I Need an Honest Opinion Regarding EK stuff

[specialflava]

Hey, I was just looking for some input from anybody who has used EK materials for prior MCATs. Rather than taking a course, I decided to trust amazon.com customer reviews, which basically touted EK stuff as the only thing you needed. Anyways, I'm shooting for the August test date, and I'm about 6 weeks into studying with EK stuff (I bought the complete prep set, the 1001 questions set, and AAMC tests 4-9).

Now here's my dilemma; 6 weeks into studying, with about 6 weeks left, I'm probably about 75% done with content review. All of a sudden it hit me today that I've been putting a LOT of trust in EK stuff. i.e. I'm fully trusting that they're giving me all the info that I need to do well (36+), and anything that they don't cover won't be necessary for the MCAT. I'm starting to get a bit worried about taking such a gamble with my score. All of my friends who are taking the mcat or who have taken the mcat in the past have taken a course, and from what I can tell, they're getting a much more in-depth science review than what I'm getting with EK.

So my question is, have any of you out there who have studied EXCLUSIVELY with EK stuff and AAMC tests managed to do well on prior MCATs? I haven't touched anything but EK stuff or aamc tests, and if you could let me know if I really need to hit the textbooks regarding certain topics, or invest in a TPR or Kaplan comprehensive review book, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a bunch.

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[RAD11]

From what I've been reading on SDN, a lot of ppl did well on the MCAT just using EK. There out this thread http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=46880 and see for yourself.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

If you are worried, then "mix-in" some material from the other companies. That's what I did. I didn't put all of my trust in my local test-prep company's materials, but included materials from...

• Dr. Putzer's Review
• Kaplan's Comprehensive MCAT Review
• Princeton's Comprehensive MCAT Review
• EK Practice Books (Physis and Verbal)
• EK Audio Osmosis (only recommended if you have lots of time wasted where
• you can listen, but not read such as during workouts or while driving)

EK is great, but don't trust just one source. Besides, you need extensive training if you didn't do well on your diagnostic or if you have been out of school for awhile (like me).

 

[p9142]

I only used EK books and audio osmosis. My spread was P13 V11 B13 with an O ws. I felt comfortable with every topic that came up on the April exam. Trust EK when they say it is totally comprehensive.

 

[shantster]

I did EK almost exclusively, but read through the Kaplan Big Book over break when I got it from the library. I honestly didn't think that I learned anything from the Kaplan book that I didn't know from EK. A lot of things in Kaplan are way too detailed for you to want to know for the MCAT and it detracts from the basics that EK is teaching. I really think that reading Kaplan didn't do anything to help me on the test besides just reading the material once again.

If you're worried about it, just go to your local library and check out a book that they have. I don't think it's worth paying the money to get a second set of books.

 

[AWhitehair]

Hey, I was just looking for some input from anybody who has used EK materials for prior MCATs. Rather than taking a course, I decided to trust amazon.com customer reviews, which basically touted EK stuff as the only thing you needed. Anyways, I'm shooting for the August test date, and I'm about 6 weeks into studying with EK stuff (I bought the complete prep set, the 1001 questions set, and AAMC tests 4-9).

Now here's my dilemma; 6 weeks into studying, with about 6 weeks left, I'm probably about 75% done with content review. All of a sudden it hit me today that I've been putting a LOT of trust in EK stuff. i.e. I'm fully trusting that they're giving me all the info that I need to do well (36+), and anything that they don't cover won't be necessary for the MCAT. I'm starting to get a bit worried about taking such a gamble with my score. All of my friends who are taking the mcat or who have taken the mcat in the past have taken a course, and from what I can tell, they're getting a much more in-depth science review than what I'm getting with EK.

So my question is, have any of you out there who have studied EXCLUSIVELY with EK stuff and AAMC tests managed to do well on prior MCATs? I haven't touched anything but EK stuff or aamc tests, and if you could let me know if I really need to hit the textbooks regarding certain topics, or invest in a TPR or Kaplan comprehensive review book, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a bunch.

You should track your progress by taking an AAMC practice test since you have covered 75% of the material. If you are around the range you are looking for...then EK is working for you. If not, look at the problems you missed and make sure the majority is the stuff you haven't covered yet and not the stuff you have.

 

[jsol]

the only way you know if the EK stuff is good enough is to take practice tests. B/c in order to score 35+ you not only have to know content but be familiar with the test structure inside and out.

 

[AWhitehair]

the only way you know if the EK stuff is good enough is to take practice tests. B/c in order to score 35+ you not only have to know content but be familiar with the test structure inside and out.

You bumped your score up in bio fast! Was that just from EK review?

 

[drwannabe44]

hey what about the EK practice tests that they sell...are they ne good???

 

[Labslave]

hey what about the EK practice tests that they sell...are they ne good???

I think they're very good in terms of content, length, and style (IMO, much better than Kaplan and PR practice exams). You deserve to know, however, that there is no substitute for AAMC exams. Get your hands on as many AAMC practice exams as possible and do them!

 

[HunterGatherer]

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=280566

 

[drwannabe44]

I think they're very good in terms of content, length, and style (IMO, much better than Kaplan and PR practice exams). You deserve to know, however, that there is no substitute for AAMC exams. Get your hands on as many AAMC practice exams as possible and do them!

ive done the aamc tests 3-8 already in the past..and i feel like when i do them again..they aren't helping only b/c i remember teh passages

 

[QuantumMechanic]

So my question is, have any of you out there who have studied EXCLUSIVELY with EK stuff and AAMC tests managed to do well on prior MCATs?

I turned out just fine using only EK and aamc tests. Mind you, I did know pretty much all of the material from prior course work, but I still needed a comprehensive review. Seriously, they cover the same material as the other prep companies, so what would you be missing buying the Kaplan materials? ...the answer is more crap (that you already have in EK) to have to study through to justify your spending of that extra money and to satisfy your anal need to learn every miniscule detail.

What most people don't get when studying for the mcat is that half of their time should be devoted to taking practice tests to first guage your understanding of the material and to secondly learn the tricks and the general nature of the passages and questions of the test. No prep company truly has "better" practice tests than others, they pretty much all suck (I did take a kaplan test and a 2 pr tests, so I guess I lied about using only EK but only for practice tests). You could have all the material memorized from EK, pr, and kaplan, but without experience from practice tests, your score will never reach the level of your full potential

 

[HunterGatherer]

So my question is, have any of you out there who have studied EXCLUSIVELY with EK stuff and AAMC tests managed to do well on prior MCATs? I haven't touched anything but EK stuff or aamc tests, and if you could let me know if I really need to hit the textbooks regarding certain topics, or invest in a TPR or Kaplan comprehensive review book, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks a bunch.

Read the "30+ MCAT" thread. ALL of it! Take your time. This is the reason why I felt confident enough to use EK and study on my own as it fit my learning style.