RC strategy mashup

[Average Guy]

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I've been having some slight trouble getting my RC score above a 20 so after reading a bunch of threads with different strategies I thought I would create a hybrid of them. Some strategies say to read the first question then work your way through the passage. I use the Kaplan method which is to create super short summaries of each paragraph in the passage so I know where to look for the answer. My question is: Is it advisable to read the questions and write down keywords from them and then read the passage while creating that short summary of each paragraph to answer the questions?

 

[jwan14]

Actually I just did that on my last bootcamp practice test and improved by two points. I started by reading the first few questions and then started reading/skimming the passage writing down a short sentence for each paragraph. When or if I found the answers to the first three I'd read another question and then keep reading and summarizing. I kept doing that for S&D type questions. I saved tone and comparative and inference questions until I was done with the passage and done with the S&D questions. After I had done all those I had a pretty good idea how to answer the remaining questions. It worked for me. Pure S&D method stresses me out and I'm not the best reader for comprehension. I scored a 21 and I'm okay with that for my real DAT. Good luck. Really it just takes doing practice tests and finding what works.

 

[Average Guy]

Thanks! Yea the Kaplan strategy alone just wasn't cutting it, but it had its advantages. I like the idea of reading the first 3 questions to bang those out quickly then moving onto the next one. How does that strategy work on timing?

 

[jwan14]

Eh it came down to the wire for me to finish but I'm going to take a few more RC tests to get faster. Plus, idk how the real thing is but each of the passages on bootcamp #2 seemed LONG. That could be average though.

 

[Dotoday]

Try reading first paragraph, last and first sentence of every paragraph.

 

[Average Guy]

Eh it came down to the wire for me to finish but I'm going to take a few more RC tests to get faster. Plus, idk how the real thing is but each of the passages on bootcamp #2 seemed LONG. That could be average though.

I spend so much time looking for answers that I end up guessing the last ten before the timer runs out so down to the wire is an improvement over running out.

Try reading first paragraph, last and first sentence of every paragraph.

I use that strategy when I start running out of time which is almost always on the 3rd passage cuz I spend too much time looking for answers in the other 2 passages.