TPRH Verbal Technique

[aspiringdoc09]

Has anyone had experience with PRINCETON's Verbal Reasoning Technique and if it help improve verbal? I would like responses not only from those who are practicing now but those who have improved on the real thing. Thank you!

I started out reading 1st chapter of book but tried to focus using EK's strategy. EK is not helping because I am a nervous test taker and never think about particular words when reading questions like the ones they say to look out for.

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[thlaxer]

Has anyone had experience with PRINCETON's Verbal Reasoning Technique and if it help improve verbal? I would like responses not only from those who are practicing now but those who have improved on the real thing. Thank you!

I started out reading 1st chapter of book but tried to focus using EK's strategy. EK is not helping because I am a nervous test taker and never think about particular words when reading questions like the ones they say to look out for.

EK's verbal strategy made a lot more sense to me. I tried using TPRH's strategy for a few weeks and it just didn't work out despite my best efforts. I think even the TPRH instructor knew it was a bunch of bulldung. It's also kind of silly if you think about it. If I remember correctly, the EK book spends a few paragraphs bashing on TPRH's strategy as well . I would stick with EK.

And I would really recommend getting over your nervousness now with as much practice as you can. The real thing will be more nerve-wracking, and it would be horrible if you freeze up there (which is what happened with me on verbal, bleh).

 

[aspiringdoc09]

EK's verbal strategy made a lot more sense to me. I tried using TPRH's strategy for a few weeks and it just didn't work out despite my best efforts. I think even the TPRH instructor knew it was a bunch of bulldung. It's also kind of silly if you think about it. If I remember correctly, the EK book spends a few paragraphs bashing on TPRH's strategy as well . I would stick with EK.

And I would really recommend getting over your nervousness now with as much practice as you can. The real thing will be more nerve-wracking, and it would be horrible if you freeze up there (which is what happened with me on verbal, bleh).

Thanks. I gave my EK books away, so I can't perfect it now. I just need something that works. On the EK Verbal 101 I find myself stuck at 6/7. I have't done a practice in awhile since Jan 2011 when I did AAMC 3 and go 9/7/9 (PS/VR/PS) without studying. My test is May 12th, so I need to improve. I've been doing verbal every other day but no change. I may have done better yesterday but my student worker kept talking to me while I was practicing EK Verbal 101 Test 9 on the last 4 passages. My concentration was definitiely gone. I need to figure it out.

 

[cfive22]

Has anyone had experience with PRINCETON's Verbal Reasoning Technique and if it help improve verbal? I would like responses not only from those who are practicing now but those who have improved on the real thing. Thank you!

I started out reading 1st chapter of book but tried to focus using EK's strategy. EK is not helping because I am a nervous test taker and never think about particular words when reading questions like the ones they say to look out for.

I don't think that TPRH's verbal strategy works at all. It caps you off at an 11, that's assuming that you get everything else right. To be honest, if you're not getting the questions right, it's not because you can't find/locate them in the passage quickly enough. Instead, it's because you're not grasping the main idea of the passage. Most of the answers to any of the questions will mostly revolve around the main idea of the passage. You need to be able to discern exactly what the author is saying and constantly be asking yourself why he/she would bring up certain points of evidence. This is a technique that can definitely be mastered if you look for the right things, such as italicized words or words in quotations, etc.

When I used the TPRH method, it dropped me down to a 6 to 8. After a lot of practice (and the real MCAT because I'm a retaker), I'm now completing 7 passages efficiently and scoring a consistent 11. In short, TPRH method sucked for me!

 

[aspiringdoc09]

I don't think that TPRH's verbal strategy works at all. It caps you off at an 11, that's assuming that you get everything else right. To be honest, if you're not getting the questions right, it's not because you can't find/locate them in the passage quickly enough. Instead, it's because you're not grasping the main idea of the passage. Most of the answers to any of the questions will mostly revolve around the main idea of the passage. You need to be able to discern exactly what the author is saying and constantly be asking yourself why he/she would bring up certain points of evidence. This is a technique that can definitely be mastered if you look for the right things, such as italicized words or words in quotations, etc.

When I used the TPRH method, it dropped me down to a 6 to 8. After a lot of practice (and the real MCAT because I'm a retaker), I'm now completing 7 passages efficiently and scoring a consistent 11. In short, TPRH method sucked for me!

Maybe you are right! I am feeling desperate. Maybe I should try reading each passage faster and then just go back to the passage more often if I don't understand a question. Thanks.

 

[cfive22]

Maybe you are right! I am feeling desperate. Maybe I should try reading each passage faster and then just go back to the passage more often if I don't understand a question. Thanks.

I've attached a copy of a verbal "strategy" document that I found on sdn. Someone made it and posted it for people to use. Take a look at it. It might work for you. Good luck

 

[aspiringdoc09]

I've attached a copy of a verbal "strategy" document that I found on sdn. Someone made it and posted it for people to use. Take a look at it. It might work for you. Good luck

Thanks!

 

[aspiringdoc09]

I got my first 9 today on EK Verbal 101 Test 10. I am stoked. I did 3 passages yesterday for 23 minutes and missed 3 each on two passges. I completed the other 4 today with 28 minutes, and missed 3 on one passage and 1 each on the two other passages. I usually get it down to two choices and choose the wrong one, but today I actually did better on choosing. I am SUPER happy because my previous scores were at 6/7. I will take an entire test Thursday to see if I can still get a 9 or better. I guess I will also start using TPRH's VR Workbook to get a fill for a different passage/question type set. I didn't use any particular strategy except to try and read as quickly as possible while keeping the main topic in mind. I hope I can keep this up come May 12th. I have to take AAMC 4 today to gauge where I am.

 

[misseskwee]

I've attached a copy of a verbal "strategy" document that I found on sdn. Someone made it and posted it for people to use. Take a look at it. It might work for you. Good luck

That's the EK strategy! Lol I was just reading their verbal book yeterday..

 

[Medical Muse]

The best thing you can do to improve is focus on reading for the main idea and ignore the details. When you get a detail question, go back and find it in the text. You shouldn't have to go back to find the main idea. If you narrow the answer choices down to two, always pick the one that best fits the main idea. That alone helped me increase my score by a point.

 

[aspiringdoc09]

The best thing you can do to improve is focus on reading for the main idea and ignore the details. When you get a detail question, go back and find it in the text. You shouldn't have to go back to find the main idea. If you narrow the answer choices down to two, always pick the one that best fits the main idea. That alone helped me increase my score by a point.

Thanks Doc.

 

[thlaxer]

To add something else about Verbal, when you're doing your practice tests (if its computerized), don't use ctrl+F. It wasn't there for me on the real thing but was available on the computerized practice tests.

And congrats on your recent score improvement OP, keep up this positive trend

 

[aspiringdoc09]

To add something else about Verbal, when you're doing your practice tests (if its computerized), don't use ctrl+F. It wasn't there for me on the real thing but was available on the computerized practice tests.

And congrats on your recent score improvement OP, keep up this positive trend

Thanks thlaxer. I took AAMC 4 and got a stinking 5. I have never gotten below a 6. Also, I started practicing using Princeton's Verbal Workbook, and have been missing at least 4 per passage (whether its 6-8 questions). I need to find some consistency fast. I have been trying EK strategy but still find difficulty with the passage; thus, the 4 missed/passage.