Any done Focus Prep MCAT?

[jj85]

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Hi guys,

I'm taking the MCAT for the second time and I don't feel like my scores have changed much. I did Princeton Review the first time around and have spent the past couple of months just going over the questions again. I also got a semester of physio under my belt from the last time. I have a friend who's doing the focus prep program but she's a douche and i don't trust her. I was wondering if anyone has done Focus Prep MCAT and what they thought about it. I'm thinking of getting it cause the 40 bucks is nothing in the end.
Here's the link: **********
Let me know what you think.

Love,

Jamie

 

[SN2ed]

I've never heard of them. Plus, don't believe the "higher score guaranteed" line. Most of the time, they establish the base score by giving you a ridiculously hard test. What happened during your first test and what was your score? Also, what materials did you use?

 

[jj85]

I used Princeton Review books and classes the first time. I got a 29. I'm also doing my physio book as I go along, I wish I knew more last time. I actually ended up signing up for the focusprep thing last night. it didn't give me a test. I figure, worse come to worse, I'll get my money back. I'll let you know how it goes.
Good Luck everyone. Just remember, you're gonna be a doctor one day.

Love again,

Jamie

 

[Merissa87]

I just saw the ad for it on facebook. I think i'm going to go ahead and do it also, hope it works!!

 

[tinkmed]

For those of you who signed up for the Focus Prep test, how do you sign in? I just bought it, but was not given a username/password. I paid, yet have no way of accessing the program. Help!

 

[marspotter]

hi. jj85,

i hate to do this, but you seem to be in a very, very similar situation with another poster who is trying to take focus prep GRE.

i wanted to know more about focus prep, so i just typed in on google, and i easily found another post by presumingly another person with very similar situation. (except you are considering MCAT and the other person is GRE).

if you are truly wondering whether it is a good investment, since you have already registered for it, I guess your real MCAT would be the only way to prove it. and best luck to you.

However, if you are being trying to scam the poor pre-meds who just want to do their best (maybe a little obsessed over it), that is just plain wrong.

it was just my opinion, and hopefully you did not find too offensive.

**Edit: oh, and I just realize the person who posted on the other site for GRE has also, the user ID of jj85.

coincidental, you may say. but I think it is plainly wrong of you to lurk around and advertise your site intentionally while disguising yourself as a student. unless you want to be a doctor while trying to go to top 3 journalism schools at the same time. good luck!!

 

[tinkmed]

i wish i looked into it more before jumping in. they finally gave me my username/password, but either my computer isn't compatible with their programs, or it just isn't working! it's a waste of time, most likely better spent actually studying for the MCATs.

 

[scaredoflife]

Yeah that site looked to good for second until "mar" mentioned that "jj85" is probably scamming premed kids. Yeah plus he/she only has 3 posts give me break. 40 bucks for a program like that for test so huge has to be a bit crappy no offense.

 

[Merissa87]

I've been doing it for 4 days now and it seems like a COMPLETE waste of time. I don't see how this will help me on the MCAT at all, its just repeating the same dumb exercises over and over. Of course I'm going to get answers right the more times I do it b/c I've already memorized the right answers. I think this program is a complete scam and I'm definately going to ask for my $$ back.

 

[jj85]

I would like to start by apologizing to everyone for my language.

Wow marspotter,

You got me. I'm actually a broke college student working for the Focus Prep company as a spammer for 10 cents an hour and posting 2 questions on the web regarding them in the past week. You so caught me. They actually gave me a corner office on the 50th floor in LA to spam Student Doctor with my one question. I posted this question cause I'm taking the MCAT, again. I posted a similar question on english test for my brother who was looking over my shoulder and taking the GRE with hopes of journalism school. But if you want to accuse me of working for them, and taking poor pre-med students' money, please confirm it with me via PM first rather than embarassing me infront of everyone. Not cool.

Love,

Jamie

PS: I don't actually work for them if you did not sense the sarcasm.

 

[marspotter]

yeah. i guess i should have try to PM you first before I post anything that accuses others.

and I do apologize for "embarrassing" you on SDN, if by any means.

I generally try to my best for staying away from any confrontation here as one, it is a blog that anybody and everybody can get involved with their 2 cents and two, it is so much easier to add your own voice over some-other's "quotes". SDN should be an encouraging and optimistic, yet realistic and informational place in my opinion. And as I got very interested in "focus prep" after reading your post, I have decided to do a little bit of a research of my own.

As you might have guessed, I have became suspicious after a visit to the website. Thus, I goggled it, and your "two" seemingly quite identical posts popped on the same page. [FYI. I am guessing the other blog that you have posted is not as active as SDN, because only 2 replied and one of them were equally accusing you for being a spam]. That contributed the most on me accusing you as a spam, the fact that you have posted with identical ID on 2 different blogs with seemingly similar situation and you were new member for both blogs.

Spending 40 dollars can't really hurt much on the MCAT prep. However, being manipulated by "companies" that do not necessarily seem to have their own strategies is not cool, IMO.

And to be honest, I may have tried to PM you before I posted the reply, but I thought you probably wouldn't even comeback to check on it. It wasn't necessarily toward you, it was for others to read to be more careful with focus prep.

Since you have started it, I guess your MCAT would only prove whether it worked or not. and I do wish you the best on the real one.

And as for a note, if you would read carefully, I really wasn't trying to be "offensive" at first when I wrote it. I was still on the 'doubting' stage. It was the exactly same ID that threw me off. maybe next time you post about such 'less-familiar' website, you can elaborate on a little more and without a link.

For the record, you would have only got 20 cents from them if you do work for them. not good.

wish your brother the best on his GRE, as well.

I did get your sarcasm at the first time, I didn't quite find it funny nor particularly entertaining. I hope you are not sarcastic in your real life.

Again, wish you and your brother the best on y'all tests. (I mean it, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't) I believe we got off a little bit off without even truly knowing each other. I hope we can make up and get over this, because I don't see a point of making an enemy when it can be avoided.

Thanks and let's not try to confront each other now that we have realized that we both were misunderstood.

-Court-

 

[Vihsadas]

I just wanted to post a general "Buyer beware" message here. You should use your own wits to decide whether something is a scam or not. It's up to you to decide what is a good investment, and what is not.
Personally, I'd like to point out that a few of the claims on the front page of the website of this test prep company are patently outlandish. This looks like an obvious scam to me...if it's too good to be true, it probably is.

 

[tinkmed]

Hey Merissa87, did you end up getting your refund? They responded w/in 24 hours when I had troubleshooting problems, but now that I've asked for a refund, they don't even reply.

 

[ali4000]

OK, I've been browsing these forums since last April and had to pitch in my two cents. I did focus prep for the whole 60 days, not 4 days like tink or marissa. I'm not gonna sit idle while people bash a website they barely gave a chance to that worked for me.

If you want an unbiased, honest opinion, here it is...don't be lazy, if you purchase it try it for a couple of weeks. If it doesn't work THEN get a refund.

This will be my last post because I hate arguing over the Internet, it's useless and it's the main reason why I'd much browse.

 

[dontlisten2jj85]

jj85...youre just encouraging people to throw away their money. this focus prep website is complete bollocks and i dont think anyone should listen to your scam. ive seen you on several message boards now. i did a little research and saw you were on an SAT board too but the post got deleted (probably bc they realized you were peddling this nonsense). so do you have another brother thats taking the SAT too? just a tad bit coincidental. that said...its a pretty good scam. 40 bucks is a small price to ask considering how much premed students pay for other prep courses, applications to med school, etc. so its not too hard to rope some people in. they lose 40 bucks, which isnt the end of the world for them and you make some easy money. i admire the audacity, but dont peddle your bull where i can find it.

for other readers...maybe jj85 isnt spamming these boards, maybe she is just trying to be helpful, but please investigate "focus prep" a bit more before you buy it. if you look at all the different tests they offer prep for, its just the same preparation, regardless of the test. lsat, gre, mcat, its all the same! isnt that ridiculous? do you really want that? some memory games to play to prepare you for the biggest test of your life? dont think so. they cover no actual MCAT content and their so called "strategies" are simple tests you dont need to pay 40 dollars for. if you dont want to buy the big prep course, just go to the library/bookstore and study the books. every legitimate test prep (kaplan, princeton review, barrons, etc) they all have very good books that cover both content and test strategies. its worth the money. or if u dont have the money borrow, buy secondhand, or just go into a barnes and noble everyday and read them. im not gonna apologize to jj85 bc i think she is purposefully misleading people. marspotter, you did a good job in making people think twice. dont let her jj85 guilt trip you into thinking you were wrong.

*edit* - this just in...focus prep claims to be a sponsor at the beijing 2008 olympics (as displayed on their website), however there is no proof of this whatsoever. i searched long and hard. what kind of business lies about being a sponsor at the olympics? one that steals your money...also, they claim 98% of the people that take the course increase their score by 6 points. lets just think about that for a second. RIDICULOUS. haha, also, you need to try the demo. are you really gonna do that 11 minutes a day for a month?

 

[patvim]

I used Princeton Review books and classes the first time. I got a 29. I'm also doing my physio book as I go along, I wish I knew more last time. I actually ended up signing up for the focusprep thing last night. it didn't give me a test. I figure, worse come to worse, I'll get my money back. I'll let you know how it goes.
Good Luck everyone. Just remember, you're gonna be a doctor one day.

Love again,

Jamie

hi jamie i am appearing for mcats in jan and iam preparing with kaplan books.i didnt not classes with kaplan ,but i have books and the flash cards from them . where can i get practice test for mcats .

thank you

 

[QofQuimica]

hi jamie i am appearing for mcats in jan and iam preparing with kaplan books.i didnt not classes with kaplan ,but i have books and the flash cards from them . where can i get practice test for mcats .

thank you

Kaplan does not sell its practice tests outside of its classes. You can buy official practice MCAT tests from the AAMC at http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/practicetests.htm Test 3 is free of charge, and the others cost $35 each.

In case anyone was thinking about it, this is a friendly reminder that SDN users may not post offers to sell bootleg tests on the SDN forums, nor can you make posts asking other users to sell bootleg tests to you. Any posts of this nature will be taken down and the user's account will be infracted. Thank you for your cooperation.