Best MCAT books to study along with while taking classes?

[MaenadsDance]

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Hey folks,

My first post on this subforum. I've been thinking about buying a few MCAT prep books to study along with/glance at/reference while taking my undergraduate pre-requisites. I will be finishing my second biology and first general chemistry classes by the end of this semester. I go to a fairly new state university with a mixed academic reputation, and I don't have a good sense of how well I'm being prepared for med school. I feel my biology coursework has been fairly rigorous, but I am extremely skeptical that the preparation I'm receiving in chemistry will be adequate for the MCAT - the class isn't being taught much above the (non-Honors, non-AP) high school chemistry class I had seven years ago!!

So I'm hoping to buy one or two MCAT books to supplement general chemistry specifically, and also possibly biology. Also, what topics can I expect to see on the MCAT for biology? The school I attend has a three semester rather than two semester general biology sequence, four when you count the required bio survey class, and I'm not sure what topics are usually covered in the "two semesters of biology" pre-req that I should expect to see, and therefore prepare for, on the MCAT.

I am still years out from taking the MCAT - likely not until the summer of 2014 at the earliest - but it's never too early to think ahead

 

[TexasSurgeon]

The general consensus on this site is that The Berkeley Review produces the best MCAT prep books that are both thorough and helpful.

 

[Mehd School]

The general consensus on this site is that The Berkeley Review produces the best MCAT prep books that are both thorough and helpful.

To each their own.

I didn't like TBR at all. I'm restudying, and using primarily EK with kaplan online sources. Might crack TBR again if I need a crazy detailed answer or something, but I just didn't care for the flow of the books....or the moral beat-down following each passage set. It just didn't let me feel like I was progressing.

 

[Roxas]

I'm using TPR and I think their books are very well written. Make sure in addition to the content books that you get the TPRH Science Workbook and Verbal Workbook.

 

[cuculici1]

The general consensus on this site is that The Berkeley Review produces the best MCAT prep books that are both thorough and helpful.

I don't think TBR would be a good choice for someone who is studying for the MCAT while taking classes because of the quantity of material you have to go through. EK is probably better, maybe TPR if you're weak in a science subject. TBR is for people that can just study for the MCAT all day for 3 months or don't mind extending their study schedule to 4 months+ while taking classes or working.

Since you said you would not be taking the MCAT for a couple of years, frankly I wouldn't worry about it for now. If you really feel compelled to supplement the course information, TBR would probably be the best supplement. Also, be aware you'll probably have to reread it in the months prior to the MCAT anyway since you're likely to have forgotten a fair amount of information.