Pace on Verbal Reasoning

[glycocalyx]

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Hi everyone. I was wondering how long do you guys take to go through the VR section on practice tests? Do you usually have a few minutes left at the end? Also, do you employ any specific strategies or just work your way through all the passages in the given order.
I'm finding that I have to make a mad dash at the end to finish.

It would help to get some input. Thanks! 🙂

 

[chad5871]

When I first started doing practice tests, I was skipping around to different passages and taking my time reading passages. Then, when I got down to the last two passages, I only had like 10 minutes, had to skim the passage and answer the questions quickly, and ended up missing most of the questions.

Now, I read the passage efficiently and quickly (faster than I do with casual reading), and spend more time answering the questions. I also do the passages straight through (no skipping around), and I usually have like 5 minutes left over now.

 

[onetryfitsbest]

I typically leave myself little time at the end purposefully because I often don't change anything anyways, and it forces me to be tactful the first time through. As for timing, I go right in order and my checkpoint is "halftime"... essentially I strive to be finished reading the 4th passage when I have 30 minutes remaining. This typically works better for me than setting time limits for each passage, because that strategy makes me nervous and unfocused.

 

[J ROD]

try not to clock watch and make yourself nervous.

I try to be done with the first two passages when the 45 minutes popup comes.

I also like to be done when five minutes are left but on the real one if I am short on time I plan to get through six solid and then skim through the last one with five minutes or so. After five passages I am going to check the time and attack from there.

 

[onetryfitsbest]

By the way, is it true that you can click on the on-screen timer to make it disappear if you don't want it there? That would be a nice option, assuming you can also get it back from time to time.

 

[chad5871]

By the way, is it true that you can click on the on-screen timer to make it disappear if you don't want it there? That would be a nice option, assuming you can also get it back from time to time.

Oh, I don't like that idea at all. I would feel so insecure not knowing where my time stood. I was a semi-neurotic clock watcher during my test. I usually looked at the clock after each passage. It kept me on pace and focused, but I know it would drive other people bananas.

 

[nihargala]

honestly the best thing to do is just read from teh first passage and dont jump passages.. I like to get a passage done in under 8 minutes.. like when I'm taking the practice AAMC tests, I like to get the first passage done at 53 minutes, the next at aroudn 45 minutes, etc etc.. If at any point I've been on a passage for longer than 8 minutes, I know that that time must be compensated from another passage. therefore, if i really need to spend time on a question, i'll spend 45 seconds the most and just guses and move on..

seriously, spending 2 minutes on a question really truly painfully hurts you...


Just read all the way through at your own speed (i read at about 160 - 180 words per minute) and answer the questions as best as you can under a minute each... you wil end with about 5 minutes left to spare and you will feel so much better

OH AND ALSO

take a 5 second break before each passage, ESPECIALLY THE FIRST ONE.. this is a classic exam krackers tool and it seriously helps...

take 5 seconds to stretch, loosen up a few bolts in the neck, crack your back, w/e.. just take 5 seconds to give your brain some rest before you attack the next passage...

honestly, those 5 seconds before each passage, esp the first, really relaly really really really helps you focus

 

[glycocalyx]

Ok since you brought up EK. In Audio Osmosis, they suggest not referring to the passage for each question. However, Princeton Review taught me that I should check each answer in the passage and not rely on my memory alone. What approach would you suggest? Thanks.

 

[LadyLightning20]

Ok since you brought up EK. In Audio Osmosis, they suggest not referring to the passage for each question. However, Princeton Review taught me that I should check each answer in the passage and not rely on my memory alone. What approach would you suggest? Thanks.

I usually have between 25 and 30 minutes left after I go through all the passages. What I do is I allot ~4-5 minutes per passage and run through the first time, read the passage quickly, and put down my best answer for every question. Then the second time around I take again 4-5 minutes per passage and go through every question (as much as possible, I'm sure we all have times when we feel like something is the right answer but you can't find anything in the passage to back it up) and consciously go through all the answers and try to refer back to the passage to make sure that I can eliminate all the answers I didn't pick.

This kind of assumes you can read really fast and go through the questions quickly, so I'm not sure how helpful it would be for people who are down to the wire on timing, so just my 2 cents.

incidentally, my VR average is 12-13, I always miss a few, and no matter what I do I have never been able to translate all my extra time into extra points. if you have any suggestions that would be amazing.

 

[glycocalyx]

I usually have between 25 and 30 minutes left after I go through all the passages. What I do is I allot ~4-5 minutes per passage and run through the first time, read the passage quickly, and put down my best answer for every question. Then the second time around I take again 4-5 minutes per passage and go through every question (as much as possible, I'm sure we all have times when we feel like something is the right answer but you can't find anything in the passage to back it up) and consciously go through all the answers and try to refer back to the passage to make sure that I can eliminate all the answers I didn't pick.
...

WOW. If you are able to go through a passage in 4-5 mins, you must be able to answer a question in less than half a minute?!

Currently I'm ranging from a 27-30 out 40 on VR. Its usually the last 2 passages where I get ~3 questions wrong on each.

Can anyone answer this for me. Say there is a 600 word passage with 6 questions. How long would it take for you on average to read it and answer all questions?😕

 

[onetryfitsbest]

A bit under 9 minutes.

 

[nihargala]

WOW. If you are able to go through a passage in 4-5 mins, you must be able to answer a question in less than half a minute?!

Currently I'm ranging from a 27-30 out 40 on VR. Its usually the last 2 passages where I get ~3 questions wrong on each.

Can anyone answer this for me. Say there is a 600 word passage with 6 questions. How long would it take for you on average to read it and answer all questions?😕

I'm an EK instructor.. I highly advise you NOT to follow TPR verbal technique. You honestly won't have time to go back to the passage for every single question, unless you can read as fast as the person above who finishes the passage in 4-5 minutes. With that too, I highly do not recommend doing. Just flat out, read the passage once all the way through paying 100% attention to everything you read. Then answer the questions within 45 seconds. If you can't read the passage and remember everything, then PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. I did the EK 101 Verbal Passages and by my 80th passage, thats when I was able to answer all the questions right. Seriously, I could not believe my improvement. I was usually getting 20 - 16 questions wrong (out of 40 of course), but now I only get 4-8 questions wrong. Why? Because I practiced that technique. Just read it slowly at your own pace, and answer the questions. And take a 5 second break before each passage!

As for the 600 word passage with 6 questions, I would get this done in 7-8 minutes, which should be your goal per passage.

 

[glycocalyx]

I'm an EK instructor.. I highly advise you NOT to follow TPR verbal technique...

Blast TPR!

Would any of you happen to know the distribution for the VR section on CBT MCATs from earlier in the year. I have come across ones from last year but I was curious to know how the CBT format has affected it, if at all.

 

[bubble gubble]

I will be taking MCAT next month. I havent taken AAMC CBT #3 only, but I will take more soon. I was just wondering how many passages are on the atual test? Is it 6 or 7?

 

[chad5871]

I will be taking MCAT next month. I havent taken AAMC CBT #3 only, but I will take more soon. I was just wondering how many passages are on the atual test? Is it 6 or 7?

7 passages with an average of about 6 paragraphs each. Each passage should be around 600 words, but some are definitely longer.

 

[amikhchi]

a bit off topic, but to anyone that just recently took the mcat, i know there is confusion about the search function...

is there one?

 

[chad5871]

a bit off topic, but to anyone that just recently took the mcat, i know there is confusion about the search function...

is there one?

Absolutely not.

 

[glycocalyx]

If any of you have tried the verbal section from PR tests, would you say they are a bit longer/ more difficult than AAMC ones. Or is it just me😕

 

[ima2009]

are we allowed to -or- is it possible to use the "ctrl+f" shortcut on the keyboard to find a certain word in the passage?

 

[nihargala]

are we allowed to -or- is it possible to use the "ctrl+f" shortcut on the keyboard to find a certain word in the passage?

haven't tried it, but i doubt.. its not like a internet browser.. its more like a very old school program on an old school computer

 

[chad5871]

are we allowed to -or- is it possible to use the "ctrl+f" shortcut on the keyboard to find a certain word in the passage?

I'm almost 99.9% sure that you can't. "Ctrl+F" is a function of the particular software that's running, and I doubt that Thomson Prometric would build that option into software without putting a search box. It would also seem unfair since all of the people who took the paper-based test couldn't use a search function.

 

[glycocalyx]

I'm almost 99.9% sure that you can't. "Ctrl+F" is a function of the particular software that's running, and I doubt that Thomson Prometric would build that option into software without putting a search box. It would also seem unfair since all of the people who took the paper-based test couldn't use a search function.

Is it also not unfair that the CBT is so much shorter?

 

[chad5871]

Is it also not unfair that the CBT is so much shorter?

That's an entirely different argument altogether. I don't think it's fair, but it would seem even more unfair to add a ctrl-f function to the test. It would also be unfair to make test-takers stare at a CRT monitor (instead of paper) for 7 hours rather than just 4. There are advantages to both, and I think AAMC did a pretty good job of evening the playing field.

 

[Psychotropic]

Practice at 3 passages/26 minutes. This works for me.