Is the 2007 edition of The Berkeley Review OK for MCAT prep

[salsasunrise123]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hello,

Is the 2007 edition of the Berkeley Review books ok to use for mcat prep. I am specifically curious about the physics books. I read that a couple of years back they updated the books with more tips/tricks, etc. Any help on this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Forkit]

Hello,

Is the 2007 edition of the Berkeley Review books ok to use for mcat prep. I am specifically curious about the physics books. I read that a couple of years back they updated the books with more tips/tricks, etc. Any help on this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I had the 2007 edition a year ago and now I own the 2012 edition.

Content wise, they're pretty much the same, ie. discuss the same concepts and formulas. The major difference is that the 2012 edition has more practice passages and longer explanations to problems with tips/tricks. (If I remember correctly, some of the 2007 practice problems only had a answer keys). So depending on your budget and when you're taking the test, you need to decide what edition to use based that difference. Not switching from 2007 to 2012 editions is not the end of the world, the 2007 books are perfectly acceptable for content review. The 2007 also has great practice problems.

I should not that I would NOT use the 2007 Organic Chem book. The 2012 book is more up-to date and has trimmed down alot of unnecessary content for the MCAT.

Good luck! 🙂

 

[MD Odyssey]

Hello,

Is the 2007 edition of the Berkeley Review books ok to use for mcat prep. I am specifically curious about the physics books. I read that a couple of years back they updated the books with more tips/tricks, etc. Any help on this matter will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I used all of them and felt they covered everything extremely well. For what it's worth, I scored a 39 on mine using the Berkeley Review nearly exclusively.

 

[salsasunrise123]

Do you think $200 for only the sciences books is a good deal?

 

[orangeblue]

Same question . 2008 BR SET: Would i be alright or should i hunt down the 2012 or 2013 set?

AR

 

[Forkit]

Same question . 2008 BR SET: Would i be alright or should i hunt down the 2012 or 2013 set?

AR

Save the $ and invest in practice full lengths.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Do you think $200 for only the sciences books is a good deal?

For a 2007 set? God no, that is WAY too much. Those cost $180 brand new, so it seems ludicrous to pay $20 more for books that are 6 years old. There are way too many newer versions out there to overpay for ones that old.

I have a link in my signature suggesting fair prices.

As for physics, I tend to disagree with Forkit. Granted, I am involved at a different level, but I've been through both physics books you are talking about (and the two in between), and there are some huge difference between the 2007 and 2012.

1) The newer book has answers to the B-question in the text

2) The Fluids and Solids chapter and the Electromagnetism chapter are much better.

3) The newer book has test taking tricks from the course in each chapter.

4) The newer book has more passages and questions.

5) The answer explanatiosn now include many of the shortcuts.

6) Some questions show two solutions: traditional and turbo method.

There are other differences as well, but those are the ones that come to mind.

If you can find anything after the first change, you should get that. And that is especially true if you plan to pay so much for used books. Why get the older physics and pay the same you'd pay for a newer one?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Same question . 2008 BR SET: Would i be alright or should i hunt down the 2012 or 2013 set?

AR

Totally depends on the cost. If the 2012 or 2013 sets are only $50 more than a 2008 set for instance, then definitely pay the extra $50 for the better version of the books.

Just as a general observation: I often wonder why people on the verge of paying over $5000 to apply to medical school worry about saving as little as $20 on materials that they can resell once they're done with them. That's not necessarily the case here, but if it's close to that little, then get the more updated version.

 

[salsasunrise123]

The books I am buying for $200 are completely clean 2012 edition.

 

[salsasunrise123]

also, what is the difference between the 2012 edition and the 2013 edition?