how to know if textbooks cover enough info

[RUc10]

I printed out the list of potential topics covered in the MCAT by AAMC and I was just wondering... How do you know if your textbook has enough information to leave you with enough knowledge on a given subject? Specifically in my case, I'm referring to bio. Though I'm not taking the MCAT until next year I started going over the list and reading the sections that correspond to the topics.

It seems though that some of the topics listed aren't described in great detail in my book. I haven't taken bio since freshman year so by the time I take the MCATs I will be 3 years removed from gen bio so I just want to make sure I have the right material to study from so that I don't go in thinking I'm ready and then I get to the biological section and don't know anything. Thanks.

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[futuredoctor10]

I assume you mean your college textbook? If so, I think a college Biology textbook goes into way more depth than required for the MCAT (at least mine did). So if you read corresponding sections to the AAMC-posted topics, I think you would receive additional information/foundation and background. You wouldn't have to worry about it not being detailed enough [again assuming its a typical college textbook].

If you wanted, you could get actual MCAT prep books and start studying those. Maybe you want to use your college texts as a sort of "preview" before starting studying with the MCAT prep books, but I don't know how helpful it would be. What do other people think?

 

[ldnk]

It depends on what topics you are looking at. The average general "all-purpose" Biology textbook should be enough to cover the Bio section. Depending on the school and country (I'm in Canada so obviously courses are different than the US), a lot of the textbook wouldn't even be used but the material should be there. The only think that I would consider "lacking" would be the content of MCAT style problems. Also textbooks tend to have a lot of fluff text which is cut out of MCAT prep books so you will get a lot of superfluous content and it can lead to a lot of "over studying" for the MCAT. That being said, I'm a big fan of the "understand instead of memorize" school of learning and knowing more about a subject is the best way to understand.

 

[RUc10]

I assume you mean your college textbook? If so, I think a college Biology textbook goes into way more depth than required for the MCAT (at least mine did). So if you read corresponding sections to the AAMC-posted topics, I think you would receive additional information/foundation and background. You wouldn't have to worry about it not being detailed enough [again assuming its a typical college textbook].

If you wanted, you could get actual MCAT prep books and start studying those. Maybe you want to use your college texts as a sort of "preview" before starting studying with the MCAT prep books, but I don't know how helpful it would be. What do other people think?

That's exactly what I was intending to use it as. I haven't taken bio in a while so I was going to reread all the sections that are potential topics just so I have a bit of a foundation so that when I actually begin studying it will be a little easier.

 

[futuredoctor10]

That's exactly what I was intending to use it as. I haven't taken bio in a while so I was going to reread all the sections that are potential topics just so I have a bit of a foundation so that when I actually begin studying it will be a little easier.

Yeah, in that case I think your plan sounds good. You can find the sections in your Bio textbook that correspond to the AAMC list of topics and read through them. This will give you a firm foundation so that when you get to the MCAT books (made by test prep companies), you'll have some background knowledge.

Then whenever you plan your "MCAT studying window" (2 months, 3 months, etc) and start using the books you can focus your studies on MCAT-tested content and doing practice problems. [Since all the details in the Bio book won't be on the exam]