Best MCAT Books

[vasodil8ted]

I'll be taking the MCAT in January 2010 and I'm reassessing the study materials I currently own.
I've heard a lot about the Berkeley Review Books and wanted other opinions.

1. I've visited the website to buy the books and it looks sketch. Are the books good quality and are they updated for the CBT MCAT?

2. Has anyone found review books that have tons of questions? The Kaplan books that I have are not cutting it.

3. I have the EK 1001 books and they are good but would like content books that have corresponding passages. Suggestions?

Thanks!

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[LostInStudy]

I'm sure SN2ed will be on to post THE LIST within an half an hour if he hasn't already by the time I finish typing my post.

To answer your question,
1. Yes the website looks very sketchy (some suggest that they should be selling Native American art rather than MCAT books) but I have never heard of anyone not getting their books. They run a very professional and honest business. Be warned though that you should use a money order to buy your books and that contacting them can be a little difficult. But the general opinion is that if you send a money order then you get the books within a week most of the time. I'm not sure what you mean by updated for the CBT MCAT so I'll assume you mean testing strategies. They have excellent testing strategies for the PS sections in their books.

2. Yes, the kaplan books they sell in stores don't have any practice. The TPR Hyperlearning science workbook has a TON of passages in it ranging from easy to hard. Also, the TBR books themselves have a lot of practice. EK Bio 1001 questions is also a good source for biology passage based practice.

3. TPR hyperlearning science workbook mentioned earlier has almost exclusively passage based practice. >95% of practice in the TBR books are passage based also.

I really hope this helped,

-LIS

 

[vasodil8ted]

Thanks so much! Your post is very helpful. I just wanted to make sure that the books were legit from another source.

 

[LostInStudy]

No problem at all. Any other help you need or questions you may have at this point in you MCAT studying?

-LIS

 

[SN2ed]

Biology: 1. EK Bio + EK 1001 Bio, non-detail oriented 1. BR/TPR Hyperlearning, detail oriented 3. Kaplan

Physics: 1. BR 2. Nova 3. TPR Hyperlearning 4. Kaplan

Verbal: 1. EK Verbal + EK 101 Verbal 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. BR 4. Kaplan (Avoid if possible)

Organic Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

General Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

Extra Practice Material: 1. TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook + TPR Hyperlearing Science Workbook, good source of practice passages 2. EK 1001 series, helps nail down basics

 

[ezsanche]

mcat books are like pokemon balls

You got to catch them all !!!!!

 

[LostInStudy]

Taking the pokemon metaphor further:

I CHOOSE YOU BERKELEY REVIEW!!!!!!!!

Sorry, I used to be obsessed with that show in middle school. Ahhh, only if pokemon trainer were a real career.

-LIS

 

[doc totipotent]

Sweet pokemon metaphor. But guys - don't overextend yourself. This is what I did - I went to the bookstore and looked at all they were offering. Then I ended up choosing the Kaplan book...the premier edition or something like that...and just that one. It worked fine. And I didn't run myself ragged trying to get through a whole bunch of books.