in working with Gold Standard as my primary source, I have noticed that they dont include some things I glanced upon in various study guides for the MCAT.
I am aware that some corporations feed on our insecurities by doing this...but im only wondering how secure I should feel if i ONLY studied with Gold Standard?

The quick answer: yes! But for the details . . .

There is a strong tendency for premeds to accumulate an MCAT library. It is partly due to insecurity (as you correctly alluded to) and partly due to promotional campaigns. I guess the real question is: with all the advice out there, who do you trust?

Trust yourself. Start your MCAT prep by doing a full length practice MCAT CBT from the AAMC. It will be a challenging experience. Pour over your mistakes and explanations once you have finished. Now you will know for sure whether or not The Gold Standard MCAT book contains a complete review for the new MCAT CBT. That way, you can have confidence in your judgment. You will also see the reliance of reasoning skills over memorization in the new MCAT. As the AAMC says, you may be presented with advanced level information but the questions will be dependent on introductory level science in conjunction with your reasoning skills. Knowing more science than the AAMC requires is unnecessary.

Of course, we're sold out of the Silver Bullet Real MCATs Explained. The interesting part of that book, is that it gave the chapter and verse from The Gold Standard prior to explaining real past MCATs in detail. That was our way of confirming that the GS book covers the MCAT.

Just to be clear, the GS does not show the structures of the 20 amino acids nor does it provide you with the sizes of the different forms of ribosomes. Some other books do and because of that, there will often be insecurities. Well, the Silver Bullet will be reprinted later this year and we will, again, be able to give specific references in the GS for each of the real past MCAT questions.

I'm sure you understand already, that besides doing a review for the MCAT (the GS), you must do a significant amount of practice which should certainly include all AAMC exams and we would suggest all available GS MCAT CBTs as well.

In the next couple of days, we will be putting up some YouTube videos in this forum for admissions information and for the MCAT. Good luck with your studies!

The GS is a useful tool in your MCAT preparation, however, please, use some other source of information when studying. The GS is very vague and to be honest "easy"
I enjoyed watching the DVD's after reading from my Exam kracker books, but that is me...the GS was just to basic and did not cover all the necessary requirements in detail. Although, it does help near the end of your studies when you do not want to read anymore, and would rather visually watch a lecture.

The GS is a useful tool in your MCAT preparation, however, please, use some other source of information when studying. The GS is very vague and to be honest "easy"
I enjoyed watching the DVD's after reading from my Exam kracker books, but that is me...the GS was just to basic and did not cover all the necessary requirements in detail. Although, it does help near the end of your studies when you do not want to read anymore, and would rather visually watch a lecture.

Thanks for your comments!

We always have had alot of confidence about the teaching in the DVDs and we're happy that helped.

Here is what we did to the Gold Standard book since last year's edition: we added 150 pages, improved explanations/diagrams, tied it in with free online chapter review questions/answers/explanations plus 10 hours of video, made it hardcover and all of that for less than $100.

We presented it in Test Prep Week here: GS textbook (http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=694847) and on YouTube here: Gold Standard MCAT (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCjJ5Bo1rUU)