VR is killing me!

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Yipfra

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I am a premedical student who has been following the SN2ed schedule, but in tighter schedule of 2 months.

I have seen drastic improvements in PS and BS with consistent scores of 12 to 13 on FL tests. But my verbal is really low (4 to 6) and I am so scared of the MCAT because of it.

I have only two weeks left until my MCAT sadly and I will spend the majority of my time focusing on VR. I dont know if there is anyway of improving VR. Please help. There has to be something I can do to improve at least 4 pts right? All I wish is for an 8 or 9 on VR and I am satisfied.

Please help.

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How have you been prepping for verbal thus far?

How do you approach a verbal passage?

I am sorry to say this, but you probably won't see a drastic increase in verbal in just 2 weeks. Verbal takes quite a bit of time to improve. I agree that you should probably postpone. You are doing pretty well in the sciences. You wouldn't want verbal to bring you down.
 
I posted this in a different thread, so please disregard the out of context aspects...

Verbal is definitely the hardest to improve. Having said that, I agree with the advice to disregard the test prep companies' advice (except for exam krackers). That is to say, don't try any gimmicks. Read the passage from beginning to end FOCUSED. I found that focus and mental clarity were the most important aspects for me. Trying to skim the passage, then read the questions or w/e Kaplan advises just left me scrambling. If you pace yourself, you have like 8 minutes per passage. Reading the passage carefully only takes a couple of minutes - and it will greatly assist in remembering the finer details, main points, tone, and layout of the passage. If you need to find a specific detail, you will have much more success this way. Also, the answers tend to be rather tame (e.g. cautiously optimistic vs condemning etc), so you can typically rule out a couple answers immediately. Any question asking you for conclusions from the passage will be extremely literal. There will be trap answers that seem like a logical inference, but only because you may have a personal belief or value regarding the topic. So another key is to read the passage completely unbiased. Take what the writer says as fact, and try to follow their logic.

Perhaps a slightly radical approach, but you can practice by reading viewpoints of people with whom you disagree (to get the detachment down), and really stale and boring articles (to get the focus down). Its tough to stay objective when reading a passage about murdering kittens, or focused when reading a passage about suit fabrics.

The Princeton Review Hyperlearning Verbal workbook is an EXCELLENT resource, and is commonly sold on SDN.

tldr: Practice reading the passages intently without drawing on outside experiences and beliefs.
 
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How have you been prepping for verbal thus far?

How do you approach a verbal passage?

I am sorry to say this, but you probably won't see a drastic increase in verbal in just 2 weeks. Verbal takes quite a bit of time to improve. I agree that you should probably postpone. You are doing pretty well in the sciences. You wouldn't want verbal to bring you down.

I did EK101 passages and get 3/4 of the questions correct usually. I then transitioned to TPR workbook and also see similar trends. I try to do VR passages everyday and review then the day after. The biggest problem I have is understanding the passage. I spend way too much time on passages and tend to look back a lot. I get even more confused under timed conditions, given full 8.5 min and I struggle to a greater extent.
 
I am a premedical student who has been following the SN2ed schedule, but in tighter schedule of 2 months.

I have seen drastic improvements in PS and BS with consistent scores of 12 to 13 on FL tests. But my verbal is really low (4 to 6) and I am so scared of the MCAT because of it.

I have only two weeks left until my MCAT sadly and I will spend the majority of my time focusing on VR. I dont know if there is anyway of improving VR. Please help. There has to be something I can do to improve at least 4 pts right? All I wish is for an 8 or 9 on VR and I am satisfied.

Please help.

Don't some or most schools screen out applicants with less than an 8 in verbal?

You should really consider postponing, if your AAMC practice test comes back with <9 on verbal reasoning. (I said <9 rather than <8 so you will have at least a tiny margin of error. I said AAMC practice test because the other practice test companies are less reliable as score predictors.)
 
Don't some or most schools screen out applicants with less than an 8 in verbal?

You should really consider postponing, if your AAMC practice test comes back with <9 on verbal reasoning. (I said <9 rather than <8 so you will have at least a tiny margin of error. I said AAMC practice test because the other practice test companies are less reliable as score predictors.)

I never heard about that. I was just hoping that an avg score on Vr was adequate if my sciences could pull my score up.How are you? I have been studying for the mcat for the last month and a half now, following an online schedule called the SN2ed schedule.

But besides that, is it better taking the exam and just seeing my score or is it better to postpone and take a one-hit good score? Would having 2 scores be that bad?
 
Are you stressed out for timing? Do you understand the difficult passages when you read them 2 or 3 times without referring to any help (dictionary, answer explanation)?

Then you should try to read slower to actually understand the passage. The fact that you understand them on the 2nd or 3rd try means that you have the potential to understand them. You couldn't probably understand them at first because of time pressure. Trust me when you go slower to understand the passage, you will be able to do the questions faster because you actually know which is the correct answer and don't have to refer back as often. You'll still be able to finish in time, if not faster.
 
Are you stressed out for timing? Do you understand the difficult passages when you read them 2 or 3 times without referring to any help (dictionary, answer explanation)?

Then you should try to read slower to actually understand the passage. The fact that you understand them on the 2nd or 3rd try means that you have the potential to understand them. You couldn't probably understand them at first because of time pressure. Trust me when you go slower to understand the passage, you will be able to do the questions faster because you actually know which is the correct answer and don't have to refer back as often. You'll still be able to finish in time, if not faster.

Definitely time constrained. Under practice conditions I get much more correct (3/4 questions correct). When reading around 8.5 min I get really rushed and less accurate in VR. I can finish the other sections with 10 min spare but not the VR -_-
 
Just another stupid random thing

Don't have any stupid thoughts about a certain passage like thing beforehand a specific passage will be tough or something before you even attempt the passage

If that thought even comes to your mind, come back to that passage later otherwise you'll notice BS self-fulfilling prophecies coming true far too often
 
When reading a passage highlight every name or definition. Don't waste your time writing main ideas on paper. When answering questions, focus on why an answer can be wrong and eliminate those instead of seeking the correct answers. ALWAYS re-read the paragraph pertinent to a question if you are unsure. Yes, you will slow down, but if you can get 5 passages correct and guess on 2 it's better than completing 7 passages and getting a bunch of wrong answers in them. Eventually, you get fast enough.
 
I really think that postponing the exam would be a BAD idea.

A score of 4-6 does NOT mean that you are incapable of reading English - in fact, you might be on the verge of seeing right through the Verbal section.

As far as strategies go, there are many but you know as MCAT is a test for average Joe (standardized tests usually are like this), the most simple, basic answers are the correct answers (for the majority of the questions).

I myself got a 6 on VR this past June but since then I have tried to deconstruct alot of the strategies out there, and the one unifying theme is SIMPLICITY!!!! the more simply you answer a question (by whatever reasoning) the more likely you are correct.

And there is growing evidence of this approach - I had been scoring 7s and 8s and today for the first time, I scored an impressive 11 on the EK verbal test!!!

The worst thing that you can possibly do at this time is freak out... Don't! You have this test under control (I mean look at your 12/13s in sciences)... Just remain calm and look for the most simple answers in verbal. And you should be fine.
 
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The most important section anyway is bio. As long as you are scoring high in that section I think you'll be fine.
 
Are you stressed out for timing? Do you understand the difficult passages when you read them 2 or 3 times without referring to any help (dictionary, answer explanation)?

Then you should try to read slower to actually understand the passage. The fact that you understand them on the 2nd or 3rd try means that you have the potential to understand them. You couldn't probably understand them at first because of time pressure. Trust me when you go slower to understand the passage, you will be able to do the questions faster because you actually know which is the correct answer and don't have to refer back as often. You'll still be able to finish in time, if not faster.

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup: Recently been doing this and get at the most 1 wrong on every passage
 
Why wouldn't it be? What subject will you be using the most of as a doctor? I don't think that knowing the difference between a series and parallel circuit is going to be much help

I don't think that's the case. Neither of the science sections are most important by virtue of the content they test. Let's face it. The science knowledge you need for the MCAT is pretty basic. The MCAT technically tests only intro level sciences! The MCAT is part critical thinking part content, but it has recently been becoming more of the former.

Verbal, on the other hand, directly tests critical thinking without the guise of testing content. It's the section that is most aligned with the MCAT's stated goal of testing critical thinking.
 
Regardless, back to the point. I am averaging 6 on the MCAT VR...lets say my goal is an 8, an increase in that small range is estimated to be like 4 to 5 questions correct.

Just need advice in increasing that range. If I could jump from nothing to 12s and13s in PS and BS, then it shouldnt be too troublesome to go up by just 2 points on VR.

Advice please :(
 
Regardless, back to the point. I am averaging 6 on the MCAT VR...lets say my goal is an 8, an increase in that small range is estimated to be like 4 to 5 questions correct.

Just need advice in increasing that range. If I could jump from nothing to 12s and13s in PS and BS, then it shouldnt be too troublesome to go up by just 2 points on VR.

Advice please :(
 
I got an 8 on my first VR on FL exam (aamc 3), and now i've jumped to the 11 and 12 range. No gimmicks is what I believe and what someone else stated as well. Just read the passage through while focusing and not having wayward thoughts. Highlight names, dates, anything that you find confusing, and anything that intuition says will show up in a question. The point of highlighting is to save you time when the question is like what did blah blah argue for? Don't spend too much time on any one question. I stick to 8.5 min per a passage, and i really try not to go over that limit, bc the worst thing you can do to yourself is having 5 minutes for the last passage.. honestly improving from a 6 to an 8 shouldn't be too too hard if you just do what i said lol. as you read, make sure the passage is making sense; that is to say, be an active reader!
 
I have been trying to improve with TPR, and reading slowly is not too bad bc its around 4 min. But when answering questions now its not easy bc I seem to refer to passage a lot.

I tried to mimick the environment by having two digital pdfs side by side so that questions and passage are side by side. I understand the authors main idea and the usual location of information but still answer wrong. I cant seem to connect what I remember from the passage to the questions.
 
Okay, first of all, stop caring so much about the 1-15 score you're getting, and start caring about your raw score only. Look at the questions you are getting wrong... WHY are you getting them wrong? Remember, analyze WHY you get it wrong, and fix that problem and your score will only go up. Make a listen of things you may be doing wrong, like "read the question more carefully, and critically", or "don't choose the answer which although is factual, does not answer the question but makes me think it's right", etc. Review that list every day to make sure you look out for your mistakes. Read the passage slowly understanding the idea behind each sentence. Don't get caught up in the language or diction they use, it can get pretty hard and may slow you down. But through the context around the words, understand the author's point. There is a reason the author wrote each paragraph, understand what point he is getting across and what his opinion is on that specific topic. Quickly as you finish each paragraph, think to yourself: "Oh so he doesn't like ____" or "Oh so he approves of ____ but would rather have them do ___" or something along this lines. Read the passage like a friend is telling you gossip and you just wanna get to the point of the story, then you'll actually end up remembering the finer details.
When you get to the questions, don't fret. First, use process of elimination! What looks totally wrong? That'll increases your chance of getting the question right instantly. Then look at the answers that you think may be right, what is the difference between them? Think back to what you thought the author's main points were about each paragraph, and when the question relates, use that to answer the question. Don't always look back unless the question is very specific. An example to look back is when it may say "rigorous used in this passage implies ____", but not when it says "the author would most likely agree with ____". Remember though, if the passage is less like an opinion based passage, but more about information like... about bees, then try to imagine the information as a movie in your head. Understand the relationships between the information they are feeding to you. Informational passages may need you to look back more, however.
I hope this helps.
P.S. excuse any mistakes in my writing, I'm multitasking atm haha so didn't proofread.
 
I have been trying to improve with TPR, and reading slowly is not too bad bc its around 4 min. But when answering questions now its not easy bc I seem to refer to passage a lot.

I tried to mimick the environment by having two digital pdfs side by side so that questions and passage are side by side. I understand the authors main idea and the usual location of information but still answer wrong. I cant seem to connect what I remember from the passage to the questions.

VR Pitfalls (and how you can tell if you are in one):

1. Not recognizing the structure of the passage (aka passage map, aka passage outline): If you don't, you will not go back to the right place in the passage and end up wasting time. Solution = practice mapping passages (You can do this in your head later on, but will probably need to start by writing it down.)

2. Not watching for author's opinion and reason for writing each paragraph: If you miss the author's tone, you might end up having to reread the whole thing. If you miss it and focus on only one paragraph, you might be fooled by an exception, sarcasm, or similar.

3. Not recognizing that AAMC likes to use vague intro paragraphs: You can wrack your brain all day on paragraph 1, not realizing that the topic is in paragraph 2.

4. Not looking for wrong answers: If you only look for right answers, you may find 4 in every question. The authors of wrong answers are not very creative and have patterns (opposite, beyond, irrelevant, exaggeration, etc.). Knowing common patterns makes VR easier.

5. Assuming that EK=TPR=AAMC: They are all different. Various techniques are more helpful in some of these than others. It pays to mention which you are talking about. If you seem like a fast reader in EK, try TPR.

6. Hurrying so fast that your comprehension fails: Spinich Dip made a good point about a "train of thought." If you cannot remember and comprehend what you read, what's the point of reading?

7. Thinking that you have to read the entire passage or all passages at one pace: Most people need to slow down for parts of the passage, and can speed up for other parts. Some passages you can read quickly, others you will need to slow down for.

8. Some passages and their questions are more difficult than others: Doing an entire test is a better score estimate, than a single passage. You will do great on the easy passages, and worse on the more difficult ones. This inconsistency boggles minds.

9. Assuming that everyone has the same potential for improvement: If you have worked on VR for a year and have not improved, you might have a disability. Neuropsychologists and regular psychologists can test for those.

10. Different people struggle with VR for different reasons: ESL, disability, lack of practice/familiarity for any reason, being use to a different style, getting distracted/lack of focus, etc. Different problems have different solutions, unless you're talking about a specific practice test question.

11. Missing subtleties: Infer versus conclude versus stated, etc. How the author used evidence (and didn't use evidence) that could have supported other things in the passage, but didn't. Keeping straight who did what when there are multiple groups/people being discussed.

12. Finding substantive sources of information with more information and less other stuff. Avoiding time drains too. Usually the topic has all or most of the good info.on SDN.

13. I'm getting tired.
 
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One more week to go and yet still need just the tiniest improvements. Just practicing until two days before the exam and I will rest. PS and BS went up to 13s and 14s.
 
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