pre-prep class MCAT books?

[SailCrazy]

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Hello,

I will be taking the MCAT next year (April 2005) and will be taking the Kaplan prep class starting in January 2005. I would really like to get a jump on studying now, especially Biology, Physics and Inorganic Chemistry.

What book or other materials would you recommend that I pick up now? I?d prefer not to spend a ton of $$$?.

Thanks!

 

[rgporter]

Then don't take the kaplan course. Study on your own. AAMC online tests cost $80 and you can take 4, 5 & 6 as many times as you want (until the next administration of the MCAT). It breaks your results down into just about every possible category and gives you a percent. It makes it really easy to judge your own progress and customize your study sessions to compensate.
I'd use the AAMC online service, check out books from the library and study on your own. Save your self >$1000, you'll need it when you apply.

 

[SailCrazy]

Originally posted by SailCrazy
I?d prefer not to spend a ton of $$$?.

Originally posted by rgporter
Then don't take the kaplan course. Study on your own. AAMC online tests cost $80 and you can take 4, 5 & 6 as many times as you want (until the next administration of the MCAT)............

Thanks for your feedback!

Just to clarify about the $$$ part of the question:
While I'm obviously not excited to spend the money on the Kaplan Class, I can deal with it.

What I meant is more that I'd rather not go out and spend another chunk of change on a bunch of books now. I would really just like to pick up a basic, simple and effective book that I can use as a basic start to studying.

 

[SailCrazy]

Another thought:

1) (still) what book(s) to buy right now

2) I'm guessing that in April there are a lot of study materials available for cheap... Am I right?

 

[Apparition]

Examkrackers MCAT complete study package is about $120. It's a very good review source especially if you've already taken the pre-reqs. If you do a search for EK, you can probably can a lot of info.

 

[SailCrazy]

Thanks for the info. I orderd the EK package from Amazon today...

Originally posted by Apparition
Examkrackers MCAT complete study package is about $120. It's a very good review source especially if you've already taken the pre-reqs. If you do a search for EK, you can probably can a lot of info.

 

[mlw03]

the best pre-prep-course mcat review books are your textbooks. kaplan will give you plenty of test-like material during the review class, and you don't wanna frazzle yourself out too early. review the textbooks and your notes to be comfortable with the material, so your prep time can be spent on test-taking techniques primarily.

 

[Cerberus]

kaplan is a waste of money that simply makes most mediocre scoring students score in the average. Studying on your own is a better and more efficient use of time and money. It is really to early to early to be worrying about the mcat anyway, at the very very very earliest I would start studying near the end of this summer which still gives you too much time. I started around the end of December and already I feel like I am getting to the point where it is all i am doing is working out the little details.