TBR Bio too easy?

[TX500]

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I know some of the TBR bio passages are difficult, but I just took Anatomy and Physiology and have realized that even though the passages are convoluted and difficult to understand, the questions can be answered with a strong biology background. This is what killed me on my first exam (I practiced bio passages that don't require any real critical reading/comprehension skills). On my real exam, I saw a difficult chart, was unable to interpret it, and most likely missed every question. I know TPRH Bio is good, but what else can I use? I find TBR Bio to be useless to be honest.

 

[kgpremed11]

I know some of the TBR bio passages are difficult, but I just took Anatomy and Physiology and have realized that even though the passages are convoluted and difficult to understand, the questions can be answered with a strong biology background. This is what killed me on my first exam (I practiced bio passages that don't require any real critical reading/comprehension skills). On my real exam, I saw a difficult chart, was unable to interpret it, and most likely missed every question. I know TPRH Bio is good, but what else can I use? I find TBR Bio to be useless to be honest.

Yeah the Bio on the MCAT nowadays is nothing to F with, try TPRH Science workbook.

 

[Temperature101]

yeah the bio on the mcat nowadays is nothing to f with, try tprh science workbook.

+1

 

[TX500]

Yeah the Bio on the MCAT nowadays is nothing to F with, try TPRH Science workbook.

I already have. anything else?

 

[osprey099]

Kaplan BS section tests and TPRHL bio passages.

 

[MedPR]

I know some of the TBR bio passages are difficult, but I just took Anatomy and Physiology and have realized that even though the passages are convoluted and difficult to understand, the questions can be answered with a strong biology background. This is what killed me on my first exam (I practiced bio passages that don't require any real critical reading/comprehension skills). On my real exam, I saw a difficult chart, was unable to interpret it, and most likely missed every question. I know TPRH Bio is good, but what else can I use? I find TBR Bio to be useless to be honest.

Same boat for me. Its still useful though, even if only as a refresher.

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[OCDOCDOCD]

I already have. anything else?

- Kaplan section tests and practice tests. The topicals may be worth doing as well, I've heard mixed things about them.

- AAMC bio self-assessment test

- AAMC official guide to the MCAT

- AAMC official practice tests (if you haven't already done all of them)

Also, if the experimental passages are giving you grief with things like data interpretation and understanding the rationale of experiments, I'd suggest reading random journal articles to boost your analytical skills. When you read them make sure you understand them. Understand why the authors chose to look at the variables they did, used the experimental manipulations they did, and know what the figures are telling you. If you get all of this down you should be able to make the same conclusions the authors do in the discussion section before you read it (although granted there are no shortage of cases where a person can make reasonable arguments against the authors' conclusions; for this reason you should stick to top tier journals like Cell, Nature, and PLoS One which usually have very sound papers).

This can all be made a lot easier for you if there's a journal club on campus you can attend. That'll force you to read papers, analyze them critically, and think scientifically. You can also try to enroll in research courses which will also boost your scientific skills.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

TBR Bio is awesome for passages. Not all that great for content review. Book 2 is like 3x as hard as book one though.

 

[mcloaf]

TBR Bio is awesome for passages. Not all that great for content review. Book 2 is like 3x as hard as book one though.

This thread is from January.

😕

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

whoooppss 😀

I'd also like to add that I find TPRH SWB Bio passages a bit harder than TBR Bio passages.

 

[Columbia09]

I think for what I'm seeing is that the bio section is getting more and more like VR.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

^ As in how? Answering the authors point or main idea? Or as in extracting info from the passage/

 

[Columbia09]

^ As in how? Answering the authors point or main idea? Or as in extracting info from the passage/

As in background info is deceasing with each test. You probably can answer most of the passage based question if you understand the experiment and read the charts properly.

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

Aww, well now it's either I do really well if I understand it or I totally eff up and misinterpret everything and bomb it lol

 

[catzzz88]

A background in research helps significantly. If you don't have research experience, pull out some PubMed papers. Some people have said this is a waste of time, but a thorough understanding of controls, common experimental procedures, and graphical displays of results is unattainable through any MCAT study prep book.

You don't need to spend 5 hours on a single paper, but I would say find relevant topics, read the intro and abstract, and turn to figure 2 and see if you can interpret it. Try to come up with questions that might be asked.

After all, the MCAT passages are taken from real research ... As are the figures.

 

[inycepoo]

This thread is from January.

😕

And the OP is banned! Again! The bumping of banned OPs' threads continues...

 

[DocMC]

I know some of the TBR bio passages are difficult, but I just took Anatomy and Physiology and have realized that even though the passages are convoluted and difficult to understand, the questions can be answered with a strong biology background. This is what killed me on my first exam (I practiced bio passages that don't require any real critical reading/comprehension skills). On my real exam, I saw a difficult chart, was unable to interpret it, and most likely missed every question. I know TPRH Bio is good, but what else can I use? I find TBR Bio to be useless to be honest.

I agree 100% with OP. If you have a very strong bio background, ignore TBR. Get TPRH and definitely Kaplan section/topical tests.

 

[inycepoo]

I agree 100% with OP. If you have a very strong bio background, ignore TBR. Get TPRH and definitely Kaplan section/topical tests.

Lol thing is too many people will assume that their bio background is "strong" when it's really not. Then they'll make it to other passages and find out, but it'll be too late.

 

[DocMC]

Lol thing is too many people will assume that their bio background is "strong" when it's really not. Then they'll make it to other passages and find out, but it'll be too late.

Whatever that is their fault. Let me be more clear. If you have taken many advanced science courses I would ignore TBR. The passages test your ability to infer answers from the passage, which is good, but the problem is that the questions they ask are detail oriented which can be answered if you have a strong science background. They are rarely experimental and do not represent the MCAT at ALL. Good for learning, though...

 

[inycepoo]

Whatever that is their fault. Let me be more clear. If you have taken many advanced science courses I would ignore TBR. The passages test your ability to infer answers from the passage, which is good, but the problem is that the questions they ask are detail oriented which can be answered if you have a strong science background. They are rarely experimental and do not represent the MCAT at ALL. Good for learning, though...

What if you got Cs in upper levels