MCAT Deconstructed: It’s all about the Verbal Spring 2011

1. MCAT Deconstructed:It’s all about the Verbal Spring 2011 This is the semester that counts.

2. Session AFebruary 12, 2011Meeting 1 The Overview & Practice Test 3

3. It’s serious now The next few months will have the most significant impact on your success or failure in your application to medical school

4. Applying to Medical School • 1st thing they look at: GPA and MCAT score • Your GPA is pretty much set by this point • Your MCAT score is still wide open • For Texas, EY 2010: 4044 applied, 1563 accepted For TEXAS EY 10

5. Applying to Medical School • 2nd thing they look at: What else do you have? • Clubs and Organizations • Student Athlete • Work • Family • Volunteer • Mentoring / Shadowing • Summer Programs • Letter of Recommendation • Personal Statement

6. Applying to Medical School 3rd step: The Interview • About 600 – 800 people invited per school • All who are invited are eligible and qualified applicants to medical school • Workshop: around the first weekend of school in the fall

7. Now - it’s all about the MCAT • Four Sections • Physical Sciences • Verbal Reasoning • Writing Sample • Biological Sciences • Computer Based Test (CBT) • 25 tests scheduled in 2011 • www.aamc.org/mcat

8. MCAT Scores • This is a distribution of scores from recent MCAT administrations in El Paso; those in red are accepted. • Under 20: 2 0/2 ACCEPTED • 20-21: 2 0/2 AC • 22-23: 9 4/9 AC (5/9 interviewed) • 24-25: 8 4/8 AC (7/8 interviewed) • 26-27: 4 1/4 AC (3/4 interviewed) • 28-29: 4 3/4 AC (4/4 interviewed) • 30-31: 3 2/3 AC (3/3 interviewed) • 32-33: 1 1/1 AC

9. And these Are the 2011 dates. Pick a date. Pick it now. Pay for it now. Stick to it. Prepare for it. Do not change it. Do not postpone it. Revel in it. Celebrate it. Look forward to it. Study for it. Smash it. January 28, 29 March 26 April 9, 16, 29 May 7, 20, 21, 26 June 16 July 6, (16, 28, 29 August 5, 6, 12, 18, 19, 23 September 1, 2, 8, 10)

10. Physical Sciences • 70 minutes • 52 multiple choices questions • 7 passages followed by 4 – 7 questions each • Passages average 200 words in length and are often accompanied by one or more charts, diagrams, or tables • 13 stand alone questions • Physics and General Chemistry • http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/ • Followed by a 10 minute break

11. Verbal Reasoning • 60 minutes • 40 questions • 7 passages followed by 5 – 7 questions • About 500 words each • Topics include the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences • http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/ • Followed by a 10 minute break

12. Writing Sample • Two 30-minute essays • No break is given between the essays • You are given a statement and asked to write three tasks • Explain the statement • Introduce a situation in which the statement would not legitimately apply • Come up with a guide for judging whether statement applies or not in individual cases • Read & scored twice; different readers; avg. converted to letter score • Followed by a 10 minute break • http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/

13. Biological Sciences • Same format as Physical Sciences • 70 minutes • 52 multiple choices questions • 7 passages followed by 4 – 7 questions • Passages average 200 words in length and are often accompanied by one or more charges, diagrams, or tables • 13 stand alone questions • Biology, organic chemistry, and genetics • http://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/preparing/

14. 3 Main Factors to Success • Budgeting enough time to practice • Practicing correctly • Committing to the importance of strategy

15. Our Focus • Meet only 8 Saturdays in spring semester • Provide you with best preparation materials available • Close examination of MCAT structure • Strategy-apply your knowledge to unique testing situation • Practice to become test taking machine

16. STRATEGY

17. Success = ½ content ½ strategy • This is one of the hardest things for good science students to believe • But IT’S TRUE. • You all earned A’s or B’s in all the prereq classes, so why don’t you all do really well on this test?

18. Because it’s not all about the content.

19. And ATTITUDE • I’m so scared of the MCAT. • I’m afraid I’m going to bomb this test. • The MCAT is a difficult test. However, I am preparing very well. I know how the test is structured. I know what content needs extra attention and I am developing strategies to get a great score. I am going to do well on this test.

20. Short term sacrifice. Long term gain. Do you want to go to medical school? Then you have to do this and do it well.

21. Group Work • A good group can significantly enhance your ability to study and improve your skills • A bad group can, well, you know. • Advantages of a good group: • Broaden the range of expertise • Provide additional structure to your studying • Encourage responsibilities to the group • Use your group to discuss answer choices, listen to each other’s critical thinking

22. Time Management • Different than Timing (that’s per passage, per section) • This is the big picture – day by day, week by week • For each week, select specific days and times when you will study. • Treat it as a serious commitment – just like a class or a job. • Make it reasonable so you will stick to it.

23. Thoughts about homework and strategy • Compare strategy to going to the gym • The purpose, especially in the beginning, is to learn technique, strategy – NOT speed • First, work slowly, thoughtfully, and consistently to understand the idea behind the strategy. • Then, move toward increasing speed • Make a plan to work every single day on MCAT.

24. "I'm a good student, why can't I just study like I do for school?" Because this is not school

25. Does one kind of shoe serve for every occasion?

26. Why the focus on Verbal Reasoning? • It is most students’ weakest subject area. • It is the area of greatest interest to admissions committees. • The strategy for successful navigation of VR passages can be applied to the other subject areas.

27. Verbal Reasoning Content • Content tested is reasoning ability • Your ability to appreciate the main idea and points the author makes, and recognize the implications • Need no content knowledge for this section • Answers are in the passage or implied therein • Why aren’t you getting each one right?

28. Verbal Deconstruction • Verbal section has 3 components • Passages • Questions • Answers • There is a strategy for dealing with each

29. Our Approach • Break down each component to see basic structure • Build small practice steps into overall verbal strategy • Apply skills to science passages • Demonstrate how strong content knowledge combined with strategy is the key to success

30. Which passages to read?Which questions to answer? • All of them • In the order they are presented Start Finish • It is too easy to waste a lot of time deciding and organizing • STRATEGY gives you the tools to answer all the questions to the best of your ability

31. Homework: • Read Preface and Part I: Key Questions About the MCAT Exam, pgs. 9-63, from the Official Guide. • Get out your science textbooks & notebooks. • Complete the Reflection handout to note any material that is unfamiliar or needs review from the diagnostic test today. • Prepare a detailed MCAT preparation schedule. • Pin up your own motivational sign. Go for tough love message to self. Add confidence-inspirer. Put it where you’ll see it everyday. Live it.

32. Session AFebruary 19, 2011Meeting 2 Passage Deconstruction & Practice Test 4

33. Create Your Study Plan • Consider your class schedule • Consider your employment schedule • Make it reasonable • Try to put a little MCAT into each day • Relate course study and preparation to MCAT • Use diagnostics & practice sessions to direct focused study • Practice passages from Official Guide • Combine focused study, practice passages (using strategies learned with attention to time), and connection to classes • ‘Relax’ with The Nation, Scientific American, Atlantic Monthly

34. Your Study Plan • Use textbooks, course outlines, and notes to perform focused review • If your pace is slow, consider speed reading exercises (available online) as part of your preparation • Studying with a partner? Use her strengths to address your weaknesses & vice versa. • Avoid cramming behavior • Difficult material-4 hours max/day • Easier material-4 hours max at a time • Include sleep & exercise • Keep hydrated and nourished

35. Get Serious • Consider cutting obligations outside of school, MCAT, or work • Think of it as being in special training • Some duties can be put aside • Some cannot • Ask yourself what your leisure activities are doing for you • If they’re not helping, get rid of them for now

36. Overall Verbal Strategy The Passage • Read the Passage • Identify the Topic Sentence in each paragraph • Summarize those Topic Sentences and connect them to form the Main Idea

37. Overall Verbal Strategy The Questions • Put the question in your own words and in the form of a question • Identify the question as General or Specific • If it is General, answer it in your head from the Main idea before you look at any of the answer choices • If it is Specific, go back to the section of the passage where the answer can be found, find the answer, and put the answer in your own words before looking at the answer choices

38. Overall Verbal Strategy The Answers • Starting with answer choice A, compare it to the answer you have in your head • Decide NO or MAYBE for answer choice A • Continue to B, then C, then D – every single answer choice, every single time • Select the best answer from the MAYBE choices • Next question

39. The Verbal Passages Heavy Lifting Under Pressure

40. About the Passages • About 600 words in length (Average reading speed for most adults is about 250 - 350 words per minute) • Humanities, social sciences, natural sciences not tested in subject areas • Variety of levels of difficulty • Need a very specific approach and that way is very different from how you have been reading in school

41. Requirements for Success • Must understand the passage • Get a sense for the author’s tone and position • ~3 minutes available-180 seconds • No time to figure it out or slow down • Not like academic work to this point • Unique situation needs unique approach • Time-your most precious resource (along with neurotransmitters)

42. Passage Breakdown • Words • Sentences • Paragraphs • Main Idea is in there somewhere, critical to understanding • Not a vocab test • Contextual clues provide some understanding of unknown words So, we won’t worry about the words. They are not essential to understanding the passage.

43. Sentences Construct the Main Idea of the Passage • In MCAT land, think strategically • 2 Main sentence types • General Sentences (Topic Sentences) • vs Specific Sentences (Supporting Details) • Your goal: Quick & Accurate Identification of Which is Which

44. Identifying the Main Idea of the Passage • Read to quickly identify Topic Sentence • Skim over Specific Sentences (details) • Topic Sentences give the main idea author is trying to communicate • The main idea is the key to understanding verbal passages • Most paragraphs will have a Topic Sentence • A very few build upon previous paragraph’s Topic

45. Identifying Topic Sentences • Tend to be general and summarize the rest of the information in the paragraph • As you test today, be aware of general sentences, the Topic Sentences, that will help you to understand the paragraph and the passage itself.

46. Homework: • Complete today’s reflection today & return next week • Read General Concepts & Chapter 8: Physical Sciences, pg. 64-86, in the Official Guide • Skim over your physics and general chemistry textbooks, noting main concepts, vocabulary, chapter outlines, & diagrams • Modify your study plan if needed • Practice w/ chemistry passages, pg 87-136, in Guide • Perform targeted review of all weak concepts & topics, based on Practice Test diagnostic reports, reflection, & passage practice • Practice finding Topic Sentences while reading

47. Session AFebruary 26, 2011Meeting 3 Passage Deconstruction Continued & Practice Test 5

48. Statistical Analysis of MCAT Scores • Standard Error of Measurement for MCAT is +/- 2 pts • SE represents score range within which true achievement level probably lies • Total score 23? Score range is: 21 22 23 24 25 • Total score 26? ↕ ↕ Score range is: 24 25 26 27 28 • Taking MCAT multiple times, expected score will fall in range 68% (confidence interval) of time. • When score bands overlap, performance essentially equivalent.

49. Prep for MCAT Science Sections • Tests ability to use prior knowledge • Tests science problem-solving skills • Requires content review • Requires problem-solving practice

50. Basic Knowledge • Limited depth expected • Included in well-designed introductory courses w/ lab • Basic texts fully cover content (even when instructors do not)