Customer Reviews (14)

ehh
Dont buy used, I recommend new because the writing done by the previous owner of the book could be distracting

Great summary, but weak on some specifics
I thought this book did a fantastic job with the majority of subjects. I haven't looked at any of this material since college, but reviewing just this book, I was able to get in the top 2%.

The one area where I felt it was probably weakest was in organic chemistry and some of the bonding orbital terminology, and they rocked me on the test. I think if you need details, some of the other guides would be good, but this is a great comprehensive overview that covers about 98% of what will be on the test.

Could be improved, for certain.
For disclaimer, I've yet to take the MCAT proper, but have bought several practice MCAT exams from the AAMC website and score in the 12-13 range for Physical Sciences and consistently 13 on the Biological Sciences part, as well as 11-13 on Verbal(depending upon if there is an Art/Painting question to lower my score). I am also a 4.0 Student in Neurobiology, and have taken the Examkrackers and have found it to reinforce weaknesses and give sufficient negative feedback on difficult questions I had gotten wrong.

As it pertains to Kaplan, I'm not a big fan at all of their practice exams as they suffer from three features that are not reflective of actual MCAT exams made available by the AAMC:

1) Passage Pedantry: MCAT exams consistently (seem to) feature articles from Journals that have a breadth of information in them; with that said, what they won't ever do is focus on minute details of the articles like Kaplan's passages often do. While there are obviously questions that require the passages on the MCAT, there aren't passages that focus on say, a recreation of an ink jet printer's image, as this would not be testing specific physical sciences concepts. An actual MCAT would use an article about a 1987 Earthquake, and extrapolate and assess your knowledge of longitudinal waves, or transfer of energy in resonance, or Work.

2) Ambiguity in the questions or answer choices: oftentimes, Kaplan will be confusing in that it won't be made clear what it is assessing, or rather, will not give sufficient details to answer questions. For example, I had one question that was asking whether a biker who is going down a hill without pedaling had a kinetic energy that was greater than/less than/equal to their lost potential energy (due to resistance), without clearly stating where on the hill the rider was positioned when the -PE vs. KE was being assessed. Obviously, without friction and external forces, KE=PE.

MCAT would have asked the question in this way: Question X: A rider at the bottom of the hill would have _______ momentum and _________ energy. This would be sufficiently complex for most of the MCAT questions, as it would be assessing one's knowledge of conservation of energy and energy transfer from potential to kinetic, as well as conservation of momentum; I got the Kaplan question wrong not because I didn't understand the concepts, but because of ambiguity. I've taken 468 Physical Sciences questions on the MCAT and have gotten confused on what was being asked approximately 5 times, or 1% of the time. This was the first question on an online practice test for Kaplan.

3) I've yet to find an MCAT question that will be standalone and ask you to solve Cardiac Output or Total Lung Volume questions. I've found a couple on Kaplan pre-tests and find it frustrating. You should have a sufficient understanding of Lung Volume and changes due to inspiration, expiration, etc., but MCAT usually couples this with a passage.

4)I bought a 2004 Kaplan MCAT and it has the same typos and same practice questions as the 2009. I'm fairly certain the MCAT has changed and even progressed in its focus on concepts and problem-solving assessment, but this has not been reflected so much in the book itself. Moreover, the book had clear cut inaccuracies such as chief cells being the primary producing cells of intrinsic factor (FALSE: parietal cells)

I would say that it's strengths include many Clinical Correlates, helpful tips, biological detail that even Examkrackers is missing, as well as helpful tools for verbal reasoning and writing sample, so it excels in supplying study materials. With that said, Kaplan is not in my opinion accurate as an assessment tool as to where you stand relative to the actual MCAT exams released by the AAMC, as its focus does not parallel the MCAT's focus per se. Would give it a 3.5 if possible.

Kaplan MCAT Premier Program
Overall, great quality (for the price, as ould be expected from a Kaplan program).The detail on all the body systems and organic chem topics is great for me, as a non-science major taking the MCAT.It's an easy, anytime read, although some of their mnemonics are s little silly and childish.If it helps, I'm not going to knock it!

Kaplan MCAT
Shipped on time and the book was in great shape.

Thanks
Tim ... Read more

Product Description
The goal of this book is to maximize performance on the Verbal Reasoning (VR) section of the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).

Each year, thousands of examinees face the possibility of disastrous results on this section of the test. This book guides you to transform those struggles into successes. First, it analyzes VR passages and question types with an emphasis on strategies for handling them effectively. Second, it discusses poor reading habits and presents methods for overcoming them. Third, the book offers extensive methods for improving reading comprehension by introducing new reading exercises and techniques. Fourth, it lays out a training timeline with suggested MCAT-quality books and journals as practice material.

MCAT Verbal Reasoning Mastery seeks to give you every help possible to discover a level of reading proficiency that you may have never reached before. It will show you how to realize various levels of meaning that the written word contains. You will practice techniques that improve reading memory by employing a new system of learning called Neuro-Visual Programming, which can serve you well for the rest of your life.

Also addressed in this book are the false assumptions that unfortunately deter examinees from reaching their full potential. Furthermore, you will find a series of interviews with top performing students who have achieved scores of 11 or better on Verbal Reasoning. Their advice will prove extremely useful to anyone seeking success on this very difficult section of the MCAT. Finally, you will find at the end of the book, 150 pages of exercises aimed at improving visual memory, reading memory, reading speed, and comprehension.

As you complete the journey of Verbal Reasoning mastery, you will hopefully develop excellent memory, critical thinking, reading mechanics, and focus. By mastering these abilities you will realize a higher aptitude for reading and writing, a thorough command of which are indispensable to medical professionals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Great program!
This is a great program for anyone who is not naturally gifited at the Verbal Section. Unlike the other sections, you can't simply study certain problems or take a lot of practice tests to improve this score if you are scoring consistently below a 9.

This program offers a systematic way to improve your reading/thinking which is usually the real problem. Be warned, this is not a book for slackers. I was putting in several hours a day over several months when I was working on my verbal score, which many people will think is exessive. But when I saw my 12 on my offical MCAT score report, it was totally worth the effort.

just got my scores back
I just got my MCAT results and I got a 34, with a VR 12! This came after 3 hard months of going through all of this book thoroughly. Neurovisual programming worked well for me. I'm very happy with my results.

Ok but again ...
After reading this book and probably most of the verbal reading books available, I can conclude that this book is not really a MAGICAL WAND THAT WILL CHANGE THE SCORE. Indeed, I agree with the author that you need to read well, fast and comprehend at much faster pace ( if you are a below average reader). The program used by the author for visual aid ( mostly because you retain much more info when you visualize it) is a good one; however, i think to some extent we all are visual. As we read we try to form a movie like presentation in our mind to formulate MAIN IDEA, PROTAGONIST..etc. I think it is a good reminder for all of us to use it and develop it further.But again the program described is time consuming and honestly of little help. As to attack the verbal reasoning you must also see how the questions are asked, they way they are presented in jumbled words to really score good on MCAT. I agree with another reviewer who said, " do we really need this book to tell us that?". With that price i was really expecting some good practice material ( with questions too.)

the poor reviews are from competitors
.
It is curious that Nick and Timberwolf have only posted one review ever on Amazon, and both only to attack this book.

Nick is from a competitor. T most likely.

It is curious how after 2 years of good reviews, all of a sudden when Princeton releases their new verbal book bad reviews suddenly appear.

The review by Timberwolf actually misrepresents the material and what I think is a great book - it is factually incorrect and misleading.The exercises are very useful, actually covering speed reading and the ability to remember sentences that you might forget under pressure which other companies never touch.The reading list is bar none, the only list so far I've used that matches the difficulty of the mcat. The Q&A gives lots of tips and suggestions. Awesome to hear from top performers. The first 5 chapters of the book DO go in depth on verbal analysis. No other verbal book covers so much material.NVP works when you take it seriously.T is wrong on all points.

I give this book 4/5 stars and say it was worth EVERY dime I paid for it.Neuro-visual Programming has helped me a great deal because I can now use my memory as I read to better comprehend material, and I use NVP in my college classes to get better grades in school.The other prep companies teach the old and unimaginative technique of writing notes on paper DURING VR which is ridiculous because who has time for that??

This is the first book that has the guts to actually teach something original and useful, and yes I am an actual real college student who took the MCAT and scored very well on it.So listen to the bad and misleading reviews at your own risk.I happened to really love this book.

Unfortunately, not amazing
From reading the other reviews here and the book's own description of itself, it would seem like this is some kind of miracle program that will raise your verbal score. After reading through this book myself, I would have to mostly disagree. The book does have some valuable hints and strategies. It also does a good job of describing the verbal section and going through question types. Although, you could and should find out all of this yourself with practice tests. Which is really the problem with this book: it doesn't contain that much novel information, in my opinion.

The first 5 chapters give a description of the MCAT and verbal section, emphasizing how the verbal section is SO important and how this book will help you SO much. It then goes on to describe reading skills, which while not badly done, in my opinion weren't anything new. It does spend time building up a lot of anticipation for the miraculous "Neuro-Visual Programming". I was honestly hoping this would be a really novel and valuable new method for reading. Overall though, I found it kind of ridiculous. I mean, active reading and visualizing the material is important, of course, and the method isn't totally useless. But, I just can't believe you can really follow the method outlined in this text, which would have you imagining a real-life object, like parts of your house or a person, for every idea and subject you encounter in the passage. I would like to be proven otherwise on this, but I just don't see how it's practical as described in this book.

The reading plan and books list are good. But, once again, why do you need this book to tell you that reading is good practice for the verbal section? Also, the q & a with top scorers is pretty good, but really short and not so valuable in my opinion.

The worst section of the book is the 150 pages of exercises. These are not practice MCAT verbal questions, they are random passages that are in the book solely to measure your reading speed. Not bad, but you could read anything for this - why not just do lots of real MCAT questions? There's also visual memory practice, which is nothing but pictures of symbols in boxes for you to memorize. And that's it.

Still, I think this book does have some good hints and strategies and it's not wrong in its advice on preparing for the MCAT verbal (except the NV programming thing). Also, I was never a below average reader, so maybe it's more helpful for some. I just feel like the book's a little over hyped and it could be a lot shorter and less expensive. ... Read more

Product Description
Math Review for the GRE, GMAT, and MCAT covers the topics found on the GRE, GMAT, and MCAT exams, including the properties of numbers, systems of measurements, signed numbers, powers, exponents, roots, algebra, and plane geometry.In addition, more advanced topics found in the MCAT are covered, including trigonometry, logarithms, coordinate geometry, probability, statistics, and scalars and vectors. The book offers strategies and practice for answering the types of math questions the test taker is likely to encounter: problem solving/quantitative analysis, quantitative comparison, data sufficiency, and data interpretation.It serves as an excellent complement to the Peterson’s/ARCO graduate-level test prep books.The book has been reviewed by math experts, and a significant number of errors have been corrected for the 2003 edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not Focused Enough, But OK for Extra Practice
I bought this book to prep for the GRE, so for me the additional material for the GMAT and MCAT was mostly a distraction. (About 25% of the problems in the three practice tests weren't relevant to the GRE.) If you're prepping for more than one of these exams, this book is probably a great value. For the rest of us, the low price means it's probably still worth buying for extra practice; I just wouldn't rely on it as my only prep material. ... Read more

Product Description
Key terms and concepts for the MCAT Biological Science section. ... Read more

Product Description
This resource is an effective guide to MCAT test preparation materials. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very scanty details
I was disappointed in the lack of details in the book, esp. through the Biology and Chemistry areas as well as the over commercialization by the Authors. Cannot recommend this book.

Terrible Review Book- Do not waste your time on this one
I read it, and I feel like a fool buying this almost worthless work. Main objective seems just to make money for the publisher and author, best to try books that are not so commerically motivated by these authors.

Waste of money
This book was the biggest waste of money in the world, don't buy it unless you want to get a 16 overall. (I got a 39 with another book)

Concise Review
The book offers a good outline of very relevant topics for the mcat.All in all, the resembled my own study notes, carefully compiled from many sources over months.I was impressed with some of the physiology review (P04-2, CA+2 regulation).Overall, reading this book is a great way to polish off some rusty concepts.Use in conjuction with other more detailed texts. ... Read more

Product Description
To impress the admissions officers at the top med schools, you need a top score on the MCAT. Once you’ve mastered the basics of the six MCAT subjects, you’ll need to hone your skills and boost your score by practicing only the toughest questions on the test. MCAT Elite has everything you need to answer the most challenging MCAT questions and get a top score on the MCAT, including:
 
• A diagnostic exam to help you identify your individual strengths and weaknesses
• Targeted techniques to improve exactly where you need help
• Study tips from top MCAT instructors
• Practice sections designed to look and feel exactly like a real MCAT ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Impractically Esoteric
MCAT preparation should be more difficult than taking the actual test. For example, the main Princeton Review book, Cracking the MCAT, 2010-2011 Edition (Graduate School Test Preparation), provides a wealth of both foundational information and information that may benefit test takers in some unusual circumstances, at the furthest levels of comprehension.

However, Elite 45 delves into material and problems far more complex than those of the MCAT. The practice problems require a level of understanding and comprehension that will not be used on the MCAT. This book does not accurately reflect what your scores will be or the content of the test.

My advice is to take one of the practice tests on the American Association of Medical College's website ([...]) to gauge the difficulty level of the test. Then, buy one of the major texts from either PR or Kaplan.

I am a fan of Princeton Review, but Elite 45 is nothing more than a mildly clever marketing strategy. Studying the material in this book will NOT help you with the MCAT.

Clever, methodical approach to MCAT prep
This is a new, first edition MCAT preparation workbook.The primary aim of the book is to introduce a methodical, step-by-step approach to the MCAT which can truthfully be applied to any standardized test.

Roughly the first half of this book teaches you how to effectively take practice tests. It first directs you to take a practice test available on the Princeton Review website.Then, it demonstrates how to correct your test and hone in on the problems you missed by using their rating system.

The second half of the book is divided topically as follows: general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and biology.Within each chapter, there is a brief reproduction of the list of concepts which will be tested on the MCAT (similar to the list provided by the AAMC.)Then, it provides about 50 questions per subject area to practice with (about 10 passages and several stand alone questions per subject.)

All-in-all, this workbook provides a unique approach to test taking.For me, it's just a little bit gimmicky and the process a little time consuming.I'm not sure that I need a cumbersome rating system to denote the difficulty level of questions I missed.However, I might use their approach and simplify it a bit for my own use.In either case, for the price, it's a good source of practice questions and tips.If you've already reviewed concepts from each subject and are ready to try additional practice questions, take a look at this book. I would consider it a solid resource. ... Read more

Product Description
A full-color guide featuring all-new, complete test targeted biology review for the MCAT, Kaplan MCAT Biology includes over 500 practice questions (hundreds more than the competition) and three full-length biology practice sections. Expert commentary and instruction from a top Kaplan teacher includes tips, tricks, and test expertise. Vibrant illustrations, charts, and graphs from the pages of Scientific American, make this guide a compelling source of MCAT prep. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A highly recommended pick for any student taking the advanced placement exams
MCAT Biology Review achieves the same for the biology section, offering dozens of practice questions, explanations, test examples, and color illustrations with charts, graphs and diagrams covering the most-tested material from partner Scientific American. A highly recommended pick for any student taking the advanced placement exams.
... Read more

Product Description
The MCAT tests more than specific subject knowledge in biology, chemistry, and physics. In order to conquer this test, you’ll also need strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, and the Princeton Review’s MCAT Verbal Reasoning and Writing Review will help!
 
The Verbal Reasoning section of the test is designed to see how well you can comprehend, evaluate, and apply information that you read. The methods and strategies in this book will help you:
• Learn the six steps of working through passages and questions
• Become an active reader with annotating, mapping, and other time-saving strategies
• Identify and conquer twelve different question types
 
It’s also tough to know exactly how to prepare for the Writing Sample section of the MCAT. In this book, you will learn how to develop and present ideas in a clear, concise, and logical way so you can feel more confident on test day, including how to:
• Strengthen your writing skills with lots of exercises and prompts
• Understand and utilize the T-A-S Structure
• Explore the eight hallmarks of a good essay ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very dissatisfied
I was very dissatisfied with this product. I purchased it with the intent of practicing and learning techniques for the verbal section of the MCAT. However, when I tried to access the online supplement it was not available. The book has very little practice problems, and mostly explains techniques.
I called Princeton Review in order to ask them why it was not available and when it would be available? The first representative told me that the online supplement should be available since the book has been released. I was then transferred to another department who could better assist me. The very rude representative told me that it was not his problem; therefore he could not do anything about it. Then he proceeded to tell me nobody knows anything about the release date of the online supplement. He was very rude in answering my question and when I asked to be transferred to another department who would know he repeatedly told me that nobody knows. So, I left several voice mails. And nobody has contacted me.
I am on a time crunch to study for this test and Princeton Review has been very unhelpful and rude with this situation (which is there problem). Additionally, they do not have the will or desire to help. I do not recommend this book because they do not fulfill everything they have advertised on the cover page.
The book also offers a very bad, in my opinion, advice on skipping the hardest passage. That would be detrimental to anyone's score.
... Read more

Product Description
Features all-new, complete test-targeted verbal reasoning strategy and essay writing review. It includes more practice questions than the competition— more than 200. Kaplan’s unique five-step method for essay writing teaches students step by step how to write an effective essay in a short amount of time. Expert Kaplan teacher tips, a grammar review, and time-saving reading strategies are also included, along with six full-length practice sections and sample high level essays. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A 'must' for any MCAT student!
MCAT Verbal Reasoning and Writing Review offers a comprehensive set of practice and review routines highly recommended for any MCAT test-taker. Proven strategies from Kaplan's top instructors accompany over 200 questions and tips on how to understand reading and plan essays. A 'must' for any MCAT student!
... Read more

Product Description
A full-color guide featuring all-new, complete test targeted physics review for the MCAT, Kaplan MCAT Physics includes over 500 practice questions. Expert commentary and instruction from a top Kaplan teacher includes tips, tricks, and test expertise. Vibrant illustrations, charts, and graphs from the pages of Scientific American, make this guide a compelling source of MCAT prep. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A highly recommended pick for any student taking the advanced placement exams
The MCAT PHYSICS REVIEW packs in practice and advice in a full-color guide packing in three exam-length practice sessions devoted just to MCAT-style physics questions. With dozens of practices and discussions of key physics ideas, this is a 'must' for any MCAT test-taker needing physics-specific help. A highly recommended pick for any student taking the advanced placement exams.

Generally good review sections, poor reviewproblems.
The book is split roughly into 3 sections: review chapters, "high-yield" problems, and a cluster of MCAT-imitating questions at the back. The review chapters are quite helpful, comprise the thickest portion of the book, and each chapter is followed by a small cluster of practice questions that should solidify information presented in the chapter. These questions are 80% of the time well formulated, but the other 20% of questions have flat-out WRONG answers/explanations or are simply terribly written. The occasional typographical error in these sections wouldn't be so annoying if it weren't for the terrible 20%: example: pg 278, Question 4:

"How far away from equilibrium will the kinetic energy be equal to the potential energy of a spring that has a spring constant k=0.1N/m, a speed of 3 m/s, and a 0 kg mass attached?
A. 3m
B. 6m
C. 12m
D. 18m"

In the explanation, they use 0.4kg as the mass... whoops!

I couldn't help but cringe as I read a couple of these bad questions: example: pg 161, Question 11:

"Balls A and B of equal mass are floating in a swimming pool, as in the figure shown. (Ball A is drawn larger as Ball B) Which will produce a greater buoyant force?
A. Ball A
B. Ball B
C. The forces will be equal.
D. It is impossible to know without knowing the volume of each ball."

Buoyant force is proportional to the fluid displaced. The fluid displaced is proportional to the mass of the balls. If the balls are of equal mass, they will replace equal amounts of fluid while floating on the surface of the liquid. The correct answer is C. The book puts D as the correct answer and gives a muddled up explanation that leaves the reader feeling confused and betrayed because the review section shouldn't be full of mistakes.

Maybe I'm pedantic, but I found that about 15 of these sorts of mistakes in the book brought my rating from 5 stars down to 3 stars. The book is quite good at teaching material but the review questions at the end of each chapter should be a large embarrassment for Kaplan. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Hyperlearning Princeton Review MCAT Workbook
Great Product! The passages and discrete questions are very similar in difficulty and structure to AMCAS passages. You'll have plenty of practice in almost any area of each subject that you need help with. There are 90 chemistry passages, 80 bio, 45 orgo and 60 physics (lots of discrete questions here). Very helpful! ... Read more

Product Description
The MCAT as it is now given is a solely computer-based exam, and Barron's brand-new edition of the MCAT manual with its enclosed CD-ROM offers test preparation that is specifically focused to prepare test takers for that format. The manual's introduction presents a detailed overview of the test, and follows with strategies for study, stress management, and test taking. The bulk of this book is given over to extensive reviews in science and math, followed by advice on writing the MCAT essay. Four full-length model MCATs are then presented with answer keys and answer explanations. The CD-ROM presents two additional practice exams in the computer-based format, thus closely imitating actual test-taking conditions. It also offers automatic scoring. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Outdated and impractical
There are a number of serious flaws that make this book not worth purchasing.

First, the book has not been updated to reflect substantial revisions to the formatting of the MCAT made since 2007 (when the book was written, published in 2008). Second, the review materials are both terse and overly complex. The book is totally inadequate for preparing yourself for the material of the exam. Third, the practice tests present far more difficult material than is actually on the MCAT and themselves are not useful for stand-alone practice.

I would recommend Cracking the MCAT, 2010-2011 Edition (Graduate School Test Preparation), which I have read and is outstanding, or one of Kaplan's book's, which I have not read but about which I have heard good reviews from other students.

Like What I am Learning to Date
I have spent several weeks preparing for the MCAT with this book.It not only refreshes your memory about the biological and physical sciences; but also provides you with sound test-taking advice.The book's strongest attributes are the Model Examinations.Out of all the prep books I have used, Barron's practice exams test both your academic knowledge and your ability to take the MCAT test.

While I would recommend it for those preparing for the MCAT, it does not take the place of taking the actual classes during the undergraduate years.In the authors' defense, the book does mention that when studying the physical sciences section, it is best to have an actual physics textbook with you to study and practice the concepts in more detail.

Barron's MCAT Prep
Haven't read it yet, but it was recommended to me from people that have already gotten accepted to medical school ... Read more

Product Description
This full-color guide features all-new, complete test-targeted general chemistry review for the MCAT, as well as expert commentary and instruction from a top Kaplan teacher. Kaplan MCAT General Chemistry provides more practice questions than any other guide (over 400 questions) along with three full-length chemistry practice sections. Also included are vibrant illustrations, charts, graphs, and diagrams from the pages of Scientific American. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A highly recommended pick for any student taking the advanced placement exams
Kaplan's MCAT GENERAL CHEMISTRY REVIEW achieves the same for students of chemistry taking the exam, offering specific guidelines in three exam-length practice sessions that include only MCAT-style General Chemistry questions. The narrowed focus offers opportunity for a very specific test-taking approach to the MCAT's subjects. A highly recommended pick for any student taking the advanced placement exams.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Really helpful!
I really enjoyed these CDs. The authors have a good sense of humor (so easy to lose when you're studying!). I had to do a *lot* of driving when I was studying for the test and these helped me learn while I was in the driver's seat. I found that reading and listening to the material helped me remember it more than just reading it. I started to easily memorize some of the concepts I needed. I would definitely recommend it as long as you can handle a bit of attitude with your test prep. ... Read more

Product Description
MCAT scores are a critical part of the ultra-competitive medical school admissions process. The best way to prepare for the MCAT is to practice, and MCAT Workout gives you the opportunity to do just that. It includes separate practice chapters for General Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Organic Chemistry, Verbal Reasoning, and the Writing Sample, as well as detailed explanations for all practice questions and sample essays.

MCAT Workout also includes access to 2 full-length online practice tests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Perhaps a good "workout"
This book features problem sets divided by each MCAT subject area.The authors attempt to provide you with "MCAT hacks" by defining common question "types" and teaching you what a "good" answer choice looks/sounds like. While I appreciate that this is a promising premise, the actual impact it has on your test taking remains uncertain.I did not see a significant improvement or develop an incredible prowess for MCAT test taking from this product.However, the tips are not worthless--they could come in handy--and the extra practice is always a plus.If your on a budget, skip this one.If you have already burned through all your practice material and have extra cash to spend, its worthy of your time. "B-" ... Read more

Product Description
The Official Student Doctor Network MCAT Pearls is a grassroots effort to provide aspiring physicians with an affordable alternative to prepare for the MCAT. With the free, online version attracting over 150,000 visitors, the print version of MCAT Pearls will provide students with a portable version of the successful online content. Written using the AAMC MCAT curriculum as its main foundation, MCAT Pearls will function as the ultimate companion guide by following pre-medical students from the beginning of their studies and evolving into the ultimate, personalized resource and go-to study guide when preparing for the MCAT. The structure of the book was designed for busy pre-meds: with a question and answer format, high-yield review is possible alone or in groups. With ample margins for note-taking, MCAT Pearls will invariably evolve into your personalized resource. With a comprehensive table of contents, locating information is simple. With 300+ images and 100+ tables, information is crystallized into the pertinent concepts. Unique also to The Official Student Doctor Network MCAT Pearls is the emphasis on providing students with a flexible platform to pull together the voluminous amount of information represented on the MCAT: one which can be used early in their studies and grow into custom tailored study guide, or, one that can be used in last minute review sessions. After years of development, The Official Student Doctor Network MCAT Pearls has come a long way and will continue to strive to meet the educational needs of pre-meds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good review notes
This note book is good. I recommend it to anyone who is sitting for MCAT. I had made my own notes before buying this book. I am supprised to learn that this book has touched all important MCAT topics sincerely. I commend the the author for coming up with these notes. On the other hand, I do suggest that this (material in the book)is just the base on which one has to build for MCAT. As author's friend said, practice....... the questions. Works for me.

I must have for anyone taking the MCAT
Dr. Diallo writes a comprehensive review book for the MCAT that will help you organize, memorize, and learn the high-yield facts needed to perform well on the MCAT sciences. This is a highly recommended MCAT review manual! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Typos Everywhere
Typos run rampant in these books.To help illustrate the frustration, on several occasions I consulted the answer key for an (A),(B),(C), & (D) type multiple choice only to find the answer listed as (E)!More bothersome are the authors' attempts to accentuatue the importance of notation only to make the exact same notation mistakes that they so adamantly warn against (i.e. the importance of notating Gibbs free energy versus notating Gibbs free energy at standard conditions).Proofreading & editing were obviously not included in the budget for these books, and I'm sure Kaplan is reaping the rewards.

Frustrating to use!!!
I am glad to see I am not the only person noticing errors in the books. I have made it through only the first chapter of Physics and I cannot believe how many errors I have found on practice problems. I usually have the wrong answer, or solve it and can't find the correct answer in the multiple choice. When I go to the back of the book, I am frustrated to see that the way the authors solved it involved incorrectly doing math, or pulling numbers out of nowhere. Thankfully I am ok at physics, enough to figure out their mistakes. However, for the parts that I struggle with, I am nervous to use this book.
It seems like this book wasn't proofread. Sometimes I even find charts that belong on one page showing up randomly a page later. My advice to others- buy another textbook. Who cares about the Kaplan name or guarantee. I wrote to them complaining about the errors and got no assistance from them.

Good Buy
There are a couple errors in the material of the books, but it is not in every chapter. Kaplan has come a long way from the beginning. These books are not only easy to study from and cover all topics on the MCAT, they are easy on the eyes and allow for optimal reading. Color diagrams and pictures only add to the +. A lot of questions they have in the books, they use in their $1,500 prep course. I highly recommend these books and a complement to other forms of MCAT study.

Errors!!!
These books provide a solid background for the MCAT. The descriptions are clear and diagrams make it easy to understand. My main problem with these books is that they are filled with errors and typos. Different passages in the text contradict each other, there are answers to problems with incorrect math, and sometimes the answers they give are just wrong. If your looking for a book to help review and get some useful tips then this might work. If however, you don't have a strong background in science/math I would not suggest these books. It is both frustrating yet fun to see how many errors you can find. There is at least one error/chapter that I have found so far. ... Read more