Kaplan PCAT 08-09 Book Oddity

[socom]

Okay, so the new PCAT book has some changes from the 2007 one (obviously). In the bio section, it combined some sections from the previous book. The General Chemistry section was also shortened, which was good, since now the book is even more concise. The problem lies in the Organic Chemistry section.

There is none.

The folks at Kaplan somehow combined all of the o-chem of the 2007 edition into ONE chapter, which is crammed into the General Chemistry Section. And that chapter is utter crap. It doesn't even teach you how to name compounds. All it does is talk about orbitals, give a basic definition to some functional groups, and tell you what a carbohydrates and amino acids are (like you don't already know).

What I'm trying to say is to supplement with the 2008 book with the 2007 book (or earlier) when you get to O-chem. Please, for your sake, DO NOT just look at this o-chem chapter and think you'll do fine on the PCAT.

Just a heads up.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[argon18]

Okay, so the new PCAT book has some changes from the 2007 one (obviously). In the bio section, it combined some sections from the previous book. The General Chemistry section was also shortened, which was good, since now the book is even more concise. The problem lies in the Organic Chemistry section.

There is none.

The folks at Kaplan somehow combined all of the o-chem of the 2007 edition into ONE chapter, which is crammed into the General Chemistry Section. And that chapter is utter crap. It doesn't even teach you how to name compounds. All it does is talk about orbitals, give a basic definition to some functional groups, and tell you what a carbohydrates and amino acids are (like you don't already know).

What I'm trying to say is to supplement with the 2008 book with the 2007 book (or earlier) when you get to O-chem. Please, for your sake, DO NOT just look at this o-chem chapter and think you'll do fine on the PCAT.

Just a heads up.

I agree, the organic sections also focuses on amino acids and synthesis of common organic compounds

 

[fenixtnlfan]

None of the Kaplan editions are sufficient for O.Chem. The only section I think they did really good on was the Bio.

 

[AsianGuy26]

Eh, thats where the MCAT review books are helpful

 

[phuang06]

I thought the oddity was going to be the errors that are incorporated into the book to throw off people who are using it to learn as opposed to refresh and brush up.

 

[Markovnikov]

Yeah there was not enough ochem material in kaplan book.

I wish I would have listened to my adviser who told me "avoid using kaplan and just study from your old midterms and exams"

I did really well in the ochem classes but I think I did terrible on the PCAT because I did not review any of it because I trusted kaplan. :/

 

[sakigt]

The Orgo on the PCAT was so basic that you should have learned it in Org I and firmed it up in Org II. Yes, Kaplan didnt cover it but if you took the prereq you should have been ok. I got a C and B respectively in Orgo and felt like what I knew was enough for the PCAT.