Does EK leave off topics tested on the actual MCAT?

[junebuguf]

To those of you who have used EK review series books heavily: did you notice some topics that were tested on the actual MCAT that the EK books did not cover at all, or just skimmed over? I'm using EK now, and noticing the phrase,'It is not likely the MCAT will test you on ______' occurs quite often. I know EK has a philosophy of concentrating on material that is likely to be on the MCAT--high yield topics, but I wonder if the frequency of encountering a topic that EK has chosen to omit from serious review on an actual MCAT is high?

I believe that Kaplan and TPR cover everything, right?

If you've used EK and taken an MCAT (not just the practice AAMC ones), have you found yourself cursing EK for not reviewing something on the test?

I am worried about using EK books for my sole review, perhaps I should use Kaplan review books and EK practice tests and questions?

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[MoosePilot]

Never used EK, but I think all test prep skims some things. That's the difference between prep and the actual classes. The classes take two years, the prep takes three months, hits less, but more thoroughly.

My take was to study like they laid out, skimping where they skimped, until I was comfortable. The stuff TPR hits is the high yield stuff. Then, if I had extra time/brainpower, I'd study what I thought of as my elective stuff "just in case". If you don't get to the electives, it's better to spend your time on the stuff that's most likely to get you the most points. It's all about the points, better to get all the points on the stuff you know than to know more stuff, but in such shallow detail that you may get points if it comes up or you may not.

YMMV

 

[JDAD]

Ek is a cliff notes for MCAT review. They expect you to come in with a large knowledge base and then their material will mold you into their ideal mcat taker. The point, EK seems to hit on all the important things, I haven't come across anything that isn't in their books, but they leave our lots of background information. I tried to study with them for April 04 but I found myself attempting to relearn lots of the material. EK is not meant for that. Use EK if you want the short sweet MCAT review. If you are trying to learn things that are somewhat foreign, stick with TPR, they supplement with lots of high quality questions that are located right in the middle fo the reading. You read about it and then you are walked step by step through example problems, EK leaves everything until the end of the chapter and that didn't work for me.

I am still using EK for BIO and Organic, but TPR for chem and physics. Verbal is a lost cause.