I studied for this test twice (old exam and new exam) and was very pleased with my scores both times. To start, I tried a couple chapters from many different books and after all of my analysis found that SN2ed knew exactly what to do. Most of the new study plans are nothing more than minor variations on SN2ed's plan. I used an updated version of SN2ed's original plan (with a mixture of older books and updated books) and found nothing on the new MCAT I couldn't do.
Biology: (1) TBR and (2) EK I would suggest doing TBR first and if you feel bogged down in details, refer to EK. For passages, TBR is the best. Nothing will prepare you for the challenging passages you'll see on your MCAT like TBR. EK was great for blocks of questions during the last month.
Biochem: (1) TBR and (2) TPR Because of the sheer girth of biochemistry on the MCAT, you cannot afford to gloss it over. I used the older TBR bio books and the new TBR orgo books for this and was completely prepared. For passages, TBR and TPR are very good. You won't go wrong either way.
General Chemistry: (1) TBR You don't need to use a second book here. What I liked best was having examples of general chemistry applied to other subjects. I know we can't talk about specifics on the MCAT, but studying TBR general chemistry passages had me ready for everything.
Organic Chemistry: (1) TBR (1) EK Organic chemistry appears to be a small part of the MCAT. EK is plenty for the pure organic chemistry you'll encounter on your MCAT. If you want more biology and biochemistry examples, then TBR is a better choice. I personally preferred TBR over EK, but either would have been fine for my MCAT. Passages are good in both books.
Physics: (1) TBR (2) TPR Physics comes easy to me, so I make my recommendation based on the best strategies and tricks. I loved the liner notes in TBR on how to solve questions faster. They are methodical and can be applied universally. I also liked TPR because it simplified the concepts. You can't go wrong either way. I found both sources very good for passages.
Psych/Soc: No Rating I used three different books and IMHO they all are a blur. This section requires memorizing names, theories, and definitions. You can do that with any book. As for passages, KA had by far the best passages of any resource.
CARS: (1) TPR (2) EK I did not like the techniques from either book (or any book for that matter), but I found EK and TPR passages to be the most relevant. For this section you need to practice under timed conditions.
This mimics what the study plans say, and adds very little new information to the picture. I will say that no matter what, practice the sciences with TBR and read every word of their answer explanations. I discovered so many tips doing that and I'm 100% certain that helped me more than anything else.
