What's everyone using for NEW MCAT Content/Practice?

[swollcat]

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It seems like the big 3 available on the market right now for the 2015 MCAT are: The Princeton Review, Exam Krackers, and Kaplan.

While I'm aware that there's no way of knowing which is most effective, I was just wondering what you guys were planning on using/any recommendations?

Right now I'm leaning towards TPR because I've heard nothing but bad things about OLD MCAT Kaplan. Exam Krackers looks promising but I'm afraid that its just too weak on detail. EK for MCAT 2014 Bio IMO was nowhere near enough detail to carry you past the 11+ mark without supplementing with other sources.

Also, its a little funny to me that the TPR set is so cheap compared to EK. I wonder if most of it is recycled material, whereas EK completed revamped their material to warrant a near $300 price tag

 

[aspiringdocO]

I'm using TBR supplemented with Khan academy videos for the hard sciences, EK Reasoning skills for CARS & TPR for psych/socio.

 

[mcatjelly]

TPR rushed to get their materials out on the market before anyone else, which I think was to their detriment as they had to release a pdf with corrections.

I'm using new Kaplan supplemented with old (2012/2013) TBR and new EK. I personally don't recommend EK for the new sections (biochem/biology and psych/socio), but the rest of their stuff is good, provided you're entering with a strong background in science. What I've done is create an Excel sheet pairing up each Kaplan section with relevant TBR/EK chapters and Khan videos, so that I can quickly jump from Kaplan to my other resources when studying. It's especially useful for when I want to use TBR passages for Kaplan chapters, because Kaplan's end of chapter questions are not that great.

 

[swollcat]

TPR rushed to get their materials out on the market before anyone else, which I think was to their detriment as they had to release a pdf with corrections.

I'm using new Kaplan supplemented with old (2012/2013) TBR and new EK. I personally don't recommend EK for the new sections (biochem/biology and psych/socio), but the rest of their stuff is good, provided you're entering with a strong background in science. What I've done is create an Excel sheet pairing up each Kaplan section with relevant TBR/EK chapters and Khan videos, so that I can quickly jump from Kaplan to my other resources when studying. It's especially useful for when I want to use TBR passages for Kaplan chapters, because Kaplan's end of chapter questions are not that great.

@mcatjelly can you please link me to the pdf of revisions? I tried looking it up myself to no avail. I want to buy my set asap. Thank you

 

[mcatjelly]

@swollcat, I can't because I don't use TPR. :/ But pretty sure it's something you only have access to once you've purchased the books.

 

[swollcat]

@swollcat, I can't because I don't use TPR. :/ But pretty sure it's something you only have access to once you've purchased the books.

oh I see. I thought it was something they broadcasted to everyone. Do you have any idea how extensive the revisions are? I'm going to go with EK's set if the TPR books are really that unorganized.

This test is already hard as it is, I don't want to do extra work but checking to see if what I'm reading is even applicable.

 

[mcatjelly]

I have no idea, sorry.

 

[Abraxas305]

I'm using TBR supplemented with Khan academy videos for the hard sciences, EK Reasoning skills for CARS & TPR for psych/socio.

This pretty much. How is the EK book btw? I was planning on picking it up.

 

[aspiringdocO]

@Abraxas305 LOVE IT! It's really helping me fine-tune my weaknesses.

 

[hangingthere]

i would say kaplan along with khan academy would cover pretty much everything. also aamc have some question packs that you would want to take a look at.

 

[Saf1]

I'm planning on using TBR books, replacing maybe Bio and Orgo with TPR. I'll see which one I prefer when I get to it.

For the new Biochem/Psych/Socio section I'm leaning towards these two
www.randomhouse.com/princetonreview/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780804125048
http://www.randomhouse.com/princetonreview/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780804124737

With no reason other than TPR is a well trusted company and TBR isn't planning on shipping out their materials for those sections until late May, at best.

Edit: It looks like TBR Bio may have the biochem necessary so I'll stick with that book.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/2015-mcat-materials.1117121/#post-16112564

 

[litotes]

I'm gonna wait til the new TBR set comes out and just buy that whole thing and use that, I think.

 

[slow twitch]

I'm only reviewing using khan academy videos, making sure I cover everything tested on the MCAT. Later I'm going to buy all of the question packs and available practice tests. If there's something I'm weak on and khan academy isn't helping, I'll brush up using old BR and EK books. I just don't think buying new books is worth it.

 

[Timorito]

I have thew new KAPLAN 2015... are u guys goint to do old passages? What passages are out there for the new sections.. this is a headache....

 

[frodo25]

How are TPR books?

 

[Graham5]

Anyone buying the EK Verbal 101 passages to practice for the CARS section? you think it will still be helpful? i just purchased mine today

 

[aspiringdocO]

I'm only reviewing using khan academy videos, making sure I cover everything tested on the MCAT. Later I'm going to buy all of the question packs and available practice tests. If there's something I'm weak on and khan academy isn't helping, I'll brush up using old BR and EK books. I just don't think buying new books is worth it.

Just an FYI, Khan Academy doesn't cover much of the Molecular Bio techniques (list has expanded from the old MCAT) and I believe some of the psych/socio stuff isn't on there. So if I were you, I would use the new content outline as a close guideline to make sure you are covering all your bases. Good luck! 🙂

 

[aspiringdocO]

@Graham5 I'm definitely using EK 101 passages along with TPRH verbal workbook.

 

[Ulgarmoose]

Old: BR materials, EK materials,

new :TPR bio/biochem and psych/soc, khan academy, aamc question pack


Skipping material removed from physics/ochem


Hitting overlapping content hard. E.g., being biological basis of psych in nervous system


Suggestions for self teaching biochem?

 

[aspiringdocO]

@Ulgarmoose TBR Bio should give you a good foundation on some biochem and then you can supplement with KA videos and other youtube videos. I've also heard a lot of people using the new Kaplan biochem as a guide also.

 

[litotes]

Suggestions for self teaching biochem?

Just buy an intro biochem textbook and use the official MCAT content outline to pick what chapters to read

 

[swollcat]

what's everyone using for the new CARS section?

After going through every verbal resource available for the old exam, the only book that was even remotely close to being helpful was TPR Hyperlearning. Now that I've exhausted it, I need something new.

Any recommendations?

 

[Graham5]

I have EK verbal 101passages and I bought the aamc question packages CARS section. It's on the aamc website and if you buy both, costs 30 bucks, comes with about 35 passages

 

[Graham5]

@swollcat I'm also reading the economist magazine

 

[swollcat]

I have EK verbal 101passages and I bought the aamc question packages CARS section. It's on the aamc website and if you buy both, costs 30 bucks, comes with about 35 passages

ek 101 is a great idea if you already exhausted tpr hyperlearning verbal. if you haven't, you must, i mean you absolutely must use it first or at the very least mix it in

 

[Graham5]

ek 101 is a great idea if you already exhausted tpr hyperlearning verbal. if you haven't, you must, i mean you absolutely must use it first or at the very least mix it in

Does the TPR have a lot of passages? I don't know much about it. But that's what I'm looking for

 

[Gauss44]

It seems like the big 3 available on the market right now for the 2015 MCAT are: The Princeton Review, Exam Krackers, and Kaplan.

While I'm aware that there's no way of knowing which is most effective, I was just wondering what you guys were planning on using/any recommendations?

Right now I'm leaning towards TPR because I've heard nothing but bad things about OLD MCAT Kaplan. Exam Krackers looks promising but I'm afraid that its just too weak on detail. EK for MCAT 2014 Bio IMO was nowhere near enough detail to carry you past the 11+ mark without supplementing with other sources.

Also, its a little funny to me that the TPR set is so cheap compared to EK. I wonder if most of it is recycled material, whereas EK completed revamped their material to warrant a near $300 price tag

TPR - If you go with TPR, be careful not to get bogged down with low yield topics. Good things about TPR, in the past I found their VR and full lengths to be second only to AAMC.

EK - If you go with EK, be sure to attempt to "master" all of the material in the book*, do NOT just read it and do the questions. Instead, go back and make sure you actually understand everything presented. Yes, that will probably mean supplementing with other material, such as free online videos and material on the internet.

*I'm referring to the Complete MCAT Study Package or lecture books, NOT the 1001 question books which I consider to be overkill.

 

[swollcat]

Does the TPR have a lot of passages? I don't know much about it. But that's what I'm looking for

its all passages

 

[swollcat]

TPR - If you go with TPR, be careful not to get bogged down with low yield topics. Good things about TPR, in the past I found their VR and full lengths to be second only to AAMC.

EK - If you go with EK, be sure to attempt to "master" all of the material in the book*, do NOT just read it and do the questions. Instead, go back and make sure you actually understand everything presented. Yes, that will probably mean supplementing with other material, such as free online videos and material on the internet.

*I'm referring to the Complete MCAT Study Package or lecture books, NOT the 1001 question books which I consider to be overkill.

I used EK Bio for the old MCAT since so many people swore by it and found it to be horrible. it does work if you know you're stuff as in fresh off of bio 1 and bio 2 and just need a reminder, but if you took those classes as a freshman like me then there is just too much detail missing.

So i understand what you mean by "mastering"

for psychology/sociology would you rather go with EK or TPR? Thanks for the feedback btw @Gauss44

 

[Gauss44]

I used EK Bio for the old MCAT since so many people swore by it and found it to be horrible. it does work if you know you're stuff as in fresh off of bio 1 and bio 2 and just need a reminder, but if you took those classes as a freshman like me then there is just too much detail missing.

So i understand what you mean by "mastering"

for psychology/sociology would you rather go with EK or TPR? Thanks for the feedback btw @Gauss44

TPR offers much detail. EK is the most concise. Some subjects in EK may be so concise that you will have to supplement. I am not allowed to "recommend" so I hope you've found this information to be helpful. You seem to have done your research well because I agree with a lot of what you've said.

Edit: In my experience, EK does mention everything you need to know. Sometimes they don't go into enough depth, and that's when you have to do some online research or go to another book (for that topic). On the one hand, you don't have to read long explanations for stuff you already know; on the other hand, you have to find additional resources for your weaker subjects.

 

[aspiringdocO]

PSA for self-studiers looking for more practice exams: TPR has a 2015 Test package where you get 8 FL for $299. I just got off the phone with a phone rep and she said these exams are DIFFERENT from the 3 FL you would get if you purchased any of their content books. So you can basically have 12 FL (TPR's 11 FL + AAMC FL) to practice with it!

 

[silica61]

PSA for self-studiers looking for more practice exams: TPR has a 2015 Test package where you get 8 FL for $299. I just got off the phone with a phone rep and she said these exams are DIFFERENT from the 3 FL you would get if you purchased any of their content books. So you can basically have 12 FL (TPR's 11 FL + AAMC FL) to practice with it!

Is it? B/C I checked that out before and it said they'd give "5 tests from their award winning random house books" and then 3 extra tests. Did they change it then?

 

[aspiringdocO]

I wasn't aware of that. I triple asked the same lady and she says the the exams are different. I guess I can call a couple of more times to talk to different phone reps to verify. It would be a waste in my opinion to pay $299 for 5 exams. I already bought the TPR psych/socio book so I have their 3 FL. I am now just looking for practice tests. I guess I will wait to purchase until I finish content review and see what TBR & GS comes out with. I will keep y'all updated as I find out stuff!

 

[silica61]

k

 

[silica61]

l

 

[aspiringdocO]

Hmmmm....thanks for letting me know! I was putting off buying the tests until I start taking FL. I'm glad I didn't invest $299 for BS. So I already have 3 tests from the TPR psych/socio book. What books would I have to purchase to get the other 2 tests?

yeah found what i was worried about:

"All for just $299

* The tests in this package come with 3 course exclusive tests and 5 tests from our Review and Complete award-winning Random House Series."
just as i suspected, you really shouldn't trust the representatives.

edit: so you don't even get 5 tests, you pay for 3, and get 5 you could've just gotten from buying the books.

 

[silica61]

Hmmmm....thanks for letting me know! I was putting off buying the tests until I start taking FL. I'm glad I didn't invest $299 for BS. So I already have 3 tests from the TPR psych/socio book. What books would I have to purchase to get the other 2 tests?

its in the book that has all their subjects all in one. i don't recall the name but you can find it on amazon