Are textbooks needed?

[nishi]

Ok, because I'm super anal, I feel like I need to study absolutely everything for this MCAT. Are textbooks needed if I want to aim for a score in the 40s? Or are EK materials sufficient?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[tank you]

im using EK stuff and physics and g-chem textbooks, for the practice problems.

 

[Dr. Weebs]

Ok, because I'm super anal, I feel like I need to study absolutely everything for this MCAT. Are textbooks needed if I want to aim for a score in the 40s? Or are EK materials sufficient?

If that's your goal is to study absolutely every detail, you definitely need textbooks. I studied for the August MCAT this summer, and using Kaplan review books was definitely not enough. They tell the basics but the textbooks are much much more thorough. I found myself going to them very often and I got a 33P. Hope that helps..

Dr. Weebs

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

If you find yourself reading a textbook, stop. You should be taking practice tests.

 

[blebl34]

The MCAT is not about details. That would be a big waste of time. It is a problem solving test. All you need are the basics which review books should cover. Any other details could be extracted from the passage. I got a 14 on the biology section studying nothing but TPR books.

 

[QofQuimica]

Ok, because I'm super anal, I feel like I need to study absolutely everything for this MCAT. Are textbooks needed if I want to aim for a score in the 40s? Or are EK materials sufficient?

You should not try to "study absolutely everything" for the MCAT. People who score in the 40s are able to do that because of having good critical thinking skills, not because they memorize vast amounts of science details. Your prep book materials are probably sufficient for the level of science that you need to know (I used Kaplan and I've never seen examkrackers, but I would imagine that the science is the same science everywhere!) I agree with the poster who advised you to take more practice tests rather than spend more time memorizing science details, and I'd add that you should also spend as much time as possible reading dense prose in subjects like philosophy, literary criticism, and political science.

 

[UCLAstudent]

If you find yourself reading a textbook, stop. You should be taking practice tests.

I completely agree with this. Your time would be best spent perfecting your test-taking skills through practice.

 

[WestcoastMedicine]

I used solely my Kaplan materials and did fine on the MCAT