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Has anyone tried the Mcgraw-Hill yet? How did u do on the PCAT using this material?
Mcgraw-Hill
- Thread starter flip05
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I haven't taken the PCAT yet, but I'm registered for the October exam, and I'm using the Mcgraw-Hill book as my primary source at the moment. However, I am supplementing it with other review books. I'm also not done studying, but here's what I've gathered:
1) The verbal section is very poor. There are no vocabulary lists, but there are affixes. I had planned to get a master's before going this route, so I had some practice with GRE vocabulary. Search the internet for GRE words. The analogy section was also scant, also. Just search the forum to find the main groups of analogies: synonyms, antonyms, part/whole, etc. Anyway, some of the analogies in M-H surprised me, and since I haven't taken the test yet, bought an official practice test (which I plan to do soon), or browsed another PCAT guide, I can't say how true to the test they may be. For example, one of the analogies in the diagnostic compared Bethlehem to Mecca (the birthplaces of religious figures). I can't imagine that a test like the PCAT would have religion on it... If somebody could elaborate on this point, I'd appreciate it because I'm still confused by this. Also, I've read others' advice to review GRE words, but there were no "big" words on the diagnostic, as far as I was concerned...
2) Math... This part was okay, from what I could gather. It started with algebra and ended with basic differentiation and integration. I haven't had a statistics course, and I found that respective section to be lacking and am still not confident when doing statistics worksheets I've found on the internet.
I just started biology and chem, so I can't say much yet. And I'm saving the writing for last.
If you're in college, check your school's library databases. Some of them may have internet access to PCAT books, other standardized test guides, and other review books, like AP books, Schaum's Outlines, etc. for specific subjects. Thats what I'm doing to save some money.
Hope this helps.
1) The verbal section is very poor. There are no vocabulary lists, but there are affixes. I had planned to get a master's before going this route, so I had some practice with GRE vocabulary. Search the internet for GRE words. The analogy section was also scant, also. Just search the forum to find the main groups of analogies: synonyms, antonyms, part/whole, etc. Anyway, some of the analogies in M-H surprised me, and since I haven't taken the test yet, bought an official practice test (which I plan to do soon), or browsed another PCAT guide, I can't say how true to the test they may be. For example, one of the analogies in the diagnostic compared Bethlehem to Mecca (the birthplaces of religious figures). I can't imagine that a test like the PCAT would have religion on it... If somebody could elaborate on this point, I'd appreciate it because I'm still confused by this. Also, I've read others' advice to review GRE words, but there were no "big" words on the diagnostic, as far as I was concerned...
2) Math... This part was okay, from what I could gather. It started with algebra and ended with basic differentiation and integration. I haven't had a statistics course, and I found that respective section to be lacking and am still not confident when doing statistics worksheets I've found on the internet.
I just started biology and chem, so I can't say much yet. And I'm saving the writing for last.
If you're in college, check your school's library databases. Some of them may have internet access to PCAT books, other standardized test guides, and other review books, like AP books, Schaum's Outlines, etc. for specific subjects. Thats what I'm doing to save some money.
Hope this helps.
I thought the calculus section was a little scant. And the Orgo reactions, there are like 11 pages of reactions. I don't think it's a good use of time to memorize all of those reactions. I was fairly happy with the Collins orgo unit, and I supplemented that with a chem & and orgo textbook.
Look up some of Chemguy's posts from before the June test, he told me those reactions were overkill and they were.
Look up some of Chemguy's posts from before the June test, he told me those reactions were overkill and they were.
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I'm using mcgraw. The bio section is good. The org chy section is good, but the gen chy section is not. I'm not really focusing on verbal cos i took gre earlier this year and did great, so i dont know about the verbal section.
You should supplement with kaplan or some other book.
You should supplement with kaplan or some other book.
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I used McGraw Hill in conjunction with Kaplan, James Stewart Calculus, and an AP Chem review book. I recommend using multiple sources, as there are parts of the McGraw-Hill biology not covered in the Kaplan book and vice versa.
Of course, I'll find out in 1-2 weeks just how effective my studying methods were, and modify my appraisal as necessary then.
Of course, I'll find out in 1-2 weeks just how effective my studying methods were, and modify my appraisal as necessary then.
