MCAT Prep materials

[jameslynton]

Hi this is a thread where MCAT prep material is listed and evaluated for VMD users.

[rasputindoc]

Hi, a friend ofm ine who is heading to medical shcool gave me his examkrackers audio osmosis prep material and I was wondering how good it is from people who have used it?

it is excellent. I used it while driving or at night when everything was quiet. I would read the chapter and add more notes from AO. It will make my understanding better and my review more complete.

[trex]

Exam Crackers appears to get rave reviews.

[jaysondeguzman]

Any advice so far I have narrowed it down to getting the ExamKrackers 7th Edition Complete Study Package or the Kaplan MCAT Premier 2008-2009. I have heard people saying that ExamKrackers is excellent for the verbal section so was thinking of taking Kaplan and just the practice tests from ExamKRackers your thoughts please? Thanks

[jameslynton]

About Kaplan - during the August 2005 MCAT at Arizona State - I saw some poor toad looking at his Kaplan review cards during break. I watched him look at organic molecules.

Funny thing is none of the stuff he was cramming in his head ever showed up on the exam. What did show up was principles of biology and Organic chemistry which were not in any of their materials. That is why Kaplan stuff is way low on my list for the MCAT and step 1. Kaplan for their new edition of the USMLE Step paper q-bank - only change - was to add more answers.

So if you want to waste your time - this is the material to buy - Kaplan!

If you want a very good score - ExamKrakers. My son will be taking the MCAT early next summer. I sent him back to school after Thanksgiving with the ExamKrakers books for verbal and Princeton hyper learning material.

[jameslynton]

Best source for tests is the old released MCAT's. Get from the source - get it right!

[OneHourEssay]

Have you had any luck with ebay or half.com postings of the materials?

[ChiroDC]

Hi folks.

I decided to take the MCAT this year. I purchased the Examkrackers set from Amazon.

I'm of the mindset that I would like to go back to school and get my M.D. I think adding more tools to the toolbox in order to better serve my patients is what's right for me.

I'm not too terribly nervous about taking this exam. I figure if I can get through boards and state licensure, I can do well on the MCAT with enough preparation. My question, however, is what else to study? I figure the Examkracker set will take me a while to get through. I will have to bone up on my Physics as I haven't taken a course in 7 years.

Are there live reviews I should look into prior to taking the test? My time line would be to study 4-6 months and sit for the MCAT in July-August.

Does this seem like adequate review time? Just wanted to gauge the opinion of those who have taken the test after a time away from undergrad.

Appreciate the responses.

[jameslynton]

I did the above. It is best to do a prep course if possible just because that is in class time dedicated to the MCAT. I recommend Princeton also I have heard the one by the ExamKraker people is very good also. Also use the old free or near free test you can download from the MCAT site and store.

Note - I do not say MCAT review but prep course. Reason is you will not see many of the MCAT questions in your course work.

Best wishes.

[swimchick]

I agree with jl....the prep course is definitely worth it. I took a Kaplan course....thought it was a waste of money. All of my friends who took the Princeton Review course kicked some serious MCAT butt...couldn't break a 30 but then scored 35+ on the actual exam.

Also...ExamKrackers is fantastic. When I got frustrated with my Kaplan materials I turned to my EK books and thought they were much, much better.

[sanyo]

Are the examkrackers 1,001 questions books worth it? I have the regular examkrackers books but I need more practice questions and I'm wondering if these are worth it.