Suggestions needed (MCAT prep books/courses, MCAT practice exams)

[premedmind]

I will be a sophomore this Fall, and decided I am probably taking the test next August...

Disclaimer: I read the stickys above however I am still left with questions.

My questions are:

1. What are the most popular/best MCAT self-prep books?
2. Which MCAT practice tests are most like the real thing?
3. Are the AAMC practice tests free?
4. Should I take a practice test to diagnose myself before I start studying to get an idea of what I need to work on?
5. Are Kaplan courses the way to go?
6. What do the sections of the MCAT stand for? What does "CBT" mean? Any other acronyms (aka forum lingo) I should know about?
7. Which method of studying is better for each section (eg. reading for memorization, practicing till mastery, notecards/flashcards, etc.)


Sorry for all the questions..I'm just trying to get my foot in the door. Thanks in advance!

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[Hyperstudyosis]

I would like to know the answers to these questions also. I am a sophomore and plan to take the MCAT in April or May 2009, but I'm going to start studying soon, because I'm determined to get a super good score.

As far as MCAT scores being competitive, I think average is upper 20s like 28 or 29. My pre-med advisor told me to get a 30 at least, but to be really competitive, I think you should aim for 33-35. The highest score possible is a 45. I personally want a 40 but that's just because I'm such a perfectionist.
Here are some average MCATs at different schools:

University of Miami- 29
University of California San Diego- 33.7
University of California San Francisco- 33
Georgetown University- 30
Northwestern University- 33.6
University of Chicago Pritzker- 34
Mayo Medical School- 33
Albert Einstein COM- 31
Cornell- 34.2

That just gives you a little bit of an idea of what is competitive at different schools.

 

[nihargala]

I will be a sophomore this Fall, and decided I am probably taking the test next August...

Disclaimer: I read the stickys above however I am still left with questions.

My questions are:

1. What are the most popular/best MCAT self-prep books?
2. Which MCAT practice tests are most like the real thing?
3. Are the AAMC practice tests free?
4. Should I take a practice test to diagnose myself before I start studying to get an idea of what I need to work on?
5. Are Kaplan courses the way to go?
6. What do the sections of the MCAT stand for? What does "CBT" mean? Any other acronyms (aka forum lingo) I should know about?
7. Which method of studying is better for each section (eg. reading for memorization, practicing till mastery, notecards/flashcards, etc.)


Sorry for all the questions..I'm just trying to get my foot in the door. Thanks in advance!

I personally think Exam Krackers is definitely the way to go. The books are the best out there. Unless you really need to, I recommend not signing up for the course. It's really not worth the $1800 to have an instructor read everything out from the book that you can buy separately for about a tenth of the cost.

The AAMC tests are not free. $35 each test.

Take AAMC test #3, its a good diagnostic. However, I personally feel the real MCAT is much harder than any of the AAMCs, partly because of the anxiety.

Kaplan books are NOT the way to go. They are LONG, boring, and contain too much detail. Exam Krackers is honestly the way to go for books.

Sections:
PS = Physical sciences (General Physics and General Chem)
VR = Verbal Reasoning
WS = Writing Sample
BS = Biological Sciences (Biology and Organic Chemistry)

Best way to prepare: Read all 5 exam krackers books 7 times (seriously). Buy Exam Krackers 101 Verbal Passages. Buy all the AAMC tests. Buy Exam Krackers Audio Osmosis.

Study everyday