Verbal Reasoning.

[Guest chub]

Well I got my MCAT scores back and I did great in the sciences and essay but came up very short in the VR section. So Im going to have to re-write unfortunately. I need advice though. I found that the AAMC practice test Verbal sections (for all practice tests) were way too easy compared to the real thing. Is Kaplan the only way for me to go from here in terms of getting a higher verbal score, what can i do to improve my VR score? Please Help! Im so depressed about not passing VR.

[Guest Ian Wong]

There's a lot of good info in this MCAT forum already since VR tends to be the toughest section for most science majors.

 

Here's one I found on the front page of this forum.

pub44.ezboard.com/fpremed101frm19.showMessage?topicID=86.topic

 

I've got a little more advice on my main web-site.

www.premed101.com/mcat.html#vr

 

A lot of conquering VR is simply developing your reading skills so that you read much more rapidly and efficiently. The less time you spend reading, the more time you have to figure out your answers. A good suggestion that's come up here in the past is to challenge yourself by checking out literature that you wouldn't otherwise encounter in your daily or academic life, and try to read it and interpret what's being presented. Kirsteen is a big proponent of reading <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Economist<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->. Perhaps give that a look-see.

 

Ian

UBC, Med 3

[Guest 6 in VR]

I just read your posting and I thought I'd reply even though it's a little late. I just want you to know that I know how you feel about the bad vr section. I spent the entire summer after my 2nd year in univeristy studying for the MCAT and when I got my score back I was also depressed-I went to sleep at 6pm when I found out the scores (I took 2 gravol to knock myself out) and I didn't get up for almost 24 h. I got 11s in BS and PS and a Q but I got a 6 in VR!!!!!!!!!!! I had never done so badly on anything in my life! I didn't know what to do since I felt like I had wasted so much of my life to try and acheive a goal that was out of my reach. I study so hard at school (often giving up socializing time) and I studied all summer for that stupid test and I felt like it was all a waste of time. There was no way I wanted to rewrite the MCAT and "waste" another summer.

 

Anyway, time passed, I pulled myself together and continued doing well in school. I decided I'd rewrite but only focus on VR. I worked part time the following summer and spent the rest of the time sitting at home reading. I read the newspaper, The New Yorker, The Economist (yuck!), MacLean's, Harpers, and Time. I read about art, literature and theatre-things that I have no interest in. I did practice VRs (I think I've done every one that's available!) and I studied minimally for the other sections. I almost gave up midway through the summer when I did a practice after a month of reading and I got another 6 in VR. But I continued working at it and I wrote the dam thing again. Here are my scores:

 

BS 11

PS 10

Writing Q

VR 9!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I made the cutoffs for all Ontario schools except for Queens!!! I was thrilled and I no longer feel as though I wasted these last few years. All I'm trying to tell you is if I can raise my VR score 3 points than anyone can!!! So just read read read!!! Trust me, it works!!

 

Good luck!

[Guest JSS02]

If you don't want to shell out the money for TPR or Kaplan, I've heard (but haven't tried for myself) that the Examkrackers method is pretty good. And the book isn't expensive (just search on amazon.com). Good luck...

[Guest jennifer y]

VR does not happen overnight. All those years of reading and doing well in English really helped. Get a tutor is the way to go.

[Guest MDCY]

I guess I'll put my two cents in to this: I wrote the MCAT in Aug'99 after my second year. I took the Princeton Rev. prep course. I personally think it was too expensive for the most part but I probably did better in the MCAT because of it. I graduated with Biochem degree and so being in sciences had me scared about the dreaded VR on the MCAT. At PR, they teach you certain methods and tactics that you can try to help yourself do better on the VR. I, however, found that their methods didn't work for me at all. I remember doing really crappy on the VR in the one mock MCAT I did using their suggested method. Basically, I guess what I'm trying to say is that taking Kaplan or PR doesn't guarantee you any particular score but on the other hand, you do get lots of experience writing mock MCATs. There's one thing with PR (I'm not sure if Kaplan does this too) is that the mock MCATs we wrote got progressively harder each time to the point where the last mock test we had ended up to be way tougher than the actual MCAT was...atleast that's what I felt. So when I took the MCAT, it seemed easier for sure. I would recommend to people who don't want to take a prep course, to ask their friends who have taken the courses before and "borrow" their mock MCATs and do them. This is what I did for a friend of mine who took the MCAT a year later. Btw, I was really happy with my 10 on the VR section and English isn't even my first language...but yeah, just find your own personal style of doing the VR and practice to death and after that, if you don't do as well as you hoped, you could always try the Kaplan/PR methods and tactics on conquering the VR.

I hoped this helped a bit.

Cheers!

[Guest cheech10]

My advice:

 

First, buy the old AAMC and other practice MCATs. Do all the VR sections you can get your hands on, but with no time limit. Figure out where you went wrong on the ones you answered incorrectly. Keep practicing until you feel you are doing well (still without the time limit). Once you're used to the question style and can answer enough questions correctly, add in the time limit and repeat this entire process. May take a while, but it's worth it. Also tends to work for BS and PS sections.

[Guest sweeti3oy]

Hi, MDCY:

 

From your word, it sounds like you are an international student, right? Btw, I am international student and I took the MCAT once. My result is just like the first one you got: I did terrible in the VR. I am working on it. I took it last Aug and will take it again either Aug or next year because I think I need to spend more time to improve my English ability. Do you have any suggestion to share with me? My I know where did you apply?

[Guest yingw]

The VR is probably the hardest part of the MCAT to most people. I practiced with as many as I can. I have some practice tests to sell. Post your email address if interested.

[Guest MDCY]

sweeti3boy: Well, I'm not an international student but I have lived in several countries before. I've finished my undergrad and am working right now. I live in AB and so I've only applied to UA and UC; I received an interview from UC but UA is hanging me out to dry for now. Basically, just practice, practice, practice with the verbal. Read lots of different English news/magazine articles and try to improve your reading speed. The Princeton Review was a good course so if you could take any prep course, then I would recommend it especially if you are an international student if, for nothing else for practice.