Textbook/Prep study book for four years

[streetlight]

Are there any textbooks or MCAT prep books that would help me get a head start on MCAT studying? I'm a senior in HS and would like to buy some books that will serve me well over the next few years. Any suggestions?

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[nishi]

In my opinion you don't need to start buying any books for the MCAT yet. Three years from now (when you will probably take the MCAT) is a long time and topic emphasis can change.

My advice: Plan your undergraduate schedule so that by the spring semester of your junior year you have already finished the major topics. These are
1 year of inorganic chemistry
1 year of organic chemistry
1 year of physics
1 semester of cellular and molecular biology
1 semster genetics
1 semster of physiology

(the last two are the only flexible ones, and by that i mean you can take these during the semester you will take the MCAT)

The BEST way to prepare in advance is to learn the material the first time around that way when the MCAT is close all you will have to do is review and not relearn the inorganic chem you never took the time to study during your freshman year.

My last piece of advice is to develop strong reading skills by reading magazines and newspapers.

 

[gujuDoc]

In my opinion you don't need to start buying any books for the MCAT yet. Three years from now (when you will probably take the MCAT) is a long time and topic emphasis can change.

My advice: Plan your undergraduate schedule so that by the spring semester of your junior year you have already finished the major topics. These are
1 year of inorganic chemistry
1 year of organic chemistry
1 year of physics
1 semester of cellular and molecular biology
1 semster genetics
1 semster of physiology

(the last two are the only flexible ones, and by that i mean you can take these during the semester you will take the MCAT)

The BEST way to prepare in advance is to learn the material the first time around that way when the MCAT is close all you will have to do is review and not relearn the inorganic chem you never took the time to study during your freshman year.

My last piece of advice is to develop strong reading skills by reading magazines and newspapers.

I would like to add, don't read any old books and magazines, but magazines like the economics, and dense books on philosophy and the arts and mythology. Maybe even take a philosophy course.

Also, like Nishi said learn it the first time around. And as you take your courses, don't just study what they tell you to, by straight memorization, but link different concepts from one chapter to those of the next chapter and look at the conceptual ideas instead of just formulas when you study things from the Physcis and genchm.

And when you study say Anatomy, look at how its positioning will have a relationship with why its function is what it is.

Also I recommend you take Calculus, and then take Physics and genchm.

Then take bio and organic.

And then physiology and genetics and Anatomy if possible.

 

[streetlight]

In HS, I've taken and gotten 5s on AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics C Mech and E&M, Statistics, Calc BC, and am taking multivar calc.... even if I can place out of the freshman level classes, should I take them anyways to strengthen my MCAT knowledge?

 

[ASDIC]

Place out of them. Taking them again will not affect your mcat scores. However try to save your textbook/notes so you may refer to them as needed when you take the mcat.

 

[nishi]

In HS, I've taken and gotten 5s on AP Biology, Chemistry, Physics C Mech and E&M, Statistics, Calc BC, and am taking multivar calc.... even if I can place out of the freshman level classes, should I take them anyways to strengthen my MCAT knowledge?

wow that's awesome. please don't retake them in college. if you scored that well you obviously know the material so there is nothing new for you to learn in college (for example if you used the campbell bio book in high school you will most likely be reading that same excat book in college). use your time to take upper level bio courses (which will help for MCAT), do research, and study abroad one year and take humanity courses. you will be an extremely well rounded app when you apply.

 

[roady]

The only thing I would be concerned about is whether medical schools will accept all those AP credits. Many med schools don't let you AP out of most of the core prereq classes. However, if you get in a BA/MD joint program then they will accept many of those things.

However, that is something to check with the schools you are interested in.