Kaplan MCAT Physics 2009-2010

Comment: This books is an utter joke. You won't believe the number of errors in the questions, and the back of the book answers. They even switched the pictures for questions. The content is pretty good - and definitely worth reading for a good physics review. But without good practice questions, you will never learn how to apply the problems - and that's why this book is a total failure. You won't believe the amount of time I wasted trying to understand the back of the chapter answers (only to realize that I was right the whole time - I even had to talk to professors). Some of the answers you know right away the book got wrong. But MANY of them you just end up so confused, and you waste precious time on those problems. It's almost as if they just print editions after editions without making any corrections - KAPLAN is a waste of money.

If I had to do it again, I would've read the examkrackers for physics - it's the best book and I'm reading it right now.

Comment: I also noticed errors in this book. On the practice problems, the diagrams are mismatched with the problems. In chapter one for example, the diagram for problem 13 is under problem 15. In addition, the answer key and explanations are sometimes completely wrong. In problem 17 of chapter one, the explanation starts with v=x/t, but then two lines later it changes to v=x*t, which completely screws up the rest of the problem and the answer.

Comment: The theory text is well done however the practice problems are poorly done; I found a demonstration problem on pp49 to be fairly blatantly wrong due to an incorrect factor substitution (I have a science background - I can do my substitutions !) I'm working through the momentum questions at present and have found them to be too few and too hard; they are difficult, advanced problems with no build up in complexity level to build problem solving skills - compared to other texts (eg. the Schaum series), this physics manual needs more thought put into the problem solving skills development which is a vital part of physics education - maybe this can be gained by combination with a problems manual eg 1001 problems in MCAT physics . . . or similar college physics problems manual.

Comment: I bought this book as a supplement to the MCAT Premiere Course book for extra physics review. I assumed that there would be new course material, but instead it was a verbatim copy from the Premiere book. The only differences were the new "teacher tips" notes in the margins, plus a LOT of practice questions you won't find in the Premiere book. If extra practice questions and margin notes are worth an extra $30 to you, then by all means get the book.

Comment: A cursory glance of this book would have you believe that it is quality study material, but this is not the case. Granted, I still plan to use it to study for the MCATs, but after going through the first chapter, I am beginning to wonder if Kaplan even employs proofreaders. There are multiple cases of figures that do not correspond to any nearby examples, as well as blatant errors in the problem sets (I have hit at least 2, and this is in the first 17 questions) that will have you second guessing your correct answers. If it weren't for the fact that I needed this book now, I would probably return it, and wait for Kaplan to get their act together.