Realistic expectations with VR score

[jv00927]

---

Members do not see this ad.

I'm planning to take the August MCAT this year. I'm really worried about the VR section since English is my second language and my practice scores are not so hott at this point. My kaplan diagnostic for VR was a 7. So far I've taken three FL VR section tests:

Kaplan VR # 8 - 36/60 - 6
Kaplan VR # 11 - 36/60 - 8
EK 101 VR # 3 - 39/60 - 8

I've read through the VR advice section in the MCAT subforum and found some tips that may help. But I'm wondering how much improvement should I expect. I'm using the EK VR strategy (except I do refer back to the passage quite often).

 

[ADeadLois]

I'm planning to take the August MCAT this year. I'm really worried about the VR section since English is my second language and my practice scores are not so hott at this point. My kaplan diagnostic for VR was a 7. So far I've taken three FL VR section tests:

Kaplan VR # 8 - 36/60 - 6
Kaplan VR # 11 - 36/60 - 8
EK 101 VR # 3 - 39/60 - 8

I've read through the VR advice section in the MCAT subforum and found some tips that may help. But I'm wondering how much improvement should I expect. I'm using the EK VR strategy (except I do refer back to the passage quite often).

I would start practicing some AAMC passages, so you get comfortable with the 10 question passages.

 

[shantster]

My diagnostic (free one when Kaplan came to our school) was an 8 in verbal and I got up to a 12 on the real thing.

Just follow as EK suggests on the last lecture for how to go over the tests you already did rather than read through the answer explanations. It's a much more active way of looking over the test.

 

[AWhitehair]

My diagnostic (free one when Kaplan came to our school) was an 8 in verbal and I got up to a 12 on the real thing.

Just follow as EK suggests on the last lecture for how to go over the tests you already did rather than read through the answer explanations. It's a much more active way of looking over the test.

I didn't really understand how they want us to go over it? It said something about taking you 2 hours per passage??? How did you go over it?

 

[ADeadLois]

I didn't really understand how they want us to go over it? It said something about taking you 2 hours per passage??? How did you go over it?

You're supposed to re-read each passage and come up with the main idea. Then, look at the question stem and answer choices and try to answer the question from that.

 

[UofT_475]

is that actually helpful though, doing the laborious work that EK suggests?

I've tried writing the main idea out, I do get it...though it takes me 3 sentenceS!

 

[UofT_475]

Ok here is what i've noticed based on my diagnostics so far:

1. First time: 5 hours of sleep. Tried to read through and blaze each passage, I had enough time to read the killer and answer it, got 7 on TPR diag. Didn't bother to find support for the answer, I used my memory alone and my understanding of the author.

2. again lacked sleep, got a 6 on VR, I messed up by not going back and finding support for the answers.

3. Lately: with enough rest, I've noticed that if I spend enough time reading at my regular pace (which isn't too slow), and noting the main idea, and if i go back to find support, I do fairly well on teh passages, getting some perfect, others I make one mistake.

So I've come to the conclusion its better to go at a respectable pace for the majority of the passages, try to get almost all those questions right...then just blaze the killer and guess onit; it makes little sense to rush the doable passages.

 

[nka623]

hey, i was in the same boat as you... english is my second language as well... and my reading pace tends to be slower because of it, and i was scoring about 7's on my practice verbals for a really long period of time... just try out as many different stratgies as u can for a week and see which one works the best... i know testing out different strategies is annoying as &#*#... but, once you find the one that fits, mann it gets sooo much better....for me, since my reading pace is slower, it's impossible for me to finish 9 passages in 85 minutes... so i just aim to finish 8 passages in 85 minutes, which is a little over 10 minutes per passage, and i just always accept that im going to mark B/C on the last passage (the hardest one)... and that immediatley bumped my score to a 10...and ive been scoring 10's almost 11's since ive done that....knowing that i have a little over 10 minutes to do an entire passage allowed me to read at my own pace and comprehend everything as i read, rather then speed reading and not comprehending very much.... i suggest trying it 🙂 also look to make sure ur not missing a certain type of question or keep falling for the wrong answer...the extreme answer choices are wrong 9/10 times...once u practice enuogh u start to recognize the traps immeditely.. hope that helps

 

[nka623]

hey, i was in the same boat as you... english is my second language as well... and my reading pace tends to be slower because of it, and i was scoring about 7's on my practice verbals for a really long period of time... just try out as many different stratgies as u can for a week and see which one works the best... i know testing out different strategies is annoying as &#*#... but, once you find the one that fits, mann it gets sooo much better....for me, since my reading pace is slower, it's impossible for me to finish 9 passages in 85 minutes... so i just aim to finish 8 passages in 85 minutes, which is a little over 10 minutes per passage, and i just always accept that im going to mark B/C on the last passage (the hardest one)... and that immediatley bumped my score to a 10...and ive been scoring 10's almost 11's since ive done that....knowing that i have a little over 10 minutes to do an entire passage allowed me to read at my own pace and comprehend everything as i read, rather then speed reading and not comprehending very much.... i suggest trying it 🙂 also look to make sure ur not missing a certain type of question or keep falling for the wrong answer...the extreme answer choices are wrong 9/10 times...once u practice enuogh u start to recognize the traps immeditely.. hope that helps