How do I improve at reading MCAT science passages?

Chimezuru_Iheukwum
Chimezuru_Iheukwum Posts: 7

MCAT Student

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in MCAT Question of the Day

I loathe doing MCAT science passages because my mind often blanks out and wanders when I work on them. This occurs more when working on chem/phys and bio/biochem passages. Nevertheless, I still power through them and plan to do more. My preferred method of analyzing passages is outlining. I use highlighting more than interrogating, but I rarely use those 2 ways of passage analysis. After reading a passage's paragraph, I am often clueless about what the paragraph's main idea is. Thus, when I get to the passage questions, I am left with an insufficient passage map. Furthermore, I usually take too much time on each passage.

I practice the MCAT in a quiet place free from distractions. I also make sure to get enough sleep and nutrition, yet my progress seems slow and many times imperceptible. I am on the 2nd phase of the Kaplan MCAT prep cycle.

Thank you for your time,

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Answers

  • sfallon
    sfallon Posts: 55

    Moderator

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    Thanks for asking! I am sorry, I know this passage reading progress can be a frustrating situation. It does sound like you are doing everything right, though, so great job! I have two ideas that might help. One is the fact that you "loathe" doing these passages. I totally understand that! But if you are feeling that and also telling yourself that you don't like doing this practice, it makes it worse. Rather, I suggest just literally pretending that you love doing MCAT passage practice. It will feel weird and fake at first but you may just end up tricking yourself into truly enjoying the work and then it will feel easy. Well, easier at least.

    Also, since it is tricky for you to make your outline after reading a whole paragraph, I suggest you stop at the end of each sentence and just ask yourself what you just read. In this way you will be carefully finding the meaning of each sentence. Hopefully this will help you get the gist of the whole paragraph once you're done.

    Best of luck and keep up the great work!

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