Abstract: Apparatus and methods are described to program memory cells and verify stored values programmed into the cells. A verify operation can be modified to reduce the time spent to verify the state of memory cells. A scan operation operates to determine the state of a memory cell of group of memory cells being part of a verify in programming, e.g., during a programming loop. A scan operation can determine the cell voltage level, e.g., the low voltage (VL). The scan operation can determine if the cell is in a quick pass write state, e.g., the cells with their voltage (Vth) between the VL and VH. The detect operation determines whether the subsequent VL sensing and verification is to be skipped based on the count of memory cells that exceed VL and those in QPW.