We definitely need a sub forum for only discussion of various test prep companies and various study tools (EK, AO, Kaplan, TPR, etc.) Yay or nay mods?

We definitely need a sub forum for only discussion of various test prep companies and various study tools (EK, AO, Kaplan, TPR, etc.) Yay or nay mods?

There aren't that many posts each day that things get drowned out. I think in general everyone says the same things: Use EK verbal because it's the best verbal prep, don't use TPR A-D, the TPR science workbook is great, the Kap FL tests are hard and aren't as indicative of the real AAMC test, EK bio is good for passage based prep, do all the AAMC tests, "yes, you should buy 9 because it's the newest", "yes, 7-8 are hard and are close the the real thing", "yes, 3 is easy", people like AO and yes there are mistakes which you can find on the EK forum.

I've done searches for each company and what you find is perhaps one thread with good responses and then 100 with 1-2 responses. It would just be so much easier for people trying to get others opinions if it were in one subforum where we can all discuss. The topic comes up at least 2-3 times a week for at least one company.

We definitely need a sub forum for only discussion of various test prep companies and various study tools (EK, AO, Kaplan, TPR, etc.) Yay or nay mods?
I have a couple of concerns about doing this:

1) Test prep study materials are copyrighted. Technically, we probably aren't supposed to even be posting TPR or Kaplan questions here. I've occasionally allowed one or two of them here and there in the subforum, but I worry that if we have a specific thread or subforum devoted to them, there will be a flood, and the companies may not like that. I don't want to be getting hate mail from the test prep companies. :scared: AAMC questions should NEVER be posted anywhere on SDN. I have not even been allowing people to post AAMC practice test questions.

2) Moderating forums and subforums is a lot of work and responsibility. I feel comfortable doing the study questions subforum and this forum because I have experience taking and teaching the MCAT. I would also feel fine about answering questions about Kaplan b/c I am very familiar with them. But I don't feel qualified to mod subforums or threads devoted to other test prep companies, because I don't have experience with any of them. Speaking of which, some people may feel that there is a conflict of interest with me doing that anyway, since I am admittedly a long-time Kaplan employee. I would of course be as unbiased as I could but.... :meanie:

My feeling is that it would be best if we could ask the newbies to use the search function when they post these questions. Perhaps we can even set up a sticky post with links to threads for each test prep company. What do you think of that idea instead of a new subforum?

I think a sticky with a good compilation of pros and cons of using test prep companies and general aspects of the 4 major companies out there would be nice.

I think a sticky with a good compilation of pros and cons of using test prep companies and general aspects of the 4 major companies out there would be nice.
Ok. Any other comments/suggestions? And BTW, someone has to tell me what AO is. :meanie: Seriously, I've never heard of it.

Edit: ok, I figured it out. It must be audioosmosis, right?

Ok. Any other comments/suggestions? And BTW, someone has to tell me what AO is. :meanie: Seriously, I've never heard of it.

Edit: ok, I figured it out. It must be audioosmosis, right?

haha ya

Ok. Any other comments/suggestions? And BTW, someone has to tell me what AO is. :meanie: Seriously, I've never heard of it.

Edit: ok, I figured it out. It must be audioosmosis, right?
you have SOOOOOOOOO been brainwashed by kaplan. :laugh: :p

seriously though, i like your idea of a sticky. if you make one during your time off now before starting med school, i'll make it official.

haha ya
See, this is why I can't be modding a subforum for these test prep methods. I hadn't heard of EK before I joined SDN either....

you have SOOOOOOOOO been brainwashed by kaplan. :laugh: :p

seriously though, i like your idea of a sticky. if you make one during your time off now before starting med school, i'll make it official.
Dude, those are the guys that are paying me. Never ever bite the hand that feeds you. ;)

Yeah, what I'll do is search for each company and copy the top five or six links for each. Are there any others besides those four that people use?

Yeh, I was thinking more of a discussion forum (or sticky) devoted to talking about the pro's/con's of each company or study tool people have used (If I had a dollar for every TPR vs EK vs Kaplan thread, I would not need to become a doctor), not discussing specific MCAT questions. Thanks for the feedback.

Yeh, I was thinking more of a discussion forum (or sticky) devoted to talking about the pro's/con's of each company or study tool people have used (If I had a dollar for every TPR vs EK vs Kaplan thread, I would not need to become a doctor), not discussing specific MCAT questions. Thanks for the feedback.
Ok, I'll do it. Any other test prep co's that you'd like to see included? I did put links for the live courses in the subforum, but of course this is not the same as having people give feedback, since no one person takes every course.

I just had a eureka moment....what do you guys think of me making it a POLL? We could have people vote for their favorite test prep co, and they can then comment below if they want to give more specifics.

i think the poll of favorite test prep co. runs the same risk of ppl voting for what they've taken rather than what they might like best...unless you directed it towards people who used more than one study method to prep. just my $0.02.

I think a sticky with a good compilation of pros and cons of using test prep companies and general aspects of the 4 major companies out there would be nice.

Yes, that would be the best. It would get rid of a whole bunch of threads started to discuss that, plus all the info would be in a localized place.

i think the poll of favorite test prep co. runs the same risk of ppl voting for what they've taken rather than what they might like best...unless you directed it towards people who used more than one study method to prep. just my $0.02.
That's a good point. What I really want is for people to rate the test prep materials that they've had experience with. Maybe that could be incorporated into the poll. For example:

1) Took Kaplan live course and liked it
2) Took Kaplan live course and disliked it
3) Took Kaplan online course and liked it
4) Took Kaplan online course and disliked it
5) Used Kaplan books to study independently and liked them
6) Used Kaplan books to study independently and disliked them

Kaplan probably has the most options; as far as I know (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong), TPR has live classes and books but no online course, EK has only books in most areas but some live classes, and no online course, and AO is only books/tapes. So we'd probably have about a dozen options. We could either have one big thread, or else I could break them up by company or by positive comments/negative comments. I think that the last method would be the least useful.

I agree that there are so many options it would be difficult to poll. A subforum or sticky thread where people can simply discuss their experience with different study companies, books, methods, etc. would really be beneficial for those looking for solid advice on how to prepare, what worked, what didn't work, etc. thats all.