Timing in Verbal Section

[MansionMD]

Since I'm using mostly prep books from a couple (2-4) years ago, the verbal section is 85 minutes, 60 questions, and 9 passages. This works out to: 9.44 minutes / passage

 

On the computer-based MCAT, there will be 60 minutes, 40 questions, and 7 passages. This works out to: 8.57 minutes / passage

 

Is anyone else worried about this slash how did you guys overcome the time crunch?

[deeman101]

Keep in mind those nonCBT guys had to bubble their answers into a paper vs CBT where you just have to click. But timing doesn't seem to be an issue. I just finished a section of VR (from old Kaplan book, 60qs 85mins) and had >10mins for the last passage (at which point I started getting distracted, LOL). But maybe its because the Kaplan VR stuff is easier to read than the real thing, at least compared to how I felt reading the MCAT VR passages last year...

[rmorelan]

Since I'm using mostly prep books from a couple (2-4) years ago, the verbal section is 85 minutes, 60 questions, and 9 passages. This works out to: 9.44 minutes / passage

 

On the computer-based MCAT, there will be 60 minutes, 40 questions, and 7 passages. This works out to: 8.57 minutes / passage

 

Is anyone else worried about this slash how did you guys overcome the time crunch?

 

I did find the V.R. section to be the most time intensive one of all the sections personally. Even the essays I had a few minutes to spare, but with V.R. I finished the last question with about 20 secs left.

[thatonekid]

The way I've been practicing is that I divide the 60 minutes up into 4 blocks of 15 minutes. In the first 3 blocks, I try to do 2 passages, and in the last block I do a single passage:

 

0-15 minutes = passages 1 & 2

15-30 minutes = passages 3 & 4

30-45 minutes = passages 5 & 6

45-60 minutes = passage 7

 

However, as the hour progresses, I notice that I get slightly slower at reading the passages. That is why I tried to divide the time into 15 minute blocks, so that I would have lots of time for the last few passages. More realistically, my breakdown is:

 

0-13 minutes = passages 1 & 2

13-30 minutes = passages 3 & 4

30-47 minutes = passages 5 & 6

47-55 minutes = passage 7

55-60 minutes = check answers

[deeman101]

I actually tried a CBT today instead of a paper test. Yea theres something up with the timing. On the previous MCAT there was 8 passages and 85 mins. On the new one theres 7 passages and 60 mins. Though there are less questions per passage, most of my time is wasted in the reading, not the questions. Damn... have to fix that in like 2 days.

[rmorelan]

I actually tried a CBT today instead of a paper test. Yea theres something up with the timing. On the previous MCAT there was 8 passages and 85 mins. On the new one theres 7 passages and 60 mins. Though there are less questions per passage, most of my time is wasted in the reading, not the questions. Damn... have to fix that in like 2 days.

 

I took the paper and CBT test for the mcat (got a 36P first time, but then all of these writing sample limits appeared, ), and I did find the new version on a live test more time pressured - and that is AFTER an arts degree which is supposed to help on the V.R.