MCAT Verbal Help

If you need help studying for the MCAT Verbal section, check out the free resources provided by Varsity Tutors in order to get a good sense of the numerous ways in which you can study. You can start by taking a free MCAT Verbal Diagnostic Test to get a sense of which concepts you know well and which you still need to learn. After that, you can take free MCAT Verbal Practice Tests to focus on learning the topics that you understand least well. If you don't have time to take an entire MCAT Verbal Practice Test, you can use Varsity Tutors' free MCAT Verbal Flashcards to study for shorter periods of time. Also, be sure to check out the MCAT Verbal Question of the Day for daily practice. Whether you need top MCAT tutors in New York, MCAT tutors in Chicago, or top MCAT tutors in Los Angeles, working with a pro may take your studies to the next level.

When applying to medical school, taking the MCAT can be one of the most intimidating parts of the process. The MCAT is graded on a curve around all those who take the test. Only those in the top few tiers will achieve a score that makes them competitive medical school applicants, and that competition can be extremely overwhelming.

A lot of emphasis is put on the science sections of the MCAT, but the MCAT Verbal section is often considered the most difficult section on which to score well. There are no formulas to memorize or theories to apply, but the MCAT Verbal section will test your ability to reason and make logical inferences from material that you have never seen before. MCAT Verbal questions often ask you to make predictions or give interpretations about hypothetical situations or the author’s opinion. These questions are different from any other English test you have taken before.

The MCAT Verbal section is completely passage-based and does not include an essay. This allows the MCAT to remain entirely in multiple-choice format. The MCAT is given by computer interface, meaning that there is no physical paper involved (save for scratch paper). All passages appear on the screen, with answer choices in an adjacent window. Luckily, the MCAT system allows you to highlight parts of a passage during your analysis, and cross off or eliminate answer choices, but it does not allow you to highlight material in the question itself. It can be a valuable strategy to review the questions before reading the passage, so you know what material is important in the passage. Varsity Tutors offers resources like free MCAT Verbal Reasoning Practice Tests to help with your self-paced study, or you may want to consider an MCAT Verbal Reasoning tutor.

In order to score well on the MCAT Verbal section, it is not enough simply to have mastered the English language. This section of the exam is much more than that. It is based on reasoning and logical assumption. Many of the passages will center on some sort of social commentary, debate, or opinion. Both fiction and non-fiction works may be included, but the link that almost all MCAT Verbal passages share is a shade of author bias. It is crucial to identify the bias or opinion in each passage and make judgements on how the bias affects the argument, use of language, and the portrayals of the authors themselves. The author’s bias and opinions will lay the foundation for the majority of the questions that follow. You will be asked about the tone, evidence, and strength of argument of a passage, along with some hypothetical situations or literary features it may have in relation to the author’s personal opinion concerning the topic at hand. In addition to the MCAT Verbal Reasoning Help section and MCAT Verbal Reasoning tutoring, you may also want to consider using some of our MCAT Verbal Reasoning flashcards.

The MCAT Verbal section is the second section of the exam, following the MCAT Physical Sciences section. It consists of roughly 7 to 9 passages, each followed by 4 to 8 questions, for a total of 40 questions in the section. Test-takers are given 60 minutes to complete the MCAT Verbal section. The section is then scored out of 15 points, with the top three scores (13, 14, and 15) frequently encompassing the 99th percentile. The average score on this section is approximately 8. Considering that no memorization is required for the MCAT Verbal section, and that it tests reasoning and intuition rather than factual knowledge, medical school admission boards tend to be particularly discerning when reviewing scores for the MCAT Verbal section. Overall, a score of 30 on the MCAT is considered competitive, but a score of 11 on the MCAT Verbal section is really the standard for most admissions boards.

To help achieve this score, use Varsity Tutors' MCAT Verbal resources to start identifying your strengths and weaknesses in understanding MCAT Verbal material. Focus on studying the material you understand least well, and take lots of practice tests to really get a sense of what this section of the MCAT is all about!