Does not using TBR bio for content make the TBR bio passages so hard?

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It seems like some of the stuff they talk about is exclusively in tbr bio content..I think not using TBR bio for part 2 completely destroys your scores on some of the passages.

I'm using TBR Bio for the TBR Bio passages and I find it really hard. I'm an idiot though so you might want to take that into consideration.

Originally Posted by ColeSmalls

It seems like some of the stuff they talk about is exclusively in tbr bio content..I think not using TBR bio for part 2 completely destroys your scores on some of the passages.

Depends on your background. I've recently taken microbiology and a semester of A&P so TBR passages on microbes and nervous system were easy for me. However, I found the enzyme kinetics questions as well as questions about other, not so fresh topics to be really difficult.

I've only been reading EK and wikipremed/mcat-review. Even though the passages can be hard, I think it's a good way for you to see where you are weak despite doing well on the EK 30 minute and EK discretes. For example, I got owned on the enzyme TBR passages, so I came here to ask questions and I also went and did outside research. Now I feel like I have a great grasp of it so if it pops up on the MCAT I'll be fine.

Originally Posted by MedPR

Depends on your background. I've recently taken microbiology and a semester of A&P so TBR passages on microbes and nervous system were easy for me. However, I found the enzyme kinetics questions as well as questions about other, not so fresh topics to be really difficult.

I've only been reading EK and wikipremed/mcat-review. Even though the passages can be hard, I think it's a good way for you to see where you are weak despite doing well on the EK 30 minute and EK discretes. For example, I got owned on the enzyme TBR passages, so I came here to ask questions and I also went and did outside research. Now I feel like I have a great grasp of it so if it pops up on the MCAT I'll be fine.

the enzyme ones completely destroyed me. The only ones from part 2 i did good on were chapter 6 and 10. The rest I just got blasted. I dont think im going to bother with TBR passages anymore, they dont seem beneficial. some of the questions are beyond ridiculous.

Originally Posted by ColeSmalls

the enzyme ones completely destroyed me. The only ones from part 2 i did good on were chapter 6 and 10. The rest I just got blasted. I dont think im going to bother with TBR passages anymore, they dont seem beneficial. some of the questions are beyond ridiculous.

Yea, the only two Bio sources I have are EK and TBR. EK is too easy, and TBR is a little harder than the MCAT (or so I've heard). I'd like to have something right in the middle, but I don't want to go out and buy another book. I'm going to stick with TBR and take the lowish scores with a grain of salt.

Originally Posted by MedPR

Yea, the only two Bio sources I have are EK and TBR. EK is too easy, and TBR is a little harder than the MCAT (or so I've heard). I'd like to have something right in the middle, but I don't want to go out and buy another book. I'm going to stick with TBR and take the lowish scores with a grain of salt.

I would say TPR science workbook passages were very close to the difficulty of my mcat (biology wise). TBR is about 300 times harder..I think ill be sticking with TPR honestly.

I don't think EK prepares you enough unless you are already a pro at bio. TBR was written by gregor mendel it seems like, and tpr is challenging but doable.

I use EK for content and think BR passages are fairly straight forward, I guess it depends on your background in biology.

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow22

I use EK for content and think BR passages are fairly straight forward, I guess it depends on your background in biology.

Yea, the BR content is a little more in depth than the corresponding EK content, but if you have enough background knowledge to fill in what EK doesn't provide, the BR passages are doable.

What do you guys consider a good score in TBR Bio to be? I get pretty happy when I score 70ish % is that okay?

Originally Posted by YouNeverKnow22

I use EK for content and think BR passages are fairly straight forward, I guess it depends on your background in biology.

Straight forward?Are we doing the same passages? lol. The molecular bio passages are really tough unless you have a very strong background in bio.

Originally Posted by nabilesmail

What do you guys consider a good score in TBR Bio to be? I get pretty happy when I score 70ish % is that okay?

Thats good.

I averaged below 55% and got a 14 on the real thing. Just letting you know, not to take the raw score% too seriously

I think it's a good way for you to see where you are weak despite doing well on the EK 30 minute and EK discretes. For example, I got owned on the enzyme TBR passages, so I came here to ask questions and I also went and did outside research. Now I feel like I have a great grasp of it so if it pops up on the MCAT I'll be fine.

Originally Posted by PingPongPro

Thats good.

I averaged below 55% and got a 14 on the real thing. Just letting you know, not to take the raw score% too seriously

Hey ping pong pro,
did you learn from the content of the passages you got wrong (bc those details seem like they are beyond the scope of mcat knowledge)? or did you learn from test taking errors like interpreting the passage/ graphs etc.

I'm just confused on what to do w. the TBR bio bc im averaging like 50 something % (all i did was the molecular bio so far) and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be getting out of doing it

and its weird bc i got an 11 on EK BIo 30 min exam on molecular bio..

Originally Posted by study pray love

Hey ping pong pro,
did you learn from the content of the passages you got wrong (bc those details seem like they are beyond the scope of mcat knowledge)? or did you learn from test taking errors like interpreting the passage/ graphs etc.

I'm just confused on what to do w. the TBR bio bc im averaging like 50 something % (all i did was the molecular bio so far) and I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be getting out of doing it

and its weird bc i got an 11 on EK BIo 30 min exam on molecular bio..

Just use your best judgement when it comes to determining if something is extraneous information. More importantly, learn to decipher the passages and answer the questions in a way that is similar to the answer explanations. TBR does have a high number of "random" questions, but they equip you with the tools to rationalize the question even if you don't know the answer directly. The real mcat wont have as many obscure questions, but there always a few "crazy" questions/passages where this skill will be useful.

thanks, ping pong pro

I am facing a similar problem.

EK says that it has all the necessary facts for the MCAT and all other info required to answer passage questions would be found on the passages.

When I do the TBR passages after the EK Bio chapter (SN2ed schedule), I am not able to answer many questions because it was not included in EK and not described on the TBR passage.

So what is the best solution for someone who has a fairly good background in Bio?
-Continue with EK and TBR passages and learn "extra" info by checking appropriate sections in the TBR content review/solution to the questions
-Switch to TBR content review
-Switch to TPRH Bio and science workbook
-...

I have been using TBR for bio review contrary to what the SN2ed schedule suggests. A friend who used both TBR and EK for bio recommended TBR for physiology topics, and EK for the book 2 topics. I have also seen quite a few suggestions from others on here that TBR Bio is well worth the read.

Sometimes though, EK presents things in a very clear way that can help cement some of the basics. Also, they do cover the occasional topic that is on the official MCAT list, but that TBR didn't really cover. So I have been reading TBR on the first read through and then on the days you re-read the chapters, I have been using EK Bio instead and lightly skimming the BR one.

I haven't decided if this is ultimately more effective or not but it does seem to be helping cover more information in different ways and in a little less time (relatively speaking). It's just another technique, take it or leave it.

Originally Posted by altitude

I am facing a similar problem.

EK says that it has all the necessary facts for the MCAT and all other info required to answer passage questions would be found on the passages.

When I do the TBR passages after the EK Bio chapter (SN2ed schedule), I am not able to answer many questions because it was not included in EK and not described on the TBR passage.

So what is the best solution for someone who has a fairly good background in Bio?
-Continue with EK and TBR passages and learn "extra" info by checking appropriate sections in the TBR content review/solution to the questions
-Switch to TBR content review
-Switch to TPRH Bio and science workbook
-...

I'm had similar issues with TBR passages after reviewing EK, and I think I also have a strong background in bio. I've just been reading through the BR once after really studying EK, and usually that's enough for me.

I had this problem as well. Tried following SN2ed's advice about using EK for content review and TBR for passages, and got absolutely murdered on the TBR passages because so much of it was "WTF am I reading?" type of stuff. Since I didn't have much trouble with EK questions I thought it was just TBR being hardcore about unnecessary detail and gave up on using them, but then when my AAMC 3 BS score was a 9 I realized it wasn't a problem with TBR.

I then spent the next week reading all of TBR bio and doing practice passages from TBR and TPRH science workbook and not only did the TBR passages suddenly make MUCH more sense, but my score on AAMC 4 BS was a 13 (did AAMC 5 today and got a 12...not happy about the drop, but it's still well above that initial 9).

I've gotta say, I think EK bio has been really overrated on here, and TBR bio has gotten an undeserved bad reputation. I think a lot of it is because most SDNers are straight up bio majors who have taken classes like genetics, biochem, and physiology. As a result, they can get away with EK bio because they barely need any bio review at all. But if you weren't a bio major and you're four years out of intro bio (like me), then EK bio is not going to cut it and you NEED the extra detail present in TBR. Really, this is no different from all the other TBR vs. EK books; TBR goes into a lot of detail because they assume you forgot everything, whereas EK gives you the cliff notes because they assume you only need a quick refresher.

The key thing to keep in mind with TBR bio though is to not obsess over the details. From reading comments on it here it seems like a lot of people don't like it because they tried to memorize everything in it like a typical neurotic premed. In reality much of the detail in TBR is just meant to be examples (notice that TBR bio has no in-text problems like the other books) and background info that will be helpful when reading passages, not something you're supposed to memorize, and it should be obvious which parts are which (details about each major hormone = yes; every single biochemical step in glycolysis and the kreb's cycle = no).

All of that said, I think EK bio + TBR bio is the best combination. Use EK bio for a first read-through so you know what's important and to get familiar with the general topics, and then read through TBR to fill in all the details, paying attention to the stuff that you know is important from reading EK bio.

Originally Posted by OCDOCDOCD

I had this problem as well. Tried following SN2ed's advice about using EK for content review and TBR for passages, and got absolutely murdered on the TBR passages because so much of it was "WTF am I reading?" type of stuff. Since I didn't have much trouble with EK questions I thought it was just TBR being hardcore about unnecessary detail and gave up on using them, but then when my AAMC 3 BS score was a 9 I realized it wasn't a problem with TBR.

I then spent the next week reading all of TBR bio and doing practice passages from TBR and TPRH science workbook and not only did the TBR passages suddenly make MUCH more sense, but my score on AAMC 4 BS was a 13 (did AAMC 5 today and got a 12...not happy about the drop, but it's still well above that initial 9).

I've gotta say, I think EK bio has been really overrated on here, and TBR bio has gotten an undeserved bad reputation. I think a lot of it is because most SDNers are straight up bio majors who have taken classes like genetics, biochem, and physiology. As a result, they can get away with EK bio because they barely need any bio review at all. But if you weren't a bio major and you're four years out of intro bio (like me), then EK bio is not going to cut it and you NEED the extra detail present in TBR. Really, this is no different from all the other TBR vs. EK books; TBR goes into a lot of detail because they assume you forgot everything, whereas EK gives you the cliff notes because they assume you only need a quick refresher.

The key thing to keep in mind with TBR bio though is to not obsess over the details. From reading comments on it here it seems like a lot of people don't like it because they tried to memorize everything in it like a typical neurotic premed. In reality much of the detail in TBR is just meant to be examples (notice that TBR bio has no in-text problems like the other books) and background info that will be helpful when reading passages, not something you're supposed to memorize, and it should be obvious which parts are which (details about each major hormone = yes; every single biochemical step in glycolysis and the kreb's cycle = no).

All of that said, I think EK bio + TBR bio is the best combination. Use EK bio for a first read-through so you know what's important and to get familiar with the general topics, and then read through TBR to fill in all the details, paying attention to the stuff that you know is important from reading EK bio.

I liked TPRH (the princeton books from their class that can be bought off craigslist) for Bio. I didn't have a chance to buy the TBR books but whenever I felt like EK was falling short of a thorough explanation, TPRH did a great job explaining concepts in great detail. They also have a section on lab techniques that is kind of helpful.