Choosing your bookset
- Whenever we begin a new science topic in content review, the first phase is to establish basic footing using the resources of your MCAT bookset. During the development of the Integrated MCAT Course, the vast majority of students used either Berkeley Review or Kaplan for the course, although some used ExamKrackers or Princeton Review. Any one of these four booksets is fine. Each possesses the basic resources you need, which are clear, competent, well-organized review materials accompanied by topically centered practice items.
- Each bookset does have strengths and weaknesses in comparison to the others. We like Berkeley Review the best. Their teaching philosophy is more in line with our own philosophy. However, our Kaplan students have done just fine over the years. Thinking about the experiences of our students, here is a somewhat nuanced recommendation - if you have a bit stronger background or you have at least five months before your exam, TBR is likely to be the better choice, but if your background is not as strong, or if time pressure is a big factor, Kaplan might be the better bookset for you.
The Berkeley Review
There is a very appealing way TBR approaches teaching the scientific ideas through passages and questions with generous, conversational explanations. This approach acclimatizes a person to scientific reasoning. It becomes a way of looking at things. There is a teacherly spirit in Berkeley Review that the others lack.
Purchase at TBR
Kaplan
The Kaplan set is well-designed and competent. Kaplan is very good at clear presentation of concepts within a structurally coherent page design. Kaplan stays in their lane, presenting conceptual summaries and bread-and-butter practice items. Kaplan is very good at getting you on the board with the basic knowledge base.
Purchase at Amazon