Best MCAT Psychology Books at a Glance
As you know, the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) requires passing a multiple-choice examination focusing on understanding the concepts. This is where Psychology represents one of the most complex aspects of getting through.
Luckily, you can find several books available to train your problem-solving, analysis, critical thinking, and understanding of the basic elements used in medical studies. This review will feature all the critical points to help you determine the best options.
- My Choice – Kaplan MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject
- Best Value – Princeton Review MCAT Subject Review Complete Box Set
- Best for Beginners – Kaplan MCAT Self-Study Toolkit
- Most Compact – Mometrix MCAT Prep Books
- Most Practical – ExamKrackers MCAT Complete Study Package
Best Psychology Book for MCAT Preparation
For this review, I decided to focus on the most popular book titles to evaluate the best MCAT book for Psychology. These include two diverse MCAT book offerings from Kaplan, one from Mometrix, one from ExamKrackers, and the final book package from the famous Princeton Review.
Since these are the most popular among students, let’s look at each entry in greater detail for an unbiased and accessible same-criteria review.
Kaplan MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject
Features:
The MCAT psychology book offerings are the most accurate, with a complete set of subjects and detailed case studies. The presence of MCAT strategies helps students get ready for the exam and avoid confusion and gaps between theory and the exam’s readiness. The presence of three full-length online tests helps to experience the real deal. I have found it especially helpful in terms of being the best Psychology book for MCAT training.
Check the current price on Amazon.
User Reviews:
The Amazon reviewers gave it 73 ratings in total, with 4.8 out of 5 stars. Most customers who have tried the books praise them for being accessible, which is also what I have found to be true. The presence of a complete MCAT Psychology and Sociology book course is not given as a textbook but as a link to the MCAT Psychology exam. See some of the reviews below:
Personal Considerations:
Reviewing the Psychology MCAT content of the books and comparing them to similar offerings, the first thing that instantly caught my attention was the clarity and the table of contents. It provides a detailed overview of each subject necessary for medical studies.
What makes it different is that it relates to a chosen MCAT topic and the style of questions being asked. It helps to erase the line between theory and the actual MCAT exam with clear language.
The only other entry on my review that follows the same accessibility is Princeton Review. It can be compared to an encyclopedia where you can find every subject or aspect of Psychology.
Princeton Review MCAT Subject Review Complete Box Set
- The price is the best value for money.
- Thousands of question to prep for MCAT.
- Difficult exams.
- Lack of connection with MCAT concepts
In a certain sense, the Princeton Review MCAT Subject Review is quite similar to what is offered by Kaplan when comparing the presence of seven books and three online practice tests. It is also more affordable, which may suit students on a budget.
Now, what book is best for MCAT Psychology? It depends! Although you have 1488 pages to review, the tests are much more difficult than Kaplan's. Looking at the actual MCAT exam reviews, many students claim that what Princeton exams ask for is much harder!
Price:
It is where the price represents the best value for the package, which is cheaper and may play an important role for someone with limited funds. The quality of graphics and the content included make it a safe purchase.
Check the current price on Amazon.
User Reviews:
The only two negative aspects I have found are the complexity of the exams that are hard to pull through and the presence of limited availability, as noted on Amazon. Nevertheless, 53 ratings give it 4.8 stars out of 5, making it one of the best Psychology and Sociology MCAT book offerings.
Personal Considerations:
On a personal note, I can compare these MCAT books to what Kaplan offers. The only major difference is the lack of connection to the MCAT-based concepts and the complexity of the online tests. It means that you can learn the theory, yet the thousands of questions you can access will differ in style and may cover some deeper concepts.
Ensure you can connect mentally between subjects and leave your comfort zone during the online test.
Kaplan MCAT Self-Study Toolkit
- More than 3,000 questions contained in a special bank of practical tasks.
- Provides you with one year of access to online resources.
- More expensive than competitors
Although it is more expensive and contains even more information, it is one of the best solutions for beginners and those who pass the MCAT test for the first time. Here is a self-study MCAT toolkit, which brings you seven books in a set with six full-length practice tests online.
Is Kaplan a good MCAT book for psychology? It is! With over 3,000 questions provided in a special practice bank, you can customize them to address your weaknesses by repeating the concepts and training for as much as you need. It provides you with one year of access to online resources that are more geared toward beginners.
Price:
It is more expensive than the competitors. Is Kaplan's psychology MCAT book good enough? With the questions bank and diverse online resources you get, it is worth it.
Check the current price on Amazon.
User Reviews:
The user reviews on Amazon gave it 96 ratings, which ended up with 4.6 out of 5 stars.
Is Kaplan Psychology MCAT book that bad? Not at all! The negative reviews have been confused with the access to online resources, yet I was fine with using the access code printed on the sticker added to the books.
Personal Considerations:
In case you plan to study independently and get as close to the actual MCAT exam experience as possible, I recommend checking these books with the questions bank instead.
Otherwise, the first Kaplan offering should fit your needs as the best MCAT study book for Sociology and Psychology learning!
Mometrix MCAT Prep Books
- Focuses on video tutorials, practice questions and books.
- The most affordable option if you choose the Kindle edition.
Looking for something more compact and totally different in terms of instruction and style, Mometrix might be a safe match to consider. As an affordable option, it focuses on video tutorials, practice questions, and books that outline all of the MCAT test sections.
I believe that it could be the best Psychology MCAT book in addition to Kaplan or Princeton’s books. As a stand-alone, it can be helpful to master all the challenging Psychology concepts.
Price:
It is the most affordable option if you choose the Kindle edition. Check the current price on Amazon.
User Reviews:
It has only 21 customer ratings on Amazon, averaging 4.6 out of 5 stars. Still, some reviews claim the content needs to be more comprehensive and have better writing. The others praise the questions included.
Personal Considerations:
I have found this offering to be one of the most compact solutions for MCAT Psychology books. The video provides a fresh outlook and breaks down the MCAT exam concepts by filling in the related information.
ExamKrackers MCAT Complete Study Package
- Contains many MCAT questions.
- Positive online reviews on Reddit and Quora.
- A lot of mistakes.
It is one of the best books to practice, with many MCAT questions to consider. The humorous tone can be a great solution for those with prior skills and training. Being more advanced, this is the best psychology book MCAT practice solution.
Price:
The paperback version is around hundred bucks, somewhere in the middle, considering all the updates for the MCAT exam. In terms of a practical solution, it is worth checking.
Check the current price on Amazon.
User Reviews:
The users gave it 202 ratings on Amazon and 4.4 out of 5 stars. Most users compare them to Kaplan’s books, which is already a positive sign. The negatives that people mention are errors and mistakes (it is confirmed in new editions and updates). Still, most verified reviews mention the necessity of prior knowledge:
Personal Considerations:
While ExamKrackers is a great solution for practicing your Psychology or any other MCAT subject skills, you must have some prior knowledge. I have found that the CARS strategy is not aimed at beginners. While it is often considered the best book for MCAT psychology, it is not the most accessible for newbie students.
Final Verdict
Considering all the positive sides and offering the most complete solution for MCAT exams and Psychology content, I suggest MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review by Kaplan. The presence of detailed tests and complete coverage of each subject and concept ensures that nothing is missed as you wish to get ready for an exam. The personal experience and the presence of 73 reviews with 4.8/5 ratings make it a safe choice to consider.
The other entries in this MCAT Psychology book review also offer a valuable addition to preparation. Yet, this particular entry by Kaplan still surpasses the content regarding quality and accessibility. Having the option to choose just one Psychology MCAT book, this would be it!
FAQ
What are the best books for the MCAT?
Studying the MCAT Psychology preparation exam content, I can safely state that Kaplan Test Prep MCAT Complete 7-Book and the Princeton Review MCAT Complete Box are some of the best options ever. The third place is taken by Examkrackers MCAT Study Package, which provides a slightly different but decent offering.
Are the Kaplan MCAT books worth it?
They are worth it because of the attention to detail and discussion of every topic you must master. Kaplan’s MCAT offering is easily the best book to learn psychology for MCAT because smart summaries dedicate one chapter per idea, making it easier to read. It’s one of the most accessible MCAT Psychology guides.
Can I use old MCAT books?
Yes, the old MCAT books are still useful because the implemented edits and corrections can be accessed online and downloaded free of charge. To go safe, the old Kaplan MCAT books are the best solutions to consider.
