Need serious verbal advice!!!

[shell8]

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Hello all,

Okay I need some advice. Took the Jan 26 test date and received a 5 in verbal. On practice tests I would average in 8-9 range. I took a Kaplan course before and I use EK101 to study for this test. I already graduated from undergrad and went to a post bac program...so what now? Any suggestions on what approach to take? Thanks so much in advance....🙂

 

[AktionPOTENTIAL]

Certainly not the Kaplan approach. Practice is key so you should probably get another workbook. People on these sides endorse the TPRH verbal workbook.

 

[mathwhiz09]

Certainly not the Kaplan approach. Practice is key so you should probably get another workbook. People on these sides endorse the TPRH verbal workbook.

+1

TPRH Verbal Workbook is much more realistic to what you'll see on an AAMC. Did you feel the Verbal on Jan 26 was like the Verbal on your practice tests you took with Kaplan? I bet not! TPRH Verbal is much more convoluted like actual MCAT Verbal is, not detail-oriented where you can simply pull the information directly from a passage. EK Verbal is okay, but not as good in my opinion and definitely doesn't have as much as the TPRH Verbal Workbook has. Good luck!

 

[Happy_Puppy5000]

As others have said, try TPRH and the EK verbal. A book that I order on Amazon yesterday is Kaplan LSAT Reading Comprehension and Tactics. Maybe you can also try that book if you are scoring that low. (No, it is not an MCAT book and I have not gone through it as yet, so I am not sure.) The point I am making is in our case we need a lot of practice. Try everything until something works (GMAT verbal, LSAT verbal, etc--lots of practice.)

 

[maybemed2013]

I only got an 8 in VR but I my range was a 5-7 before I did AAMC Self Assessment VR. I think those passages really helped me.

 

[shell8]

Thanks guys! I was honestly at a lost today. But I just ordered TPRB and I will practice, practice, practice. I will also look into LSAT book as well. Thanks once again....🙂

 

[Karasu]

Sorry to hijack, but I have a similar situation. I took the July 2012 scored a 5 on verbal also. I used SN2ed's calendar with TPRH and EK Verbal. Now I am taking a Kaplan prep course, which I feel all around is a joke.

If I've exhausted TPR and EK. Do I have any other options, or should I just wait some more until I forget the passages?

 

[mathwhiz09]

Sorry to hijack, but I have a similar situation. I took the July 2012 scored a 5 on verbal also. I used SN2ed's calendar with TPRH and EK Verbal. Now I am taking a Kaplan prep course, which I feel all around is a joke.

If I've exhausted TPR and EK. Do I have any other options, or should I just wait some more until I forget the passages?

TPRH released the "Verbal Reasoning Supplement" in 2012 which has some additional passages in addition to the Verbal Workbook. But only a few. You can also practice Verbal on TPR/Kaplan practice tests, though TPR are far superior to Kaplan's.

 

[Forkit]

Sorry to hijack, but I have a similar situation. I took the July 2012 scored a 5 on verbal also. I used SN2ed's calendar with TPRH and EK Verbal. Now I am taking a Kaplan prep course, which I feel all around is a joke.

If I've exhausted TPR and EK. Do I have any other options, or should I just wait some more until I forget the passages?

Try Gold Standard MCAT practice materials

 

[MedPR]

Get an 8-9 and then get 12+ on BS/PS. VR is probably the hardest to increase and not worth your time if you have a respectable score.

 

[mathwhiz09]

Get an 8-9 and then get 12+ on BS/PS. VR is probably the hardest to increase and not worth your time if you have a respectable score.

Now THAT is some serious Verbal advice! 👍 I agree, definitely the hardest to bump up

 

[Karasu]

TPRH released the "Verbal Reasoning Supplement" in 2012 which has some additional passages in addition to the Verbal Workbook. But only a few. You can also practice Verbal on TPR/Kaplan practice tests, though TPR are far superior to Kaplan's.

Thanks! Do you know if TPRH 2012 has the same content as the 2010-11? I think I own the 2010 material which was the same as 2011.

 

[yerawizardharry]

1. As everyone has said, it's about practice, but it's also about the post-test analysis. What are you getting wrong? Is there a pattern to the kinds of questions you're getting wrong? Most importantly: Why did you pick your answer? Spell out your reasoning and then compare it to the answer key's reasoning. Where is it different? Did you miss some key information from the passage (that tells you something about how you're reading the passage) or was it more a problem with your reasoning (that tells you something about how you're approaching the questions).

2.The MCAT really uses the same question stems over and over again: "which of the following claims, if true, would most WEAKEN/SUPPORT the author's claim"; "the author's attitude towards [subject] can be described as"; "If [x] were true, then how would this affect the author's argument". There are obviously some more, but these are some that I can think of off the top of my head. Once you get used to these kinds of questions, and how to answer them, it gets easier.

3.I hated Kaplan's "passage mapping" thing. It places too much emphasis on reading comprehension of a tiny portion, and not enough on actually understanding how the passage is working as a whole. One thing I liked about Kaplan's strategy was trying to answer the question in your own words first. I didn't do that for all of them, but if I was ever stuck between two answers, I would spell out my answer as fully as possible and see which of the actual choices best fit, or contained the key words in my answer.

 

[speedyxx626]

Hello all,

Okay I need some advice. Took the Jan 26 test date and received a 5 in verbal. On practice tests I would average in 8-9 range. I took a Kaplan course before and I use EK101 to study for this test. I already graduated from undergrad and went to a post bac program...so what now? Any suggestions on what approach to take? Thanks so much in advance....🙂

You wouldn't happen to go to UCF would you?...

 

[RockinRoll]

The Kaplan VR approach will drag your score down stay the hell away from it.

You wouldn't happen to go to UCF would you?...

That's a very creepy first post.

 

[AktionPOTENTIAL]

The Kaplan VR approach will drag your score down stay the hell away from it.



That's a very creepy first post.

wordddd!

 

[marcdagr8]

I would second the approach of using LSAT materials in addition to MCAT materials. I studied for and took the LSAT 1.5 years before I took the MCAT. In studying for the MCAT, I probably spent about 5 total hours (outside of practice tests) studying for the VR section. I ended up with a 12 on the VR when I sat for the Jan 24 MCAT.

In my opinion, most any "technique" for doing well on the VR is useless. For me, the best way to approach a VR problem is to read through the passage at a moderate rate. You should be understanding the passage as a whole while not getting lost in the minutia. Then answer the questions. If there is a detail question, go back to the passage. Otherwise just answer the question. Afterwards, examine your logic and try to develop a sense of logical reasoning in line with standardized test makers.

Finally, remember that you are not looking for a correct answer, just the best possible answer. Don't spend time justifying a potentially correct answer. Pick whatever answer you would have to justify the least.

 

[Chelbe]

Hello people,

I am feeling terrible to say that I am still scoring 2/7 in VR passages using EK and Kaplan after 3 months. I have used all EK materials and I have some Kaplan passages left . My test is coming up in June and I am worrying. My current strategy is to read the passage for understanding for under 4 min and do the questions for another 4 min. This method makes sense to me, but it is getting me no where. I am not feeling good at all about this. Please, I am open for any valuable comment or suggestion to get out of this situation.

 

[Chelbe]

I have just purchased TPR verbal. I am wondering if someone can suggest a sound method on how to best use these passages. I am doing poorly using EK and Kaplan scoring on average 2/7. I am looking for a better way to improve my scoring. Please let me know your suggestions.

 

[AFLATPEG]

TPRH released the "Verbal Reasoning Supplement" in 2012 which has some additional passages in addition to the Verbal Workbook. But only a few. You can also practice Verbal on TPR/Kaplan practice tests, though TPR are far superior to Kaplan's.

TPRHs Hyperlearning Verbal Reasoning Supplement is only 62 pages, what exactly is in the book? more practice passages or just tips and techniques?

 

[leric90]

TPRHs Hyperlearning Verbal Reasoning Supplement is only 62 pages, what exactly is in the book? more practice passages or just tips and techniques?

just tips and technique - it's really not that good