MCAT Physics is....

[CaliforniaKid]

I need some advice on how i should go about studying for the MCAT physics. Its been about 4 years since i took physics (I took it freshman year of college) and i have forgot pretty much 90% of what I learned. I am using TPR's cracking the CBT, EK, and kaplan. While these books do a good job explaining it, i feel like i am just touching the tip of the iceberg. In other words, i feel like im just skimming through them. is this normal? Do you need to memorize all those formula's e.g the 4 uniform acceleration formula, bernoulli's equation, etc. Can someone who had similar experience please share how you prepared for the physics section.

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[LostInStudy]

I need some advice on how i should go about studying for the MCAT physics. Its been about 4 years since i took physics (I took it freshman year of college) and i have forgot pretty much 90% of what I learned. I am using TPR's cracking the CBT, EK, and kaplan. While these books do a good job explaining it, i feel like i am just touching the tip of the iceberg. In other words, i feel like im just skimming through them. is this normal? Do you need to memorize all those formula's e.g the 4 uniform acceleration formula, bernoulli's equation, etc. Can someone who had similar experience please share how you prepared for the physics section.

I took physics my freshman year also and I just graduated and am having to re-learn everything over again. However, I am using TBR physics books along with TPR HYPERLEARNING physical sciences review for things I don't get or need help on. With TBR, they make you do so much practice that is certainly not easy so that you will be confident and well prepared by the time you're finished with it. Bottom line, get TBR physics IMMEDIATELY. Also, ditch the TPR cracking the CBT book, it hasn't worked for anyone other than vishadis and even he used it alongside kaplan. He also probably wasn't learning from near scratch either.

Hope this helps,

-LIS

 

[CaliforniaKid]

Thanks for the great advice. I've been trying to see if i can do well on the physics without having to buy TBR (their kind of pricey), but i guess the time has come.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Thanks for the great advice. I've been trying to see if i can do well on the physics without having to buy TBR (their kind of pricey), but i guess the time has come.

I'm just curious where this conclusion about BR physics being expensive comes from, because I've heard it a couple times but don't get it.

BR physics is two books for $50 (tax included). For EK, you must buy their physics book and 1001 questions which with tax collectively cost about $50.

I'm not sure what the other books cost, but I figure they are about all the same price.

Given that the consensus opinion is that BR physics is the best and it costs about the same as materials from the other sources (maybe $10 more or so), I just don't see the logic in trying to save ten bucks in a process that will cost you $5000 to $8000 to apply and $100,000 to $300,000 to complete.

Does this comment about the costs come from the fact that the BR management people are idiots and they only use the grossly overpriced FedEx for delivery?

 

[LostInStudy]

Yeah, I think the shipping has to do something with it for most people, but people can't really complain because the shipping is pretty fast. The books are actually nicely priced, it's just that premeds are very cheap and having to spend ~$250-$350 on books and then spending $245 on practice exams becomes a burden for some if not most of us. Most of the people who say they are overpriced haven't applied EVER so they have no idea how cheap this part of the phase is relative to the whole process.

BTW, at most schools you can get the AAMC practice tests from your premed adviser for a reduced cost at $20 per test or at least that's how it works at our school.

-LIS

 

[CaliforniaKid]

I'm just curious where this conclusion about BR physics being expensive comes from, because I've heard it a couple times but don't get it.

BR physics is two books for $50 (tax included). For EK, you must buy their physics book and 1001 questions which with tax collectively cost about $50.

I'm not sure what the other books cost, but I figure they are about all the same price.

Given that the consensus opinion is that BR physics is the best and it costs about the same as materials from the other sources (maybe $10 more or so), I just don't see the logic in trying to save ten bucks in a process that will cost you $5000 to $8000 to apply and $100,000 to $300,000 to complete.

I think you misunderstood my post. I am not contemplating about whether I should buy BR material instead of EK, thus your 10 dollar conclusion is irrelevant. If you read my original post carefully you can see that I have already purchased EK, Kaplan, and TPR. To give you a better idea, I have already invested $70 dollars for TPR, 120 dollars for Kaplan comprehensive review, 150 dollars for EK set, 280 for AAMC exams.

My concern is that I needed some extra help with physics and was wondering if another 65 dollars (inc tax, s&h) for a 4th source was warranted.

but fear not my BR friend, I have already taken LIS's advice and placed an order for the physics book (and seriously what is with the s&h?)

 

[phillips101]

I know I'm a little late on this topic, but I second getting TBR's physics. HOWEVER, just a warning: I also took physics 1 three years ago (sophomore year), and didn't do so hot in it. In fact, the one subject I didn't get was kinematics (the very first thing they teach you lol). When I opened TBR and started reading, it wasn't too bad. But then came the passages, and I freaked the **** out! I was getting no more than 2 right on the passages. It was mostly because even though I read the things, I didn't understand it at a deeper level than what the text presented. So do get TBR physics, but if you're REALLY weak on physics (as I was), I'd recommend supplementing it with other things such as EK 1001. I actually ended up googling websites, and learning the "easier" side of physics before I went back to TBR. Just a word of caution.

 

[LostInStudy]

I know I'm a little late on this topic, but I second getting TBR's physics. HOWEVER, just a warning: I also took physics 1 three years ago (sophomore year), and didn't do so hot in it. In fact, the one subject I didn't get was kinematics (the very first thing they teach you lol). When I opened TBR and started reading, it wasn't too bad. But then came the passages, and I freaked the **** out! I was getting no more than 2 right on the passages. It was mostly because even though I read the things, I didn't understand it at a deeper level than what the text presented. So do get TBR physics, but if you're REALLY weak on physics (as I was), I'd recommend supplementing it with other things such as EK 1001. I actually ended up googling websites, and learning the "easier" side of physics before I went back to TBR. Just a word of caution.

Actually I'd like to comment on this. I agree that the TBR kinematics section could be better because they don't show you how to use the equations or tell you that you really need to know them. I found that the TPR has a much better description of kinematics section than TBR only because TPR tells you which equations to use and when. The equations and material are the same for the chapters but TPR walks you through when to use each equations and in which situations. Other than that though TBR is still very very good.

-LIS