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I need an advice! I began studying a month ago with powerscore books. My initial diagnostic was 161 on prep 7, but I got two other 154, 157. I still have 2yrs to apply because that's when I get out of army. My latest test will be OCT 15, although I'd like to get it done before then.

I'm good on LG (no more than -3 on any).
I'm working on LR through powerscore and getting concepts.
I suck at RC. Never got more than 15 correct + trouble finishing the last passage.

My question is, since I have two more years before I apply, what is the best way to improve RC? I'm reading the economist weekly and began to decipher the passages on VIEWSTaMP. Will this help in a long run? And, any other specific reading material that would help? Or any other strategy? Any advice on RC is appreciated!!!

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Since you have two years, I would just start reading a lot of difficult texts-some Locke, Hobbes, Melville, Marx.

bee wrote:In my experience, the best way to get good at RC is simply to do official RC passages with a strategy. Don't try to read quickly and plow through the questions, read carefully and deliberately so that you don't need to refer to the passage every other question.

This. How you read / notate the first time is almost as important as your diagramming in your LG sections. Mark locations so you can quickly refer back (i.e. Narrator's voice / Main point / Dissent / New perspective...). Diagram using simple, but effective techniques (circling vs. underline etc.)

Also, this is harder for some than others but for me the best trick was to genuinely become interested in the topic. When you get interested, your focus level goes up and you can retain quicker. I did have a hard time with historical passages on this aspect, but then tried to hang onto SOMETHING that's interesting to me.

Read for structure. Keep yourself actively engaged in the passage by asking yourself what the author's purpose is for each paragraph.

Notes, notes, and more notes while you read. Just 3-5 words next to the paragraph. Don't write a short story. Enough to tell you about how its being written and reference points.

Thank you all for advice!

First off, I suck at RC.

That being said, I don't think reading Economist or SciAmerican helps too much. The biggest thing about RC seems to be the objective behind the readings. There's a certain set of questions that come at you and that means you should read in a certain manner. Most of the times when I read something else other than the RC passages (eg economist), I don't read with the same purpose.

I imagine you can try to simulate the same purpose, but anyhow, I would say that reading just to try to retain would only help you so much (probably marginally at best).

I really struggle at RC as well so take my advice with a grain of salt...
But in the last few days I have instituted a new method.
I thought to myself, they ask the same damn questions almost every passage so why not BE ON THE LOOKOUT for the mainpoint, tone, structure, and the argument.
For prep purposes, before each passage, I have been writing:
1. Main point
2. Author Tone
3. Structure
4. Argument

I also have noted 5-6 words and collected my thoughts after each passage. My numbers have come down from about -10 to about -5/6 but I feel more knowledgeable of the passage. This wouldnt be the full process come test time but it feels good for prepping.
Im gonna take a loot at that 7 sage method too

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