Using Old TBR books to study - what topics and/or chapters should I skip, if any?

[sadgeboi]

I figured that it wouldn't hurt to use the old TBR books (2012 and 2013 versions) since I already own them - but are there any topics that I can skip?

I've looked through similar posts such as this one: Trying to make a complete list of items that have been removed from previous MCAT

But they're not accurate since some listed topics such as projectile motion, are still tested.

I'm wondering if there's an updated list of topics I can skip with TBR - or for those that used the older editions of TBR, which topics did you skip?

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[sadgeboi]

You're gonna have to go through the AAMC guideline as you go through the books if you are going to do this, unfortunately.

Ah, I feared as much. But that's not too bad either, thanks!

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

I figured that it wouldn't hurt to use the old TBR books (2012 and 2013 versions) since I already own them - but are there any topics that I can skip?

I've looked through similar posts such as this one: Trying to make a complete list of items that have been removed from previous MCAT

But they're not accurate since some listed topics such as projectile motion, are still tested.

I'm wondering if there's an updated list of topics I can skip with TBR - or for those that used the older editions of TBR, which topics did you skip?

I think you might be looking at this from the wrong side. The question isn't what you will cover that is no longer tested, but rather, what have they added that you won't be getting. I had the option to use my big sib's older books but IMHO didn't want to risk missing out on critical updates. I wanted shiny new books given how much was riding on this test for me. My GPA is blahhhhh, so I didn't want to leave any stone unturned.

I paid $300 with shipping and have been offered as much as $250 for them (I won't sell them until I'm accepted and know for sure I won't need them again,) so even if I only sell them for $200 my net cost will be $100. Well worth it. If money is tight, pick current ones up used.

 

[PlsLetMeIn21]

The an

The real answer is that very little was added in terms of content, mostly just additional passages, which are very different from the AAMC style. The passages certainly would be helpful in content review, but a book or set of the new TBR editions, however, is not worth anywhere near $300 should you have your hands on an older version. Google and cross reference the list of topics to see almost nothing has been added in terms of new testable content. I think it is silly to assume any one source would be comprehensive, anyway, so to feel that you are missing out on bonuz secret content not having forked over an extra few hundred is misguided. Tl;dr there aren’t any critical updates, especially for the B/B section. For P/S and CARS, seek a different source IMO. For C/P, many topics have been removed. Changes here include making sure chemistry and physics passages are more “related to biology”, but it isn’t like there are new equations to learn or anything.

I agree completely on CARS and P/S, which is why I used a different resource. For CARS I didn't find anything to be that great, but for P/S the TPR book is great when coupled with the 300-page notes. As for how much science content in TBR's books changed, I never compared old and new side by side, but there are more chapters in the newer books, which I took to mean content had been added. I read at Reddit and here at SDN that the amount of biochemistry in their books was increased dramatically. Having used the newest books without having taken biochemistry before my MCAT, all I can say is that they saved my butt and were a better resource for my MCAT than anything else. But content review is not what matters anyway, it's the passages and I loved having literally thousands of questions to learn from.

As for AAMC style differences, this is where we disagree. The wording in their questions compared to AAMC questions may not seem that close, but the style of questions, the way they make you to connect different topics, and most of all types of weird answer choices are exactly what I needed to master for the chemistry and physics sections. There were definitely things I covered in their books that made my actual test a breeze in areas where I know others struggled. The things posters at Reddit complained about on my exam were honestly some of the easiest passages and questions. For me and my exam, they were by far the best resource I used for those sections. You can say I was foolish to spend the money for new books, but I can tell you it worked and was worth it. If I could have found the most current books for cheaper, I might have done that if they were clean. But I don't see the point in using any materials from before 2015. Why chance it?

 

[bluelupie]

I have gone over TBR books, which I have found to be incredibly valuable. However, when i started using Uworld I noticed that my studying became more active. It would be good to hear from someone who has combined the 2 and garnered good results. Any success stories out there using TBR + Uworld?

 

[skeptastic]

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