MCAT Verbal

[sixkix]

For those of you who have already taken the test, how many passages did you have? The kaplan full lengths are always either 6 or 7, and I find myself really pushing the time when its 7 passages. Thanks!

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[ddong]

There are 7 passages, take care.

 

[sixkix]

There are 7 passages, take care.

anyone concur?

 

[Surf Rx]

I haven't taken the actual test yet, but the consensus on SDN is 7 verbal passages. Also, the AAMC practice CBTs are 7 passages also (and I have done some of these).

 

[moto_za]

was there a search funtion?

 

[Surf Rx]

Again, I haven't actually taken the test so I don't know from experience, but the word from peope who have taken it is that there is NO search function.

 

[DiverDoc]

Its definitly 7, read quick and maintain focus, select the best answer and move on. You might have time to go back in the passage and pick out a few answers, but any more than a couple and your gonna have time issues.

 

[rhettoric]

who else is irked that Kaplan and AAMC have search functions but the actual doesn't have them? Thanks for the great simulation guys!

 

[finality333]

I took it in january, it was 7 passages, no search function. Time display is kinda small i thought and you cannot resize the middle boundaries (hope that makes some sense). I finish, but i dont look back at all...and i circle the one that seems right from first read...this section is seriously full of BS.

 

[meddoc1]

Hi,
I have a question here. I have problem finishing up the exam for the VB section. What should I do? And I was looking for Practise exam so I can have more experience before I take the May 11 MCAT. I wanted to buy the Kaplan online exam, but I cannot find any. They want you to enroll into their course and I can't find any button that allows you to just buy the CBT MCAT exams. Anyway, I am looking into the Gold Standard tests mcat CBT, I wonder if it is any good??
Thanks a million.

P.S - I am new here, before I got here, I thought a 30 is a great MCAT score. But everyone here seems to be getting somewhere close to 40. I am so scare now. There were ppl considering retaking even when they got 30 on the MCAT.... OMG

 

[AnEyeLikeMars]

Hi,
I have a question here. I have problem finishing up the exam for the VB section. What should I do? And I was looking for Practise exam so I can have more experience before I take the May 11 MCAT. I wanted to buy the Kaplan online exam, but I cannot find any. They want you to enroll into their course and I can't find any button that allows you to just buy the CBT MCAT exams. Anyway, I am looking into the Gold Standard tests mcat CBT, I wonder if it is any good??
Thanks a million.

P.S - I am new here, before I got here, I thought a 30 is a great MCAT score. But everyone here seems to be getting somewhere close to 40. I am so scare now. There were ppl considering retaking even when they got 30 on the MCAT.... OMG

SDN is in no way a representative sample. The average MCAT for all test-takers is 24, 27 for applicants, and 30 for matriculants. Please take anything posted on this site with a grain of salt.

Though I would mention that 30 is a great MCAT if you want to get into a medical school, but some people retake after 30 to make themselves competitive at top schools.

 

[mvenus929]

Hi,
I have a question here. I have problem finishing up the exam for the VB section. What should I do? And I was looking for Practise exam so I can have more experience before I take the May 11 MCAT. I wanted to buy the Kaplan online exam, but I cannot find any. They want you to enroll into their course and I can't find any button that allows you to just buy the CBT MCAT exams. Anyway, I am looking into the Gold Standard tests mcat CBT, I wonder if it is any good??
Thanks a million.

P.S - I am new here, before I got here, I thought a 30 is a great MCAT score. But everyone here seems to be getting somewhere close to 40. I am so scare now. There were ppl considering retaking even when they got 30 on the MCAT.... OMG

You can get a diagnostic test from Kaplan and Princeton free by going to their website and poking around a little. You can also get the first Gold Standard free. I'm using the GS tests now, and they're difficult, and I haven't taken an AAMC test to compare. But I find that as I go through, they have a lot of mistakes. They usually correct them right away when someone points them out, but still. My first test I got 2 Verbal questions right that they marked wrong, which may have brought my score up another point. Oddly enough, that was my highest overall score.

If you do want just the tests, and you're planning on taking the MCAT for good within the next 6 months, check out ebay... you can get them for a good chunk less than from the site directly. Good luck.

As far as scores, I agree with what AnEye said. SDN is full of gunners... people who will likely get into the medical schools that they want because they have such STELLAR GPAs, MCAT, and ECs. A 30 is a good score if you're looking to get into medical school. Anything less, and you might want to consider a retake.

 

[meddoc1]

Thanks a lot for your replies!!!
I am actually enrolled in TPR. I had taken 4 out of 5 of their exam and I had been getting 27-28. The instructors told me that the TPR are harder than the AAMC. I wanted to leave the AAMC to the very end (a week before my MCAT) thats why I have not touch any of them. I hear there are 10 Kaplan exam out there and I heard they are pretty good. I had taken the free one on their website but I want more. Well, if I still cannot find any, I guess I will have to go with the gold Standard tests. Anybody recommand GS???

One more question?? Will they not care so much about your VB score if you are not a native speaker. English is my second language. I know it sounded like an excuse but seriously, Verbal is much much harder when you can't read like normal people in the US. Normal ppl take 3 minutes to finish the passage, I take 5 min. I do a practice exam for verbal everyday, but I am not improving.

 

[ddong]

Hi, the GS exams are OK, from my experience, their science sections are quite similar to the AAMC style questions, however IMO their verbal section is easier, but overall its still good practice. Also I am not a native speaker of English, and I feel exactly how you feel, but just gotta give it your all regardless.
Cheers

 

[Shrike]

One more question?? Will they not care so much about your VB score if you are not a native speaker. English is my second language. I know it sounded like an excuse but seriously, Verbal is much much harder when you can't read like normal people in the US. Normal ppl take 3 minutes to finish the passage, I take 5 min. I do a practice exam for verbal everyday, but I am not improving.

In fact, it's possible that the verbal reasoning score matters more for non-native speakers, pretty much for the reason you cite -- because your ability to absorb lots of written material rapidly is a potential issue for medical school, it's something that the schools should and, according to much of our information, do pay attention to. Accordingly, it's probably where you should put your primary focus.

Good luck.

 

[Symphony101]

I agree with Shrike. English is actually my third language so my counselor advised me to pay extra attention to score well on the VR. And besides, they say that your VR score is the best predictor of your boards.

 

[MD IN DET]

If you can not finish all the VR passages on time and have to guess on one of the passages, which one would you guess on. I heard that they throw in an experimental passage and it is the passage with a lot of questions. What do you think

 

[Porco Rosso]

how many total questions? isnt it 40?
about 5-6 q's per passage..

 

[Surf Rx]

how many total questions? isnt it 40?
about 5-6 q's per passage..

yes.

 

[xxRJxx]

Just to throw my two cents in, I took the test april 12th and it is 7 passages with no search. The VR on the 12th was killer, but just practice with the VR on the AAMC practice tests (minus the seach).