TBR 2015 MCAT Home Study Books

[PakiMDDreamer]

Anyone know when TBR books for the 2015 MCAT will be out? I hear really great things about TBR so i'm waiting on their release.

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[BerkReviewTeach]

My guess, and that's what it is at this juncture, is that it will be shortly after AAMC announces test dates for the new exam.

 

[PakiMDDreamer]

are these not final???

https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat/mcat2015/administration/

 

[jbryant9]

@PakiMDDreamer, I spoke to a Berkeley Review rep last week and he said that they will most likely be out in February.

 

[PakiMDDreamer]

@PakiMDDreamer, I spoke to a Berkeley Review rep last week and he said that they will most likely be out in February.

FEBRUARYYY ?!?!?!?!

 

[Caffein3]

Feb!? That's so incredibly late!!

 

[virtualmaster999]

People including myself will be taking it in April lol that sucks. I guess it's best to stick to TPR and some of Kaplans new material, plus old verbal material like examcrackers and Berkeley etc

 

[orangetea]

I mean you don't need to wait for books to be able to study.. AAMC will release a content outline in the spring and Khan Academy is prepping resources in conjunction with AAMC to teach the Psych/Sociology sections.

 

[PakiMDDreamer]

I mean you don't need to wait for books to be able to study.. AAMC will release a content outline in the spring and Khan Academy is prepping resources in conjunction with AAMC to teach the Psych/Sociology sections.

I know I just feel like reviews of TBR are the most positive. I'm aiming for March/April too. I hate Kaplan(SAT courses were pathetic, I improved mostly from self-teaching using Barron's). I'll stick to TPR and ExamCrackers. I guess TBR Bio/Chem/Orgo books from past years are still okay? As long as I supplement them with a newer biochem book? Or do you guys think that's a bad idea?

 

[Caffein3]

I know I just feel like reviews of TBR are the most positive. I'm aiming for March/April too. I hate Kaplan(SAT courses were pathetic, I improved mostly from self-teaching using Barron's). I'll stick to TPR and ExamCrackers. I guess TBR Bio/Chem/Orgo books from past years are still okay? As long as I supplement them with a newer biochem book? Or do you guys think that's a bad idea?

I never thought of using this strategy. I guess that would be a good idea to use the old TBR books. I don't see why not?

 

[Caffein3]

As long as the material from those books matched up with the new material in each section that AAMC has released that is.

 

[PakiMDDreamer]

As long as the material from those books matched up with the new material in each section that AAMC has released that is.

Yes I guess I'll cross check chapters. And a believe the subjects covered in the new MCAT are actually already published online, so I don't think we need to wiat for any more info.

 

[Caffein3]

https://www.aamc.org/students/services/343550/mcat2015.html <--AAMC whats on the test.

AAMC also released an official "guide" to the 2015 MCAT here : https://members.aamc.org/eweb/Dynam..._prd_key=17A020B5-2B7E-40F4-8434-036FA0209897

 

[jbryant9]

FEBRUARYYY ?!?!?!?!

Sorry @PakiMDDreamer for replying so late. I'm relatively new to using SDN. But yeah, he said February, which is so incredibly late. You could use the old books for the science content, but it won't be the exact content or questions needed for the 2015 exam. It sucks, but at least they're doing a thorough job. Princeton Review, Kaplan, and ExamKrackers have rushed to get their material out there and haven't even changed the style of questions in their books, which isn't good. Hopefully they release them sooner so we'll have some good material from BR.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I assume they are saying February for the book sales on the web. I know the course starts in January, and the books are set to be ready prior to the start of the first class. I think part of the issue is that they are working to finish the full length exams first, then the books.

 

[SLM914]

Any update on this? @BerkReviewTeach

 

[Bleu]

I spoke to BR and they told me the books have already been updated for content. The only change in 2015 would be to add the psych/soc book and to take out the psych/soc passages from the verbal book and add them to this new review book. Also told me to make sure I purchased all of the AAMC tests that would be taken down after the last test and to buy their problems sets once released.

 

[Alma1989]

I spoke to BR and they told me the books have already been updated for content. The only change in 2015 would be to add the psych/soc book and to take out the psych/soc passages from the verbal book and add them to this new review book. Also told me to make sure I purchased all of the AAMC tests that would be taken down after the last test and to buy their problems sets once released.

They told me something almost identical in an email, but the way they made it sound led me to believe they they DID NOT update the books based on 2015 content.

 

[wuhsabee]

They told me something almost identical in an email, but the way they made it sound led me to believe they they DID NOT update the books based on 2015 content.

I don't think they did. They said the current books I have (from 2013) will be sufficient, lol.

 

[Alma1989]

I don't think they did. They said the current books I have (from 2013) will be sufficient, lol.

I haven't gotten a follow up from them after I asked again. It has to be one or the other: 2013 ok or 2015 update, and I am getting mixed info.

 

[wuhsabee]

I haven't gotten a follow up from them after I asked again. It has to be one or the other: 2013 ok or 2015 update, and I am getting mixed info.

So I specifically asked them about my 2013-2014 books, and here is what they said, "The content and the passages that you have in the current books will be fine for the new exam. The only thing you will need to do is acquire study material for the Psy/Soc component and some practice CBTs. "

 

[valkener]

Most of the time these books don't change much at all. Now, with the new MCAT it's a bit different but the older topics will be the same. It takes years and years for new findings and research to find its way into textbooks and the MCAT has been testing the same concepts for years.

 

[Morpheses]

Someone earlier in a different thread posted https://www.aamc.org/students/download/263140/data/msnsreport.pdf
I think that should help determine what will change in the future and what wont. Do note that the change is from 2009, and may not be up to date anymore.

 

[Alma1989]

I just got off the phone with a rep. They said they expect to only update the verbal book, which should come out at the end of the month. They really don't have a strong timetable for the Psych/Soc book. The woman I spoke to said that they estimate they'll be done with it by May for their summer class

*shudders*

 

[Morpheses]

I just got off the phone with a rep. They said they expect to only update the verbal book, which should come out at the end of the month. They really don't have a strong timetable for the Psych/Soc book. The woman I spoke to said that they estimate they'll be done with it by May for their summer class

*shudders*

Ugh, that sucks.. I'm retaking my Dec. 6th score and am wondering if I could use the same study material + Psych/social books and the new VR books from NextStep. I'll probably get TPR books on those sections too.