Using old MCAT study materials for 2015

Med School Insiders
This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
CaffeineJunkie

CaffeineJunkie

Full Member
10+ Year Member
Joined
Oct 2, 2010
Messages
166
Reaction score
46
Members don't see this ad.
Hey all,

I'm currently studying for the old MCAT using the full TBR set and EK101 for Verbal. The goal is to take the MCAT in September or so. However (I hate to sound lazy), I've been a bit bogged down with full time research (9-5, for my honors thesis) and a couple unexpected distractions (currently recovering from a minor surgery) this summer and am worried I may not be able to make a test date before 2015.

If that's the case, would it be sufficient to just study for the 2015 MCAT off of the old TBR material, and just buy a couple extra books for Biochem and Behavioral Sci? It would save a ton of moolah.

Thanks!
 
I am curious to know as well- I'm thinking of buying the Kaplan set and the Princeton Review Set once they come out in the summer so I can use them for the new mcat. But I know there are a lot of good resources currently that I am too wondering if they can be used for the new mcat.
 
I'd like to know the same thing. Specifically, will it be possible to modify the Sn2Ed program for the new MCAT?
 
Radon XP said:
I'd like to know the same thing. Specifically, will it be possible to modify the Sn2Ed program for the new MCAT?
Click to expand...

I was thinking that we could just use old MCAT materials (maybe skip the topics that aren't on anymore) and just buy new books for Biochem and Behavioral Sciences. Would love some other opinions though
 
There's no separate section on biochem as it will be integrated in the other 2 sections. Why don't you guys just buy the books for new mcat? Last time I went to a bookstore I saw that Kaplan has released books on every section of the new mcat.
 
CaffeineJunkie said:
I was thinking that we could just use old MCAT materials (maybe skip the topics that aren't on anymore) and just buy new books for Biochem and Behavioral Sciences. Would love some other opinions though
Click to expand...

Seems pretty reasonable to me. It isn't as if the topics on the new MCAT are entirely unrelated to the old MCAT; it's alot of the same stuff. So using old materials and supplementing with stuff for biochem and behavioral/psych should work.

I bet the Verbal Reasoning section will be pretty similar, so at least that should be effective from Sn2Ed
 
allenlchs said:
There's no separate section on biochem as it will be integrated in the other 2 sections. Why don't you guys just buy the books for new mcat? Last time I went to a bookstore I saw that Kaplan has released books on every section of the new mcat.
Click to expand...

I was thinking about buying these new books, but I was wondering how reliable they actually are because the 2015 MCAT hasn't even started yet.
 
Sounds like a hit or miss strategy. It can help you in some ways and hurt you in others. Questions might have totally different logic bc of all the new junk on the mcat.
 
Looked through new TPR books yesterday. Same exact content on the 4 basic sciences. Use old books and a couple new ones for the biochem/social science portions. Everything else is fair game and literally nothing has changed almost since the new test.
 
allenlchs said:
There's no separate section on biochem as it will be integrated in the other 2 sections. Why don't you guys just buy the books for new mcat? Last time I went to a bookstore I saw that Kaplan has released books on every section of the new mcat.
Click to expand...
What bookstore? Amazon doesn't have them until July.
 
moop said:
Looked through new TPR books yesterday. Same exact content on the 4 basic sciences. Use old books and a couple new ones for the biochem/social science portions. Everything else is fair game and literally nothing has changed almost since the new test.
Click to expand...
Sounds good. I'm thinking they must have cut SOME stuff out of the 4 basic sciences, but we can skip sections based on AAMC's content outlines. Maybe tack on a couple weeks/new books to SN2ed and call it good.

Thanks everybody!
 
I brought this up with my pre-med advisor recently who suggested that old MCAT materials would only be so helpful for the new 2015 format, mainly the verbal components. Of course it's not like they're reinventing the wheel with biology chemistry etc... but she hinted that the new focus of the MCAT would be to put things in a biological context. I am personally nowhere near ready to take the test (maybe a year or two) so I haven't looked at any materials for comparison.
 
Pholaffle said:
I brought this up with my pre-med advisor recently who suggested that old MCAT materials would only be so helpful for the new 2015 format, mainly the verbal components. Of course it's not like they're reinventing the wheel with biology chemistry etc... but she hinted that the new focus of the MCAT would be to put things in a biological context. I am personally nowhere near ready to take the test (maybe a year or two) so I haven't looked at any materials for comparison.
Click to expand...
No evidence suggests that is true. "Premed/health" advisors usually aren't the most knowledgable about MCAT changes and updates. SDN is.
 
Do you think our only option for effective MCAT prep will be courses or will there be enough for self-study (for the new MCAT)?
 
I have PR Physics and Math review for 2015 and a TPRH from 2012 and they don't seem that different.
 
Radon XP said:
I'd like to know the same thing. Specifically, will it be possible to modify the Sn2Ed program for the new MCAT?
Click to expand...
The SN2ed program, while well-made (it's what I'm using), isn't magic. It's picking a source and systematically working through it, making sure to hit all review problems and AAMC FLs.

To make the 'new' SN2ed program, just wait until the 2015-applicable TBRs come out, go through them 1Ch at a time (rotating through), do ⅓ of the questions each time, do ⅓ of the questions after a giant reread day to review, supplement with EK101, and do Verbal every day. That's it. Just look at the pattern in the schedule and shift it to the new book chapters.
 
Someone on another thread said they emailed that materials would nit be available until spring. I hooe TBR doesn't wait that long.
 
you can use the old materials. It will still have the verbal, ps and bs sections on the 2015 test. Just buy one more review book(i like EK myself) stand alone for the behavior/psychology section that they are adding to the test. New testing materials and basically new anything is overrated!
 
UlahSnackbar said:
you can use the old materials. It will still have the verbal, ps and bs sections on the 2015 test. Just buy one more review book(i like EK myself) stand alone for the behavior/psychology section that they are adding to the test. New testing materials and basically new anything is overrated!
Click to expand...
Except for sneakers :naughty:
 
The old materials won't have the depth for biochem and will have too much ochem, but I am going to use the old materials for bio and physics. It should save a few bucks anyway. Goro wrote a post about how the questions are written a bit differently, emphasizing more critical thinking. I have purchased the test bank questions but I am waiting to do them until December or January when I start serious reviewing.
 
Flashfan said:
The old materials won't have the depth for biochem and will have too much ochem, but I am going to use the old materials for bio and physics. It should save a few bucks anyway. Goro wrote a post about how the questions are written a bit differently, emphasizing more critical thinking. I have purchased the test bank questions but I am waiting to do them until December or January when I start serious reviewing.
Click to expand...
So do you think using the old AAMC tests will be damaging?

There will only be 2 new MCAT practice exams out by next year, and so they'll be precious. I'd like to think that using the old MCAT full length tests will yield some benefit.
 
I recently read a book by Kaplan on changes to MCAT in 2015 and they did state that both physics and chemistry will be tested in the context of biology.
 
I am going to buy the old MCAT tests just to have more questions. I am concerned about studying O-Chem more than I need or focusing too much on a physics problem. It is really hard to tell right now. I will buy the old verbal stuff though for any tips. I am hoping that more Q-banks will open up, but I will be taking one of the first tests since my state school is requiring the new test. I really hope that more materials come out soon.
 
Do you guys think basic 1000-level "intro to psych" and "intro to sociology" will suffice for the MCAT, or will we need advanced courses?
 
I have read from multiple advising websites of different universities (no one can really tell from experience anyway) and they all seem to agree that Introductory courses to those classes will be sufficient. Kaplan recommends to take the broadest courses possible (e.g.Gen Psych over Abnormal Psych)
 
Do you guys think it will be possible to self-study the biochemistry on the new MCAT?
 
Radon XP said:
Do you guys think it will be possible to self-study the biochemistry on the new MCAT?
Click to expand...

I think so. Biochem I feel, can be learned on your own. It'll require more time and effort but it can be done. I just took biochem this past semester and I feel that everything I learned I could have done on my own if I had to
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Secondaries waiting for MCAT
Replies
4
Views
434
chilly_md
chilly_md
S
  • Question Question
3 Year Old Drug Misdemeanor
Replies
8
Views
579
-smacked-
S
C
Clinical Experiences Too Old?
Replies
2
Views
361
Dr.Freedman MedEdits
Dr.Freedman MedEdits
I
Using Old LORs?
Replies
7
Views
1K
Just D.O. it
Just D.O. it
S
Using the same 3 MME experiences for my personal statement?
Replies
4
Views
665
LindaAccepted
LindaAccepted
Top