What are the BEST Berkeley review books?

[millee3]

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I've heard good things about berkeley review...so I plan on buying a few books. I plan on buying the verbal and 3 CBT's...

What is the subject that they provide the best info on? I've heard o-chem or gen chem...

 

[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

 

[ru4real1666]

Yup. SN2ed posted the standard.

Don't bother with BR verbal. It's a waste of time and money.

Everyone on these forums really STRONGLY believes in just buying BR books for orgo, gen chem, and physics. EK+101 passages and TPR for verbal.

BUT! the BR CBTs are great! so you should definitely buy those. Buy all 1-7 if possible.

 

[millee3]

Well I've already done the EK 101 passages book...and not sure how to get a hold of TPR verbal book...

 

[ru4real1666]

Look in the classifieds (for sale/wanted). Ebay. Amazon. Craigslist. You can find it fairly easily.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Look in the classifieds (for sale/wanted). Ebay. Amazon. Craigslist. You can find it fairly easily.

Great advice above! When it comes to the VR book, you are better off finding it used and saving some cash. With verbal, there's no content review like there is with the sciences, so getting it last minute is not a problem. Hold out for a good price, because it's not a hot item. You can proabably find it for $25.

When it comes to the physics and chemistry books though, they are expensive used (almost as much as new many times). I still don't understand why people pay $150 or more + shipping to get used books that are available brand new for $180 + shipping. If you're only going to save $10 to $20, why get books that are written on? Unless you are getting one of the beta versions of the new physics, it doesn't seem worth getting used ones for that much.

 

[LUCPM]

Great advice above! When it comes to the VR book, you are better off finding it used and saving some cash. With verbal, there's no content review like there is with the sciences, so getting it last minute is not a problem. Hold out for a good price, because it's not a hot item. You can proabably find it for $25.

When it comes to the physics and chemistry books though, they are expensive used (almost as much as new many times). I still don't understand why people pay $150 or more + shipping to get used books that are available brand new for $180 + shipping. If you're only going to save $10 to $20, why get books that are written on? Unless you are getting one of the beta versions of the new physics, it doesn't seem worth getting used ones for that much.

That is probably because it takes somewhat longer to order them. If ordering process is easier, there will be more TBR users and people won't buy used TBR books for almost new price. At any rate, I would strongly recommend TBR Gen chem and Physics regardless of your background.