Verbal help please

[BubbaWub]

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Over the past couple of months I have been using passage mapping as my main strategy for verbal and it seems as if it has been slowing me down more than anything. I have been scoring in the 6-7 range 🙁 and I'm in desperate need of advice since my MCAT is coming up on May 28th. Sometimes I feel better if I don't map at all due to having more time, but I've heard it is better to actually write it down to retain what is going on in the passage. My main weakness seems to be the bias of the author, or the main point of the passage, and I am not too sure on how to fix this. Please help SDNers!

 

[VanBrown]

figure out the main point of the passage and assume the same biases as the author.

 

[binko]

figure out the main point of the passage and assume the same biases as the author.

+1

Forget about your own opinions about the passage, try to get into the character of the author. Imagine what you think he/she looks like, what they're like. Then try to answer the questions as they would.

Oh and don't assume that every passage is brilliant or well-written. Some of them are obfuscated crap that would get a D if handed in for a class. But you still have to figure them out and try to know the author's personality.

 

[Protactinium]

Writing may make you lose sight of the bigger picture. Reading for tone and bias is most important for sure. Just read carefully and actively. That helped me on EK, it did not help me THAT much on AAMC though. I think it is just harder to read on a screen.

 

[wannabadr10]

I would agree with all of the above, but just to add one more thing...when you read the passage and you see a transition make notice of it and understand why they are giving another side of the story and think about what it means to the passage as a whole...which brings you back the the MAIN POINT of the passage.

 

[Protactinium]

Oh yeah, I should add that you should be doing detailed post-test analysis on all correct and incorrect answers given. From SN2:

Some things to keep in mind when reviewing:

1. Why did you get the question wrong? Why did you get the question right?
2. What question types get you?
3. How is your mindset when facing a particular passage?
4. Are you stressed for time?
5. Where are your mistakes happening the most? Are they front loaded? Are they at the end? All over?
6. What was your thought process for both the questions you got right and the ones you got wrong?
7. For verbal, what was the author's mindset and main idea?
8. Did you eliminate all of the answer choices you could from first glance?
ex. You know an answer should be a positive number so you cross out all of the negative number answer choices.
9. What content areas are you weak in?
10. How can you improve so you don't make the same mistake again?