Questions about EK VERBAL method & 101

[cfx]

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A few things I was wondering about:

1. For those of you who are following the EK verbal method/techniques, did you actually use their study habit of going back to each passage and doing the full write-up of the 'main idea'? This seems like an enormous pain in the ass, and I don't want to do it if it's a waste of time. Does it really give you anything you can't get from concocting the 'main idea' in your head for a few seconds?

2. The 30min. quizzes in the EK VR book are 30 minutes long for 3 passages. The 60 minute exams in the 101 book are 7 passages. Yet, the real MCAT VR section is 60 minutes for 9 passages (right?). So, if you're just trying to get your timing down to 10 minutes/passage (vr book) and 8.5 minutes/passage (101 book), how does that prepare you for doing a passage in 6.5 minutes on the real thing??

3. Is it best to take each test in the 101 book in its entirety (full 60 minutes), or just treat each passage individually and do a couple each day (instead of all 7 every few days, or one per week, etc.)?

 

[SN2ed]

1. Yes, I found it helpful. I also wrote out FAR more than just the main idea. Yes, it is a pain, but I still think it's a good thing to do.

2. Wow. Where did you hear 9 passages? Unless they made some drastic changes in the last month, there should be 7 passages. Regardless, your target time per passage should be around 6 minutes.

3. It depends on how much verbal material you own. If you have enough to take a few passages everyday and take a full length EK 101 verbal test every week, go for it. If you don't, then stick to 3-4 passages per day. If you don't have enough for that, you might want to consider getting additional verbal practice material. Verbal is something that one should constantly be practicing.

 

[cfx]

1. Yes, I found it helpful. I also wrote out FAR more than just the main idea. Yes, it is a pain, but I still think it's a good thing to do.

2. Wow. Where did you hear 9 passages? Unless they made some drastic changes in the last month, there should be 7 passages. Regardless, your target time per passage should be around 6 minutes.

3. It depends on how much verbal material you own. If you have enough to take a few passages everyday and take a full length EK 101 verbal test every week, go for it. If you don't, then stick to 3-4 passages per day. If you don't have enough for that, you might want to consider getting additional verbal practice material. Verbal is something that one should constantly be practicing.

Thanks SN2ed. I got the 9 passages bit from the EK VR book (7th ed, pg. 2): "There are 9 passages followed by 4-10 questions each." However, I was skeptical of this becuase there seemed to be several logistical innacuracies throughout the book--mostly forgetting to update info. from before the MCAT was CBT (incorrect listing of the amount of time given, number of questions, etc.). This is what confused me, because the 101 book is designed with 7 passages and clearly notes on the cover that it reflects the new CBT format, so I'm assuming that's right.

So, how closely did you adhere to their suggested study method (take test, score self, go back and write main idea blurb, etc., etc.)?

 

[PermanentWaves]

Thanks SN2ed. I got the 9 passages bit from the EK VR book (7th ed, pg. 2): "There are 9 passages followed by 4-10 questions each."

There were 9 VR passages on the old pencil and paper MCAT. The new CBT format is 7 passages and 60 minutes, as it is laid out in the EK 101 book.

 

[cfx]

There were 9 VR passages on the old pencil and paper MCAT. The new CBT format is 7 passages and 60 minutes, as it is laid out in the EK 101 book.

Thanks for the clarification. I don't see the point of doing a new edition if they don't even go through and adjust the details to fit the new format. Seems like that'd be a bare minimum.

Why try to get to 6 min/passage if you have up to a little over 8.5 min for each? Probably a stupid question (it never hurts to finish early, obviously), but just wondering if something I'm missing.

 

[PermanentWaves]

Thanks for the clarification. I don't see the point of doing a new edition if they don't even go through and adjust the details to fit the new format. Seems like that'd be a bare minimum.

Why try to get to 6 min/passage if you have up to a little over 8.5 min for each? Probably a stupid question (it never hurts to finish early, obviously), but just wondering if something I'm missing.

I think following Vihasadas' verbal strategy is the best way to go. He explains the necessity for trying to complete passages in approximately 6.5 mins. You can find it here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=6022602&postcount=96

I followed it, and I have to say it worked out great for me. I was averaging 11-12 on the later EK101 tests (did badly on the first few), 12-14 on the AAMCs, and scored a 15 on the real deal. Probably a bit of a fluke there, but I think it's a great strategy.

Good luck!