2016 MCAT Exam Study Material

[DarthChe007]

I know this questions been asked over millions of times, but the reason I myself ask is due to being in a fairly different situation. I’ve been in the military for 4 years and haven’t been in the school game for a long period of time (I’m already separating to go back to school especially since I got the money to do so now to finish up a Masters). When I was attending college I completed all of my Pre-reqs (Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Calculus) and thus earned my AAS around that time. I'm going to be 25 later this year and going back to college to finish my BS in Physiology and was wondering to whomever reads my post on what they felt was the best material that offered not only a way to try and gain back knowledge and remember a lot of material through past courses, but what they felt gave them a good understanding of what material would be on the MCAT (As well as material that seemed almost identical to the actual MCAT). I feel like I really need to brush up on a lot and have a lot of books from college that I’m currently using as references that I’m going through. I’ve seen past study plans used by some popular folks on this forum:

SN2ed
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/breaking-down-the-mcat-a-3-month-mcat-study-schedule.623898/

Pros: seems legit and has a consistent 3 and 4 month study plan

Cons: The post was posted in 2009 and not sure whether it’s still consistent with the new stuff that’s out and about

Mcatjelly
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/my-mcat-2015-study-schedule.1122820/

Pros: seems like a good plan and is fairly recent so it’s something I feel I may base stuff from, it seems like everyone utilizes EK, AAMC and Khan Academy so I’m feeling pretty strong with those purchases.

Cons: I haven’t seen any cons, I feel id be able to grasp material better by implementing with this plan more study questions.

These are some questions I have for prior MCAT Exam Takers:

(1)What was your undergraduate major?

(2)Your individual scores and composite score from the MCAT and when you took the exam

(3)The study method/ plan did you utilize for each section of the test?

(4)How long did you study for the MCAT?

(5)What study material did you utilize for the test?

(5)What practice test did you utilize?

(6)Whether or not the MCAT study courses were worth the 4 digits of cash? (Courses being with: Kaplan, Berkeley, ExamKrackers, etc.?)

(7)Tips and suggestions, overall what you feel you would do different now that you’ve already experiencing the exam and would let future MCAT exam takers know?(Say go back in time and would’ve rather taken a course, bought different material, etc. before taking the exam)

Overall thanks for any information, suggestions, input, comments etc. thats provided, I dont regret serving this country.

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[dboyhaaan]

Overall thanks for any information, suggestions, input, comments etc. thats provided, I dont regret serving this country.

Just wanted to start off by saying thank you for your service. Secondly, no regrets in life. I'm also 25 and have been out of school for some time now but for other reasons (the cliché trying to get life in order story).

I took all my prereqs 3+ years ago. I have the 2015 EK set, 2016 TBR books, TPR Psych/Soc and TPRH for verbal (the reasoning skills book in the EK series has the best CARS/verbal strategy from what I've read on here and reddit). I think I'm going to run through the EK set (except for Psych/Soc I'll use TPR's book, heard its much better) for content review. I should take no more than a month (hoping the material quickly comes back to me) and do practice passages from the TBR books because the practice passages have detailed explanations as you go along to help fill the gaps. This should give me 2 months to focus solely on practice and exams The mantra from people that score very well is "PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and more PRACTICE."

Also this thread should pretty answer the questions you posted about previous test takers strategies, materials, etc.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/509-mcat-study-habits.1143569/

It's been sticky'd at the top of the MCAT forum if you ever want to go back and check it out. Good luck!

 

[DarthChe007]

@dboyhaaan Thank you for your response. I see im not the only one stuck in that situation. I’m going to go ahead and buy the EK set(I know they’re coming out with a new series), TBR set and TPRH for Psych/ Soc and Verbal since that looks like the best route to go. I may go with the AAMC questions bundle and KHAN academy material since those are sounding like they may be good as well.When do you plan on taking the MCAT?

 

[dboyhaaan]

Yeah that sounds like a good plan and becwuse EK isn't content dense I'm most likely going to supplement whatever they miss / I feel like I need more help with by reading the corresponding TBR chapter. Probably will a good call when it comes to biochem because EK's a little weak in that area.

I'm scheduled to take it 9/10.


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[DarthChe007]

Keep me updated with how you were able get back in the game. I'm going to try my best to supplement a lot of the information from TBR and EK with stuff from my college books or looking online, did a passage from my Kaplan books and kind of struggled. Good luck, im going to try and see if I can do it this year if not than sometime next, the more time I study the more prepare id get so im in no rush, I know I gotta try and understand the material and get the concepts down.

 

[dboyhaaan]

Hey so I actually think I'm going to go with TBR. As my main content and probably supplement with EK if I need clarification on something since they simplify it. I was talking to a lot of other members on here and /r/mcat and it seems like tbr is the way to go.

What I'm going to do is one tbr chapter a day but before I start the chapter I'll watch the related KA videos so I have a little background knowledge going into the BR chapter. EK will then be used if I need clarification with something and their 30 minute exams will come in handy.

The only book I'd reccomend to read completely from EK is their Reasoning Skills, research and math book. It gives you great strategies for CARS, math tricks, and teaches you how to approach and analyze the scientific research passages you'll encounter in the exam.

Also just to clarify from your earlier post there's no TPRH Psych/Sociology book that I'm aware of. There's the TPR Psych/Soc and then there's TPRH verbal.

But let's stay in touch and keep each other accountable.


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[DarthChe007]

I know I replied this but somethings been up with my internet. Anyways Thats what I was planning on doing, getting TBR and supplementing it with EK, Kaplan and my textbooks since TBR seems the best route to go but are also the most priceiest study guides to buy(Well show you later). Im going to try and formulate a study plan thats going to first target the areas that I seem to have forgotten most/ be more weak at vs others, but I feel I gotta skim through all the material(Even maybe take some practice questions) to see where im at and see my weaknesses and go from there. I still gotta check with the Khan academy videos and see how good they are. My mistake with the TPRH Psych/ Sociology I meant TPR Psyc/Soc and TPRH verbal. Well make sure we keep each other accountable. These right here so far are the study material I plan on buying:
AAMC-Complete Official MCAT Prep Bundle-$196.00
2016 EK Set-$261.19
2015 TBR Set + Full Length Diagnostics-$529.00
EK 1001 Questions(Except Bio)-$75.00
2016 MCAT Psychology/ Sociology-$24.92
TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook-$139.00
MCAT 528 Kaplan-$25.70
it rounds off to around $1250 yikkes!

 

[dboyhaaan]

I know I replied this but somethings been up with my internet. Anyways Thats what I was planning on doing, getting TBR and supplementing it with EK, Kaplan and my textbooks since TBR seems the best route to go but are also the most priceiest study guides to buy(Well show you later). Im going to try and formulate a study plan thats going to first target the areas that I seem to have forgotten most/ be more weak at vs others, but I feel I gotta skim through all the material(Even maybe take some practice questions) to see where im at and see my weaknesses and go from there. I still gotta check with the Khan academy videos and see how good they are. My mistake with the TPRH Psych/ Sociology I meant TPR Psyc/Soc and TPRH verbal. Well make sure we keep each other accountable. These right here so far are the study material I plan on buying:
AAMC-Complete Official MCAT Prep Bundle-$196.00
2016 EK Set-$261.19
2015 TBR Set + Full Length Diagnostics-$529.00
EK 1001 Questions(Except Bio)-$75.00
2016 MCAT Psychology/ Sociology-$24.92
TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook-$139.00
MCAT 528 Kaplan-$25.70
it rounds off to around $1250 yikkes!

PMing you right now.

 

[Campb443]

Folks, I have a few things for sale, and am trying to sell the lot as a whole. I have the Kaplan course set, with some marks, but not too shabby. EK 2015, with a few writing marks, but still good material, EK 101 that has a few passages left (may just trash it, since it's beat up bad), and Hyperlearning 2012 Verbal. Looking to get 300. Thanks.

 

[Ad2b]

Oh Good Lord people, do not for the love of all things holy spend $1,300 on PREP materials!

AAMC full bundle - yes, including flashcards (!!! - I cannot tell you why for I signed an agreement with them when I took my exam )
ANY prep set of books (EK, Kaplan, TPR, etc.) - yes, for content review
EK FL 3, 4 Only - yes! check out the r/mcat thread to see what people say about these two (specifically 1,2,5 are off; 5 is beyond abnormal and not indicative of the real deal)

With any full set, or ONE book of TPR or Kaplan you get 3 (!!!) FL exams as well.

Supplement that with Khan (FREE!) or Coursera (FREE!) and you're set for well under $650 (at most).

These are some questions I have for prior MCAT Exam Takers:

(1)What was your undergraduate major?

Drinking. Seriously. I majored in lime vodka, beer, tequila (1800 Cuervo), and not always individually, topped with whiskey chasers


(3)The study method/ plan did you utilize for each section of the test?

Kaplan diagnostic (bombed it, or so I thought; got a 502 on that one and freaked myself out); then took Kaplan 3 and got a 499 (freaked out), then got down to business.

SBs - did them slowly on accommodation mode so I could see the answers and write down why/why not I got answer correct
Q-packs - scored consistently in 90% tile
Sample test - 512

I voided my exam because about 5 days prior, I found $7,000 missing from my checking account and it threw me for a loop. Major loop. Didn't have money for rent let alone anything else. I took the scored the day after finding that out and bombed it. Going into the real exam, I'd prepped hard/reviewed as much as I could the 3-days prior and on exam day, figured I was voiding it.

HOWEVER, through CP/CARS/BB - I was scoring that clucker. Bish was going down (Bolt fans will get the reference there )... but I hit the PS and died. Wished to God I'd used the 100 page document floating around out "there" and reviewed it at least more than once.

Because of PS, I voided.

And withdrew from last cycle

(4)How long did you study for the MCAT?

Content - 1 month but that's skewed too. Long story short: don't use anyone else's content review/schedule for yourself. This time, I am not doing content AT ALL unless you consider writing the equations for ALL physics/chem on big pieces of post-it note sheets (the poster sized).

I will use all the AAMC materials again, redraw ALL my pathways, biochem, orgo crap.

SBs - I will do as I did above, again
Q-packs - I will do as I did above, again
Will take the 3-4 EK exams 1 month out interspersed with the AAMC tests
SBs - will do them after that and at a minimum review all of them 3 days prior to exam

(5)What study material did you utilize for the test?

AAMC, Kaplan, Khan (will use EK FL 3-4 for this test)


(6)Whether or not the MCAT study courses were worth the 4 digits of cash?
I paid for Kaplan and thought it was worth it the first time for getting the extra videos on special components and I loved my instructors (online, live). I'm still friends with many of them (Team Eli, Amit, John!)

If you need someone to kind of guide you through the studying, they are worth it but if you are sufficiently self motivated or around people who are doing the same thing, don't pay for them. I also had a lot of extra cash at the time so it was a no biggie for me; however, most 25 year olds don't have the funds to simply dump $2,000 on a course.

(7)Tips and suggestions, overall what you feel you would do different now that you’ve already experiencing the exam and would let future MCAT exam takers know?
I regret making excuses. I regret letting fear take hold in my head.

For all the people who scream, moan, agonize, slam, berate this exam, it's NOT that bad.

Good luck!!

 

[Coltuna]

I paid for Kaplan and thought it was worth it the first time for getting the extra videos on special components and I loved my instructors (online, live). I'm still friends with many of them (Team Eli, Amit, John!)

This is the ONLY reason I would ever recommend a prep course and specifically Kaplan. The MCAT channel is AMAZING

 

[Ad2b]

This is the ONLY reason I would ever recommend a prep course and specifically Kaplan. The MCAT channel is AMAZING

Right? did you get John or Eli?

 

[Coltuna]

Right? did you get John or Eli?

My in-class instructor was actually Ben. I loved John's video on circuits and basically all of Eli's Organic videos.

 

[Swagster]

This debate rages on and on. Having been through many of the materials, there is merit to most materials. However some are better than the others. To me, TBR was the best of all for getting me ready for MCAT questions. They have great strategies and a logical approach when explaining questions. They aways come out on top of these surveys.

 

[~bleepbloop~]

It's really helpful seeing what material people believe helped them the most in a poll format. After I take the MCAT, I will definitely put what I believe helped me the most and I hope other people do too!