What does an unexpected Verbal Score mean?

[gjitec]

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I took the "old MCAT," and I thought I did very well on the verbal section. In reality, I did utterly poorly. 🙁

I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with the verbal section. I will be taking the new MCAT within the next year.

With the new CARS section, I am wondering if anybody has any advice, in terms of "mentality" or "strategy?"

I am a well accomplished English student, who has focused on Liberal Arts throughout his academic career. I was shocked at my poor Verbal score. 🙁 I read 2 books a week, and I'm stating this without an ounce of hubris.

I have read many posts on SDN, regarding the verbal section, which state that the AMCAS official practice questions are the best method for preparing for the actual exam. Can anybody elaborate on this?

Any other advice, for a native English speaker, who has had an emphasis on Creative Writing,
Philosophy, and English Lit. would be appreciated.

...All I can thin of is that I was overthinking hardcore.

Thanks!

I'm an out-of-the-box thinker, so go for it! I am also an INTP, so I can't take offense. Be mean, judgmental and reply with fervor, and without any remorse.

Insult me and pass biased judgement; it will make me stronger.

Thanks again guys. I'll do my best to contribute to any constructive criticism that gets posted; I'm a /b veteran 🙂

{Mods, move to MCAT Discussions, if this is the wrong section}

 

[darkjedi]

psh the myers briggs is useless

 

[WedgeDawg]

psh the myers briggs is useless

But it's fun!!

 

[gjitec]

psh the myers briggs is useless

I hate to go off-topic, but do you really think so?

Either way, consider my subjective approval of it, with regards to myself and my inquiry of my VR results.

 

[gjitec]

But it's fun!!

Agreed. This is an incredibly short and efficient test I was referred to:

http://www.25quiz.com

 

[Spinach Dip]

What was your score?

[/on topic]

 

[gjitec]

Agreed. This is an incredibly short and efficient test I was referred to:

http://www.25quiz.com

Fast replies. You guys (SDN) are awesome!!!!!!

 

[gjitec]

What was your score?

[/on topic]

07, I was expecting 11+

 

[gjitec]

But it's fun!!

F-ing curse of being Yoda.

Mine deepest flaw be syntax, ever true.

 

[gjitec]

.

 

[sliceofbread136]

Oof. You need to retake that.

If you were really averaging 11, the 7 is a abnormality. Practice some more and you will do better on a retake

 

[darkjedi]

I hate to go off-topic, but do you really think so?

Either way, consider my subjective approval of it, with regards to myself and my inquiry of my VR results.

It's never really been validated as a good measure of anything really. People liken it to a psych version of astrology since classifications can be pretty broad appealing. I personally can change multiple types depending on the mood/day/circumstance I'm in. I think it also instills false dichotomies into what people consider personality traits. Many people can flip between introversion and extroversion depending on a variety of things, so it's unfair to classify people as 'introverts/extroverts.'

It's a fun pop-psych game, but it's not something to draw conclusions of your personality off of.

 

[darkjedi]

F-ing curse of being Yoda.

Mine deepest flaw be syntax, ever true.

I think case in point is something like this, where if you covered up each subtype. You'd probably find that at least half of them can apply to you depending on the day.

Also I agree with the others. Retaking a 7VR is probably the best option. Many schools screen for individual scores 8 or below.

 

[sliceofbread136]

It's never really been validated as a good measure of anything really. People liken it to a psych version of astrology since classifications can be pretty broad appealing. I personally can change multiple types depending on the mood/day/circumstance I'm in. I think it also instills false dichotomies into what people consider personality traits. Many people can flip between introversion and extroversion depending on a variety of things, so it's unfair to classify people as 'introverts/extroverts.'

It's a fun pop-psych game, but it's not something to draw conclusions of your personality off of.

I think any broad reaching generalization like that is going to be inherently flawed

 

[Spinach Dip]

07, I was expecting 11+

How much practice did you do? Were you consistently scoring 11+ on practice tests?

 

[teambert]

MFW people are derailing about the Myers Briggs and no one says anything about the /b mention. OP is trollin'.

The only way to get consistently better at Verbal in my experience is to do more of it. Sn2ed had advice in his MCAT study guide about doing a couple passages a day when you're keeping up with content review, and I think that's good advice. There are no real "tricks" to verbal, do enough sections that time isn't an issue and you start to think about the answers the test makers want you to give. I do think it's the hardest to raise, but I'd aim to score a 9 rather than a 7, it precludes you from fewer schools.

 

[The Helpful Aye Aye]

"English" is as broad as the number of ways they can test it. Maybe you're not good at applying ur mad inglish skillz under testing conditions, or you understudied because you overestimated your ability to distill important information from a passage in ~7 min. Simulate testing conditions every time you do verbal- get a TPR book or something and at least time the passages.

 

[cactus8910]

I have read many posts on SDN, regarding the verbal section, which state that the AMCAS official practice questions are the best method for preparing for the actual exam. Can anybody elaborate on this?

MCAT verbal passages are unique in the way that SAT math is. It's not necessarily super difficult, but it takes some practice to get used to the style of question and to get a sense of what answer they tend to look for. You can read all you want, but the best method to prepare is to do a lot of practice MCAT verbal passages, with the ones directly from AMCAS being the most accurate representation of the actual test.

How did you prepare? Did you take multiple full-length practice exams from AMCAS? If not, I'd say that's definitely your problem.