when i prepared for the part 1, i exhausted almost every material that was at my disposable. i used the kaplan book and its qbank, dental decks, my class notes, usmle books, crack the nbde, and past tests. on reflection, i felt like i dedicated excessive amounts of time reading notes and books rather than taking actual exams. yes i did build knowledge by reading, but when it came to applying and integrating my knowledge, it was an arduous and challenging task. if i were to go back, i would have allocated more time towards taking as many practice tests as i oculd get my hands on because what good does it do you have all you do is read and dont take actual tests? its all about test taking strategy.
kaplan qbank was ok but i felt like it was too medically oriented and i only had 1 month access. overall i didnt think it was a good investment. i did all the pasts tests as well but should have been more thorough with it.
unfortunately, i only was able to get through one test from "crack the nbde" (i heard about it through a friend); i did not manage to have the time to finish the remaining two tests. in retrospect, i wish i squeezed in the 2 tests i was unable to take. their questions i remember were very realistic and it looked exactly like the test i took at the test center. the analysis was wonderful. i still have the software simulator on my computer because it has no expiration date. i thought their software simulator helped prepare me well to handle and cope with my test anxiety and to tell me where i stand in terms of my preparation progress. i liked the fact that they gauranteed me that i would pass the part 1 by using their test simulator or my money back. my friend was the one to tell me about this wonderful simulator, and she had told me to use the code SDNNBDE when i placed the order... so i figured i'd pass this on.. i dont know if it still works. i hope my review on this software helps you and wish you all the best!
