Berkeley Review= sketchy??

[whyamisopretty]

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I just went to their website and they 1)do not have a phone number where I can call 2)no ordering page where I can order w/my credit card 3)kind of weird website.

They want me to send my "order form" with a check to some address. This seems so werid to me. But I hear people raving about their books all the time.

So is this what you guys did? Send a check to the place where they tell you to? I just want to make sure it is legit before I cut them a check.

Oh, and if there's anyone selling their old TBR stuff, I will buy it from you.

 

[JA Prufrock]

Yeah the ordering process is a drag, and their customer service leaves much to be desired. But people aren't lying when they say the books are great. They'll take about ~3 weeks to get to you after you send the check.

 

[J ROD]

It's legit. I would send them a money order because it will get there faster because they do not have to wait for the money to clear the bank like with a check.

I have all the books and I would HIGHLY recommend their Physics, Gchem, and Ochem books.

The bio and Verbal not so good.

 

[IvyLeagueThug]

There is one of their instructors who posts on here occasionally.

I had the same concerns, but I decided to purchase anyway. I was definitely impressed with the materials (I bought the bio). VERY detailed, lots of genetics and molecular bio. Much more adapted to the new tests as opposed to EK. EK has a great approach and teaching style with all of the color, but they are still fighting the last war with regard to the content in bio (too much physiology and not enough mol bio and genetics).

Still, the company does not appear to be professionally run.

You are correct with regard to the homade Web site. Also, I have a big issue with the fact that the company does not take credit cards. Their rep said that they got burned once and then stopped accepting them.

Pretty much every other business in the free world manages to accept credit cards and mitigate the risks. Not to mention, MCAT prep books are not exactly as appealing to the shady audience as opposed to car stereos. Still, pretty much every car stereo place sells via credit cards.

Conclusion: BR offers an excellent product. Still, their business organization (or rather lack of it) is really cutting them short with regard to being on the level of the big boys (TPR, EK). They have a product as good or better than the others, but they need to market it in a professional manner if they want to expand.

 

[xylem29]

I have read that BR is overkill for your MCAT prep - way too much information.

 

[cornpops21]

There is one of their instructors who posts on here occasionally.

I had the same concerns, but I decided to purchase anyway. I was definitely impressed with the materials (I bought the bio). VERY detailed, lots of genetics and molecular bio. Much more adapted to the new tests as opposed to EK. EK has a great approach and teaching style with all of the color, but they are still fighting the last war with regard to the content in bio (too much physiology and not enough mol bio and genetics).

Still, the company does not appear to be professionally run.

You are correct with regard to the homade Web site. Also, I have a big issue with the fact that the company does not take credit cards. Their rep said that they got burned once and then stopped accepting them.

Pretty much every other business in the free world manages to accept credit cards and mitigate the risks. Not to mention, MCAT prep books are not exactly as appealing to the shady audience as opposed to car stereos. Still, pretty much every car stereo place sells via credit cards.

Conclusion: BR offers an excellent product. Still, their business organization (or rather lack of it) is really cutting them short with regard to being on the level of the big boys (TPR, EK). They have a product as good or better than the others, but they need to market it in a professional manner if they want to expand.

I never got a call back from their customer service. Their shipping rates are ridiculously high. But I would forgive them in regards to their business organization. They are not as big as EK and TPR. They never have been and never claimed to be. They run classes only in California...and these books that we all have the opportunity to buy are the exact ones they use in their classes. Normally I don't think they would sell their books to "outsiders", but the fact that they are is great. The reason why they don't have great business organization or marketing is b/c that's NOT their focus.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

There is one of their instructors who posts on here occasionally.

I had the same concerns, but I decided to purchase anyway. I was definitely impressed with the materials (I bought the bio). VERY detailed, lots of genetics and molecular bio. Much more adapted to the new tests as opposed to EK. EK has a great approach and teaching style with all of the color, but they are still fighting the last war with regard to the content in bio (too much physiology and not enough mol bio and genetics).

Still, the company does not appear to be professionally run.

You are correct with regard to the homade Web site. Also, I have a big issue with the fact that the company does not take credit cards. Their rep said that they got burned once and then stopped accepting them.

Pretty much every other business in the free world manages to accept credit cards and mitigate the risks. Not to mention, MCAT prep books are not exactly as appealing to the shady audience as opposed to car stereos. Still, pretty much every car stereo place sells via credit cards.

Conclusion: BR offers an excellent product. Still, their business organization (or rather lack of it) is really cutting them short with regard to being on the level of the big boys (TPR, EK). They have a product as good or better than the others, but they need to market it in a professional manner if they want to expand.

GREAT synopsis!

I'm probably going to piss one of my bosses off (if he reads this), but I'm figuring they won't fire me at this point.

The company is managed by two people as far as I can tell. One is a great teacher who wrote the chemistry books and most of the physics passages. He sets up the lectures and oversees the schedule. The other person wrote the biology books, set up the web site, and is in charge of homestudy book orders. He teaches some of the biology, but I rarely see him. He's more of the business person. The feedback in this thread pretty much parallels the feedback students have about the two of them.

The real problem is that the person who is more people-oriented is out there teaching most of the classes and working with us teachers in developing classes (he demands we update our lectures every session). The person who is less people-oriented is in charge of customer service. It may not make any sense from a business perspective, but what I have loved about working here (and I've taught for two companies in my career, albeit always part time) is that they truly focus on teachers and students. If you can get by their archaic business methods and crappy website, it's a pretty great and effective experience when it comes to preparing for the MCAT.

I would apologize for how things run, but it would change anything. Sadly, five years from now, that website will be the same and they still won't take credit cards. I tell them, and so do many others, that if they just made a few changes they would be bigger than EK and PR. I truly don't think they care or want that. And to be honest, as a teacher I really like that environment. It makes it much more personal even if it's not professional.

I've said too much, but I felt I needed to get that off my chest.

 

[engineeredout]

So what, from what I see it takes a while to order stuff because you have to send in money orders or checks? Does this include the package of three CBT exams too? Someone recommended them to me for some difficult practice and I was thinking of getting them. Should I order them now if I want to use them in like two weeks?

 

[J ROD]

So what, from what I see it takes a while to order stuff because you have to send in money orders or checks? Does this include the package of three CBT exams too? Someone recommended them to me for some difficult practice and I was thinking of getting them. Should I order them now if I want to use them in like two weeks?

Yes. You better get on it!

I think they send you a link so it is a little faster.

 

[MLT2MT2DO]

So what, from what I see it takes a while to order stuff because you have to send in money orders or checks? Does this include the package of three CBT exams too? Someone recommended them to me for some difficult practice and I was thinking of getting them. Should I order them now if I want to use them in like two weeks?

I have no personal experience with TBR (at least not yet) but from the reviews on SDN, people rave about the books but don't view the tests in the same light (I believe they are filled with typos)...you might want to do a bit more research before buying the tests.

 

[LikeClockWork]

As soon as you send them a check, you lose consciousness and wake up in a tub of ice with one of your kidneys missing.





True story.

 

[engineeredout]

I have no personal experience with TBR (at least not yet) but from the reviews on SDN, people rave about the books but don't view the tests in the same light (I believe they are filled with typos)...you might want to do a bit more research before buying the tests.

GAH nobody gives consistant answers on whether these exams are worth it or not.

 

[HiFi09]

I took all 3 berkeley cbts.

I have mixed feelings about them. They were tougher than aamcs and helped me locate some last minute weak points. Overall, they were close enough to the real deal with the real thing being a bit easier (maybe lol).

Bottom line, you could definetly skip these if you had other tests available/ were pressed for time. They are nice in that you get to experience a tougher test prior to your real mcat.

Besides these tests, I will give a humongous endorsement to the berkely PS books. The physics books are very good and the gen chemistry ones are phenomenal!!! As strange as it sounds, I believe those gen chem books made my better at every single section of the mcat including verbal.

 

[dr seuss]

Somebody said it takes about 3 weeks from when you send in the order to get the materials. I don't know if they are saying this based personal experience or just conjecture. It does say on the BR site that it takes longer if you send a personal check but it is fast if you use a cashier's check or a money order. I received my books 5 days (including a Sunday) after I mailed in the check and order form. Everyone complains about how long it takes to get stuff from BR but I got my books from them faster the book I got from EK.

 

[EdCLS]

I put a cashier's check in the mail to TBR on July 3rd and ordered the 2-day shipping. I had the books on July 9th. They exceeded any expectations I had of them with regards to order processing and shipping speed. The website is indeed a bit primitive, as is the lack of credit/debit card processing, but they are totally legit.