The new MCAT gold standard vs. Princeton review vs. Kaplan vs. Examkrackers

[Tennis Guy]

I have recently been researching, which MCAT prep materials/books I should start using. However, after reading others opinions and reviews, I still have not come to a decision on which book to purchase. I'm sure that this question has been asked before, but I still need to get some more insight on what you all believe is the best prep material. I have even searched through old threads and have not reached a decision still. I was looking at getting the new MCAT gold standard book, the Examkrackers or the new Princeton Review book. However, it seems like the Examkrackers is getting pretty outdated because it was published in March 2007. The new MCAT gold standard book was published March 1 of this year, which is tempting to buy, but what are your experiences with this test prep material? I understand that even though it is newer doesn't mean that it is necessarily better. How good is the Kaplan premier program and other prep materials by Kaplan? Also, the new Princeton Review book came out April 27 of this year and I am sure that it is pretty good as well but what do you guys think about it?

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[SN2ed]

Biology: 1. EK Bio (for content) + BR Bio (for passages and further topic depth if needed) 2. TPR Hyperlearning, detail oriented 3. Kaplan

Physics: 1. BR 2. Nova 3. TPR Hyperlearning 4. EK/Kaplan

Verbal: 1. EK Verbal + EK 101 Verbal 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. BR 4. Kaplan (Avoid if possible)

Organic Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

General Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

Extra Practice Material: 1. TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook + TPR Hyperlearing Science Workbook, good source of practice passages 1. AAMC Official Guide to the MCAT Exam (most representative material available) 2. EK 1001 series, helps nail down basics

 

[Tennis Guy]

What does BR stand for?

 

[Rolling]

SN2ed I see that you are a huge supporter of BR. What is your experience/background with Kaplan? They have severely improved in the past few years. The classes suck, I won't disagree on that. However, their new books look promising, and as always they have an extensive amount of practice problems, severely outdoing pretty much any competitor.

Perhaps BR is great if you didn't get a great background in orgo in college, but I think Kaplan is great if you are trying to refresh.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

not to be rude, but there is a search function. this question gets asked like every three days. In short, EK series are stripped down with the basics you need to know. Get EK bio, it is by far the best for bio, all the responses on SDN say this. Know this book cold. Personally, you learn the best from passages, If you have time and the cash I highly suggest purchasing Berkeley Review Gen Chem and Ochem. There physics is great too. You will thank me later. You'll probably want EK biology review and EK 101 biology passages and EK verbal 101. PR is good, however, if you want to kill the MCAT you have to be able to integrate material. That's what BR does better than anyone else. Like, be able to answer questions if you see the circulatory system wired in parallel or series.

bio - 1. EK bio and 101 bio passages 2. Kaplan 3. PR/BR however, these don't suck, they're just detailed which turns off many people.

Physics 1. BR/Nova 2. PR 3. Kaplan I really think BR but they're are people who swear by nova on this site

Verbal 1. Ek verbal and 101 passages 2. PR 3. BR 4. Kaplan (read stay from)

Gen Chem 1. BR by far 2. PR 3. Kaplan/EK

O Chem 1. BR by far 2. toss up between Kaplan/PR/Ek

That is a general list of what i have read on SDN for the past 4 years, i came here and lurked throughout highschool. Good luck and hopefully this will help. EK is for people who KNOW the material and want review. If you are weak in something BR is the best since it's the most detailed and PR is detailed too, Kaplan is in the Middle, and EK is the least detailed but that doesn't mean it's bad. Just depends on the person. If you can I would buy the BR Chemistry books and Physics book. If you complete the PR science workbook along with BR science passages and EK bio, you will kill the sciences. Ek Verbal should help you out with verbal.

Biology: 1. EK Bio + EK 1001 Bio, non-detail oriented 1. BR/TPR Hyperlearning, detail oriented 3. Kaplan

Physics: 1. BR 2. Nova 3. TPR Hyperlearning 4. Kaplan

Verbal: 1. EK Verbal + EK 101 Verbal 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. BR 4. Kaplan (Avoid if possible)

Organic Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

General Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

I unfortunately have bought almost everything, except Kaplan (although I have the premier book).

My 2 cents.

TBR is the best in PS. They have in depth review and it is conceptually strong. I DON'T like EK much at all, but I will use all of their practice questions (I have all 1001 and the whole set of content books).

TBR is no good for verbal.

After spending a fortune, here is what I use:

TPR Bio
TBR - Physics/Chem/Orgo

TPR/Kaplan - single books with quick topics. These are great to read real quick almost like summaries. The sections are around 100 pages and could be finished in 1 day easily. So you could read all BS in one day. Great review.

1001 - practice makes perfect
TPR science review - same
FL - get as many as you can

TBR is great. Lots of Qs in every content book which is why they are great.

Here's the "least" material version I can give:

Bio - EK (PR, Kaplan, or BR for more detailed)

Ochem - BR

Physics - BR (NOVA for explanations)

Gchem - BR

Verbal - EK verbal 101, AAMCs, (PR or BR for extra practice)

Practice tests - AAMCs, Kaplan FL (1-6, 9), BR CBTs


Here's my "new" recommendation for those needing a review plus extras if you need it. I tried to get it down to a book for each subject.

Get a good base but don’t forget to practice. I suggest getting in 10-15 practice tests. Study why you get questions right and wrong and start to learn the MCAT style.

Both content and practice are equally important. Start 2-3 months out too so burnout will not happen. Maybe 20-30hrs/wk...depending on what you need.

BR for Gchem, Physics, and Ochem. EK and EK 1001 for Bio. EK 101 for verbal.

Practice passages definitely help to develop your test-taking skills like the ability to think under stress, time management, not being freaked out by weird questions, and wise guessing. Background knowledge is only part of getting a good score. I highly recommend BR- their passages really helped me. BR science questions are probably a good estimate of what the actual mcat will have (maybe BR is a little harder) and EK 101 verbal passages are about the same difficulty (maybe EK is a little harder) but the actual MCAT will have longer verbal passages (EACH passage 1-2 paragraphs longer).

Dude BR is the best, hands down. They are legit and will probably help you improve the most. I can tell you from experience that Kaplan sucks and EK is good if you just need a slight refresher because you are "the 3.9 GPA kid who sets the curve in all of your classes" and doesn't need that much practice aside from a few AAMC tests. I'm a beast in Orgo and I still bought BR Orgo and I can tell you it just helps soldify everything, and their practice is amazing. It takes a while to get the books but they'll be worth every penny in comparison to the others. Also, use EK only if you are short on time, but their Bio and VR are the best, bar none. BR is good for practice in Bio though.👍

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[lemoretired]

I think you're being a little hard on Kaplan there. I took the course and yes, the classes are a bit useless. But the books aren't too different from the other guys, they're shorter, less detailed, and probably more oriented toward people who need a refresher. I admit there are a few mistakes in those science books, but they have an errata.

I don't think the VR on their online syllabus is that bad, at least not so much as to warrant an "avoid".
ok...the questions do feel a little different, but so does TPR, EK and BR to some extent. I thought Kaplan's passages are much closer to the AAMC style than EK101. AND Kaplan's computer interface mimics the actual MCAT almost perfectly. I raised my score from 5-7 on VR to an 11 on the real thing using EK101 and Kaplan.

Biology: 1. EK Bio (for content) + BR Bio (for passages and further topic depth if needed) 2. TPR Hyperlearning, detail oriented 3. Kaplan

Physics: 1. BR 2. Nova 3. TPR Hyperlearning 4. EK/Kaplan

Verbal: 1. EK Verbal + EK 101 Verbal 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. BR 4. Kaplan (Avoid if possible)

Organic Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

General Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

Extra Practice Material: 1. TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook + TPR Hyperlearing Science Workbook, good source of practice passages 1. AAMC Official Guide to the MCAT Exam (most representative material available) 2. EK 1001 series, helps nail down basics

 

[Tennis Guy]

Ok, so I understand that BR stands for Berkeley Review. I see that you can only buy these books from their website only... but is there any way to buy these books cheaper? I'm guessing that Ebay would be my best bet to get them at a lower price? Also, I'm guessing that none of you are familiar with the new gold standard MCAT prep book? I see that Princeton Review Hyperlearning was recommended, but will the new Cracking the MCAT 2010-2011 edition suffice as well or should I just stick with TPR Hyperlearning?

 

[UofT9919]

Ok, so I understand that BR stands for Berkeley Review. I see that you can only buy these books from their website only... but is there any way to buy these books cheaper? I'm guessing that Ebay would be my best bet to get them at a lower price? Also, I'm guessing that none of you are familiar with the new gold standard MCAT prep book? I see that Princeton Review Hyperlearning was recommended, but will the new Cracking the MCAT 2010-2011 edition suffice as well or should I just stick with TPR Hyperlearning?

I think if you do what I did and get TPR books, Br books for Ochem, chem and physics, EK101, 1001, complete study guide, AAMC practise tests. You have more than enough. PS torrents FTW

 

[mcat prep]

Regarding The Gold Standard MCAT textbook and videos: of course, everyone has a right to an opinion, so I thought I would present some here . . .

First, a few weeks ago we were happy to learn that the new Gold Standard MCAT textbook is one of 3 finalists chosen for the 2010 Benjamin Franklin Award: Most Improved Redesign (ceremony to be held on May 24th at the Roosevelt in NYC). The info below is about the book before the new expanded hardcover edition.

"I relied almost exclusively on my 1st and 2nd year knowledge and textbooks, and "The Gold Standard MCAT Text" by Dr. Brett Ferdinand. In my opinion, The Gold Standard is a must-have, with comprehensive review notes on all the MCAT topics including sample tests and answers. In addition, the sample questions tended to be of a slightly higher calibre than the actual MCAT, which means you study to a higher level than is really necessary. I believe this to be ideal, as you are less likely to encounter a "just where the heck did that come from?" curveball-type question."
- Ian Wong MD, creator of premed101.com

SDN (from 4 editions ago): "The Gold Standard MCAT, by Dr. Brett Ferdinand, covers all science sections in detail"
http://www.studentdoctor.net/2006/12/mcat-study-guides-feature-all-you-need-to-know-and-then-some/

Just to be clear: the GS is not attempting to teach first year sciences at university/college level. Rather, it is attempting to teach all you need to know for the MCAT (though this is based on 1st year material, it certainly does not go anywhere as far as typical programs would). With the Silver Bullet MCAT and some online programs, we were able to correlate all AAMC science questions (every one from tests 3R to 10) to a specific chapter and section in the new GS book where discrete knowledge or background information was important. In fact, the SB puts those details in writing for AAMC tests 3 and 4 and the rest is available online. I don't know any other way to prove that if it's on the MCAT, the likelihood is extremely strong that it's in the new book.


There are 2 authorized sellers of Gold Standard MCAT products on eBay (ie essentially, they only sell GS products). The bigger seller of the 2 has 100% positive feedback with over 2000 reviews. If you know eBay, you'll know how difficult that is. You likely also know how tough and critical science students can get especially when they know they can leave any comment and there is no consequence (ie. now students who leave feedback can't get "retaliation" feedback from sellers). It's true, some students just say "great shipping" or "looks pretty" or whatever. But there are hundreds of comments about how useful and helpful the materials were.

If you are interested in more:
www.mcat-prep.com/testimonials/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU2YShHngmE


Now about the videos . . .

The fact that you only watched 1 of the 4 MCAT Organic Chemistry DVDs and you found the material easy despite not having an organic background is exactly the point and purpose of the videos. There are only a few reviews of the DVDs on Amazon.com but 2 students used their real names and between the 3 students they have done more than 25 reviews including positive reviews of competing companies:
http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Standard...ef=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1269207832&sr=8-8

And again, some eBay comments:

WOW!!! These videos make it very easy to understand!!! Much Better than Kaplan (Buyer michiganwilliams) - the DVDs are excellent. Teaching is clear and concise. Thanks. (Buyer btbeall) - The course is the real deal. No hype about it. I am VERY satisfied with it! (Buyer voltairesmoma) - Fast shipping, Great Study Tool, Highly Recommended!! Thanks (Buyer kenai_pie) - Great Items, Brand New, Highly recommend, Great videos, A+++++ (Buyer bamain)

Short video clip: Eukaryotic Cell
A physics problem: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtTP9_VKnyY

The DVDs, the textbook, flashcards and even the 10 online GS tests - which have generally gotten good reviews on SDN - are not necessarily for everyone. In the end, each person is trying to choose what works best for them. My only point is that many students have found that either some part of or all of the GS products helped them get into medical school. Win or lose on May 24th, the next day we'll be trying to make some other part of our program better.

 

[Stingarov]

SN2ed I see that you are a huge supporter of BR. What is your experience/background with Kaplan? They have severely improved in the past few years. The classes suck, I won't disagree on that. However, their new books look promising, and as always they have an extensive amount of practice problems, severely outdoing pretty much any competitor.

Perhaps BR is great if you didn't get a great background in orgo in college, but I think Kaplan is great if you are trying to refresh.

I have the 2004 Kaplan book and the 2009 Kaplan book. Only differences are in the beginning, as it discusses the test as being a full length paper exam w/ 77 question sections rather than modern 52. Same typos, same everything else in the rest of the content. Moreover, one of the Orange Quizzes on their 2009 online Premier program has material that's straight from their 2004 CD Rom. If they've improved, then you would think they'd change things up once every half decade.
*Includes same errors such as which cells are responsible for producing intrinsic factor even.