Using MCAT books to study for OAT

[chb64]

Hi everyone,

I'm writing both the MCAT and OAT this year, and since I have tons of MCAT books to use (EK and Princeton Review), I have been using these to study for the OAT as well. I've looked at the OAT Examinee Guide to ensure that I make up for what I'm missing by using MCAT books to study, and it seems like the only thing that is lacking is Embryology, and the plant/taxonomic stuff. I was going to buy Kaplan's 4th/5th Edition content review book to go over the biology stuff (and to see how much detail is needed for the other sections) but maybe I should just crack open my intro bio text and self-study the embryology/diversity of life topics from there? I'm just worried I will understudy or miss some details I need to know for OAT.

If anyone who's used MCAT books (Exam Krackers in particular, also using their 1001 series practice books) to study for the OAT and done well on OAT, please let me know if you feel like it was a good prep! Or should I just fork over the money and buy the Kaplan OAT book? (I already have the practice book).

Thank you all! 🙂

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[sbopt87]

I used the examcrackers and found it to be great just bc it isn't too much information and they have questions after each section. But yes the Kaplan big oat book does include the plant/tax stuff and there is a reason. They asked probably 10 questions on all of that both times I took the oat. I had over looked it the first time b/c they seem like silly things to question on the oat and the Kaplan practice tests really didn't have any questions on this subject.

Yes there was a couple of embryology questions as well on the real test.

I don't think bringing out the old books would help bc it is just too much information. I think everything the Kaplan provides for the bio section is perfect. I just wish the had more questions actually over plant/tax and embryo.

If anything I wouldn't buy Kaplan and just buy the oat destroyer, I never used it, but I hear it is great. The Kaplan really lacks on the quantitative reasoning section and a bit in physics. And the mcat tests the physics very differently then the oat and the mcat does not have a qr section. (I was thinking of going to med school but when I was planning to take the mcat they still had a writing section, I don't know what they do now)

 

[chb64]

Thanks so much for your reply - I think I'll get both the OAT destroyers and Kaplan's book.