll be honest I can't speak +/- to Kaplan VR questions. Going over strategies in the prep class was fairly helpful at least.

I doubt you may even break a 5 with Kaplan's verbal strategy in the real MCAT. Writing summaries of each paragraph and highlighting keywords will only consume half the allotted time and you'll end up with 3-4 paragraphs left before the time's up.

Personally, I don't like the way verbal goes in the MCAT. Critical reading is a BS. Even native speakers fail it. I'm too happy that I don't need to re-write that stupid exam... what a relaxation.😎

 

[K M R]

I swear by EK Verbal... I went from a 6 to a 10, which in your case would put you over 30. I would do a search here because there are definitely other options than going over EK Verbal again. I went through it twice and did fine on the retake.

Perhaps it is the way your are studying? Are you setting a timer and practicing in a quiet place? Practice in testing conditions is a must.

Good luck! I know how you feel about that 6.

+1. I went from a 9 on my diagnostic to a 13 on the MCAT using EK materials only.

You are ok for DO even with a 6 in VR...If you want MD, you need to increase that VR score to an 8+. I think you are a shoe in for DO.

*shoo-in

 

[xXIDaShizIXx]

If english is your second language then very few schools will hold your low verbal against you. MD and DO will love to have you just make sure you state english is a second language on your primaries and secondaries and how you cope with language problems and i bet you will be ok. Good luck

This. You could get into MD schools. Also if you do retake it use the Pronceton Review. Its amazing.

 

[Temperature101]

+1. I went from a 9 on my diagnostic to a 13 on the MCAT using EK materials only.



*shoo-in

Thanks for the correction...

 

[coolingglasses]

I doubt you may even break a 5 with Kaplan's verbal strategy in the real MCAT. Writing summaries of each paragraph and highlighting keywords will only consume half the allotted time and you'll end up with 3-4 paragraphs left before the time's up.

Personally, I don't like the way verbal goes in the MCAT. Critical reading is a BS. Even native speakers fail it. I'm too happy that I don't need to re-write that stupid exam... what a relaxation.😎

Oh god, yeah I just meant the general strategy of triaging questions and such. I mentally picked out things to remember about each paragraph... doing all of that other stuff definitely would've slowed me down

 

[GOMERE]

I got a 14 verbal with really no studying because it's not one of those things u can study for, it's just practice, or in my case the love for reading. You should read more books.

 

[coolingglasses]

I got a 14 verbal with really no studying because it's not one of those things u can study for, it's just practice, or in my case the love for reading. You should read more books.

Yup.. my humanities background probably helped me more than anything else on verbal (not to say my score was outstanding, but it was good)

Read.