MCAT Used BR Books (Price suggestions)

[BerkReviewTeach]

This post has been updated. Prices for used TBR books are lower now than when this was first posted, so older prices for used books are no longer applicable.

I want to keep a few things from the original post, but adjust the pricing based on the latest prices at various sites for used books.

First off, SDN classifieds are by far the best place to get used BR materials. You can ask questions and get tailored replies from the seller. Most of the dishonest activities (scams) and bait-n-switch listings (outdated material or counterfeits with missing pages) come from Craigslist, so you should never buy from Craigslist. Ebay has BR books, but in many cases they cost more used than you'd pay for them brand new. They also have the most number of incorrect books copyright dates of any site. Secondhand sellers rarely have any clue what they are selling. For the sake of getting current materials, you should look primarily to SDN if you opt to buy the materials used.

Here is a general pricing suggestion for the materials. For details about what makes the updated books different from older books, consult the other book thread. You should always ask about the writing in each book and version.

BIOLOGY
(Revision 1: October 2016)
(Revision 2: May 2021)​

Dale Schmidt wrote the text of this book and many of the passages. He did the editing up until the most recent printing (a couple years ago). The biology books have undergone small cosmetic changes with each printing. These changes generally included updating of drawings and some questions and/or explanation got tweaked by a few words. In early 2011, a practice test was added to the back of each book, but they no longer appear in the current books. These exams are invaluable as summaries and make the used books more useful than brand new ones. There were typos fixed in revision 1, and about six new pages of text were added to book 2 in revision 2.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from January 2011 to May 2020
Next best option:
from March 2007 to December 2010​

Used typically cost about $10-$15 for the pair, depending on the condition. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if there is a practice exam that starts on page 339 of Book I. If it is, then you have the right book. The current books is not the best option if you are looking for the most passages.

Current Biology Books​

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PHYSICS
(Revision 1: November 2015)
(Revision 2: October 2016)​

In November of 2015, the Physics book for the new MCAT was released, with an emphasis on integrating biological examples (especially physiology and biochemistry lab techniques) into physics passages. There are some new questions on high-yield topics such as electrophoresis, pace makers, artificial valves, and so on added (maybe twenty total). Some questions and answers have been modified to reflect an emphasis on applications. The October 2016 revision addressed some passages and incorporated roughly fifteen more experiment-based questions. The latest changes were a few new passages with physiology and general chemistry incorporated. You shouldn't settle for anything earlier than 2016, used or new.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from November 2015 to current
Next best option: from June 2013 to October 2015​

Used typically cosy about $10-$20 for the pair, depending on the condition. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask if it has a buoyancy and flow trick summary sheet on page 54 of Book 2. If it is, then you have the right book. If not, pass on that one and get a newer version. The green cover was introduced by Todd Bennett starting in 2016, so look for the green cover.

Current Physics Books​

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GENERAL CHEMISTRY
(Revision 1: October 2015)
(Revision 2: October 2017)​

This book has been the flagship of the company since it was founded by Todd Bennett in 1992. This book is one-hundred percent the result of Todd's work. He started writing it in 1989 and released his first edition in June, 1990. Even an outdated BR general chemistry book beats the 2015 book for the next best company. In 2015 the book went from ten chapters to 12, although no new text was created (acids and bases was separated from titrations and buffers and split into two chapters and atomic theory and period trends were split into two chapters). The text portion reads as it has since 1990, before BR even existed, because the author used it for a different MCAT course he also founded. The 2015 general chemistry book was modified to include more physics, biochemistry, physiology, and organic chemistry applications of general chemistry concepts. In 2017, the editing focused on minor typos more than anything else. If you use it right, this book will improve your score more than anything on the market.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from October 2015 to current
Next best option: from January 2011 to September 2015​

Used typically cost about $15-$20 for the pair, depending on the condition. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if the Book 1 has 360 pages and if Book 2 has 317 pages.

Current General Chemistry Books​

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(with structural biochemistry)
(Revision 1: August 2015)
(Revision 2: June 2017)​

Like the general chemistry books, this book is one-hundred percent the result of Todd Bennett's work. He started writing it in 1988 and released his first edition in June, 1990 for the first MCAT company he founded, prior to his founding of Berkeley Review. In 2004 the AAMC writers removed topics such as alkene reactions and benzene chemistry, so Todd omitted these sections from his book at that time, changing the chapter sequence in a significant way. The topics were modified again in 2007, after the switch to the CBT, so more topics were removed. The next version of these books was released in June, 2012. It had reduced text and more sample questions. It was the first version to have an index at the back. As of August 2015, the organic chemistry book had several non-biological passages removed. The three chapters with a strong biology component (lipids, carbohydrates, and nitrogen compounds) that Todd put into book 2 (as opposed to being split between books 1 and 2) were modified for the major change in 2015. Todd modified the book AFTER April 2015, so it could accurately reflect the new MCAT. Part 1 is dedicated to traditional organic chemistry topics (structure, bonding, stereochemistry, reactivity, spectroscopy, and lab techniques) Part 2 is dedicated to the overlap area between biochemistry and organic chemistry (lipids, phospholipids, carbonyl structures, redox biochemistry, carbohydrates, amino acids, and nitrogen-compounds). It is the best 2015+ book on the market. The new book has a different cover than the older versions. In June 2017 an updated version was released with a couple minor changes, but it wasn't noticeably different.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from June 2017 to current
Next best option: from August 2012 to June 2017
​

Used typically cost about $10-$20 for the pair, depending on the condition. To check if you are getting this version of the book, ask the seller if the topic of "Edman's reagent" is on page 199 of Book II. If it is, then you have the right used book.

Current Organic Chemistry Books
​

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CRITICAL ANALYSIS and REASONING SKILLS
(Revision 1: November 2015)​

The verbal reasoning book underwent a major change during 2009 when there was a concerted effort to include multiple ways to solve questions. In 2015, to adapt for the change in the MCAT that occurred at that time, a few of the 100 passages were edited. The absolute latest version has a few more passages than before.

Brand new from the company: $69

USED RECOMMENDATION: from January 2011 to current
Next best option: from October 2009 to December 2010
​

Used typically cost about free-$10, depending on the condition. Free may sound odd, but in general, this book was never well received by people in the premedical community. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if the passages on 332 and 390 are different. If they are, then you have the right book.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PSYCHOLOGY
(Revision 1: June 2015)​

This book was first used in our classes in April 2015, in manuscript form. It was printed in June, 2015 and released in early September. It has not been updated since that time, other than the addition of a few passages. The contents include many of the the AAMC topics in psychology. It has no sociology. It had fourteen passages originally, but now has over thirty passages. It reads very much like the BR biology books.

Brand new from the company: $49

USED RECOMMENDATION: from September 2015 to current
Next best option: there is nothing earlier
​

Used versions of this book typically do sell, so maybe it could go as high as $5-$10, depending on the condition. In all likelihood, someone may just toss it in for free if you are buying something else. The first version of the book was used exclusively in the classroom course and has a temporary yellow cardboard cover. The latest version is essentially the same thing, but with a better cover and a few more passages than the first release.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The suggested prices are based on sales over the past few years at SDN and FB. The list below includes a few suggestions to follow on any purchase of used books.

• 1) Always ask for the edition. Older books cost less brand new than current books and should not have the inflated price some people ask for them. This isn't a significant point now, given how much prices have dropped. But there are some sellers at Amazon who are listing enormous prices, but they never seem to sell.

• 2) The passages are the most important part, and you shouldn't buy books that have writing on the questions. Even the slightest amount of writing ruins the integrity of the practice experience (and biases your thought process). Hold out for clean copies if you plan to do the passages.

• 3) For organic chemistry and physics, the newest versions (2016 or later) are best and it's worth paying a little more to get it. These books are better than anything else on the market and the scores people get support this.

• 4) Illegal PDF versions exist for all of the versions. We gave up years ago trying to fight it, because it's a lawless world on the internet, and it was driving us crazy fighting it. We count on the honor and integrity of premeds. We hope that if you really want to save money, then you shop for used books rather than succumb to the temptation to get free PDFs somewhere. There may be people giving away PDF versions they say they got from the class, and while it is true that students who took the class after COVID hit up until when we folded our class got PDFs. These PDFs did not include all of the pages from the book. These PDFs were released to enrolled students to make submitting questions on line for office hours easier to read )more legible).

• 5) If you sell your used books through SDN classifieds, you should list the version and emphasize the key pages that demonstrate that it's the latest version. You are welcome to link this post if it helps your sale.

In general, when buying any used MCAT books, all books before March 2012 are outdated, because the test changed and those books contain topics that are no longer tested. Anything between March 2012 and July 2015 may be okay (depending on the company), but still will have some outdated topics. Many companies (pretty much everyone but us) printed their 2015 books in 2014, based on one released practice exam. It is probably not worth getting those books.​

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[Lan]

For physics, is there any major difference/changes in 2013 vs. 2011 edition?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Outdated and removed

 

[nonamechemist]

Will TBR books undergo major changes for the 2015 MCAT? The reason I am asking is because I am not sure if value of my 2013 version will be depreciated a lot if I were to sell them middle of next year.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Will TBR books undergo major changes for the 2015 MCAT? The reason I am asking is because I am not sure if value of my 2013 version will be depreciated a lot if I were to sell them middle of next year.

All of the BR books will be changing to reflect the upcoming change in the MCAT. They will be released in a staggered schedule as more and more information is released from AAMC. The first wave of books (late 2014 release) will show the biggest change in style with the editions in 2015 and 2016 showing modification mostly of the passages.

If you sell your 2013 books in the middle of 2014, you should still get a good price, because the current MCAT will be given through the end of January 2015. After that, I suspect used books from all of the companies will lose their value by a good margin.

 

[Dotally]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like the prices will go down a lot soon so for those of you that were planning on keeping your books clean and unwritten in, I'd say just go for it and write whatever you want since the resale value might not be worth it.

 

[bxue0919]

I've got the entire set of TBR (2 Organic chemistry books, 2 Biology books, 2 physics books, 2 chemistry books and 1 verbal reasoning book) for sale. All in nice conditions! Selling on a price of $350 (plus a used Barron's MCAT review)

Reply or message me if you are interested. Willing to discuss on the price!

 

[drechie]

thank you for this. might anyone know if the TBR Bio II book (2011) is much different from the 2013 version?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like the prices will go down a lot soon so for those of you that were planning on keeping your books clean and unwritten in, I'd say just go for it and write whatever you want since the resale value might not be worth it.

I expected the same thing, but much to my surprise, they are still selling for high prices at eBay and here at SDN classifieds once again. We have also seen a huge surge in our book sales recently. My theory is that as people are discovering that the new MCAT is really just the old MCAT with a few things removed and a ton of biochemistry added in, that even our old books are more relevant than the other books on the market.

Couple that with the blowback for some of the other companies' '2015' books that were quickly written in 2013 and early 2014 that have many errors, and there has been a resurgence of interest in BR materials. Our passages and questions are perfect for simulating the exam and learning to think about concepts.

 

[Mubangaeu]

Thank you for this. Would you recommend I went for the updated physics books or I just use the old ones?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

It depends on how old. As long as they are 2013 or later, you should be fine.

 

[Sarahka74]

It depends on how old. As long as they are 2013 or later, you should be fine.

I just bought an older edition of the physics TBR book. On page 54 it has fluid and solids in big letters and buoyancy is mentioned on the page, however it has a 2010 copyright and on page 1 of book 1 it is says " May 2010". The book is red/orange in color. The seller told me it was the latest edition, would you(or anyone) be able to tell me if this is true/not true?

 

[Vero Medico]

* I will be updating this post as new materials are released.

I hope to do a few things with this post.

• 1) Give a list of the materials that pertain to the current MCAT.

• 2) Reduce my PMs by having a post that answers some of the FAQs I get.

• 3) Help some sellers with current materials get a fair market price and have a list available that prevents buyers from getting taken when buying outdated books.

First off, SDN classifieds are by far the best place to get used BR materials. You can ask questions and get tailored replies from the seller. Most of the dishonest activities (scams) and bait-n-switch listings (outdated material or counterfeits with missing pages) come from Craigslist, so you should never buy from Craigslist. Ebay has BR books, but in many cases they cost more used than you'd pay for them brand new. They also have the most number of incorrect books copyright dates of any site. Secondhand sellers rarely have any clue what they are selling. For the sake of getting current materials, you should look primarily to SDN if you opt to buy the materials used.

Here is a general pricing suggestion for the materials. For details about what makes the updated books different from older books, consult the other book thread. You should always ask about the writing in each book and version.

BIOLOGY
The new Biology book is out!!!!​

The biology books have undergone small changes with each printing. These changes generally included correction of typos, updates of drawings, and some questions and/or explanation changes. In early 2011, a practice test was added to the back of each book. These exams are invaluable as summaries. More molecular biology and biochemistry has been added with each new printing, until the most recent version. In May of 2015, the latest version was released, with an emphasis on biochemistry. There are many new questions on high-yield topics such as enzymatic cleavage, translation, PCR, and so on. Many questions and answers have been modified to reflect an emphasis on lab techniques.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair​

USED RECOMMENDATION: from May 2015 to current
Next best option:
from March 2011 to April 2015
Anything before March 2011 isn't worth getting.​

Used from March 2011 to April 2015 should run you about $40-$45 for the pair, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if there is a practice exam that starts on page 339 of Book I. If it is, then you have the right book.

View attachment 177351
Current Biology Books​

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PHYSICS
The new Physics book is due out in late November of 2015.​

The physics books started a major change during late 2010 and it went through a few more changes in late 2012 and mid 2013. The latest changes were a few new passages with physiology and general chemistry crossover were incorporated. You shouldn't settle for anything less than the very latest version, used or new.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair​

USED RECOMMENDATION: from June 2013 to current
Next best option: from November 2012 to May 2013
Anything before November 2012 isn't worth getting.​

Used from November 2012 or later should run you about $45-$55 for the pair, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask if it has a buoyancy and flow trick summary sheet on page 54 of Book 2. If it is, then you have the right book. If not, pass on that one and get a newer version.

View attachment 177343
Outdated Physics Books​

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

GENERAL CHEMISTRY
The new General Chemistry book is due out in early October of 2015.​

The general chemistry books underwent a change in March of 2012 that included expanding the electrochemistry section to incorporate more biology, new passages in select areas, and more of a physics component mixed in where appropriate. This book has been the flagship of the company for many years and is so far and away better than everything else on the market that even an outdated BR general chemistry book beats the 2015 book for the next best company. If you use it right, this book will improve your score more than anything on the market.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair​

USED RECOMMENDATION: from January 2014 to current
Next best option: from March 2012 to December 2013
Anything before March 2012 isn't worth getting.​

Used from March 2012 or later should run you about $55-$60 for the pair, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if the Book 1 has 360 pages and if Book 2 has 317 pages.

View attachment 177349
Current General Chemistry Books​

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
The new Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry book is out!!!!​

The organic chemistry books have undergone four major changes since 2004. In 2004 the AAMC writers removed topics such as alkene reactions and benzene chemistry, so these sections were omitted from the BR book at that time, changing the chapter sequence in a significant way. The topics were modified again in 2007, after the switch to the CBT. The next version was released in June, 2012. It had more passages, reduced text, and more sample questions. It was the first version to have an index at the back. As of August 2015, the organic chemistry book was revised to include elementary biochemistry mixed into organic chemistry. There are three chapters in particular that have a strong biology component. The book was modified AFTER April 2015, so it could accurately reflect the new MCAT. Part 1 is dedicated to traditional organic chemistry topics (structure, bonding, stereochemistry, reactivity, spectroscopy, and lab techniques) Part 2 is dedicated to the overlap area between biochemistry and organic chemistry (lipids, phospholipids, carbonyl structures, redox biochemistry, carbohydrates, amino acids, and nitrogen-compounds). It is the best 2015+ book on the market. The new book has a different cover than the older versions.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair​

USED RECOMMENDATION: from August 2015 to current
Next best option: from June 2012 to July 2015
Anything other than the latest isn't worth getting.
​

Used from June 2012 through April 2015 should run you about $45-$55 for the pair, depending on the shape. To check if you are getting this version of the book, ask the seller if the topic of "Edman's reagent" is on page 199 of Book II. If it is, then you have the right used book.

Books before March 2012 are outdated because the test changed and those books contain topics that are no longer tested. Anything between March 2012 and July 2015 is okay, but the newest book is so excellent that it's worth spending the extra money to get a new one.

View attachment 194598
Current Organic Chemistry Books
​

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CRITICAL ANALYSIS and REASONING SKILLS
The new CARS book is due out in mid November of 2015.​

The verbal reasoning book underwent a major change during 2009 when there was a concerted effort to include multiple ways to solve questions. For 2015, many passages were edited to match the latest trends on the MCAT. The absolute latest version has more passages than before.

Brand new from the company: $69​

USED RECOMMENDATION: from January 2011 to current
Next best option: from October 2009 to December 2010
Anything before October 2009 isn't worth getting.​

Used from 2011 or later should run you about $20-$35, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if the passages on 332 and 390 are different. If they are, then you have the right book.

RECOMMENDATION: January 2011 to current
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

PSYCHOLOGY and SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
The new CARS book is due out in early September of 2015.​

This book is brand new and due to be released in early September. No price has been assigned yet. It has been used by two generations of in-class users who have literally knocked the P/S section out of the park. The first wave of students averaged an amazing 128.9 on that section. It is designed to give you exactly what you need to do well on the test, without going into unnecessary depth on superfluous topics. The contents reflects the AAMC trends, which makes it a one-stop book for this section.

Brand new from the company: $TBD​

USED RECOMMENDATION: from September 2015 to current
Next best option: from April 2015 to August 2015
Anything before October 2009 isn't worth getting.​

Used from April 2015 should run you about $50-$60, depending on the shape. It was the first version of the book and used exclusively in the classroom course. It has a temporary yellow cardboard cover. For a while, this version will be the only one on the market. There are actually two versions, with the later one having more passages than the first release.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The suggested prices are based on sales over the past few years at SDN. The list below includes a few suggestions to follow on any purchase of used books.

• 1) Always ask for the edition. Older books cost less brand new than current books and should not have the inflated price some people ask for them.

• 2) The passages are the most important part, and you shouldn't buy books with writing on them. Even the slightest amount of writing ruins the integrity of the practice experience (and biases your thought process). Hold out for clean copies if you plan to do the passages.

• 3) For organic chemistry and psychology/sociology, the newest version is best and it's worth paying a little more to get it. These books are better than anything else on the market and the scores people get support this.

• 4) Illegal PDF versions exist for the outdated versions. If someone is selling what they call a used 2009 version that lacks verbal reasoning, it is probably an illegal pdf version. If they are selling a 2011 or 2012 version, then there is a good chance it's an illegal PDF version, because some books have no 2011 version or no 2012 version. Many illegal pdf versions end up being scams and have missing poages or aren't actually what they say they are. It's not worth using them for many reasons, including ethics, risk to your future, and lack of preparedness. Most people get caught when a fellow premed reports them during the application process. Once this is exposed, their chances for acceptance are negatively impacted. With any pdf files of any materials, is it worth saving maybe $50 to risk your chances of going to medical school?

• 5) BR books retain their value more than any other books (check the classifieds and you'll be stunned). Buying them new (or the most current used versions) is worth the investment because of their resale value.

• 6) If you sell your used books through SDN classifieds, you should list the version and emphasize the key pages that demonstrate that it's the latest version. You are welcome to link this post if it helps your sale.

• 7) This post will be updated when changes to the books occur.

Hi,

I was wondering if you could ship the BR books to Canada through ground not FedEx since I have got the quote from BR officials that ordering only 2 books from BR cost me 121 just for shipping and total of 259$ which is ridiculously expensive just for 2 books! is there any way you could help with this issue?

Their advice is to send the material to US, but what if someone does not have family/friends in US!!

 

[xxabi]

@BerkReviewTeach
Why do you suggest getting January 2014 Chemistry books? Just wondering, because when you visit the website (http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/bookdetails/genchempart1.html) it says that if we were to buy Chemistry books, they would be 2012 edition. Apologies if I am simply misinterpreting the website! Thanks

Also have this same question! Are the GenChem books from 2012 (or 2014 as you stated in the initial post)?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I just bought an older edition of the physics TBR book. On page 54 it has fluid and solids in big letters and buoyancy is mentioned on the page, however it has a 2010 copyright and on page 1 of book 1 it is says " May 2010". The book is red/orange in color. The seller told me it was the latest edition, would you(or anyone) be able to tell me if this is true/not true?

Unfortunately, there have been two editions since that one. If you can take the time to compare the chapter topics with the new AAMC list, you should be able to omit some topics. The strategies in that book are still useful, although that was a tweener printing where we were in the process of a considerable revision and that was a temporary intermediate version.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Hi,

I was wondering if you could ship the BR books to Canada through ground not FedEx since I have got the quote from BR officials that ordering only 2 books from BR cost me 121 just for shipping and total of 259$ which is ridiculously expensive just for 2 books! is there any way you could help with this issue?

Their advice is to send the material to US, but what if someone does not have family/friends in US!!

This is the unfortunate side effect of some tariff rules. That big price you're paying for shipping of books is a cut from both governments, and although less when using the USPS, it's still costly to ship from a company. It will be much cheaper to find them here at SDN, where there are no tariffs.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Also have this same question! Are the GenChem books from 2012 (or 2014 as you stated in the initial post)?

There is not much difference between those two printings. I prefer the latest of each, but that is not a critical difference.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

@BerkReviewTeach
Why do you suggest getting January 2014 Chemistry books? Just wondering, because when you visit the website (http://www.berkeley-review.com/TBR/bookdetails/genchempart1.html) it says that if we were to buy Chemistry books, they would be 2012 edition. Apologies if I am simply misinterpreting the website! Thanks

Wow, I know our website sucks, but that is really bad. I think the webmaster (the guy trapped in the 90s) hasn't updated that note for quite a while. Maybe he's being lazy and waiting for the change associated with the 2016 book.

 

[aurevoir0711]

@BerkReviewTeach

When is the latest physics book going to be out? I checked TBR website, but the physics book is still not out yet. I have an outdated physics book. Would this be useful for reviewing topics for the new MCAT? Physics is my strong point, but chemistry definitely is not. I was wondering if the latest physics book would incorporate a lot of bio/chemistry materials for practice problems. Thanks.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

The new physics books is done from the author's end and sitting at the printer. Exactly when they'll be done is an unknown. I'd guess next week sometime. The people in the Berkeley office would have a better idea if you wish to call them.

 

[my045881]

The new physics books is done from the author's end and sitting at the printer. Exactly when they'll be done is an unknown. I'd guess next week sometime. The people in the Berkeley office would have a better idea if you wish to call them.

Hey, could you tell me what the difference between the 2015 and 2016 edition of the physics books is? Same goes for the gen chem?

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Hey, could you tell me what the difference between the 2015 and 2016 edition of the physics books is? Same goes for the gen chem?

I think the biggest difference between the 2015 and 2016 versions of the physics and general chemistry books is that there IS a 2016 version for those two but there IS NOT a 2015 version.

The last version of the physics and general chemistry before 2016 was 2013. We waited a while before rewriting our books because we wanted them to actually reflect the new MCAT. Any company who printed a 2015 version did so in 2014, before the MCAT had actually been given.

 

[b.nguyening]

The new physics books is done from the author's end and sitting at the printer. Exactly when they'll be done is an unknown. I'd guess next week sometime. The people in the Berkeley office would have a better idea if you wish to call them.

Hello, could you please explain the difference between the biology 2015 and biology 2016 sets? I have a seller that is offering the biology 2015 sets to me for $60 without the shipping and I am wondering if I would be better off purchasing them directly from the company.
Thanks

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

The differences between late 2013 through 2016 (three printings within that time span) are minimal. The practice exams got the changes, but the different editions are very similar. As it stands, the MCAT did not change that much in this area and the BR biology books were perfect for the new exam. If you are buying used, you can save money and get 2013. I'd hunt for older biology books and save some money.

I would suggest getting the newest organic chemistry, physics, and general chemistry books if you can find them. There are some of the organic chemistry floating around SDN classifieds, but I've only seen one seller offering the latest physics and general chemistry books.

 

[my045881]

Hello, could you please explain the difference between the biology 2015 and biology 2016 sets? I have a seller that is offering the biology 2015 sets to me for $60 without the shipping and I am wondering if I would be better off purchasing them directly from the company.
Thanks

Thanks! that clears up a lot of the confusion.

 

[yoyo90]

How do I know which version of the books I have?

 

[b.nguyening]

How do I know which version of the books I have?

The copyright year should be on the front cover towards the bottom.

 

[aurevoir0711]

@BerkReviewTeach, I bought the new books for ochem and I really enjoyed the first set. Before I dive into the second set, I have a question for you.

I have not taken Ochem 2 yet and will not be able to take it before my MCAT in June. My ochem 1 foundation is fairly strong as I performed quite well in the class. I can look and discern most ochem 2 functional groups and some reactions, but my knowledge is very superficial. Also, I do not know much reagents from Ochem 2 besides very basic ones like PCC, KMnO4, and LiAlH4. Considering how much time it took for me to get a good grasp of Ochem 1, I do not think reviewing Ochem 2 textbook by myself will be the most efficient use of my time.

Having said that, I notice that the first set of Ochem focused heavily on Ochem 1 material. I did not find any difficult questions although some were tricky. I was hoping that Ochem Part II would cover most of the information I need to know for Ochem 2, but I am not sure if this will be enough for MCAT. Should I actually try to study Ochem 2 on my own a little bit? I might be able to get a decent grasp on it if I do a few book problems. Or is there any supplemental material for MCAT related Ochem 2 you would recommend? I would sincerely appreciate your response. Thanks.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Covers for the most recent Physics, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry books.

 

[adamkingpremed]

For General Chemistry:

"USED RECOMMENDATION: from October 2015 to Otober 2017
Next best option: from January 2014 to September 2015
Anything before January 2014 isn't worth getting."

You made a small typo with the month "October" in your post! Just a small typo, but if you want to fix it, just pointing it out! @BerkReviewTeach

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I want to add an updated comment here. I get questions about used books quite often, and have come to learn that my information about the biology book has been wrong. I had been told by the author that updates and changes were being made back in 2015 and 2016. The change was to add a set of exams to the back of the book. The actual book itself has not been updated since the early 2000s.

Also, since the closing of our classrooms in Irvine, Westwood, and Berkeley, there has been an increase in the number of new TBR booksets being sold on the open market. This may be the result of some students at those locations receiving two sets of books. Our last book updates were before COVID, so keep an eye out for individuals selling new and pristine books cheaper than elsewhere. There are more bargains to be found than normal.

I want to update the information here. I get questions about used books quite often, and have come to learn that my information about the biology book has been wrong. I had been told by the author that updates and changes were being made back in 2015 and 2016. The change was to add a set of exams to the back of the book. The actual book itself has not been updated since the early 2000s.

Also, since the closing of our classrooms in Irvine, Westwood, and Berkeley, there has been an increase in the number of new TBR booksets being sold on the open market. This may be the result of some students at those locations receiving two sets of books. If you see people selling new 2020 book sets for cheap, there is a good chance they are completely legit sales where you can save some money.

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BIOLOGY
(Addition 1: May 2015) * practice exam added
(Revision 1: October 2016) * practice exam edited​

The biology books have undergone small changes to the cover pages with each printing. In early 2011, a practice test was added to the back of each book. These exams are invaluable as summaries. In 2015, the practice exam had some typos fixed. There are many questions on high-yield topics such as enzymatic cleavage, translation, PCR, and so on.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from 2000 to current
Next best option:
from 1996 to 1999
Anything before 1996 isn't worth getting.​

Used from January 1996 to July 2021 should run you about $20-$40 for the pair, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if there is a practice exam that starts on page 339 of Book I. If it is, then you have the right book.


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PHYSICS
(Revision 1: November 2015)
(Revision 2: October 2016)
(Revision 3: June 2020)​

The physics books started a major change during late 2010 and it went through a few more changes in late 2012 and mid 2013. In November of 2015, the version for the new MCAT was released, with an emphasis on integrating biological examples (especially physiology and biochemistry lab techniques) into physics passages. This included many new questions on high-yield topics such as electrophoresis, pace makers, artificial valves, and so on. Many questions and answers were modified to reflect an emphasis on applications. The October 2016 revision addressed some passages and incorporated more experiment-based questions. The latest changes were a few new passages with physiology and general chemistry incorporated. You shouldn't settle for anything less than the very latest version, used or new.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from June 2020 to current
Next best option: from November 2015 to May 2020
Anything before November 2015 isn't worth getting.​

Used from November 2015 or later should run you about $45-$55 for the pair, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask if it has a buoyancy and flow trick summary sheet on page 54 of Book 2. If it is, then you have the right book. If not, pass on that one and get a newer version.


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GENERAL CHEMISTRY
(Revision 1: October 2015)
(Revision 2: October 2017)
(Revision 3: August 2019)​

It is written and maintained by Todd Bennett, the founder and thirty-year teacher for the course. This book has been the flagship of the company for many years and is so far and away better than everything else on the market that even an outdated BR general chemistry book beats the 2015 book for the next best company. It contains many strategies that apply to all four sections of the MCAT. The general chemistry books underwent a change in March of 2012 that included expanding the electrochemistry section to incorporate more biology, ad new passages in select areas, and more of a physics component mixed in where appropriate. In 2015 the book went from ten chapters to 12, and introduced phase-based homework sets. Roughly 80 new passages were introduced in late 2015. The general chemistry book was redesigned to include physics, biochemistry, physiology, and organic chemistry applications of general chemistry concepts. In 2017, the editing focused on minor typos more than anything else, introducing only six new passages. If you use it right, this book will improve your score more than anything on the market.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from October 2018 to current
Next best option: from January 2016 to September 2018
Anything before January 2016 isn't worth getting.​

Used from January 2016 or later should run you about $55-$60 for the pair, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if the Book 1 has 360 pages and if Book 2 has 317 pages.


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ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(with structural biochemistry)
(Revision 1: August 2015)
(Revision 2: June 2017)
(Revision 3: July 2020)​

Like the General Chemistry books, this set was written by Todd Bennett. The organic chemistry books have undergone four major changes since 2004. In 2004 the AAMC writers removed topics such as alkene reactions and benzene chemistry, so these sections were omitted from the BR book at that time, changing the chapter sequence in a significant way. The topics were modified again in 2007, after the switch to the CBT. The next version was released in June, 2012. It had more passages, reduced text, and more sample questions. It was the first version to have an index at the back. As of August 2015, the organic chemistry book was revised to include elementary biochemistry mixed into organic chemistry. There are three chapters in particular that have a strong biology component (lipids, carbohydrates, and nitrogen compounds). The book was modified AFTER April 2015, so it could accurately reflect the new MCAT. Part 1 is dedicated to traditional organic chemistry topics (structure, bonding, stereochemistry, reactivity, spectroscopy, and lab techniques) Part 2 is dedicated to the overlap area between biochemistry and organic chemistry (lipids, phospholipids, carbonyl structures, redox biochemistry, carbohydrates, amino acids, and nitrogen-compounds). It is the best 2015+ book on the market. The new book has a different cover than the older versions. In June 2017 an updated version was released with some new passages. But the reality is that this book was so absolutely spot on for the current MCAT, that it was a minor change needed.

Brand new from the company: $69 for the pair

USED RECOMMENDATION: from July 2020 to current
Next best option: from August 2015 to June 2020
Anything other than the latest isn't worth getting.
​

Used from August 2015 through July 2021 should run you about $60-$65 for the pair, depending on the shape. To check if you are getting this version of the book, ask the seller if the topic of "Edman's reagent" is on page 199 of Book II. If it is, then you have the right used book.


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CRITICAL ANALYSIS and REASONING SKILLS
(Revision 1: November 2015)​

The verbal reasoning book underwent a major change during 2009 when there was a concerted effort to include multiple ways to solve questions. For 2015, many passages were edited to match the latest trends on the MCAT. The latest version has more passages than the pre-2015 version.

Brand new from the company: $69

USED RECOMMENDATION: from January 2011 to current
Next best option: from October 2009 to December 2010
Anything before October 2009 isn't worth getting.​

Used from 2011 or later should run you about $20-$35, depending on the shape. To make sure you are getting the correct version, ask the seller if the passages on 332 and 390 are different. If they are, then you have the right book.

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PSYCHOLOGY
(First Version: June 2015)​

This book was first used in our classes in April 2015, in manuscript form. It was printed in June, 2015 and released in early September. It was used by two generations of in-class users before we printed it. It is designed to cover some of the Psychology topics you could see on the test, going into depth on some topics. It has no sociology and minimal social psychology. It has two passages per chapter and seven chapters total. It does not include most of the material covered in our live course and is not currently used in the lecture course for reading or homework.

Brand new from the company: $49

USED RECOMMENDATION: from September 2015 to current
Next best option: there is nothing earlier​

Used from September 2015 and later should run you about $10-$15, depending on the shape. It was the first version of the book and used exclusively in the classroom course. It has a temporary yellow cardboard cover. There are actually two versions, with the later one having more passages than the first release.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

With the Anki deck somebody built of TBR questions, it seems that the prices for used TBR books has dropped drastically. I'm not sure it's worth posting a pricing guide any longer, because everything listed above is now too high compared to what they sell for here and on FB classifieds. New book sales are way down ever since the course folded eight months ago, so I tend to think it's a free for all where you can get some good prices if you look everywhere.

I know some of you may consider PDFs as a way to get the most current books for free, but this hurts the people who paid full price that want to sell their used books. We've given up trying to police the PDF market and count on honesty in the community. If it's really worth it to save $440 (includes approximate shopping costs and taxes on top of the $375), then you're going to do what you're going to do. Many people justify it that the books haven't changed since 2017, and some of the books even longer than that. I get that. If that bothers you, and I'm sure it does for some, then buy used books and help out another premed.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

In trying to say current, I looked at eBay and SDN classified, and the prices for used BR books that actually sold have dropped even more. There were full current sets selling for $100 with some extras tossed in.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I made some minor edits.