Best Textbooks for Specific Biology Weaknesses?

[allo623rb]

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I recently took the MCAT on 9/10/11, with the Bio section being my greatest weakness. I am a PostBacc. finishing in the spring, having not taken any bio classes for ~ two years as I was an English major and took biology classes as they fit in my schedule. (Bio I&II, Molec. & Cell Bio., Microbiology, Physiology..) I am looking to retest in March/April. In my possession I currently have (and have worked through) TBR & EK, and just ordered TPR Bio. At this point I feel like I need to purchase a Biology textbook or two, given that my old class notes are not an adequate resource, and do not have any of my old textbooks. Recommendations?😕

 

[mightymoose02]

You don't need a Biology textbook to do well on the MCAT Biological Sciences. That's going overboard.

If you have another 6 months to study, maybe you should take a MCAT course because that's usually enough for most people. (or maybe squeeze in a G-Bio class if you want) I am surprised that you still feel weak after going through EK and TBR Biology books.

Are you sure nerves didn't get to you and maybe messed up on your real test?

How were your practice test scores?

 

[liveoak]

I never had the biology background in college, so i had to self-teach myself bio.

I loved this textbook

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Science-...6456/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319149881&sr=8-1

 

[mightymoose02]

I never had the biology background in college, so i had to self-teach myself bio.

I loved this textbook

http://www.amazon.com/Life-Science-...6456/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319149881&sr=8-1

They use that book at UCLA for their Life Sciences Classes (equiv. to G-Bio). I've read some of it and it's pretty easy to read.

Even then... there's a lot of stuff you don't even need to know from that book. (i.e. non-human animal stuff)

But if OP's taken upper-division Biology, all he needs is someone to tell him what topics to study. If OP can give us more information like his scores or what topics he is weak in... it would help.

For all we know... it could be an issue with O-chem

 

[allo623rb]

Sorry for the delay guys. My scores on the Bio Section ranged from an 8-10 depending on what topics 'showed up' on the AAMC practice tests. I didn't take Orgo but decided to take the MCAT anyway because I had a lot of time available to study. So, right now I'm taking Orgo I. I expect my score to increase at least one point after having finished all Ochem, but am more concerned about Biology because of the amount of time that has passed since I've taken the classes, and because it comprises a much larger portion of the Biological Sciences section. I find that I have most difficulty with DNA replication and protein synthesis, and questions that play off of these concepts, and the least issues with physiology questions.

 

[Erythropoietin]

TPR bio is golden.

 

[mightymoose02]

Sorry for the delay guys. My scores on the Bio Section ranged from an 8-10 depending on what topics 'showed up' on the AAMC practice tests. I was in Orgo over the summer and had to withdraw, but decided to take the MCAT anyway, because I had a lot of time available to study. So, right now I'm taking Orgo I. I expect my score to increase at least one point after having finished all Ochem, but am more concerned about Biology because of the amount of time that has passed since I've taken the classes, and because it comprises a much larger portion of the Biological Sciences section. I find that I have most difficulty with DNA replication and protein synthesis, and questions that play off of these concepts, and the least issues with physiology questions.

Well, it's not that uncommon for people to struggle in those cellular/molecular Bio especially if you are rusty on them.

For O-chem: just know the basics and pattern in the reactions. It shouldn't be too bad.

For Bio: Physiology will have to be mostly memorization. You can't just figure out where things are by intuition. You have to memorize those hormones and then learn to connect the processes together later. DNA stuff... you gotta see them in STEPS and organize them so that you know the sequence step by step.

A lot of prep books will do this for you... TPR (like someone said) is great if you need organized prep books with diagrams. I think Kaplan is a little too shallow and may not provide enough of the details. Exam krackers will have diagrams and is also organized. I also recommend Berkeley Review for detailed material. If you know Bio to the detail that Berkeley Review wants you to know, then you should be more than ready for the MCAT.

I suggest you try doing as many passages from TPR Science Workbook and Berkeley Review Bio on those topics that you are weak in. Maybe EK Bio 101 for the physiology stuff. Repetition will help with memorizing the hormones and other basic material.

OK, just to sum up this long post...

1. Do EK Bio 101 until you can consistently get 10 (or get most of the Bio questions right) on your practice exams. (Cheap source of practice exams would be Gold Standard MCAT Tests... I bought mine for $70 for 10 tests. They also have a free one on their website.)

2. Do Science Workbook from TPR.

3. Then do TBR Bio.

I can't see how you can't score at least an 11 if you diligently do all three books.