Legitimate (ie. Not-Pirated) MCAT prep PDFs?

[ThreadStalker]

Does anybody know if there are legal copies of MCAT prep books similar to TPR or Kaplan available as PDFs? I'm not interested in dealing with ebay or craigslist scammers. I'm traveling for a month and would like to keep up with my test prep without lugging ten pounds of books along.

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[DAPI]

Does anybody know if there are legal copies of MCAT prep books similar to TPR or Kaplan available as PDFs? I'm not interested in dealing with ebay or craigslist scammers. I'm traveling for a month and would like to keep up with my test prep without lugging ten pounds of books along.

Download the Kindle app for you Mac or PC and you can buy the Kaplan books on there. Not sure about TPR or EK.

 

[ThreadStalker]

Looks like we have a winner! Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[MedPR]

Does anybody know if there are legal copies of MCAT prep books similar to TPR or Kaplan available as PDFs? I'm not interested in dealing with ebay or craigslist scammers. I'm traveling for a month and would like to keep up with my test prep without lugging ten pounds of books along.

There are pirated versions of the TBR books online for free. I don't know where they are though because I would never do something illegal like that...

 

[typicalindian]

There are pirated versions of the TBR books online for free. I don't know where they are though because I would never do something illegal like that...

Good thing the OP was looking for pirated books.

 

[lobo.solo]

There are pirated versions of the TBR books online for free. I don't know where they are though because I would never do something illegal like that...

So, just google it right?

 

[MedPR]

Does anybody know if there are legal copies of MCAT prep books similar to TPR or Kaplan available as PDFs? I'm not interested in dealing with ebay or craigslist scammers. I'm traveling for a month and would like to keep up with my test prep without lugging ten pounds of books along.

Good thing the OP was looking for pirated books.

Well I think the thread title is misleading. In the OP he clearly states that he doesn't want to deal with ebay or craigslist scammers. He says nothing about not wanting free copies from google.. Again, I don't know if google will lead you to them. Just an assumption.

 

[MedPR]

So, just google it right?

Perhaps...

 

[Barley426]

Well I think the thread title is misleading. In the OP he clearly states that he doesn't want to deal with ebay or craigslist scammers. He says nothing about not wanting free copies from google.. Again, I don't know if google will lead you to them. Just an assumption.

I don't think he was misleading with the title, since he also mentioned in his first sentence he wants legal copies. I think that the ebay and craigslist thing was a separate avoidance on top of not wanting to break laws. Admirable.

If I'm right, I agree with OP, I love annotating PDF's on my pad more than lugging around a big book and pens and highlighters and white out and such.. I actually scanned a whole princeton review book (commercial scanner) and since I never shared the file with anyone and already owned the book it was perfectly legal. Other than that it's hard to do "legally," which is sad.

 

[Gielinor]

Good thing the OP was looking for pirated books.

Plot twist, OP is actually a book looking for pirates.

 

[typicalindian]

Plot twist, OP is actually a book looking for pirates.

I can confirm. I am book.

 

[MedPR]

I don't think he was misleading with the title, since he also mentioned in his first sentence he wants legal copies. I think that the ebay and craigslist thing was a separate avoidance on top of not wanting to break laws. Admirable.

If I'm right, I agree with OP, I love annotating PDF's on my pad more than lugging around a big book and pens and highlighters and white out and such.. I actually scanned a whole princeton review book (commercial scanner) and since I never shared the file with anyone and already owned the book it was perfectly legal. Other than that it's hard to do "legally," which is sad.

Seems the only reason he wants legals is so he doesn't have to worry about scanners. I think he didn't know you could get pirated copies for free.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[Napoletana1007]

I scanned all my EK books before leaving to work abroad ... It was a pain in the a** but well worth it and legal since I owned them.

 

[ThreadStalker]

A few minor corrections, from someone in the know.

Plot twist, OP is actually a book looking for pirates.

OP is not a book.

Seems the only reason he wants legals is so he doesn't have to worry about scanners. I think he didn't know you could get pirated copies for free.

OP is not worried about scanners, nor any other technological accoutrements. OP raises one eyebrow at the assumptions made about OP's intentions.

And OP thinks this:

Well I think the thread title is misleading. In the OP he clearly states that he doesn't want to deal with ebay or craigslist scammers. He says nothing about not wanting free copies from google.. Again, I don't know if google will lead you to them. Just an assumption.

is ludicrous. Apparently, MedPR's definition of "legitimate" differs from OP's. Yes, there are pertinent negatives, but "He says nothing about not wanting free copies from google"? Well, the patient said nothing about not have excruciating pain in his left leg, so I amputated from the hip. OP is sure this is sound logic.

OP would like to thank those who shared good ideas here. OP would also like to suggest that those who speculated and argued over said speculations here should turn off their computers and go for a walk, outside. OP is a big fan of healthy lifestyles.

 

[deleted303591]

I would personally buy print copies of the books and then scan them.

1. Go to Kinko's/Fedex Office and get the book bindings cut for about $2

2. Put the unbound books in separate paper bags.

3. Scan the books to your flash drive or computer in 600 DPI (dots per inch) and in color (regardless of whether it is in black or white). Scan one chapter at a time and save each scanned page as a TIFF image.

4. Select all of the TIFF images from the chapter scanned and print the document in to PDF using PDFCreator (available on sourceforge.net)

I actually do this for all of my textbooks. I use a flatbed scanner and I put the pages on the glass. Most people probably use a *duplex* automatic document feeder to scan the pages, but I do not want to risk damaging the pages.

Afterwards, once you are done you can:

1. Use a 3-ring hole puncher to punch holes in the unbounded book.

2. Put the book in a 3-ring binder

Then you will have both digital and paper copies to work with. Good luck.

 

[Hemorrage]

I would personally buy print copies of the books and then scan them.

1. Go to Kinko's/Fedex Office and get the book bindings cut for about $2

2. Put the unbound books in separate paper bags.

3. Scan the books to your flash drive or computer in 600 DPI (dots per inch) and in color (regardless of whether it is in black or white). Scan one chapter at a time and save each scanned page as a TIFF image.

4. Select all of the TIFF images from the chapter scanned and print the document in to PDF using PDFCreator (available on sourceforge.net)

I actually do this for all of my textbooks. I use a flatbed scanner and I put the pages on the glass. Most people probably use a *duplex* automatic document feeder to scan the pages, but I do not want to risk damaging the pages.

Afterwards, once you are done you can:

1. Use a 3-ring hole puncher to punch holes in the unbounded book.

2. Put the book in a 3-ring binder

Then you will have both digital and paper copies to work with. Good luck.

or you can go to a nice torrent site and download the PDF directly lol. and for anyone that's wondering, TBR books are the hardest to find

 

[NickNaylor]

I would personally buy print copies of the books and then scan them.

1. Go to Kinko's/Fedex Office and get the book bindings cut for about $2

2. Put the unbound books in separate paper bags.

3. Scan the books to your flash drive or computer in 600 DPI (dots per inch) and in color (regardless of whether it is in black or white). Scan one chapter at a time and save each scanned page as a TIFF image.

4. Select all of the TIFF images from the chapter scanned and print the document in to PDF using PDFCreator (available on sourceforge.net)

I actually do this for all of my textbooks. I use a flatbed scanner and I put the pages on the glass. Most people probably use a *duplex* automatic document feeder to scan the pages, but I do not want to risk damaging the pages.

Afterwards, once you are done you can:

1. Use a 3-ring hole puncher to punch holes in the unbounded book.

2. Put the book in a 3-ring binder

Then you will have both digital and paper copies to work with. Good luck.

Just curious, how long does it take you to scan a textbook a page at a time? Especially at 600 DPI. You must have either a ton of free time or a commercial-grade scanner.

 

[Praefectus]

or you can go to a nice torrent site and download the PDF directly lol. and for anyone that's wondering, TBR books are the hardest to find

Are you suggesting that he becomes a PIRATE? If I could, I would dump all of those rapscallions into a place like the San Francisco BAY.

 

[Caesar]

this conversation is getting dangerously close to the point of intervention.

Don't discuss illegal things on here.

 

[Fivo]

 

[MedPR]

A few minor corrections, from someone in the know.


OP is not a book.


OP is not worried about scanners, nor any other technological accoutrements. OP raises one eyebrow at the assumptions made about OP's intentions.

And OP thinks this:

is ludicrous. Apparently, MedPR's definition of "legitimate" differs from OP's. Yes, there are pertinent negatives, but "He says nothing about not wanting free copies from google"? Well, the patient said nothing about not have excruciating pain in his left leg, so I amputated from the hip. OP is sure this is sound logic.

OP would like to thank those who shared good ideas here. OP would also like to suggest that those who speculated and argued over said speculations here should turn off their computers and go for a walk, outside. OP is a big fan of healthy lifestyles.

Sorry doc
Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

 

[ThreadStalker]

this conversation is getting dangerously close to the point of intervention.

Don't discuss illegal things on here.

I'd like to second this.

Everybody knows that there are pirated and illegal copies of these books around, and where to find them. My whole point in starting this thread was to discuss legal means for obtaining these products. I'm sorry that it has somehow been misinterpreted.

It's interesting to note that there doesn't seem to be many electronic copies of the prep books available. Even paying thousands of dollars to a company like The Princeton Review (which I have done) won't gain you access to something this simple and useful. I'm really surprised that the test prep companies are so far behind the technology. Maybe there wouldn't be so much interest in piracy if the companies would respond to that interest?

 

[ThreadStalker]

Sorry doc
Sent from my SGH-T999 using SDN Mobile

No worries, Med. Nothing personal.

 

[La Presse]

A thread about pirates, huh?

 

[deleted303591]

Just curious, how long does it take you to scan a textbook a page at a time? Especially at 600 DPI. You must have either a ton of free time or a commercial-grade scanner.

I have a Canon MX882-nothing special. It takes about an hour for 200 pages. Keep in mind that I work as a computer technician and I am an electrical engineering student.

It isn't bad if you do it while watching TV or a movie. But, I am a patient person.

I often scan the week before classes start, sitting down, watching TV and movies.

 

[ShenanigansMD]

A thread about pirates, huh?

OP is in the wrong hemisphere:

 

[deleted303591]

or you can go to a nice torrent site and download the PDF directly lol. and for anyone that's wondering, TBR books are the hardest to find

Other than it is illegal, I also do not trust the quality of the scans.

A lot of scanned material (legal and illegal) for that matter are very poor in quality. You do not need an expensive scanner to do a good job scanning books.

In fact, I do not need to edit my scans, such as deskew.

Having scans that are skewed, have altered coloring and text that is hard to read is purely distracting. I would want to learn on "clean" materials.

 

[Narmerguy]

Moving to MCAT discussions.

 

[MedPR]

OP is in the wrong hemisphere:

I'd like to take this opportunity to embarrass myself and say that I did not know where Somalia was until seeing this map.