Anyone else feel that Kaplan was the wrong decision?

[sharpieLIFE]

Hey,
Maybe I'm just venting but idk. I signed up for one of those kaplan MCAT review courses last semester. I've been doing the work and practice problems, I just feel that kaplan is a bit inadequate to prep for the MCAT. I'm starting to have regrets and I'm starting to wish that I went for BR or EK.

Whats your opinion on the kaplan class?

Do you guys think I should get BR or EK?

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[pdxhopeful]

I did Kaplan online and found it useful - wound up with a 34 after having been out of school for years other than taking physics, lowest section was a 10, so the content review and strategies worked for me at least.

Can you be a little more specific about your concerns - not enough practice, feedback not helpful, whatever?

 

[sharpieLIFE]

I'm just not sure that the practice they give is similar to the way the AAMC tests on the MCAT.
Also I'm not too fond of their content review - I just don't feel that it is sufficient. Or maybe is it all we need to know and that I'm over thinking the MCAT?

 

[Mehd School]

I'm just not sure that the practice they give is similar to the way the AAMC tests on the MCAT.
Also I'm not too fond of their content review - I just don't feel that it is sufficient. Or maybe is it all we need to know and that I'm over thinking the MCAT?

Their online stuff is great.

If you complete the online syllabus 100% and put honest effort in there's really no excuse to not score a 30, IMO. But that's a lot of work, obviously.

 

[sharpieLIFE]

What is the main difference between EK and BR? Which is better for content?
Thanks!

 

[Hemorrage]

is there anyway to purchase just the Kaplan online practice materials?

 

[nets445]

is there anyway to purchase just the Kaplan online practice materials?

Unfortunately no. The most you can do is purchase Qbank for $400. However, Kaplan's real gem is in it's Topical and Section tests, especially the BS section tests. All it's other practice (subject tests, FLs, Qbank) is the same sort of stuff you can get from other companies.

 

[gr222403]

is there anyway to purchase just the Kaplan online practice materials?

If you go on the kaplan website and click on courses, there is a section called supplementary practice that has an MCAT question bank and some other stuff you can buy. They don't say how much the MCAT question bank is, says you have to call. Maybe someone taking a kaplan course can help.

 

[Hemorrage]

Unfortunately no. The most you can do is purchase Qbank for $400. However, Kaplan's real gem is in it's Topical and Section tests, especially the BS section tests. All it's other practice (subject tests, FLs, Qbank) is the same sort of stuff you can get from other companies.

So what exactly is the QBank? Non-passage based questions? I would consider buying that for $400 if its worth it..

 

[nets445]

So what exactly is the QBank? Non-passage based questions? I would consider buying that for $400 if its worth it..

There's about 1000 questions, passage based and discretes.

 

[Roxas]

For much cheaper than Kaplan Qbank you could get the TPRH Science Workbook on amazon, which has around 800 discretes and 280 passages. Many have also said that their bio passages are the best practice for the experimental questions

 

[Hemorrage]

For much cheaper than Kaplan Qbank you could get the TPRH Science Workbook on amazon, which has around 800 discretes and 280 passages. Many have also said that their bio passages are the best practice for the experimental questions

This is true. I might consider doing this. Is the TPRH Science workbook better than TBR? I currently have TBR and am working through it slowly... Also does anyone here know anything about benchprep.com? I got an advertisement from them earlier today. Apparently they use NOVA to create the questions on there.

 

[Mehd School]

So what exactly is the QBank? Non-passage based questions? I would consider buying that for $400 if its worth it..

It is not worth $400.

 

[nets445]

This is true. I might consider doing this. Is the TPRH Science workbook better than TBR? I currently have TBR and am working through it slowly...

This is my opinion on biology practice materials:

1. AAMC official guide to the MCAT (7 passages)
2. Kaplan Section Tests (7 of these) and Topical Tests (~ 7 of these; forgot exactly how many and too lazy to check)
3. TPRHL Workbook (87 biology passages + ~150 discretes)
4. AAMC self assessment for bio
5. TBR Bio passages

Everything else pretty much sucks

 

[RastaONELOVE]

I have both the Kaplan Topicals and TPR Science work book. They are both really good. The Kaplan textbooks are complete trash though. Stay far!

 

[angldrps]

Hey,
Maybe I'm just venting but idk. I signed up for one of those kaplan MCAT review courses last semester. I've been doing the work and practice problems, I just feel that kaplan is a bit inadequate to prep for the MCAT. I'm starting to have regrets and I'm starting to wish that I went for BR or EK.

Whats your opinion on the kaplan class?

Do you guys think I should get BR or EK?

the plethora of online practice material (not the Qbanks) that come with Kaplan course is EXCELLENT! if you follow their schedule and go through all that practice material, you would be in good shape. Kaplan's books really do suck though. You should get TPR hyperlearning books (EK is way too concise and TBR books are grossly over detailed) to do content review.

 

[angldrps]

BR has a ton of practice passages, while EK has very few. That's the main difference to me - the size of the books is much different because of it, while the actual content parts are about the same length. I would suggest using BR for any subjects you're weak in, and EK for any you're strong in. If you don't already know, you could find that out from taking a free online practice MCAT.

I would say even if OP is weak in Biology and Ochem, TBR books in these subjects are still way too detailed. Learning all the unnecessary details in these books is over kill.

 

[angldrps]

So what exactly is the QBank? Non-passage based questions? I would consider buying that for $400 if its worth it..

I was given free access to some of these Qbanks when I bought the online course due to some promotion deal. The practice in these Qbanks is not on par with the material that comes with the course. You are better off with TPR science workbook if you cant afford the full course.

 

[nikoness]

yes 100% i wish i never wasted my money

 

[sharpieLIFE]

This is my opinion on biology practice materials:

1. AAMC official guide to the MCAT (7 passages)
2. Kaplan Section Tests (7 of these) and Topical Tests (~ 7 of these; forgot exactly how many and too lazy to check)
3. TPRHL Workbook (87 biology passages + ~150 discretes)
4. AAMC self assessment for bio
5. TBR Bio passages

Everything else pretty much sucks

What do you think is the best practice for the PS section?

 

[nets445]

What do you think is the best practice for the PS section?

I would say for PS:

1. AAMC Official Guide to MCAT
2. TBR chem/physics passages
3. AAMC self assessment for chem/physics
4. TPRHL science workbook
5. EK-30 minute exams in the chem/physics books
6. Kaplan Section/Topical tests

This is just my personal opinion. I've only listed the resources that I thought were "good" and helped me get the score I got.

 

[sharpieLIFE]

Thanks again! So for content you guys would recommend BR over kaplan?

 

[angldrps]

Thanks again! So for content you guys would recommend BR over kaplan?

for everything except Biology and Ochem

 

[osprey099]

for everything except Biology and Ochem

While TBR Biology is extremely detailed, I do believe there is value in doing at least it's Book 1 (Physiology) readings and associated passages. The MCAT will throw you exotic discretes that you haven't seen before (this happened to me) and TBR is the best in addressing this area. However, you should only do this after you get your basic content down and can score around a 10. Knowing some of the detailed stuff that TBR presents can garner you 2-3 extra questions correct on test day and this may bump your score up another point

 

[sharpieLIFE]

Yes, especially for physics and gen chem.

for everything except Biology and Ochem

Haha seems like the jury is still "out".
So I guess its more personal preference?

 

[Mehd School]

Haha seems like the jury is still "out".
So I guess its more personal preference?

Those two statements complimented each other. TBR physicals sciences are reviewed as "great" and I'm inclined to agree somewhat. TBR biological sciences are reviewed as overkill in an inefficient way, and I'm also inclined to agree.

TPR is highly regarded for bio, and I've never heard of anyone that used Kaplan's online bio resources that didn't like it. I think they're top notch, but too hard to obtain. ($$$)

 

[angldrps]

While TBR Biology is extremely detailed, I do believe there is value in doing at least it's Book 1 (Physiology) readings and associated passages. The MCAT will throw you exotic discretes that you haven't seen before (this happened to me) and TBR is the best in addressing this area. However, you should only do this after you get your basic content down and can score around a 10. Knowing some of the detailed stuff that TBR presents can garner you 2-3 extra questions correct on test day and this may bump your score up another point

you have a much better shot at getting the extra 2-3 questions correct if you spend your timing practicing with BS passages instead of memorizing unnecessary details. Pretty much all the content you need to know to answer the BS questions is provided in the passage itself. This is the reason why people have been saying for a while now that BS is moving towards a trend of testing your critical thinking, like the Verbal Section, instead of your ability to regurgitate minutia. Expose yourself to experimental based passages, like the ones in AAMC 11, and work on extracting the right info. from the given passages, using critical thinking to understand what the experiment is done for and what its results mean instead of reading TBR's overly detailed books.

 

[sharpieLIFE]

you have a much better shot at getting the extra 2-3 questions correct if you spend your timing practicing with BS passages instead of memorizing unnecessary details. Pretty much all the content you need to know to answer the BS questions is provided in the passage itself. This is the reason why people have been saying for a while now that BS is moving towards a trend of testing your critical thinking, like the Verbal Section, instead of your ability to regurgitate minutia. Expose yourself to experimental based passages, like the ones in AAMC 11, and work on extracting the right info. from the given passages, using critical thinking to understand what the experiment is done for and what its results mean instead of reading TBR's overly detailed books.

Can you recommend any particular online resource that would be good for that? Or is reading articles from pub med sufficient enough practice (at least for the read comprehension aspect of BS)?

 

[angldrps]

Can you recommend any particular online resource that would be good for that? Or is reading articles from pub med sufficient enough practice (at least for the read comprehension aspect of BS)?

unless you have a ridiculous amount of time (+6 months) to study, I don't recommend doing this. I am not saying that doing this would be a complete waste but your time would be MUCH better spent reading passages that are followed by MCAT style questions that you can practice with. I find this advice of reading pubmed article to study pretty inefficient. Its like telling someone who loses their focus whenever a humanities passage pops up on VB to go read a whole bunch of random humanities passage to enhance familiarity with these passages. Normally. people who read different journals start doing this months and months in advance in hopes of improving their reading comprehension, but when you are in the middle of hard core studying you need to utilize those study methods that yield relatively fast results. You can only track your progress and work on your weaknesses if you are actually doing practice questions.

As for online practice, the practice that came with my Kaplan online course is what worked for me and what I always recommend. But, if you don't have access to this course, TPR science workbook, TBR book passages have good BS passages. Sorry, I am having difficulty thinking of an online resource--the only thing that comes to mind are BS sections from full length exams (AAMC exams, TBR Fls)

 

[FxnOverload]

I just started this course literally one week ago. Curious to read more replies in this thread. I haven't gone into the nitty gritty yet, went over the foundational review which was the very basics of what we're expected to know for each section. I've also done the first lesson for physics and general chemistry so far, and it seems pretty good. I won't know how I feel about it until I do it for a few more weeks I'm sure, but so far it seems good. I probably wouldn't have bothered with the live sessions, just bought the "On Demand", but the difference was $200 so at the time I figured it might be worth it. The course is time consuming (because I'm trying to use every resource they offer), but personally I'm enjoying the structure of the course and as I'm busy with school it's enjoyable just doing exactly what's on the syllabus instead of having to plan my own study guide.

I purchased the complete EK Set new for $70, and will probably get the Verbal 101 as well, and I'm going to try to mix that in, in the month or so I have after my course and classes end and before my MCAT.

 

[Blown Away]

What is the main difference between EK and BR? Which is better for content?
Thanks!

EK for content is trash. TBR is the way to go. EK's verbal strategy and bio are awesome though.