The Importance of the MCAT Verbal Reasoning Section
By the MCAT Test Prep Leaders, TopTestPrep.com The MCAT is a challenging exam that requires more than simply a nuanced understanding of DNA replication and Organic Chemistry to master. It is apparent why the Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences sections are valuable tools in assessing a future physician’s level of preparedness for medical school. For example, knowledge of fluid dynamics becomes important when you are learning about cholesterol plaques building up in coronary arteries; and familiarity with the role of digestive enzymes is equally important when assessing mal-absorption. But many students preparing for the MCAT do not appreciate the equally important role that the Verbal Reasoning section plays in assessing one’s level of preparedness for medical school. The MCAT Verbal Reasoning section is composed of 40 passage-based questions (between 5-10 questions per passage) that you have 60 minutes to answer. It is scored from 1-15, with a mean score of 8.0 and a standard deviation of 2.5. The Verbal Reasoning section is designed to test four main skills: Comprehension, Evaluation, Application, and Incorporation of New Information. But why is it so valuable? As both a medical student and a physician it is important to be able to efficiently and accurately extrapolate important information from a large amount of data. These important skills are assessed in the Verbal Reasoning section of the MCAT. Too many students focus disproportionately on the Physical and Biological Sciences sections, and fail to realize that the critical thinking and reasoning skills necessary to succeed on the Verbal Reasoning section are directly transferable to medicine. Admissions Committee members are aware of this, and the Verbal Reasoning section is often the differentiating factor between an invitation to interview and a letter of regret. To work one-on-one with Dr. D’Agostino to maximize your success on the MCAT and to have an experienced advisor through all aspects of the admissions process, contact AdmissionsCounselor.org or TopTestPrep.com For MCAT tutoring or MCAT test prep, contact 800-501-PREP.