mcat verbal help

[queenb]

hello, i have 3 more weeks and I have done evrything possible with the verbal and i'm still getting only 50% righgt and not getting done with 2-3 passages. what else can i do?

[admin]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "done everything possible" in terms of what kind of preparation you have used. Also, I'm not sure what you mean by 50% right: 20/40 or 8/15. There is a big difference.

If your overall score is around 30 with an 8 in Verbal then you are OK but if your score is less that 8 then that could be a problem.

In terms of preparation, students with alot of time, need to read from various sources (the Economist, NY Times, etc).

Students with less time should consider the MCAT Verbal program www.mcatverbalreasoning.com which includes a speed reading program, advice and now 10 online practice Verbal tests with graduated difficulty (from easy to similar to the new MCAT; these 10 tests are different from the 10 VR tests in the 10 practice GS MCAT CBTs).

And students with almost no time should consider the brief Examkrackers Verbal book which is to the point with some brief useful exercises www.mcat-bookstore.com/examkrackers-mcat-books-audio.html

Good luck!

[frab83]

Hi I just took the VR and got a score of 28/40 --> 7/15 . How is this in terms of the difficulty of the AAMC? I was very disappointed with this score. I looked at the MCAT CBT Grading and it said a 28/40 is equivalent to a 9. Would you please explain as to where I stand.

Oh and thanks for putting up the www.mcatverbalreasoning.com site...I will check that out right now.

I am taking the test on May 16th. Any feedback or suggestions on how to improve this score would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[frab83]

Seeing that I only have 2 wks...how would you recommend I utilize the Economist? What should I be looking for? Or should I even use it at all? Should I familiarize myself with the topics in the news? As far as writing samples are concerned...how am I to grade myself?

[mcat_premed3832]

2 weeks is not enough time to start reading magazines/journals with the hope of improving skills for Verbal Reasoning. You would have to do that months or even years in advance.

In terms of the reliability of your scores, there is a thread where students compare their GS MCAT CBT scores with AAMC practice scores: http://www.mcat-prep.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=313

To see sample corrected Writing Samples and scale for correcting: http://www.futuredoctor.net/sample.shtml

Because your timeline is very compressed, your best option is quality practice (GS practice tests and AAMC tests) and to pour over your mistakes so it's clear how to improve.

There are 2 basic techniques to try to improve VR scores. You need to try both to see which works best for you. Either you follow the intuitive route: read the passage first, highlighting key words, and the answer the questions. Or you quickly read the questions to get an idea of what they are asking for, then you read the passage once while answering questions as you go along.

There is one basic concept you should keep in mind while reading the passage. Imagine that as soon as you are finished the passage, you will need to explain it to your favorite cousin who is a high school student, or, that you will have to present a summary of the passage in front of class. By visualizing the importance of getting "the main idea", it will help you sift through the passage and see the most important elements.

[frab83]

How should I be reviewing my mistakes on the tests? Reviewing the VR Errors...what should I be looking for in the explanations? The explanations basically tell me what the author is trying to say.

Is there a particular pattern that the MCAT VR Questions are asked? I noticed as I reviewed all the mistakes that they put in some really random answer choices. Usually I can narrow it down to two choices but its hard to distinguish b/w what's correct.

5 More Days...Any more advice?

[mcat_premed3832]

First, accept the fact that there will be a couple of very tough questions. Don't worry about that because you can get a few of them wrong and still get a great score. Don't waste your time during the test over evaluating a difficult question.

Use the Strikeout feature: it helps to group answers together and reduce the risk of getting confused by the use of NOT, EXCEPT, etc.

Your very last step: tell yourself that you just made a mistake. This is called "testproofing" your answer. What is the counterargument? Do this every time and you will pick up silly mistakes as well.

And finally, most of your questions are answered by the same thing that students have always said about VR: practice, practice, practice. There is no magic bullet. You must practice.

[frab83]

thanks for your advice...i'll try to remember that tactic during the test. I have 4 more days...VR is really annoying. LOL. But I'll continue to practice. Thanks.

[maxsati7049]

What is the Search Passage feature?? and is it available on the real MCAT?

[mcat_premed3832]

It is NOT on the real MCAT nor is it on the GS exams. Pretend you never heard of it because it won't help on the real thing!