Top 10 MCAT Preparation Books

MCAT is a standardized test taken by medical students for pursuing higher studies in the same field by obtaining admission to almost any medical school. This exam contains four sections with each section being interdisciplinary and yet removed from the other. The different sections are Physical Sciences, CARS, Biological Sciences, and Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior.

The AAMC provides students with a total of only 7 hours and 30 minutes in all including breaks which amounts to only 1.5 minutes per question. The importance of this exam in attaining admission to medical schools and the cost associated with it makes students want to clear the exam with a high score on the first attempt. Prep books then become an essential extra investment to get into that dream college or university of the student’s choice.

List of Best MCAT Prep Books

Book	Price	Parameters
The Princeton Review-MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Review-2nd Edition	$28.30	Subject Reviews Practice Passages Practice Tests Walkthroughs
Kaplan-MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review 2023-2024	$200.08	QuickSheets Practice Tests Instructional Videos Quizzes Practice Questions
MCAT Prep Books 2021-2022; MCAT Secret Study Guide 4th Edition	$43.99	Practice Questions Answer Explanations Complete Subject Review Practice Tests
MCAT 528 Advanced Prep 2021-2022 Kaplan	$34.37	Practice Questions Subject Reviews Online Prep Material
Barron’s MCAT with Online Tests-3rd Edition	$32.97	Practice Tests Detailed Answer Explanations Strategies and Tips
Examkrackers MCAT Complete Study Package-11th Edition	$195.48	Prep Tests Mini Exams Practice Questions
MCAT Verbal Practice 3rd Edition by Next Step Test Prep	$41.71	MCAT CARS Section Practice Passages Online Diagnostic Test
MCAT Prep Books 2022-2023 by Test Prep Books	$52.72	Strategies and Tips Info on Exam Content Review Practice Questions
Barron’s New MCAT 2nd Edition	$21.61	Practice Tests Subject Reviews Practice Questions
Sterling Test Prep MCAT-Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry	$48.75	Subject Reviews Practice Questions Detailed Answer Explanations

1

MCAT Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Review, 2nd Edition by The Princeton Review

Cost: $28.30
This book has a fundamental 6-step approach to cracking every passage type question and also includes test-taking strategies, active reading training, information regarding question types and formats along with detailed discourses on how the process of elimination and attractors work, what the ranking and ordering of passages is, etc.

Reviewers state that the extra focus on the CARS section has made the book miss relevant information regarding the biology and biochemistry sections. The book is graded highly for students who have trouble scoring high but is not recommended for students trying to cap their scores using the strategies and tips mentioned.

Pros-

• This book contains subject explanations, end-of-chapter drills, hundreds of problems, MCAT-style practice passages, and 3 full-length online practice tests that can be considered a steal for $28.30 when compared with other books.
• This book also contains additional information regarding CARS with step-by-step walk-throughs of sample questions.
• It contains step-by-step walkthroughs that make it easy for candidates who are self-prepping.

Cons-

• The strategies provided in the book needn’t seem helpful to all especially to those who rely on logic and reasoning for answering questions.

2

MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review 2023-2024 by Kaplan

Cost: $200.08
These books contain guided examples, efficient strategies, high-yield badges indicating the most testable content, concept summaries, one-year online access to 3 full-length practice tests, instructional videos, practice questions, and quizzes that the student can utilize. The hundreds of practice questions available in these books have concepts and equations depicting how students can go about these questions. The entire set can be purchased for a hefty sum of $200.08 but is worthwhile since it contains information regarding all the sections and will not require an additional purchase of any other book.

This set of books will help one overcome the challenge of passing the MCAT Exam. The books and their content are designed and compiled by the experts in the field, Kaplan. 350 questions in each of these books in addition to numerous online practice questions prepare the student comprehensively to appear for MCAT. Charts, diagrams, graphs, and other colored and 3-D illustrations focus on important information that can be easily and quickly understood in visual form. All the topics mostly tested by AAMC are covered in all the books in this set.

The cons of the books are that there are a few typing errors and that the content review is over-detailed at many points. The book is recommended for students who have ample time to invest in preparation and not for people who are looking for a last-minute prep book that can save the day.

Pros-

• The books contain QuickSheets with information on the most important topics for the examination.
• Candidates will be able to get access to 3 full-length practice tests, instructional videos, practice questions, and quizzes as part of the book.
• There is additional content in the sidebars of the book pointing at the connection between concepts. This includes additional references and tips that candidates can use.
• Candidates will also be getting complete subject reviews for the examination.

Cons-

• The book has several typos and other technical errors that can make it hard to use the book.
• Candidates who wish to prepare for the examination within a short period of time will not be able to benefit from the book.
• A few candidates have been unable to use the online content of the examination.

3

MCAT Prep Books 2021-2022: MCAT Secrets Study Guide, 4th edition

Cost: $43.99
For a price of just $44, this book published by Mometrix hasn’t received a single negative review but at the same time has been praised for being tailor-made for the test. With this book, in addition to practicing concepts with specific and detailed knowledge, students can master various procedures and principles required for clearing the MCAT Exam. Furthermore, this book prepares one especially for the MCAT exam because it gives the scores of test questions.

Pros-

• This book contains practice questions with detailed answer explanations, step-by-step video tutorials, tips, and strategies that are specific to the MCAT test and also includes a complete review of the different sections of the MCAT.
• Besides hosting MCAT practice test questions with answers, this book gives a fair idea of the key areas of the real MCAT test.
• This book gives a chance to strengthen one's Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences, Physical Science and Vocabulary required for appearing in MCAT.

4

MCAT 528 Advanced Prep 2021-2022 by Kaplan

Cost: $34.37
The book has been termed a crash course for students attempting to crack the exam when they do not have enough time to ponder over every minute detail regarding the content. The book can be purchased for $34.37 and though it does not replace a complete study set, it is ideal for last-minute preparers who are looking for books that can cover most of the exam-related content in the least number of pages possible.

Pros-

• This book is 456 pages long and contains more than 500 questions in the book along with access to more questions online.
• There are comprehensive subject reviews and a full-length practice test available online for the students.
• The book doesn’t go into details about different concepts often offering only contents that are necessary for the test making navigating through the book easier.

Cons-

• The book is for last-minute preparers of the examination and can be of not much use to candidates who wish to study from scratch for the examination.
• The online content provided with the book has been stated to be inaccessible for a few candidates.
• The strategies provided in the book are too general and not specific to the MCAT examination.

5

Barron's MCAT with Online Tests, 3rd edition

Cost: $32.97
The leader in all types of test preparation, Barron's also do not lag behind in offering valuable content for MCAT preparation too. This book is available in print form and e-book form. The book contains a comprehensive review of all the content areas and separate sections for additional areas that are covered only in the MCAT. The review is concept-centric than fact-centric letting students understand the concepts than memorizing them for the test. This book is well over 1000 pages and hence is a multi-month study book than a last-minute option. The book costs just $32.97 and is a cheaper option when compared to most other books in the field.

Pros-

• This book contains two full-length model MCAT tests along with answers.
• This book exclusively offers subject reviews in all four sections of the MCAT followed by practice questions.
• Additionally, here is a guide to test-taking strategies.

Cons-

• Reviewers state that the book has plenty of inaccuracies in the answers provided for questions.
• The organization of the content in the book is user-unfriendly.

6

Examkrackers MCAT Complete Study Package, 11th Edition

Cost: $195.48
This version comes in a set of 6 volumes covering Reasoning Skills: Verbal, Research, and Math; Biology 1 Molecules: Biochemistry; Biology 2 Systems; Psychology & Sociology; Chemistry: General and Organic Chemistry; Physics. This set is the ultimate guide to cracking the MCAT.

The book remains on the expensive end of the spectrum with a total of $195.48 for all the volumes but the book is said to cover all the areas of the exam by providing practice questions that are of the same difficulty level as the official exam. The books also refrain from providing unnecessary information regarding the test by sticking only to the content.

Pros-

• The book contains prep tests for the examination.
• Apart from the MCAT exam prep tests, there are mini exams at the end of each chapter to make sure that the student has grasped the chapter properly.
• The book guides the student through all the topics. There are notes all over mentioning how one would typically approach a question but how one should approach it.

Cons-

• Reviewers claim that while the book is an excellent prep tool, one will require additional materials to crack the examination since the content is lacking in a lot of fields.
• The complete set is too pricey for being a prep tool, especially since one will require supplementary materials.

7

MCAT Verbal Practice, 3rd Edition by Next Step Test Prep

Cost: $41.71
The book costs a total of $41.71 but can also be purchased as a used book since most people who attempt the MCAT use this book to ace the exam. This book is made for students who already know the basic concepts and are only looking for materials that help them practice for the test. Reviewers do claim that the question styles deviate a little from the original test and that the answers in the options provided a too long when compared to the official test.

Pros-

• This book focuses on the MCAT CARS section providing enough and more practice required to ace the test.
• The one hundred practice passages available through this book are arranged as timed practice sections that can hone the critical abilities of the student.
• Students will get access to the online MCAT diagnostic test with this book.

Cons-

• The question styles used in the book are slightly different from those that one will encounter in the official examination and hence can be a little misleading.
• The answers provided for the questions are too wordy and hence can be difficult to understand.

8

MCAT Prep Books 2022-2023 by Test Prep Books

Cost: $52.72
This is the 6th edition of the MCAT book released by Test Prep Books and contains an index of what the book contains which helps students navigate through the different sections of the book. The book comes at $52.72 which is a decent range for prep books in this field but not the cheaper option either. There are reviews stating that the practice questions are relatively easy but are considered to be good for even beginners except that it does not contain information relating to the test and starts directly with the content.

Pros-

• This book contains test-taking strategies that have been specifically made for the MCAT and then follows through with an introduction, content reviews of the different sections of the exam, and practice questions.
• The practice questions in the book include detailed answer explanations which help students understand their mistakes and correct them in time before the official exam.

Cons-

• The book does not contain information relating to the examination and focuses only on the content.
• The practice questions provided in the book are too easy and might not allow candidates to be prepared for the tougher questions one might encounter in the examination.

9

Barron's New MCAT, 2nd Edition

Cost: $21.61
Barron’s New MCAT is the older version of Barron’s MCAT with Online Tests but the relevance of the book in the preparation for the MCAT has not diminished over time. The book is considered good for beginners since it contains essential outlines for just $10 and can be used as a base before moving on to advanced practice books that have more MCAT-specific test strategies and tips.

Pros-

• This book contains 4 full-length practice tests including 2 on CD Rom along with detailed subject reviews and practice questions.
• There is a comprehensive review of every subject included in the examination.
• The practice questions have been formatted mimicking the style used in the official examination.

Cons-

• The practice questions are ambiguously phrased making it difficult for candidates to comprehend the question and answer accordingly.
• The digital practice tests have visible signs of poor formatting when compared to the digital content provided by other exam prep organizations.
• There are several typos in both the questions and answers provided.

10

Sterling Test Prep MCAT (Organic Chemistry & Biochemistry Practice Questions; Biology & Biochemistry Review)

Cost: $48.75
While listing top MCAT books, one cannot miss mentioning the name Sterling. Its various books explain concepts of General Chemistry, Physics, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Psychology, and Sociology. All the books cover all these subjects in detail to impart every bit of knowledge to help crack the examination.

These books cannot be purchased together but can be purchased by students who have understood the concepts thoroughly and want to hone their skills to cap their already high scores. Such students, who are particularly weak in one or two sections of the test may buy the corresponding book for a range of $39-$60 and prepare until they are adept in that section. This book is not recommended for beginners.

Pros-

• This book gives a thorough review of General Chemistry topics that are usually tested or expected to be tested in the MCAT Exam.
• It also explains numerous principles and theories covering topics like chemical bonding, states of matter, solution chemistry, and many others on the list.

Cons-

• There are several typos and general errors in the book.
• The content of the book can be of a higher difficulty level than the official test.