Concise review book

[Joe Jewel]

Hello All,

Hope everyone is doing well in this difficult and unusual summer for many. I have a general question about what source would be good for a quick content review or reference in the last few weeks before sitting for the MCAT? Any relevant answers and enriching input are truly appreciated.

Thank You.

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[xDNA]

I enjoyed the Kaplan Review book set personally. It is comprehensive. My Blueprint content review book is currently on the way, will update at a later date.

 

[Joe Jewel]

I enjoyed the Kaplan Review book set personally. It is comprehensive. My Blueprint content review book is currently on the way, will update at a later date.

Thank you @xMikeyDay for replying. I have the Kaplan series but I am looking for something more brief perhaps a one-book volume to look at and review a concept while doing practice questions in the last few days before the test. I appreciate your input and follow-up.

 

[GreenDuck12]

Kaplan high yield booklet. I think it is between 15-20 pages.

 

[Joe Jewel]

Kaplan high yield booklet. I think it is between 15-20 pages.

Thank you @GreenDuck12 for replying. That is one I reference often. Is it fair to assume that it has most/all of the minimum requirements of knowledge for each section?

 

[GreenDuck12]

Thank you @GreenDuck12 for replying. That is one I reference often. Is it fair to assume that it has most/all of the minimum requirements of knowledge for each section?

It gives a concise overview of high yield topics most likely to appear on the MCAT. Whether one can define that as the minimum content knowledge is subjective.

 

[Joe Jewel]

It gives a concise overview of high yield topics most likely to appear on the MCAT. Whether one can define that as the minimum content knowledge is subjective.

Sounds good. Thank you very much for the logical feedback.

 

[GoPenguinsGo]

I enjoyed the Kaplan Review book set personally. It is comprehensive. My Blueprint content review book is currently on the way, will update at a later date.

Kaplan is not comprehensive. Theres plenty of stuff that was on my MCAT that was not covered by Kaplan, especially P/S.

 

[Joe Jewel]

Kaplan is not comprehensive. Theres plenty of stuff that was on my MCAT that was not covered by Kaplan, especially P/S.

Thank you @GoPenguinsGo for replying. Along with CARS which is intended to be broad in content as a 'non-scientific' section, P/S seems to be a tricky one for me as I have only taken a couple of relevant social science classes few years back. Do you mind elaborating on your comment about the stuff that was on the MCAT? And, is there another source that you can suggest for review of P/S?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

In your last few weeks, don't get sucked into the temptation to do content processing. It may feel good and assuage your stress to read content and tell yourself you recognize and recall the information. But that is not what matters. The last two weeks are about recognizing concepts in atypical settings. You should be doing challenging and weird passages the last two weeks, and thoroughly reviewing every answer choice, right or wrong. You will get content this way while developing and mastering test skills.

 

[Joe Jewel]

In your last few weeks, don't get sucked into the temptation to do content processing. It may feel good and assuage your stress to read content and tell yourself you recognize and recall the information. But that is not what matters. The last two weeks are about recognizing concepts in atypical settings. You should be doing challenging and weird passages the last two weeks, and thoroughly reviewing every answer choice, right or wrong. You will get content this way while developing and mastering test skills.

Thank you @BerkReviewTeach for replying. Your feedback mimics much of what I am doing. It is the occasional concept or information that maybe esoteric or obscure in nature that I want to have a good and reliable reference book/source for in order not to dive into multi-hundred page books or the uncertain internet chatters that might not provide me with brief and quick insights.

 

[PigsHaveWings]

Have you taken an AAMC practice test to see where your score would be ?

 

[lull]

Thank you @GoPenguinsGo for replying. Along with CARS which is intended to be broad in content as a 'non-scientific' section, P/S seems to be a tricky one for me as I have only taken a couple of relevant social science classes few years back. Do you mind elaborating on your comment about the stuff that was on the MCAT? And, is there another source that you can suggest for review of P/S?

There's a khan academy 300pg document (which I personally think is overkill, but it should have nearly everything you would be held accountable for) and the "lazy ocd' 86pg document (which a lot of people use) that would be the best approach to P/S. These summaries + KA videos + aamc material is really all you need for p/s.

KA Video Notes - Google Drive

drive.google.com

 

[Joe Jewel]

Have you taken an AAMC practice test to see where your score would be ?

Thank you @nkal225 for replying. To make a long story short, I am what might be considered a 'super' non-trad, career changer. I have always wanted to go to medical school since high school and planned to apply in 2020 for a couple of years. I took an AAMC practice test and it was around 505 which isn't necessarily great but I have not taken few science courses in quite some time. Also, I worked on a couple of graduate degrees and have had decent recent exposure to healthcare/medicine. My goal is to do well on the test and hopefully get a chance to interview with some programs (especially DO schools).

 

[Joe Jewel]

There's a khan academy 300pg document (which I personally think is overkill, but it should have nearly everything you would be held accountable for) and the "lazy ocd' 86pg document (which a lot of people use) that would be the best approach to P/S. These summaries + KA videos + aamc material is really all you need for p/s.

KA Video Notes - Google Drive

drive.google.com

Thank you @lull for replying. I think I came across the KA doc before. Thanks for the link to the LazyOCD file. While I do not want to invest 2 much time in this, I am looking for something similar for my less solid subjects (primarily: Physics/Math & Ochem/Gchem). Just to clarify, what are you referring to when saying AAMC material?

 

[lull]

Thank you @lull for replying. I think I came across the KA doc before. Thanks for the link to the LazyOCD file. While I do not want to invest 2 much time in this, I am looking for something similar for my less solid subjects (primarily: Physics/Math & Ochem/Gchem). Just to clarify, what are you referring to when saying AAMC material?

For quick C/P content review, I used the miledown 90pg summary (it's like the kaplan quicksheets) and mcat-review.org. I hate opening up my textbooks for C/P so I really thought miledown did a nice job of summarizing most of what you need for C/P. If you have time and you haven't already, maybe it would be worth getting Uworld and run through the practice problems especially for C/P and P/S (it's on the pricier end tho), their explanations are very detailed. Do you have the aamc materials? Question packs, section bank questions, full-lengths. Those would be the best material to go through if you have limited time and you could use the miledown summary or the kaplan quicksheets when reviewing the aamc practice problems.

edit: for P/S the section bank is a really good resource for the harder questions you may encounter on the actual test

 

[PigsHaveWings]

Most advisors will warn you against taking the MCAT if you cant be reasonably confident of getting 511 which is the median for acceptance for MD, unless you have an otherwise very strong application package (clinical experience, vounteer, research etc) . 505 is competitive for DO. IF you are not applying for this admission cycle, and if you feel short pressed for time and not ready, you could consider pushing the MCAT out to January.

 

[Joe Jewel]

For quick C/P content review, I used the miledown 90pg summary (it's like the kaplan quicksheets) and mcat-review.org. I hate opening up my textbooks for C/P so I really thought miledown did a nice job of summarizing most of what you need for C/P. If you have time and you haven't already, maybe it would be worth getting Uworld and run through the practice problems especially for C/P and P/S (it's on the pricier end tho), their explanations are very detailed. Do you have the aamc materials? Question packs, section bank questions, full-lengths. Those would be the best material to go through if you have limited time and you could use the miledown summary or the kaplan quicksheets when reviewing the aamc practice problems.

edit: for P/S the section bank is a really good resource for the harder questions you may encounter on the actual test

Thanks again @lull for elaborating. I will check out the resources you referenced. When it comes to AAMC material I have the ones you mentioned, I earlier thought you were talking about some book series or guides that I have not heard of. I looked into UWorld which I know to be standard for USMLE prep. and decided to not get it (I hope I do not end up regretting that). I will try my best to do more practice and review the explanations along the way.

 

[Joe Jewel]

Most advisors will warn you against taking the MCAT if you cant be reasonably confident of getting 511 which is the median for acceptance for MD, unless you have an otherwise very strong application package (clinical experience, vounteer, research etc) . 505 is competitive for DO. IF you are not applying for this admission cycle, and if you feel short pressed for time and not ready, you could consider pushing the MCAT out to January.

Thanks for the follow-up @nkal225. Your honesty is refreshing. My advisor and mentors have cautioned me about the test. I feel as ready as I can be for now unless I go back and take a bunch of undergrad basic science courses. I have my bachelor in biology, an MBA, and an MBS. I am also blessed to have gained some professional experience and I have been volunteering and working at a local clinic/hospital for about a year and a half (17-19 months). I know that might not be good enough for some schools but I contacted a few that suggested I apply this cycle and present a solid case in my personal statement and secondaries (if I get any

 

[xDNA]

Kaplan is not comprehensive. Theres plenty of stuff that was on my MCAT that was not covered by Kaplan, especially P/S.

That's fair, I should've been more clear. TBH didn't use Kaplan for P/S. I only used Kaplan bookset for C/P & B/B.

For P/S I used the 100pg P/S KA document floating around.

 

[Princeton Medical Student]

Kaplan. Throw away the cars and ps book. Use 300 pg doc

 

[Joe Jewel]

Thank you @Princeton Medical Student for replying. I will go with that near-consensus thought about the P/S material.

 

[Dr.Gains]

I enjoyed the Kaplan Review book set personally. It is comprehensive. My Blueprint content review book is currently on the way, will update at a later date.

How have the Blueprint books been thus far?