Verbal Reasoning Tips for the Reading Challenged

[MaybeDr]

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I just wanted to throw my two-cents out there for all of those that really struggle with reading in general.
A little background about me. I was never good at reading at any point in my life. I was a verge high school dropout, so I never really developed the fundamentals that your typical straight A student does. And in my honest opinion for VR you don't have to. I started studying for my MCAT this past January, scored a 5, 6, 6 on my first couple practice tests and eventually finished off scoring consistent 10s on EK 101 tests.

Here's my tip to all of you:
Self-motivate, talk yourself up, tell yourself that you're good at verbal. Write it down. It sounds stupid but you really start believing it. Towards the end I started ENJOYING verbal (God what a thought).
Month 1:Use mapping, get your mind good and sharp at tracking the ideas of each paragraph. Everyday do 4-5 passages.
Month 2: start doing this in your head, still 4-5 passages everyday.
Month 3: stamina stamina stamina, completely transition to EK's strategy, while taking every practice test you can.
Lastly exhaust every resource. I did all of TPR, all of EK, all of Kaplan.

In my honest opinion, half of this section is about stamina, reading comp, and understanding the main idea the other half is repetition/muscle memory.

I started doing straight up mapping for 2 months and my scores would cap out at 8. I decided something had to change. The next 2 weeks I used mental mapping, and the following 2 weeks I used EK's strategy. That's when I really started scoring higher 31/40 32/40. I realized that if I had transitioned earlier I probably would've started getting much higher scores 11s and 12s.

 

[TheAnonymous]

I just wanted to throw my two-cents out there for all of those that really struggle with reading in general.
A little background about me. I was never good at reading at any point in my life. I was a verge high school dropout, so I never really developed the fundamentals that your typical straight A student does. And in my honest opinion for VR you don't have to. I started studying for my MCAT this past January, scored a 5, 6, 6 on my first couple practice tests and eventually finished off scoring consistent 10s on EK 101 tests.

Here's my tip to all of you:
Self-motivate, talk yourself up, tell yourself that you're good at verbal. Write it down. It sounds stupid but you really start believing it. Towards the end I started ENJOYING verbal (God what a thought).
Month 1:Use mapping, get your mind good and sharp at tracking the ideas of each paragraph. Everyday do 4-5 passages.
Month 2: start doing this in your head, still 4-5 passages everyday.
Month 3: stamina stamina stamina, completely transition to EK's strategy, while taking every practice test you can.
Lastly exhaust every resource. I did all of TPR, all of EK, all of Kaplan.

In my honest opinion, half of this section is about stamina, reading comp, and understanding the main idea the other half is repetition/muscle memory.

I started doing straight up mapping for 2 months and my scores would cap out at 8. I decided something had to change. The next 2 weeks I used mental mapping, and the following 2 weeks I used EK's strategy. That's when I really started scoring higher 31/40 32/40. I realized that if I had transitioned earlier I probably would've started getting much higher scores 11s and 12s.

Thanks for creating this thread and sharing this with us, I'm sure a lot of people appreciate it.

Could you be more clear and tell us what exactly you mean by "mapping" and "EK's strategy" ? As far as I know the 2 are opposite (one coined by kaplan and the other EK) one suggesting to refer back often and the other not at all.

It would be great if you can clarify that,

thanks!!

 

[MaybeDr]

I wrote a beautiful edit and my browser destroyed it! I'm going to write out the strategy for each and try to attach a passage employing the 3 strategies I listed above this weekend.

 

[TheAnonymous]

I wrote a beautiful edit and my browser destroyed it! I'm going to write out the strategy for each and try to attach a passage employing the 3 strategies I listed above this weekend.

You are awesome dude! Wish i could return the favor

 

[MaybeDr]

No problem. I felt like that's what some of the other verbal threads were lacking. The only problem is I need to find a passage that is listed somewhere as free, so I'm not getting in trouble for posting a TPR passage.

 

[getsome111]

@MaybeDr - I used a similar strategy(except I didn't map), under similar circumstances, and received similar results.

For people struggling with verbal, I think it should be a sort of regimen to cover at least Tprh, EK, and kaplan section tests. They each sort of give you a feel for difficulties in different areas. I had also *surprisingly* really begun to enjoy the passages by the time I was done with it.

also, just my opinion about mapping... When I had struggled to see why an answer was correct or failed to grasp the main point of a passage with the kaplan materials, the concept maps provided in the keys were very nice to have and I did a sort of mental mapping(I didn't write anything) when I came across passages with more complex arguments--as many in the kaplan passages are.

 

[Gauss44]

Another one for reading challenged: Primarily pay attention to WHERE things are discussed in the passage. Don't spend any more than 4 minutes on the passage unless it's abnormally long or complicated relative most other AAMC passages. Keep a concise mental or physical passage map. Remember that you can always go back to the passage if they ask for a confusing detail. You don't have to understand EVERYTHING the first time through, just the main flow of ideas and main idea.

 

[TheAnonymous]

Thanks a lot you guys, these are great tips !!

I'm in Kaplan course right now and have access to their section tests but I was told by many people that Kaplan VR is B.S. and for that reason I didn't utilize those and even on their FLs, I never review the VR section as I've been told numerous times that reasoning behind kaplan VR is poor and it should be ignored !! Should I go back and do those all?

I don't know which strategy is better to use:

1. Read the questions first (not all, but those specific-type ones) --> read the passage quickly
2. Don't read the question first --> read the passage slowly and actively and trying to grasp everything

The problem with my (1) strategy is that because I end up reading the passage faster, I may sometimes miss important info that was asked in one of the questions that I skipped

The problem with my (2) is because I didn't read the questions first, if they ask for a certain word, or a quote, I may have missed it !

Last but not least, a lot of people suggest summarizing each paragraph in your head before moving on, not sure if this helps a lot?


Again, thank you guys for taking the time to help us out!

 

[Blueprint MCAT Tutor]

I didn't utilize those and even on their FLs . . . Should I go back and do those all?

1. Read the questions first (not all, but those specific-type ones) --> read the passage quickly
2. Don't read the question first --> read the passage slowly and actively and trying to grasp everything

Last but not least, a lot of people suggest summarizing each paragraph in your head before moving on, not sure if this helps a lot?

Heya - you've got several good questions! First, of course, I'd recommend taking a look through the advice I've posted here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...itical-analysis-and-reasoning-skills.1053557/

As to your specific questions:

1. Big mistake to skip your KTP VR resources. While the explanations offered may range from excellent to okay to crap, the actual passages and questions themselves are very good practice. You've already paid for that resource; you should make use of it! Your priorities when it comes to VR practice:

I. All AAMC full lengths (take them as full tests, but obviously this will include VR sections)
II. All AAMC self-assessment package passages - sadly there's only like 20ish, but you should do all of them
III. All VR resources from whatever prep company you're using. Lots of different opinions here, but they're basically all serviceable.

2. When it comes to specific details of a strategy you should employ the key thing to remember is this: there is no "right strategy". There's only right for you. So you have to decide on a strategy, try it out, and see how it works. How do you feel while doing it? Are you comfortable with the approach? And more importantly, what sorts of results are you getting?

My $0.02 on the specific question you've asked is simple: you should absolutely NOT read the questions first. Total waste of time. Bad idea.

Having said that, I have had a very small number of students over the years who've had success with that approach (we're talking less than 1% here). So even though it's a bad idea for 99% of students, you won't know until you try it out.

3. Yes it is absolutely essential that you summarize each ¶ in your head as you read. Ironically every single prep company just has different ways of saying the same thing: actively engage with the reading and create a "mental map" of what you're reading. Some companies tell you to write down notes, EK tells you to develop a Main Idea that captures each ¶, and I'm a fan of using the on-screen highlighter.

What matters isn't the mechanics of what you're doing, it's the mental process that it reflects.

So yeah, a constant summing up is critically important.

Hope this helps! Good luck 🙂

 

[TheAnonymous]

Heya - you've got several good questions! First, of course, I'd recommend taking a look through the advice I've posted here: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/thr...itical-analysis-and-reasoning-skills.1053557/

As to your specific questions:

1. Big mistake to skip your KTP VR resources. While the explanations offered may range from excellent to okay to crap, the actual passages and questions themselves are very good practice. You've already paid for that resource; you should make use of it! Your priorities when it comes to VR practice:

I. All AAMC full lengths (take them as full tests, but obviously this will include VR sections)
II. All AAMC self-assessment package passages - sadly there's only like 20ish, but you should do all of them
III. All VR resources from whatever prep company you're using. Lots of different opinions here, but they're basically all serviceable.

2. When it comes to specific details of a strategy you should employ the key thing to remember is this: there is no "right strategy". There's only right for you. So you have to decide on a strategy, try it out, and see how it works. How do you feel while doing it? Are you comfortable with the approach? And more importantly, what sorts of results are you getting?

My $0.02 on the specific question you've asked is simple: you should absolutely NOT read the questions first. Total waste of time. Bad idea.

Having said that, I have had a very small number of students over the years who've had success with that approach (we're talking less than 1% here). So even though it's a bad idea for 99% of students, you won't know until you try it out.

3. Yes it is absolutely essential that you summarize each ¶ in your head as you read. Ironically every single prep company just has different ways of saying the same thing: actively engage with the reading and create a "mental map" of what you're reading. Some companies tell you to write down notes, EK tells you to develop a Main Idea that captures each ¶, and I'm a fan of using the on-screen highlighter.

What matters isn't the mechanics of what you're doing, it's the mental process that it reflects.

So yeah, a constant summing up is critically important.

Hope this helps! Good luck 🙂

Manyy thanks!! This helps a lot!! Thanks thanks thanks 🙂 you guys are awesome

 

[BornToLead]

I wrote a beautiful edit and my browser destroyed it! I'm going to write out the strategy for each and try to attach a passage employing the 3 strategies I listed above this weekend.

That would be v.helpful! Thanks in advance.
Also, when started scoring 11's on the verbal, did you reach the point where you completely understood what the passage is talking , or was it more about developing the intuition of the'right MCAT answer.'

 

[MaybeDr]

Sorry this thread will have to wait until after exams. I got bombarded with a new research project in my lab, so that plus a new job and school has been absorbing my free time.

The right MCAT answer is a repetitive skill that you acquire IMO. I don't think I ever completely entirely understood what the passage was pitching. I more understood the idea of every paragraph, the last two weeks I started merging the ideas together. To do something unnatural to your mind like that is very difficult. It's difficult to acquire and difficult to practice.

 

[ayocaptain628]

Sorry this thread will have to wait until after exams. I got bombarded with a new research project in my lab, so that plus a new job and school has been absorbing my free time.

The right MCAT answer is a repetitive skill that you acquire IMO. I don't think I ever completely entirely understood what the passage was pitching. I more understood the idea of every paragraph, the last two weeks I started merging the ideas together. To do something unnatural to your mind like that is very difficult. It's difficult to acquire and difficult to practice.

waiting for an update on this thread pls and ty