Your Very First Nonreal MCAT Verbal Score

[ysk1]

What was the score for your first-ever nonreal MCAT Verbal test?

Out of curiosity I tried it for the first time yesterday using the Examcrackers's 101 MCAT verbal book..

I took approx. three times as much time to complete it (comfortably in my pace without any time pressure) and still ended up scoring a 4 LOL!! I feel dumb... If I took exactly the time given, I'd have scored a 0 or 1, or even -3..

But I don't need to worry that much now because I still have two years left until the real MCAT.

 

Trying this exam made me realize that I really lacked the ability to:

-read very fast and accurately. (English is my 2nd language, and I'm not very proficient in it compared to my native language)

-be logical and reasonable.

 

I figured that if I hone these two main skills, I'll be able to do much better. But the question is how? What is the best way of increasing those two abilities?

 

For those of you who scored a 10+ on the MCAT Verbal, how did you manage to do it? What were some short-term and long-term ways?

[BrendanJ]

Honestly I have noooo idea how to improve at it. I worked my ass off and only improved one point from my first practice test. I scored above 10 but it was still my lowest section and I couldn't find a way to improve it like I did the other sections.

 

Practice practice practice would be my only advice. I didn't find that the a course helped with verbal. Practice tests (and loads of them) only helped me improve marginally but it at least allowed me to be more comfortable during the actual exam.

[nutritional_lee]

For those of you who scored a 10+ on the MCAT Verbal, how did you manage to do it? What were some short-term and long-term ways?

 

I bought the ExamKrackers Verbal Reasoning practice book - it has loads of practice questions, which are arguably more difficult than those on the real exam. Closer to the actual day of the exam, I also highly recommend the practice MCATs on e-mcat.com

[Lebowski]

I think since you have the luxury of time, the best way to improve on VR would be to read a lot, and to read a variety of different styles. Newspapers, novels, blogs, magazines. I think by reading and thinking critically about what you are reading will help you a lot. Read a recent news article and think about its implications... how will this story affect the groups involved, how will it affect you, what are the potential biases that the author may have? Also try to have intelligent conversations and discussions with friends about different current events or whatever it is you may be interested in.

I think this will all get your brain working quicker and allow you to get a grasp on what you are reading. This will help you in VR, and also in your communication skills and your knowledge of the world around you.

[THX]

Started with a 9 and finished with an 11 on the real thing (though, my practice scores were usually 12-14). Verbal is just a skill you need to develop, it comes easier to others most likely because they read more (ie. novels, newspapers etc). You just have to practice and find out what works for you. I noticed that when I read at a snail speed, I understood the passage so much better. And you have to understand what you read and at least retain it for 7-8 minutes - because the reality is, most passages/questions are really easy; but people try to just skim the text, look at the questions and then go back to the text to fish out the answers. This doesn't work for VR, you have to understand what you read - if you do, you will rarely have to go back to the passage after one read through.

 

VR is tough to bring up, so start working on it ASAP.

[The Law]

I started with a 4 in PS and ended up with a 9. Started with a 9 in bio (was scoring 12/13s after the first one) ended witha 9. Verbal started with a 10 and ended with a 10.

[Dr.Cave]

First practice 12, MCAT 13. For fun I read novels (SF&F to real literature), science books I am interested in (evolution, genetics, karst hyrdology and geomorphology, psychology, ethnobotany), the Economist, newspapers. Note I read these because I want to. When I try to read something that I have to read (med school texts) then it becomes a chore. Don't make reading a chore - read what you enjoy. Also whenever I read or hear something my brain automatically looks for other possible interpretations (I usually come up with some funny or dirty meanings) - its just the way my warped mind works.

 

To the OP - sounds like you have some language barriers, I would suggest taking some English grammar courses - you might be missing out on meaning due to grammar. Also take some english lit courses to get you reading and thinking critically.

[ysk1]

To the OP - sounds like you have some language barriers, I would suggest taking some English grammar courses - you might be missing out on meaning due to grammar. Also take some english lit courses to get you reading and thinking critically.

 

I rarely read a book on my own. I read maybe one book every two years (excluding those needed by school)?

I'm not really interested in books.

Novels are boring, the Economist is too hard to understand mainly because I'm not into politics or government, and newspapers are easy but not really fun to read.

There are many more things that are much more enjoyable than reading, so I tend to spend all my leisure time on those instead. How can you make reading the most enjoyable activity?

I'm not used to being a regular reader since kindergarten.

[Dr.Cave]

If you want to be a doctor then you need to read.

 

Read stuff related to your interests. I like caving so I have read many caving related books. What are you interested in?

[Jamer]

First practice test when I didn't know what VR even was: 9. Actual test, 9. Haha, whatever. Bio/physical both went up by 5 points.

[jsmooth]

verbal is such crap i think. they say its the most important section to predict board results. i think its retarded that a person is supposed to think about a passage the same way as every other person in the world. we all interpret things differently and think about things in different ways. that's to be embraced not punished on a stupid test.

[liszt]

First practice test -> 6/6/9

Actual -> 11/11/12

 

For verbal, it came down to lots of practice. I started untimed, and took my time working out the passages with "MAPS" on TPR stuff. As I became more proficient at getting the questions right, I started timing myself, and, slowly but surely, improved (2nd MockCAT was a 7, third a 10). I was just starting to break into twelves in EK 101 before the exam. Oh well. I was happy.