verbal "post-game" analysis

[goark]

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I've come to the conclusion that my verbal strategy sucks. I'm doing fine on the other sections (10+ and steadily improving), but my verbal scores seem have plateaued at 7. I went up to a 9 but decreased to 7 and stayed like that for a week now.

I think that it's because I'm not analyzing my sectionals and FLs enough. I take one sectional everyday and about 2 FLs a week.

The types of questions I miss the most are inference , except/least/nots, and strengthen/weaken questions.

Do ya'll have any suggestions on how I can analyze my tests better and how to address the types of questions i miss the most?

Thanks.

 

[mitchlucker]

I was having the same issue, but not as in bad shape. Begin to "passage map" I don't know if you took Kaplan's class, but they recommend writing a general summary of each paragraph while you read it, 1 or 2 sentences, no more. I used to this technique was garbage, but it slows down your reading pace, you will be less likely to skip stuff over, and it makes sure you understand it while you're reading. Eventually, you will become a reader so that you don't need to write stuff down, but I think doing this for a bit helps you become a more thorough reader the 1st time.

Another thing I like to do is read 2 questions before you start reading (ie- the first 2) and periodically go back and cross off answers that are obviously wrong while you read it, or answer some while you do. Then, read another one as you answer one, etc. Don't try to answer the questions as you read them, it just gives you something to look for while you read. And if you read a part that the question was looking for, answer it! Then do the rest.

These are just my suggestions, I averaged around an 8-9 until I started doing the things above, then didn't dip below an 8 on any of the other practices, got scores between 9 and 12. I am in no way great at verbal, these things just helped me out in improving my scores. One more thing, try to be interested in what they're talking about. It's hard, so many time I'll sit there and just scream in my head "I DONT CAREEEE" but try to relate it back to something relevant to your life, or something you like a lot. It makes coping with having to do verbal a lot better.

 

[G1SG2]

I've come to the conclusion that my verbal strategy sucks. I'm doing fine on the other sections (10+ and steadily improving), but my verbal scores seem have plateaued at 7. I went up to a 9 but decreased to 7 and stayed like that for a week now.

I think that it's because I'm not analyzing my sectionals and FLs enough. I take one sectional everyday and about 2 FLs a week.

The types of questions I miss the most are inference , except/least/nots, and strengthen/weaken questions.

Do ya'll have any suggestions on how I can analyze my tests better and how to address the types of questions i miss the most?

Thanks.

Maybe you still haven't found the right strategy. How long do you spend on a passage/questions?

 

[SN2ed]

General Guidelines for Reviewing:

- Go over EVERY question. Both the ones you got right and the ones you got wrong.
- Reviewing should take 2-3 times longer than taking the timed practice problems.
- If your tests are fluctuating, it is due to the different topics on the various tests. In other words, you have some glaring weaknesses that when targeted, nail you, badly. You have to find out what those weaknesses are because they are evident by your scores. Do NOT dismiss any wrong answer as a "stupid mistake." You made that error for a reason. Go over your tests again.
- You might want to consider making a log for all of your post test results where you work through the questions below. Doing so, you'll be able to easily notice trends.

Some things to go over when reviewing:

1. Why did you get the question wrong? Why did you get the question right?
2. What question and passage 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?


Some verbal help threads from the MCAT Guide sticky:

Are you having trouble on the MCAT? Here is a list of strategies and guides that others have applied to become successful.

Breaking Down the MCAT: A 3 Month MCAT Study Schedule - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=623898

BloodySurgeon Verbal Guide- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=509702

QofQuimica & Shrike - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=516521

30+ MCAT Study Habits- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=503250

Tips for MCAT Studiers- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show....php?p=3719232

Vihsadas Verbal Guide- http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show...2&postcount=96

Bozz's Study Tips - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=499207

gecko45's Study Tips - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=499808

Rabbit36s Study Tips - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=578461

Official "Please Help" Thread - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=535393

Post a Tip for Current MCAT Studiers - http://forums.studentdoctor.net/show....php?p=3719048

 

[goark]

I was having the same issue, but not as in bad shape. Begin to "passage map" I don't know if you took Kaplan's class, but they recommend writing a general summary of each paragraph while you read it, 1 or 2 sentences, no more. I used to this technique was garbage, but it slows down your reading pace, you will be less likely to skip stuff over, and it makes sure you understand it while you're reading. Eventually, you will become a reader so that you don't need to write stuff down, but I think doing this for a bit helps you become a more thorough reader the 1st time.

Another thing I like to do is read 2 questions before you start reading (ie- the first 2) and periodically go back and cross off answers that are obviously wrong while you read it, or answer some while you do. Then, read another one as you answer one, etc. Don't try to answer the questions as you read them, it just gives you something to look for while you read. And if you read a part that the question was looking for, answer it! Then do the rest.

These are just my suggestions, I averaged around an 8-9 until I started doing the things above, then didn't dip below an 8 on any of the other practices, got scores between 9 and 12. I am in no way great at verbal, these things just helped me out in improving my scores. One more thing, try to be interested in what they're talking about. It's hard, so many time I'll sit there and just scream in my head "I DONT CAREEEE" but try to relate it back to something relevant to your life, or something you like a lot. It makes coping with having to do verbal a lot better.

Thank you! You actually reminded me of something I was doing when I got my highest score, which was doing bottom lines after each paragraph. It slowed me down but my accuracy was better.

 

[goark]

Maybe you still haven't found the right strategy. How long do you spend on a passage/questions?

I spend about 8 to 10 on each passage and about 5 to 6 on my "killer" passage.

My general strategy is as follows
1. rank the passages (now for easy, later for moderate, and killer for the hardest)
2. start on the now passages.
3. read questions stems and make "grocery list" as i go - keywords
4. read the passage and highlight the words on my grocery list and main ideas
5. answer the questions
6. proceed to the next passage until killer

After i grade my tests I input my score to my verbal analysis workbook where it computes the percentage of each question I got wrong and the cumulative percentage for all the sectionals and FLs

And then I read the solutions to the one's I got wrong and typically the reason why I got those questions wrong is because I failed to make the connection when I was reading the passage.

 

[G1SG2]

I spend about 8 to 10 on each passage and about 5 to 6 on my "killer" passage.

My general strategy is as follows (mostly the princeton review strategy)
1. rank the passages (now for easy, later for moderate, and killer for the hardest)
2. start on the now passages.
3. read questions stems and make "grocery list" as i go - keywords
4. read the passage and highlight the words on my grocery list and main ideas
5. answer the questions
6. proceed to the next passage until killer

After i grade my tests I input my score to my verbal analysis workbook where it computes the percentage of each question I got wrong and the cumulative percentage for all the sectionals and FLs

And then I read the solutions to the one's I got wrong and typically the reason why I got those questions wrong is because I failed to make the connection when I was reading the passage.

I was never a big fan of number 1...its time consuming, and you may not truly know if the passage is hard or easy until you're deep into it...or maybe the passage is hard but the questions are easy. Have you tried just doing them in order? My score seemed to increase when I read the passage slower and answered the questions a bit faster. Try different strategies until you find the one that you're most comfortable with.'

With regards to number 3-I don't think that would be a very good idea because then you'd be looking for something specific in the passage when you read it (stuff from question stems) as opposed to reading for the main idea...just my 2 cents.

 

[libraryismyhome]

Are you saying that Princeton review tells people to read the questions first before passage??

 

[walkingagh]

I really believe lots of people vastly over strategize verbal. All of this multi-step analysis really seems like someone is trying to make money or are trying to control the situation too much.

There is only one key to verbal: prove your answer. This is pretty much true for every passage based question on the MCAT actually. Read the passage with as much focus as you can. Read the question. Look at the passage, and specifically the place where they tell you to look in the passage. Answer the question from the passage. Try to make mini arguments in your head whether or not an answer will work, but base it solely on information from the column next door. The best argument wins.

In some way it's really common sense, but I think you can do better if you don't rely on a special formula because of the way the mind is structured when evaluating multiple solutions. Much of the "trick" is to have confidence to go with that slightly better answer instead of deliberating. When you deliberate, your conscious mind can only evaluate 4 potential answers across one (or maybe two) variable(s) before it conks out. But your gut is capable of evaluating thousands upon thousands of pieces of information simultaneously and coming up with very good solutions.

 

[goark]

Are you saying that Princeton review tells people to read the questions first before passage??

of course not 😉

 

[goark]

There is only one key to verbal: prove your answer.

Agreed. I think the strategies aim to facilitate this and I'm trying to find the ones that work for me.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[LetsGo352]

Princeton Review's strategy is god awful.

 

[Silverfalcon]

you may not truly know if the passage is hard or easy until you're deep into it...or maybe the passage is hard but the questions are easy.

This is basically one of the key points of EK's verbal strategy, and I could not agree more, especially for some philosophy passages (I actually reviewed one last night as well). Some passages are really easy to read but have incredibly difficult analysis questions. And then there are passages that are so dense that make you go, "WHATTT" but questions center around one or two key points. Skipping around passages will 1) kill the time, and 2) ruin your confidences.

 

[LetsGo352]

This is basically one of the key points of EK's verbal strategy, and I could not agree more, especially for some philosophy passages (I actually reviewed one last night as well). Some passages are really easy to read but have incredibly difficult analysis questions. And then there are passages that are so dense that make you go, "WHATTT" but questions center around one or two key points. Skipping around passages will 1) kill the time, and 2) ruin your confidences.

i agree, it's a terrible strategy.

I'm having some trouble with VR too (7 on the last exam which really killed my score and forced me to retake). I used the EK method last time, but I may try to write 1-2 sentences of summary for each paragraph this time and see how it works. Has this worked better for anyone?

 

[G1SG2]

i agree, it's a terrible strategy.

I'm having some trouble with VR too (7 on the last exam which really killed my score and forced me to retake). I used the EK method last time, but I may try to write 1-2 sentences of summary for each paragraph this time and see how it works. Has this worked better for anyone?

I would do that for a while to get used to summarizing the paragraphs/passage, and then would stop writing and do it in my head as I read (which is what I do now). Writing would kill time on the real thing.