This is the semester that counts.
The Overview
& Practice Test 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
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 10
 For Texas, EY 2010: 4044 applied, 1563 accepted
GPA
MCAT
Averages for the
Applicant Pool
3.52
27.6
Averages for the
Acceptance Pool
3.77
31.1
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
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
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
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
 22-23: 9
 24-25: 8
 26-27: 4
 28-29: 4
 30-31: 3
 32-33: 1
0/2 AC
4/9 AC
4/8 AC
1/4 AC
3/4 AC
2/3 AC
1/1 AC
(5/9 interviewed)
(7/8 interviewed)
(3/4 interviewed)
(4/4 interviewed)
(3/3 interviewed)
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)
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
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
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/
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/
3 Main Factors to Success
 Budgeting enough time to practice
 Practicing correctly
 Committing to the importance of strategy
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
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?
Because it’s not
all about the
content.
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.
Do you want to go to medical school? Then you have to do this and do it well.
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
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.
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.
Because this is not school
Does one kind of shoe serve for
every occasion?
Why the focus on
Verbal Reasoning?
1. It is most students’ weakest subject area.
2. It is the area of greatest interest to
admissions committees.
3. The strategy for successful navigation of
VR passages can be applied to the other
subject areas.
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?
Verbal Deconstruction
 Verbal section has 3 components
 Passages
 Questions
 Answers
 There is a strategy for dealing with each
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
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
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.
Passage Deconstruction
& Practice Test 4
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
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
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
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
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
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
Heavy Lifting Under Pressure
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
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)
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.
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
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
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.
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
Passage Deconstruction Continued
& Practice Test 5
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.
Prep for MCAT Science Sections
 Tests ability to use prior knowledge
 Tests science problem-solving skills
 Requires content review
 Requires problem-solving practice
Basic Knowledge
 Limited depth expected
 Included in well-designed introductory courses w/ lab
 Basic texts fully cover content (even when instructors
do not)
Practicing Problem Solving Skills
 Recall concepts & principles
 Passage cues, tables, graphs can stimulate recall
 Mastery of facts alone insufficient
 Practice passages for text comprehension
 Use contextual clues to understand unfamiliar
material
 Practice data analysis (graphs, tables, diagrams,
figures)
 Apply math concepts as part of your interpretation
Problem Solving Practice
 How to apply concepts and when
 Combining basic knowledge & recalled material with
information given in passage
 Evaluating methods, evidence, and conclusions
 Assessing the consistency of passage information
 Evaluating validity of arguments in passages
 Pay attention to what you’re doing right & wrong
Metacognition
 Understanding how you are learning
 Making study plans
 Monitoring your progress
 Analyzing your errors
 Making adjustments
 Tailoring your preparation to weaknesses
 Quite important in MCAT prep
Focus Your MCAT Study
 Focus your study & practice on problem areas
Is it an...?
 Error in recalling a specific concept?
 Misunderstanding of the passage?
 Misinterpretation of data?
 Misapplication of principles?
 Error of evaluation?
From the Official Guide...
 Know your stuff AND be able to figure things out
logically
 (Skills needed by physicians)
 Mimic exam conditions-quiet, uninterrupted practice
using actual time available
 Identify your weaknesses & attack those content areas,
concepts, and analytical skills
 Practice writing essays on computer
Passage Structure
 Paragraphs
 Made of Topic Sentences with supportive sentences
 (General vs. Specific)
 Topic Sentences form the Main Idea of each passage
 Understanding the Main Idea = understanding the
passage
Finding Topic Sentences
Examples of paragraph structure
Identifying Topic Sentences
Topic Sentences
Identifying Topic Sentences
Pg 318, Official Guide--Read the 1st paragraph in the passage.
Circle the Topic Sentence.
Why do you think it is the Topic
Sentence?
What shape is the paragraph?
Do the same with the remaining
paragraphs.
What have you learned from this
exercise?
Linking Topic Sentences
Together to Form a Main Idea
+
Topic Sentence
Topic Sentence
Topic Sentence
Topic Sentence
Main Idea
Forming a Main Idea
 Understanding the passage is essential
 The key: a Main Idea, the main themes of the passage
 Neither too general nor too specific
 Each passage has ~3-4 points
 Main Idea should reflect these
Forming the Main Idea
Read 1st Topic Sentence.
Paraphrase its essence.
Record.
Repeat for each paragraph in passage.
Link the essences into a Main Idea.
Write the Main Idea.
Forming the Main Idea
Pg 326
Do it again.
Read.
ID Topic Sentences.
Paraphrase & jot down.
Link to form Main Idea.
Jot down Main Idea.
Forming the Main Idea
Pg 336
Do it again.
Read.
ID Topic Sentences.
Paraphrase & jot down.
Link to form Main Idea.
Jot down Main Idea.
What do you do with the
Specific Sentences?
 Nothing
 Note where they are so
you can find them later if
and only if you need
them
 Do not focus on them
 Do not try to learn them
 Do not read them over
 Do not memorize them
Your Goal
 Understand the passage essence
 Cut time spent reading passage
 No wasted time on unneeded specifics
Big Picture?
 Less dependent on content
 More comfortable with structure
 As you test today, be alert for the Main Idea, the main
themes of the passage.
Homework:
 Complete today’s reflection today & return next week
 Review General Concepts & Chapter 8: Physical
Sciences, pg. 64-86, in the Official Guide
 Practice analyzing graphs, tables, & diagrams in
Physics textbook
 Practice w/ physics passages, pg 137-184, in Guide
 Practice linking Topic Sentences to form Main Idea
 Perform targeted review of all weak concepts, topics, &
application, based on Practice Test diagnostic reports,
reflection, & passage practice
 Pay attention to what you’re doing right & wrong
Drawing Meaning from Text
& Practice Test 7
Focus
and
Build
on
What
you
Know
Focus for Understanding
 All passages contain understandable elements.
 Understand everything of some
 Understand some of others
 Understand very little at first glance of others
 Focus on what you know.
 Do NOT focus on what you don’t know.
 Find understandable nuggets.
 Build on these.
Why not focus on unknown?
 You don’t have the time.
 Spends mental energy without reward
 Sucks your confidence
 Focus on the unknown during focused review, not
during test.
Focus on What You Know
Practice
Pg 336Read paragraph 1.
What is the essence of the Topic
Sentence?
Paragraph 2Circle what you GET.
Jot down best Topic paraphrase you can
Paragraph 3Circle
Jot
What can you link together?
Write best Main Idea you can.
Reflection
 How does focusing on known differ from focusing on
what you do not know?
 How can you practice this during the next few weeks
while preparing?
Look for Transition Words
and Punctuation
Transition Words Help with
Passage Navigation
 Common words that point direction author is going or
has gone
 Road signs of text
 Help you decipher difficult text
 Link understood parts w/ parts not understood
 Tools-use them as such
“DIP”
 What do these Transition words tell you is coming
next?
AND
BUT
THUS
FOR INSTANCE
“END OF CONSTRUCTION”
 What do the following Transition words tell you came
before?
THIRD
ON THE OTHER HAND
FINALLY
BECAUSE
More Transition Words
 ALTHOUGH
 HOWEVER
 YET
 ALSO
 SUCH AS
 STILL,...
 WHICH ARE...
 AS FOR...
 INDEED
 ONE PROBLEM
....ETC
Helpful Pronouns
 Not transitional, but aid in comprehension
 Ex: “Peripatetics commonly appear in world literature,
whether ancient or modern. They represent the
wandering spirit in all of us.”
 Be alert for pronoun links.
Transitional Punctuation
 Colons: “as follows”
 Semi-colons expand upon previous statement; “in
other words”
 Commas: used in listing distinct elements
 Dashes---indicate example, explanation, or comment
 Ellipses may indicate...editing of original text; seems
disjointed? Maybe it has been cut.
 Quotation marks “can indicate a cliché, a typical
phrase or mental reaction, a misnomer in the opinion
of author”
The Zen of MCAT
 Epiphany (sudden, intuitive perception) reached, with
time
 Takes plenty of practice, like meditation
 Transcend the content of specific passages
 See paragraphs, questions, & answers in the
paragraphs
 Reach a “comfort” zone
 “This is the Topic---these are supporting details.”
 “This is the essence of this passage.”
 “Here the author is telling the reader what results from
his previous points.”
How?
Practice
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Practice Practice
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Practice Practice
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Practice Practice
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Practice
From the Official Guide...
 Should you retest?
 Sometimes...you just know.
 Usually you don’t
 Low scores are likely to increase in retake
 High scores are likely to decrease
 See charts pg 51-54
 Surprisingly, some 23’s are getting interviews
 Good likelihood of statistically (>2 pts) improving a 23
on retake
Homework:
 Complete today’s reflection today & return April 2
 Adjust your prep plan as needed
 Read Chapter 9: Biological Sciences, Format, Types,
and Outline, pg 185-206, in the Official Guide
 Practice focusing on the known & transitions
 Practice w/ biology passages, pg 207-276, in Guide
 Perform targeted review of all weak concepts, topics, &
problem solving skills, based on Practice Test
diagnostic reports, reflection, & passage practice_____
 Use the next 3 weeks to practice and perform targeted
review on weaknesses, continuing with these
techniques & tools
The Questions Strategy
& Practice Test 8
A Little Transitions Exercise
Pg 344Together let’s highlight/mark each word,
phrase, or punctuation Transition/Clue.
Note: How does each help you
understand the text?
The Passage Strategy
 Read passage
 Find Topic Sentence in each paragraph
 Summarize Topic Sentences and link to form Main
Idea
 3 minutes available
Why Form Your Own Question?
 Good Question!
 Must understand Q in order to answer successfully
 To understand, paraphrase in your own words
 Forces you to process Q mentally (instead of staring
blankly)
 Signals your brain to prepare to find answer
 Put it as a Q & the brain automatically looks for an
Answer
Danger-Danger!
 Test stress encourages quick reading w/ assumption of
understanding the Q
 Questions can be difficult
 Don’t only look at Q
 Move content past eyes into brain
 Take the Brain-On approach
Put the Q in Your Own Words
 Practice active mental processing of questions every
day
 Goal: quick & easy, in your head, not on paper
Put the question in your
own words and in the
form of a question.
Page 345
Q 16
Using What You Have Learned
While testing today, pay attention to mentally
processing the Questions in your own words and in the
form of a question.
Pay attention to the passages, general vs. specific
sentences, Topic Sentences, transitions & clues, and
Main Ideas.
MCAT Outside the Box
 Any practice with problem solving builds skills
 Read & analyze science journals & research examples
 Working in lab to plan research or analyze results
 Analyze items answered incorrectly to see weaknesses
 Practice critical thinking every day
 Every course is an MCAT course
 ‘Relax’ with The Nation, Scientific American, Atlantic
Monthly
 If you’re not resting your mind, you should be exercising it
Homework:
 Print out your diagnostic report after testing today
 Complete today’s reflection today & return April 9
 Stick to your MCAT preparation plan
 Think/prep MCAT throughout each day
 Finish reading Official Guide if incomplete
 Use the Official Guide for passage practice
 Practice focusing on passage transitions, forming the
Main Idea, and putting Q’s in your own words
 Perform targeted review of all weak concepts, topics, &
problem solving skills, based on Practice Test
diagnostic reports, reflection, & passage practice
 Work on shortening your required passage time
towards goals
Two Types of Questions
 Only two types
 General-answerable from Main Idea
 Specific-need return to passage & locate details
needed
General Questions
 Between 1 & > 50% MCAT Q’s can be answered from
Main Idea
 Frequent Q #1: “What is the main idea of this passage?”
 Many other Q’s also answerable from Main Idea
Example
 Passage IV pg 344
Main Idea: Plants differ from animals in their method
of taking nourishment, plants being collectorconcentrators & animals acting as scatterers; in
simplistic terms & incomplete as it is to state it thus,
together they are a recycling system.
(Neither too general nor too specific; includes each
major point made by author)
Q 19. Based on passage information, two plants that have
extremely different ratios of surface area to volume will
most likely have different:
Translate Question as Question
 In author’s view, what’s different between two plants
with different surface:volume ratios?
 MI: Plants differ from animals in their method of
taking nourishment, plants being collectorconcentrators & animals acting as scatterers; in
simplistic terms & incomplete as it is to state it thus,
together they are a recycling system.
 Answerable from MI-(Since surface:volume is their
functional mode of collecting/concentrating from the
environment, these plants must be in different
environments.)
Specific Questions
 Ask something about supportive details
 Person, experimental results, places, definitions,
explanations, argument presented, examples,
extensions of idea, qualifications, minor points
 Details you DID NOT memorize when reading
 Must return to passage
 Now have reason to examine details
 Brain has an assignment
Example
 Q 16. The author asserts that oxygen, which is released
by plants, is required for respiration by both
autotrophs & heterotrophs. This assertion is most
likely intended to support which of the following
conclusions?
 Translation: Which conclusion is supported by the
author’s statement that O2 is needed for respiration by
both auto & heterotrophs?
 Detail-Main Idea doesn’t address O2; it was a 3rd point
in final paragraph.
Brain Assignment
 Return to final paragraph, see O2 discussed in relation
to respiration by both as a 3rd point supporting that the
author’s point is simplistic and missing several
qualifications.
 Which conclusion is supported by the author’s
statement that O2 is needed for respiration by both
auto & heterotrophs? The conclusion that the author’s
view is simplistic & missing complete information.
Identify the Question as
General or Specific.
Q 17
Q 18
Specialty Questions
 Less straightforward
 Not a question stem
(Q Stem Ex: Specialty questions differ from typical
questions in that they: ... )
 Require a specific strategy
Except/Least/Not
 Common MCAT formulation
 Get rid of 3 right answers, find 1 wrong
 Conditioned to find right answers
 W/ 3 right answers & 2 wrong, can be confusing
 Strategy: Keep in mind you are looking for the
WRONG answer
 Evaluate each answer as No (right) or Maybe (not
right)
Example
 Pg. 353, Q 22: Which of the following is NOT
mentioned in the passage as one of the potential
benefits of children’s physical risk-taking?
I, II, or III
 Answer choices look like this:
A. I only
B. II only
C. I & II
D. III only
 Strategy: look at each choice individually
decide whether true or false
if true, rule out answers w/o that numeral
if false, rule out answers w/ numeral
Example
 Pg. 319 Q 4: Which of the following alternatives to the
catastrophic-extinction theory, if true, could also
plausibly explain the extinction of the dinosaurs?
I. Blue-green algae common in the seas that covered much of the globe during
the reign of the dinosaurs could concentrate iridium and release it into the
environment.
II. Lightning storms common at the time of the dinosaurs’ demise were capable
of igniting vegetation fires large enough to block significant amounts of
sunlight with the smoke and soot that they produce.
III. Volcanoes active at the time of the dinosaurs’ demise could produce great
heat and pressure, release iridium into the atmosphere, and block sunlight
with huge quantities of soot and smoke.
I only
II only
I and III only
II and III only
Inference/Imply Questions
 Application questions
 Step away from passage is very small
 Correct answer must be provable from the passage
statements or implications
 Correct answer agrees with Main Idea
Example
 Pg. 337, Q 12: Which of the following statements about
similes and metaphors is most clearly implied by the
information in the passage?
A. Most people cannot avoid using similes and
metaphors in daily speech.
B. Similes and metaphors bind human individuals to
each other.
C. Some languages use more similes and metaphors
than do others.
D. The most developed languages use the most
similes and metaphors.
Stay Close to the Main Idea
Passage’s Main Idea: We all use hackneyed similes and
metaphors in order to bind ourselves to Nature and to
our environment. Which stays closest to this?
A. Most people cannot avoid using similes and
metaphors in daily speech.
B. Similes and metaphors bind human individuals to
each other.
C. Some languages use more similes and metaphors
than do others.
D. The most developed languages use the most similes
and metaphors.
Answer General Questions
from the Main Idea in
your head.
For Specific Questions:
Go back to the passage
Find the answer
Put it in your own words
Pg 345, #17
Pg 345, #18
Question 17
 “Based on the information in the passage, which of the
following best explains why bacteria and fungi are more
crucial than animals to the completion of the
decomposition process?”
 Translation: Why are bacteria & fungi more important to
the author in completing decomposition than animals?
Return to passage details
 Paragraph 3-Animals as ‘scatterers’ details
-animal returns (resources) to environment in
unconcentrated form
-elements no longer incorporated in organic molecules
 Final paragraph-Bacteria & fungi details
-more crucial to completion of decomposition
-decomposition started by animals
Q: Why are bacteria & fungi more important to the author
in completing decomposition than animals?
Mental Answer: They finish decomposition, breaking
down organic molecules & releasing resources to
environment
Question 18
 “Assume that plants in the cactus family have maximized
volume and minimized surface area to help them retain
water in an arid environment. Given this, which of the
following changes to the author’s assertions is the most
necessary?”
 Translation: If cacti have lo surface:vol ratios to stay
hydrated in desert, which author’s statement needs change
& how?
Return to passage details
 Paragraph 2-surface:volume details (statements)
-high surface area to collect resources
-high surface:vol ratio found in plants
-one of most characteristic features
Q: If cacti have lo surface:vol ratios to stay hydrated in
desert, which author’s statement needs change & how?
Mental Answer: Author’s statement-High surface:vol
ratio one of most characteristic features
Change-”Plants in arid environments are an exception
to the fact that hi surface:vol ratios are one of the most
characteristic features of plants.”
What About the Answer
Choices?
 Notice that we have not mentioned the Answer choices
 Notice we haven’t even looked at the choices yet
 We have dealt with the question mentally by
understanding it & answering it, independent of the
Answer content
 This is a story of independence---Yours!
The Question Strategy
 Put Q into your own words, in the form of a Q
 Identify the Q as General or Specific
 Do not look at Answers
 If General, answer it in your head from Main Idea
 If Specific, return to specifics section where answer
can be found, find answer, & put answer in your own
words
 ~ 30-45 seconds
The Answers
 We dissected passages to view construction &
comprehend
 Translated questions to understand them
 Produced suitable mental answers
 Answers-
---always 4 choices
---1/4 chance of correct answer with just guessing
Goal-improve odds by minimizing choices
The Answers Strategy
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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
Select the best answer from the MAYBE choices
Next question
15-30 seconds
Example-#17
 Answer in your head: Bacteria & fungi finish
decomposition, breaking down organic molecules &
releasing resources to environment
 Choices:
A. Bacteria & fungi are more compact than animals. No
or Maybe
B. Bacteria & fungi add more oxygen to decomposing
material than do animals. No or Maybe
C. Bacteria & fungi break down organic molecules
better than do animals. No or Maybe
D. Bacteria & fungi enable animals to initiate the
decomposition process. No or Maybe
Example-#18
 Answer in your head: ”Plants in arid environments are an
exception to the fact that hi surface:vol ratios are one of the
most characteristic features of plants.”
 Choices:
A. The difference between plants & animals is not
fundamentally about modes of nutrition. No or Maybe
B. Some autotrophs are able to collect diffuse resources with
a low ratio of surface area to volume. No or Maybe
C. Cactus plants constitute a third part of the recycling
system in addition ot collector-concentrators & scatterers.
No or Maybe
D. Plants that have a high ratio of surface area to volume
require concentrated resources in the environment. N or M
Answers Strategy
 Strategy is very simple
 Focuses on improving odds
 Works by eliminating wrong answers
 Is not a task of finding the RIGHT answer
 Think of answering by choosing the best Maybe
 Educated guess
 Frees you to move forward instead of wasting time or
fretting
Content + Strategy
 Understanding passage &
question most important
 Not brain surgery
 Able to answer General Q’s from
Main Idea, Specific Q’s from
returning to details
 Sometimes need strategy
beyond content
 Wrong answers sometimes look
and sound wrong
Moving Down the Answer Choices
 A – No or Maybe?
 Every single question
 Every single time
 B – No or Maybe?
 If not sure, make it a
 C – No or Maybe?
Maybe---why not?
 If don’t like it, No
 Become a Test-Taking
Machine, Lean & Green
 D – No or Maybe?
What Now?
 Look at Maybes
 Probably only 1 or 2 remain
 Easier to look at 2 choices instead of 4
 Odds in your favor
 Return to passage if needed or to Main Idea
 Make your decision of the Best Maybe
 Move on
 Think: Test-taking Machine
Six Verbal Question Types
 Main Idea
 Detail
 Inference
 Application
 Tone
 Logic
Main Idea
 Alert: “The author’s main purpose …”, “The main idea
of this passage is …”, “The general theme …”
 Description: Ask for a restatement of the author’s
main point
 Strategy: Look for the answer that best matches the
scope of the article, look for too broad or too narrow or
distortions as NO answers. Get a main idea when you
finish reading the passage, answer this question before
looking at the answer choices.
Detail
 Alert: “According to the passage, …”, “Based on
information in the passage, …”
 Description: Require you to recall a specific point
from the passage; MAYBE answers will be those that
approximate information directly from the passage
 Strategy: Look back at the passage
Inference
 Alert: “It can be inferred from the passage that…”, “The
author suggests that …”
 Description: Make a SMALL logical leap from the
passage that would be consistent with the main idea
 Strategy: MAYBE answers are consistent with the
passage but not quite a simple restatement of
information already presented
Application
 Alert: “The passage was probably written by …”, “The
example in paragraph 2 would be most similar to …”
 Description: Take an essential idea from the passage
and relate it to a different context; may involve
analogies or metaphors;
 Strategy: MAYBE answers translate an idea from the
passage into a new context
Tone
 Alert: “The author’s attitude can best be described as
…”, “The author would likely agree with …”, “The tone of
the passage is best described as …”
 Description: Identify the author’s attitude about a
passage’s subject matter; may be focused on a detail or
the whole passage
 Strategy: Have a sense of the tone for the passage
before looking at the answer choices
Logic
 Alert: “The third paragraph serves to …”, “Which of the
following would strengthen the author’s point?”, “The
author raises the point in paragraph 3 in order to …”
 Description: Analyze the function of certain portions
of the passage; how does a particular detail serve the
passage; sometimes about overall passage structure.
 Strategy: MAYBE answers support the integrity of the
passage
MCAT Math
 Don’t get caught up in the details
 Round to make the arithmetic easier
 Round Up / Round Down
 Scientific Notation
 Proportions / Inverse Proportions
 Graphs
*** think trends and estimates, not specifics
More Passage Reinforcement
 Hardest part for science majors – want to focus on:
 The details
 The parts you don’t understand
 Do exactly the opposite – focus on:
 The general
 The parts you do understand
Winning Approach
Energy
 Pull up your chair
 Sit up straight
 Focus
 How you practice is how you will take the test
 Train yourself to concentrate and focus
 Confidence
 Be confident in your preparation
 Timing
 Every single passage
 Every single question
Tactics Reinforcement
 Take a five second break when practicing
 Between each passage in the beginning (not during PT)
 And before the first one – be in control
 Read every word
 Read for general idea
 Note - but don’t memorize - details
 Construct a main idea
 Note main idea of each paragraph
 Link them together for main idea of the passage
Going Back
Use when you
 Are regularly finishing the exam on time
 Know what you are looking for
 Know where you can find the answer
 Most used, should be least used
 Can waste a lot of time
Be Careful For...
Watch for traps like
 Word for word answer choices
 Going exactly to the line reference
 Falling for the simple ‘feel good’ answer
 Getting stuck on one really hard question - don’t
sacrifice five easy questions for one difficult one
Types of NO Answers
 Roundabout – moves around the question but doesn’t
answer it
 Beyond – not in the passage but beyond it
 Contrary – contrary to the main idea
 Simpleton – too easy
 Unintelligible – if I don’t understand it, it must be the
correct answer
 Too General or Too Specific
 Too Extreme – never, always, must, only
 Inconsistent with the main idea
Until April 30
 Practice Test 10
 What’s your goal?
 Biology
 Have you identified areas of strength and weakness?
 Are you where you want to be?
 What content is next? How are you going to prepare?
 Verbal practice, practice, practice
 Physical Sciences-focused content review
Do you want to go to medical school? Then you have to do this and do it well.
Homework:
 Print out your diagnostic report after testing today
 Complete today’s reflection today & return April 30
 Think/prep MCAT throughout each day
 You can take a break for Easter-one day only-enjoy!
 You should be finished with the Official Guide text
 Use the Official Guide for passage practice
 Practice the Answers strategy, N vs M
 Perform targeted review of all weak concepts, topics, &
problem solving skills, based on Practice Test
diagnostic reports, reflection, & passage practice
 Work on shortening your required question time
towards goals-1 minute Q & A
Wrap Up
& Practice Test 11
Answer Choice Considerations:
 General vs. Specific
 Extreme vs. Mushy
 Politically Correct
General vs. Specific
 2 types of sentences
 2 types of questions
 2 types of answers
 General Q’s have General A’s
 Specific Q’s have Specific A’s
General vs. Specific Answer
Strategy
 Topic Sentences from Paragraphs
 Frequent choices
 Too specific
 Not Main Idea of Passage
 No
Ex: pg 353, # 20
20. Of the following statements, which one best describes
the central theme of the passage?
A. The hazards that children face in their everyday lives are
exaggerated partly because of the “risk anxiety” that
pervades contemporary life.
B. A child who successfully takes on physical risks will be
more likely to undertake risks in other areas of learning.
C. People need to consider the positive aspects of risktaking behavior when they develop safety regulations for
children’s play areas.
D. A result of increasing restrictions on children is that they
lack opportunities to make their own decisions.
Never/Must/Everyone
 Vs. Sometimes/Frequently/Many people
 Extremes more difficult to prove in passage
 Tend to not be true
 Weakest point of statement
 Point of attack
 Uncommon
Ex: pg 327, #5
5. Which of the following best describes an assumption
made by the passage author in the first paragraph?
A. Ten percent of all U.S. novels produced in the 1820s
were best sellers. (No, author doesn’t say that)
B. The most innovative figures in U.S. culture are often
the most misunderstood. (No, doesn’t say that)
C. Before the 1820s, U.S. writers were unable to earn a
living by their writings. (Maybe)
D. Cooper was the only U.S. author writing during the
1820s. (No, extreme & hard to prove; author states he
marketed 10% of all period’s writings.)
P.C./Not Controversial
 Usually controversial answers are No’s
 Depends upon passage, author’s viewpoint, & question
 Some authors in MCAT land take the controversial
position
 Maybe’s can also be controversial
Ex: pg 353, #21
21. Information in the passage most strongly suggests that the
author believes that people who are resistant to children’s
physical risk-taking:
A. do not allow their children to play in their backyards
because they consider it to be unsafe. (Maybe)
B. insufficiently acknowledge the positive aspects that may
result from children taking physical risks. (Maybe)
C. have less opportunity to gain confidence and self-esteem
through coping independently. (No)
D. are mistaken when they consider the consequences of
physical hazard to be dire. (a bit controversial w/ noncontroversial author: No)
Attitude Reminder
 ‘I’m so scared of the MCAT, I’m going to do so badly on the
MCAT… ‘
 Brain hears it, brain believes it
“The MCAT is a difficult and important 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 make my score even better. I am
going to do well.”
Do you want to go to medical school? Then you have to do this and do it well.