examkrackers mcat bio, physics, and chem

[xylem29]

To the people who know from personal experience - are the EK bio, physics, and chem books any good? (i'm not talking about the 1001 books). Can anyone comment on the practice questions they have in these books? I heard the chem book was terrible but the bio book is good - however, I don't know if they were referring to the fact that the books are good for people who need to review - b/c i think i can just use my course notes and text books. But if these ek books have good practice passages then i'll buy em! Oh, i forgot too...are their full length mcat (1g, 2f, 3g) any good or should I just stick with the aamc tests??

Thanks a bunch. Man, I've been getting so much info on these boards from fellow premeds (thanks USA for that term, we don't have that here!) and its helped alot on prepping for mcats, applying to us schools, etc. I swear once I'm through the process and in med school i'll contribute all my knowledge back to these boards.

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[HunterGatherer]

Ek bio - 5/5 hunterGatherer rating: this is the STUFF!! But you know that already. I owned the BS MCAT by reading this book 3 times and difficult topics 2-3 more times.

EK Orgo- 4.5/5 hunterGatherer rating. Very condensed. Excellent chapter on experiments. Very solid review book but Bio book is still tops. note cards tear out of book that's on heavy stock of paper. memorize those. I did not give it 5 stars because I needed to use a chart from my Pavia Ochem lab manual to figure out solubilities. Solubility Test is CRUCIAL for MCAT passages.

EK Chemistry - 4/5 HunterGather rating. Good book. Wish it had more examples in the Acid/base chemistry. Electrochem chapter probably needs a small amount of further explanation. Everything else is solid. One caveat: I took general chem well over 10+ years ago.


EK Physics - 3.7/5 hunterGatherer rating. Good book. E&M chapters needs more work. The Thermo chapter is actually very good. Thermo is just a tough topic. Should have an example on incline planes explained in the readings before heading into problems. The Optics chapter is actually very good if you spend some time on it. This is a solid book but I had to supplement 2 chapters with a physics text book. One caveat: I took physics well over 10+ years ago.

I would study with ALL of these books all over again if I had to retake the MCAT because I like the way the material is presented in a condensed simple form with lots of charts/graphs. I had to supplement Chem/physics. Maybe it was because of the length of time between taking the class and prepping for the MCAT

The end of topic questions are right on par with the MCAT. I redid these with each reading and can say they are challenging that you are not going to simply memorize the answers. You really need to activate the thought process. the 30 minute exams are great as well. Don't do the 30 minute exams until you feel comfortable with the material.

EK 1g full length (yes these are usefull as well):
1. rip out one page.
2. crumple up page.
3. unfold page.
4. repeat until the paper is soft.
5. place soft paper aside and repeat with a newly torn page.
place these in the bathroom in case you run out of toilet paper.

I would take this as a diagnostic or very early in your studies(definitely before AAMC). Too many calculations and very similar to any AAMC exam or MCAT.

be sure to buy AAMC exams.

To the people who know from personal experience - are the EK bio, physics, and chem books any good? (i'm not talking about the 1001 books). Can anyone comment on the practice questions they have in these books? I heard the chem book was terrible but the bio book is good - however, I don't know if they were referring to the fact that the books are good for people who need to review - b/c i think i can just use my course notes and text books. But if these ek books have good practice passages then i'll buy em! Oh, i forgot too...are their full length mcat (1g, 2f, 3g) any good or should I just stick with the aamc tests??

Thanks a bunch. Man, I've been getting so much info on these boards from fellow premeds (thanks USA for that term, we don't have that here!) and its helped alot on prepping for mcats, applying to us schools, etc. I swear once I'm through the process and in med school i'll contribute all my knowledge back to these boards.

 

[xylem29]

Ek bio - 5/5 hunterGatherer rating: this is the STUFF!! But you know that already. I owned the BS MCAT by reading this book 3 times and difficult topics 2-3 more times.

EK Orgo- 4.5/5 hunterGatherer rating. Very condensed. Excellent chapter on experiments. Very solid review book but Bio book is still tops. note cards tear out of book that's on heavy stock of paper. memorize those. I did not give it 5 stars because I needed to use a chart from my Pavia Ochem lab manual to figure out solubilities. Solubility Test is CRUCIAL for MCAT passages.

EK Chemistry - 4/5 HunterGather rating. Good book. Wish it had more examples in the Acid/base chemistry. Electrochem chapter probably needs a small amount of further explanation. Everything else is solid. One caveat: I took general chem well over 10+ years ago.


EK Physics - 3.7/5 hunterGatherer rating. Good book. E&M chapters needs more work. The Thermo chapter is actually very good. Thermo is just a tough topic. Should have an example on incline planes explained in the readings before heading into problems. The Optics chapter is actually very good if you spend some time on it. This is a solid book but I had to supplement 2 chapters with a physics text book. One caveat: I took physics well over 10+ years ago.

I would study with ALL of these books all over again if I had to retake the MCAT because I like the way the material is presented in a condensed simple form with lots of charts/graphs. I had to supplement Chem/physics. Maybe it was because of the length of time between taking the class and prepping for the MCAT

The end of topic questions are right on par with the MCAT. I redid these with each reading and can say they are challenging that you are not going to simply memorize the answers. You really need to activate the thought process. the 30 minute exams are great as well. Don't do the 30 minute exams until you feel comfortable with the material.

EK 1g full length (yes these are usefull as well):
1. rip out one page.
2. crumple up page.
3. unfold page.
4. repeat until the paper is soft.
5. place soft paper aside and repeat with a newly torn page.
place these in the bathroom in case you run out of toilet paper.

I would take this as a diagnostic or very early in your studies(definitely before AAMC). Too many calculations and very similar to any AAMC exam or MCAT.

be sure to buy AAMC exams.

Haha - I guess AAMC is the only way to go then. Thanks for the advice. I am definitely getting the bio book then. I'll have to look into the chem and physics book further. Thanks a bunch!

 

[mj1878]

EK is nice because they don't bog you down with a lot of extraneous info, like, say, Kaplan. Also, the narrative format of the text makes it seem like you've got a coach in the room with you at all times.

My first MCAT: Kaplan Comprehensive Review, AAMC practice tests, 8PS 8VR 8BS T

My Second MCAT: Examkrackers Comprehensive Review, Audio Osmosis, AAMC practice tests, 11PS, 11VR 8BS P.

If I had it to do all over again, I would use EK and Audio Osmosis, and use Kaplan for toilet paper (as outlined above). Let me tell you, that's a lot of toilet paper!

 

[xylem29]

so does ek have a good prep for the ws component?? like good practice questions? are their prep materials out their that show us what the difference b/w a J vs an T mark?

 

[HunterGatherer]

edition 6 may have this. But I just printed topics from the AAMC web site and contemplated some for about an hour on the week of the exam.

I really did not prepare for this beyond going to the library and reading kaplan method for getting a good grade.

On the real deal I finished about 5 minutes early for each prompt so I could relax. Ended up with an M which is 20th percentile...oh well.


Go to the library and takes notes on the writing sample and relevant chapters you are having probs with.

so does ek have a good prep for the ws component?? like good practice questions? are their prep materials out their that show us what the difference b/w a J vs an T mark?

 

[HunterGatherer]

the books I was talking about are the strategy guides that include 3 sets of topic questions per chapter and one 30 minute exam for each chapter. These books are in the complete set but may be purchased seperately. I was not talking about the 1001 books here.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

so does ek have a good prep for the ws component?? like good practice questions? are their prep materials out their that show us what the difference b/w a J vs an T mark?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but schools don't give much weight to the WS. EK lacks much WS for this reason since this section is more of an endurance breaker before the biology section. kaplan's "mcat 45" has some good ws advice if you feel like your studying will be incomplete without it.

 

[xylem29]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but schools don't give much weight to the WS. EK lacks much WS for this reason since this section is more of an endurance breaker before the biology section. kaplan's "mcat 45" has some good ws advice if you feel like your studying will be incomplete without it.

It's true but it could depend on the year too - Queens U put the cut off at O for the WS this year.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

It's true but it could depend on the year too - Queens U put the cut off at O for the WS this year.

Canadians are so silly The WS seemed to be so arbitrary and unreproducible...

Kinda odd though, since Queen's median was an O in 2004!

 

[HunterGatherer]

If you want to use EK and get help on the writing sample I suggest you borrow the Kaplan Complete book (or kaplan 45) from the library and use the WS section. While you are at it you can make copies of the PS topics that you may need more material on.

You could also go to a book store that allows reading of their books ad just take notes.

 

[xylem29]

If you want to use EK and get help on the writing sample I suggest you borrow the Kaplan Complete book (or kaplan 45) from the library and use the WS section. While you are at it you can make copies of the PS topics that you may need more material on.

You could also go to a book store that allows reading of their books ad just take notes.

Well - I've already downloaded the mcat manual from the aamc site and they have a HUGE portion dedicated to the WS and they give sample essays and grades and explanations so that should help but I haven't looked at it yet. There was a spike in applications this year due to the "double cohort" in ontario - maybe that's why they put a cut of O...i'm also taking the tpr course so i think they'll help on the WS too...

 

[DPPM]

I did not give it 5 stars because I needed to use a chart from my Pavia Ochem lab manual to figure out solubilities. Solubility Test is CRUCIAL for MCAT passages.

What's the solubility test? Is that usually covered in O Chem 1?

 

[QuantumMechanic]

What's the solubility test? Is that usually covered in O Chem 1?

You see it most in orgo lab (though our prof harped on it in lots of lectures, but I could see other profs not including it).

 

[DPPM]

Thanks for the reply. Can anybody elaborate on what it is? I can't find it in any of my books. Thanks.