NEW MCAT STUDY BOOKS?

[ILOVEMED123]

When is ExamKrackers coming out with books for the new mcat?
Have any other companies published anything yet?

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[Chipster.]

STILL NOT SURE.

 

[Plutonium]

Keep in mind that many of these companies rely on feedback from students who have taken the MCAT. I read somewhere that the authors of ExamKrackers actually took the exam themselves to help them write their books. Berkeley Review also mentions that they relied on student feedback. Having said that, I'm sure you won't be seeing anything concrete until the actual exam is out.

 

[zzxxzz]

When is ExamKrackers coming out with books for the new mcat?
Have any other companies published anything yet?

Keep in mind that many of these companies rely on feedback from students who have taken the MCAT. I read somewhere that the authors of ExamKrackers actually took the exam themselves to help them write their books. Berkeley Review also mentions that they relied on student feedback. Having said that, I'm sure you won't be seeing anything concrete until the actual exam is out.

I work for one of the big test prep companies and I got my 2015 books weeks ago. Just because they aren't on Amazon doesn't mean they aren't written...besides, several companies are already selling 2015 materials.

Also, I would recommend not using old materials to study for the 2015 MCAT.

 

[Flashfan]

I have the Princeton Review books. I have just started reviewing so I can't tell you how effective they all are. I am using the Examcrackers verbal stuff from last year. I am a psych major and I do like the layout of the psych soc material. When Examcrackers materials come out in January I will look at them.

I am going to use all the old practice tests to study, if only to get used to test conditions. the biggest disadvantage right now is the lack of practice tests.

 

[zzxxzz]

I have the Princeton Review books. I have just started reviewing so I can't tell you how effective they all are. I am using the Examcrackers verbal stuff from last year. I am a psych major and I do like the layout of the psych soc material. When Examcrackers materials come out in January I will look at them.

I am going to use all the old practice tests to study, if only to get used to test conditions. the biggest disadvantage right now is the lack of practice tests.

For everyone who's trying to work ahead, be warned that that they didn't just add a section, they changed the focus of PS and BS dramatically. I'd study less physics and a lot more organic/biochem.

 

[bbsare]

dO

I work for one of the big test prep companies and I got my 2015 books weeks ago. Just because they aren't on Amazon doesn't mean they aren't written...besides, several companies are already selling 2015 materials.

Also, I would recommend not using old materials to study for the 2015 MCAT.

Do you have a recommendation for which 2015 prep books to choose? Most people seem to be buying Kaplan's 7 book series, however Princeton Review's book is also out. Unsure of which to pick as I have not had any experience with prep books yet. Thanks!

 

[type12]

The EK books are complete, but we are still in the process of getting them printed (no electronic version still). There will be two bio books, as well as a "psych" book, for a total of six books in the package. There are also one or two EK tests.

The goal is to get them out by January the latest, so don't hold your breath. While it is possible they will be released earlier, there may be major changes/delays once the official sample test from AAMC is released.

 

[zzxxzz]

Do you have a recommendation for which 2015 prep books to choose? Most people seem to be buying Kaplan's 7 book series, however Princeton Review's book is also out. Unsure of which to pick as I have not had any experience with prep books yet. Thanks!

Can't recommend any books for 2015 except for those from the company for which I teach which I won't reveal. I'll probably end up looking at all of them, as students inevitably ask questions about material from companies for which you don't work.

I will say I attribute the score which earned me my instructor job mainly to TBR, and that EK has been the most popular prep company for some time. No idea when TBR/EK will release their books, though.

 

[ILOVEMED123]

Whats EK? Examkrackers?

 

[type12]

Whats EK? Examkrackers?

Yup

 

[Make Or Break]

Yup

Do you work for EK?

 

[type12]

Do you work for EK?

It's basically the only job I still have. Thanks medical school.

 

[ILOVEMED123]

Everyone spells it as "examcrackers" with a C. When really its spelled with a K. Totally anal but it bothers me lol

 

[ILOVEMED123]

It's basically the only job I still have. Thanks medical school.

Do u recommend using the "1001 Q" ExamKracker books for the new MCAT? Or am I wasting my time.

 

[type12]

Do u recommend using the "1001 Q" ExamKracker books for the new MCAT? Or am I wasting my time.

They are still useful, though we're in disagreement about the Orgo. The 1001 have always been about nailing concepts down. While the focus of the MCAT is changing, there are still core concepts that translate well to there.

Personally, I think Bio and Physics are still great, and Chem to a lesser extent. Nothing, however, beats primary material, so if you are using that instead of AAMC material for practice/experience, you are doing it wrong.

 

[ILOVEMED123]

They are still useful, though we're in disagreement about the Orgo. The 1001 have always been about nailing concepts down. While the focus of the MCAT is changing, there are still core concepts that translate well to there.

Personally, I think Bio and Physics are still great, and Chem to a lesser extent. Nothing, however, beats primary material, so if you are using that instead of AAMC material for practice/experience, you are doing it wrong.

So from ALL the books out there - you recommend ExamKrackers above all?

 

[type12]

So from ALL the books out there - you recommend ExamKrackers above all?

For the MCAT2015? I have not looked at Kaplan, Berkeley, or Princeton Review, so I cannot say. I definitely preferred EK over them in the past, but the new MCAT is opportunity for a new champion.

So, I don't recommend any books for the MCAT2015 above any others at the moment.

 

[DermViser]

For everyone who's trying to work ahead, be warned that that they didn't just add a section, they changed the focus of PS and BS dramatically. I'd study less physics and a lot more organic/biochem.

 

[zzxxzz]

That's a demonstrably false claim. Organic is being deemphasized on the new MCAT and will only comprise a small portion of the test (there'll be less of it than physics), which is why taking two semesters is regarded as optional now. But yes, biochemistry will be very prevalent.

So there's a lot of confusion about this on SDN, which stems from the fact that Organic is now only 5% of the new Biological Foundations section (as opposed to ~20-25% of the old BS). However, Organic is also 15% of the new Chemical and Physical foundations section. Physics is also now 25% of the new PS, while it was 50-55% of the old PS. You can see the approximate percentages yourself on the AAMC website (https://www.aamc.org/students/services/343550/mcat2015.html#bb)

So, Organic has gone from overall being ~7% of the entire MCAT to 5%, but Physics has gone from being ~17% of the entire MCAT to only 6.25%. I would consider Organic and Biochem to be closely related, and because Biochem is now 12.5% of the new MCAT, I'd study both more than I would've for the old MCAT.

 

[type12]

I was already aware of those percentages, of which you probably had to make yourself aware after my post. And your previous post said "a lot more organic," so you are backtracking and were definitely exaggerating in your previous post. If your suggestions for people include taking organic more seriously, that's fine, but there's no need to exaggerate things in a way that scares people. Either way, organic chemistry questions will appear in probably around 11-12 questions out of 230 on the new MCAT - it's hardly going to be focused on organic.

While no need to fight, the way he's playing with the percentages also misconstrues the entire approach, as Physics is not diminished at all. The "importance/focus" of it is. What this means is, new foci, such as "synthesis" and other abstractions are going to play a greater role in your score. That doesn't mean there are fewer physics questions, but those same physics questions rely on - say - 25% physics knowledge and 75% other stuff (not other sciences).

 

[Gregor Wiesmann]

http://www.mcatforme.com/best-mcat-prep-book-for-2015/

Check out that link. Personally, I think I will be buying this set: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/16...Code=as2&tag=mfm00-20&linkId=2O7TJMYPJOB55BJS

 

[clocks123]

So would it be a waste of money to buy the old examcrackers books to study for the exam in the spring? What else can I use if I wanted to start studying in November for the test in May/June?

 

[Flashfan]

You could do what I am doing. I am starting with the Princeton Review books now and will also buy EK when they come out. I am also going to use the old tests to practice. I already have the verbal EK (which is good). When the other groups put out sample tests I will jump on those as well.

 

[type12]

You could do what I am doing. I am starting with the Princeton Review books now and will also buy EK when they come out. I am also going to use the old tests to practice. I already have the verbal EK (which is good). When the other groups put out sample tests I will jump on those as well.

I hate Princeton Review, but even I think it's better to buy their stuff than material not specifically designed for the test you will be taking.

 

[zzxxzz]

I was already aware of those percentages, of which you probably had to make yourself aware after my post.

Let's not get too defensive, bro. As I said in this thread, I'm a MCAT instructor for one of the big companies. I had the percentages before AAMC published them. I've had 2015 MCAT materials for a few weeks now. I'll teach my first 2015 MCAT class in October.

My advice for the 2015 MCAT is based on the training I received, the materials I've reviewed so far, and the two 2015 MCAT diagnostics I've already taken. They were for instructors only. Think they were easy? That's what I'm basing my advice off of.

Also, I took graduate level Biochem to prepare for the MCAT. Maybe it was harder than undergrad, but we really had to know our Organic...

 

[Gregor Wiesmann]

Let's not get too defensive, bro. As I said in this thread, I'm a MCAT instructor for one of the big companies. I had the percentages before AAMC published them. I've had 2015 MCAT materials for a few weeks now. I'll teach my first 2015 MCAT class in October.

My advice for the 2015 MCAT is based on the training I received, the materials I've reviewed so far, and the two 2015 MCAT diagnostics I've already taken. They were for instructors only. Think they were easy? That's what I'm basing my advice off of.

Also, I took graduate level Biochem to prepare for the MCAT. Maybe it was harder than undergrad, but we really had to know our Organic...

Can I PM you with some questions?

 

[zzxxzz]

Can I PM you with some questions?

Yes, but at this point I can only answer fairly general questions. I still need to prepare most of my lessons; I'm a procrastinator