If you’re registered to take your MCAT exam this year, you might be having a rough time with the exam preparations. Getting ready for MCAT can be stressful and time-consuming, with so many options available for preparation. There are many MCAT prep books out there, so finding the best MCAT prep book can be challenging. There are the things that you need to look out for when looking for an MCAT prep book.
Accessibility and Flexibility
The first thing you need to consider is the accessibility and flexibility of the study materials. They should be available in both digital and physical copies so that you can access them as required. This feature will allow you to have the flexibility to take your MCAT preparations wherever you go.
An accessible MCAT prep book knows the different sections of the MCAT exam. It lays them out in an easily understandable manner. This is especially important if you know you’re weak in one particular section and need to spend more time on it than in other sections.
Feedback and Support
A good MCAT prep book should be comprehensive enough to resolve any potential questions you might have regarding the syllabus or study techniques. In addition, it should make it easy for you to find and skim through the different sections of the book quickly. Along with an FAQ section, the book should also include an answer section that shows the correct answers to the mock question papers included for practice.
Having all these features will ensure that you don’t waste time finding the right part of the syllabus or looking through your notes to find the correct answers to the mock question papers. In addition, a good publisher will provide solid customer support so that you can reach them if your order gets delayed or you get a defective product.
Variety of Tests
The brilliance of a good MCAT prep book lies mainly in the variety of tests it offers for the different sections of the MCAT exam. This variety is necessary as there’s no one-size-fits-all test that will ensure complete preparation for the exam. This is why assessments of multiple types and variations are required to gauge preparedness for the MCAT.
The variety of sections and different answering methods will keep you on your toes, ensuring that over time, you start performing better in all sections of the MCAT exam, particularly the ones you’re weak in. So make sure you get an MCAT prep book that covers all the bases adequately.
Make sure the Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills section of the prep book is solid. Many MCAT examinees tend to do well in the other written sections but fumble when they reach the section. This is often because they don’t get enough practice for this section during preparation, which usually backfires.
Lasting Results
Last but not least, get an MCAT prep book that fits with your study style. You don’t want a book that works in particular aspects but isn’t helpful in others. Unfortunately, some of the more shoddy MCAT prep books out there sacrifice the depth of entire sections to focus on a particular one. As you might expect, relying on something like that can be devastating for your results.
Look for a book that’s teaching the academic material and overarching study and test-taking strategies and keeping you on task. Make sure it works with your study style. A good MCAT prep book will use modern techniques like mnemonics to help you memorize complex definitions and theories.
The quality of the prep book alone will not ensure your selection in the MCAT exam no matter how good it is unless you put some effort into it. You should try adopting good practices such as doing several passages in a row instead of one, using self-imposed checkpoints when answering the mock questions to budget time correctly, trying out different strategies, and more.
Make Sure All The Bases Are Covered
Preparing for the MCAT exam can be very grueling and challenging. Still, you can take the first step towards your dream of becoming a medical professional with the proper preparation. A good MCAT prep book with all the bases of the syllabus and questions covered will be your essential companion in this journey—so make sure to choose one that fits your needs.
