Mix or match Multiple Review Books?

[Doofenschmirtz]

Titles kind of confusing, but this is what I mean:

If I have the Kaplan 7 book set, the Princeton review big book 3rd edition, and maybe Examkrackers books, what's the best way to study effectively?

Should I just stick with one company at a time and do a few chapters of physics a day, then Chem, etc etc until I finish Kaplan and then repeat for Princeton?

Or should I go through the physics (for examples) for all the companies simultaneously to catch any missing info? Then move onto chemistry for all the companies, biochem, etc.?

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[Zenabi90]

You're falling into the "more is more" trap when "less is more" is usually the better approach here.

 

[Doofenschmirtz]

@Zenabi90 what do you mean?

 

[Zenabi90]

If you're going to put in the time (and money) to do 3 different sets of books, especially if you want the most depth, you should just save yourself time and headaches and get TBR. Run through it properly once, and then spend all that extra time on passages and section banks and FLs with proper, thorough review.

Your best bet is to choose ONE series, and master that series. I don't know how to say it kindly, so I'll say it bluntly. Using any combination of Kap/TPR/EK/TBR to "cover overlaps" is a waste of time, money, and energy and worse, you run the risk of burnout.

Don't. Do. It.

Want maximum depth and overage? TBR series + TPR CARS (for the passages) + EK101 Verbal (old version, for the passages) + TPR P/S (for the Socio).

Want good enough? Pick one of Kaplan, TPR, or EK per subject. Master that book. Then practice, practice, practice.

 

[Money4MyHoney]

You're falling into the "more is more" trap when "less is more" is usually the better approach here.

So many med students fall into this same trap

 

[Doctor or bust]

I personally bought the kaplan and princeton review book sets and have read through both of them entirely. It is painful, I don't recommend it. Rather, I am now going back and taking notes on the summaries from the back of the chapters and have been finding it helpful since there legitimately are holes in some of the material for both book sets. It depends on your background knowledge of the information really. Either way you go, make sure to remember that practice passages/questions >>>>>> memorizing facts from the books. If you can, I would think that at least 2/3 of your time should be spend on doing practice problems and reviewing those as opposed to forming your base of knowledge, if you have already taken these courses, you shouldn't need to have a super in-depth review of them again.

 

[Zenabi90]

So many med students fall into this same trap

You mean getting Pathoma, Goljan, Big Robbins, baby Robbins, Underwoods, and MRE to study for Pathology?
And then getting Lippincott, Katzung, SketchyPharm, and MRE for Pharmacology?
Then as Step 1 approaches, using First Aid, Step Up, Becker, Kaplan, Memorang, and Firekracker?

Then ending up overwhelmed, burned out, and buried under the avalanche of books that happened when their desk broke?

Yeap. It happens.