Are MCAT review courses worthwhile?

[doogyhowser]

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the Kaplan book seems thorough...

Just wondering if dropping 1500 bucks on a review course is a good investment.

I'm considering the Kaplan course in preparation for the April exam. I'm really looking forward to 24 weekends in a row of MCAT review 😴

If this is what it's gonna take though, I'm in.

I'd love to hear your opinions regardless of whether you're in the same boat as me, or you've been accepted already.

spankyou

 

[QofQuimica]

the Kaplan book seems thorough...

Just wondering if dropping 1500 bucks on a review course is a good investment.

I'm considering the Kaplan course in preparation for the April exam. I'm really looking forward to 24 weekends in a row of MCAT review 😴

If this is what it's gonna take though, I'm in.

I'd love to hear your opinions regardless of whether you're in the same boat as me, or you've been accepted already.

spankyou

Hi,

Check out the MCAT forum; there are several threads there about prep courses that you might find helpful.

 

[riven5]

I'll post this here though as was mentioned above check out the MCAT forum...I took the Kaplan class and my score went up nine points from the diagnostic they have you take...It was worth it for me! 🙂

 

[Long Dong]

Yes, but if you can get a hold of review books, and practice test that will do as well.

 

[lehavre]

the Kaplan book seems thorough...

Just wondering if dropping 1500 bucks on a review course is a good investment.

I'm considering the Kaplan course in preparation for the April exam. I'm really looking forward to 24 weekends in a row of MCAT review 😴

If this is what it's gonna take though, I'm in.

I'd love to hear your opinions regardless of whether you're in the same boat as me, or you've been accepted already.

spankyou

DON'T DO IT MAN!!!!

The only thing you need to do well on the MCAT is the Exam Kracker books! Go study on your own for like 2 months and do at least 6 full length practice AAMC exams.

DO NOT TAKE A PREP COURSE! They are a waste of time. Trust me, I took Kaplan and wish someone had told me this. Also a wast of money. I am very serious about this. Go audit one and see what a waste they are. You also waste time commuting which you could spend studying.

 

[rayzer]

It took the Kaplan course and thought it was alright. Personally, I don't think the classroom teaching was all that helpful. The best part of taking the Kaplan course is the use of their facilities. They have a lot of practice sections, exams, etc that were extremely helpful. The books that came with the course were very concise and also very helpful.

 

[flash]

DON'T DO IT MAN!!!!

The only thing you need to do well on the MCAT is the Exam Kracker books! Go study on your own for like 2 months and do at least 6 full length practice AAMC exams.

DO NOT TAKE A PREP COURSE! They are a waste of time. Trust me, I took Kaplan and wish someone had told me this. Also a wast of money. I am very serious about this. Go audit one and see what a waste they are. You also waste time commuting which you could spend studying.

Could not agree more. I paid for Kaplan, went a few weeks, bought Exam Krackers, never went to Kaplan again, did great and went up a bunch. WASTE. Buy EK and the practice exams and you should do fine if you have a good handle on material while you were taking courses.

Some people would argue that the course helps to stay focused and adds structure...I say whatever, just make yourself study regularly.

 

[doogyhowser]

exam krackers sounds like da'bomb 👍

i lean toward any course because it will help keep me focussed, and it's been awhile since undergrad (B.S. 2001) .

so does exam krackers offer a review course?

 

[drsungoddess]

I took the Berkely review in Ca and I really like them. they actually were proff who knew what they were talking about. I here from many people that Kaplan and priceton just hire people who did well on the MCAT but really do not understand the theories and science behind many of the answers. I used the exam crakers material as well and it was great as everyone says. I think that if you need someone to push you to study and take tests then a course is right for you, but if you can get things done on your own, then you should be fine with the books.

 

[acl3623]

i took kaplan and although the class is not all that great, going every saturday for like 5 weekends in a row builds your endurance for the test, which is really important. you learn how to time yourself and get a feel for how long each section generally takes you. if you can do this on your own, and be really strict then dont waste your $.

 

[Childe]

Examkrackers self study unless youre rich or you know you cant self motivate.

 

[synapse lapse]

DON'T DO IT MAN!!!!

The only thing you need to do well on the MCAT is the Exam Kracker books! Go study on your own for like 2 months and do at least 6 full length practice AAMC exams.

DO NOT TAKE A PREP COURSE! They are a waste of time. Trust me, I took Kaplan and wish someone had told me this. Also a wast of money. I am very serious about this. Go audit one and see what a waste they are. You also waste time commuting which you could spend studying.

Second this. Don't waste your money, get Ek and AAMC (from ebay, of course), save your $1350 for applying, and study your ass off 4-6 hours a day for 6-8 weeks.

 

[X.O.]

People take courses to buy structure and maybe some emotional encouragment. If you dont need that then just buy a bunch of books on Ebay and self-study.

 

[DrThom]

Second this. Don't waste your money, get Ek and AAMC (from ebay, of course), save your $1350 for applying, and study your ass off 4-6 hours a day for 6-8 weeks.

I second saving this money to apply

I used the thick PR review book and did just fine.

I do suggest you buy the AAMC tests from www.e-mcat.com , those probably helped out the most. 😳

 

[Lindyhopper]

People will spend up to $160,000 for a name degree, & than yell that $1,500 for a course preparing for the most important test of their lives is a waste.
It is a personal decision. I always found that first studing, working problems, & then after I have banged by head against the books for a good while go to a lecture, to be the most effective combination. I suppose that is why nearly all educational institutions are basicly structured that way.

 

[Acherona]

commercial test prep is evil! they oversimplify everything to make it seem easy. It may help you get an average score but not a really high one. Best prep is your textbook as painful as that may be.

People will spend up to $160,000 for a name degree, & than yell that $1,500 for a course preparing for the most important test of their lives is a waste.
It is a personal decision. I always found that first studing, working problems, & then after I have banged by head against the books for a good while go to a lecture, to be the most effective combination. I suppose that is why nearly all educational institutions are basicly structured that way.

 

[MoosePilot]

commercial test prep is evil! they oversimplify everything to make it seem easy. It may help you get an average score but not a really high one. Best prep is your textbook as painful as that may be.

What do you think of as an average score and what do you think of as a really high one?

I got a slightly above average score without test prep and then a pretty decent "high" (by my standards) score after test prep. The improvement was 4 points overall.

 

[Stitch626]

Yes, but if you can get a hold of review books, and practice test that will do as well.

I second this! I took the Princeton course and found the classes somewhat unecessary considering that the information divulged is simply reiterated in the books. However, if you are not very disciplined, the classes may be to your advantage since you review the information and have "homework" just about everyday.

I found the Princeton review books (from the course) very thorough.

 

[DianaLynne]

The Princeton Review really helped me. My score went up 13 points from the initial diagnostic to when I took the MCAT in April. I don't know if it's for everyone though. I study best when I'm in a program that has some structure to it. I did all the reading, most of the homework problems, and took all the practice tests. I also like being surrounded by students who were in the same stage of the game to share anxieties and information with. I was ready and confident when April 15th rolled around.

It worked for me. I suggest looking at what helps you most: a structured yet ridiculously expensive course or studying on your own and keeping yourself motivated.

 

[Lindyhopper]

commercial test prep is evil! they oversimplify everything to make it seem easy. It may help you get an average score but not a really high one. ..

Gee I was reading the testiment of a Teri R. crediting the examkrackers course for guiding her to a 43. Actually, I think I'm gonna stop going to my neuro lectures. That guy is always simplifing & explaining stuff. I'd be much better off just struggling with the text.

 

[DeterminedMD]

I took Kaplan....waste of money. The classes were not at all helpful. What helped me was taking a ton of practice tests. I agree with everyone else who said to do practice test. Buy the AAMC practivce tests. The MCat is more about managing your time well, learning how to eliminate answers using common sense instead of going through actual calculations, and endurance.

 

[Balle]

I wouldn't worry too much about the 1500, since that will look like change to you in a few short years. Will that 2-3 hours of lecture a day be worth it or could you get a lot more done on your own time? If you can motivate yourself to sit down for a few hours a day then just buy the materials (Berkeley Review Science Books, Princeton Review Bio, and Exam Crackers for Verbal, but you don't have to buy all 3 sets, just buy them individually off ebay). The key is if you can motivate yourself. From experience, the super-scorers I've heard of study alone but can force themselves to do that. In retrospect, I would have studied alone but I don't know if I would have had the drive pre-MCAT! So take a look at your study habits and that's what it comes down to.

P.S. I've only met one person who was satisfied with Kaplan, and he admitted his score could have gone up simply because he took the test a second time and studied that much harder. Take Berkeley Review or Princeton Review. Ask to drop in on their classes and see if you like them.

 

[Kazema]

I was happy with TPR, helped me raise my score by 12 points. I think mostly test prep helps you structure your studying and lets you know exactly what you need to know for the test. The practice material is great but you can get that for much less than the cost of a commercial test prep course.

If you can study on your own responsibly and don't really need much outside help understanding the concepts, you probably don't need a course. But if you're taking a heavy courseload and/or need help organizing your time, test prep is great if you can afford it.

 

[Childe]

One other thing:
These people prefering kaplan or tpr classes are misleading. The quality will vary depending on your location. Either one may be better.

That said, TPR's books suck. They include all sorts of information which you dont technically need to know (memorize) for the MCAT. Their philosophy is that you may see it on a passage, so you should at least have some familiarity. EK books (and kap to a lesser extent) are much better in this respect. EK books only give you what you need to know, nothing more. The TPR strat is silly, since there is an infinite number of topics that 'might' show up on a passage...

And dont listen to whoever said to use textbooks. Way off base.

 

[QofQuimica]

One other thing:
These people prefering kaplan or tpr classes are misleading. The quality will vary depending on your location. Either one may be better.

That said, TPR's books suck. They include all sorts of information which you dont technically need to know (memorize) for the MCAT. Their philosophy is that you may see it on a passage, so you should at least have some familiarity. EK books (and kap to a lesser extent) are much better in this respect. EK books only give you what you need to know, nothing more. The TPR strat is silly, since there is an infinite number of topics that 'might' show up on a passage...

And dont listen to whoever said to use textbooks. Way off base.

I agree with this poster. There is no one-size-fits-all answer for the best way to do test prep. The best way is what works for YOU, based on your personal strengths and weaknesses, your time, self-discipline, budget, etc. You have to do some homework: visit all of the test prep centers and speak with the managers, ask your older friends which courses and teachers they liked, etc. As a nontraditional student, I found that the prep course was extremely helpful. I hadn't looked at some of the material in over a decade, and as a grad student, my time was very limited. I think that a course is very helpful for older students if you can afford it and find time to take it.

 

[flash]

The entire "my score went up x from the first diagnostic" is very misleading b/c most people have zero preparation for the MCAT.

And don't study from text books (unless you don't get something conceptually and want more background or depth)...waste of time for MCATs.

EK all the way...compare their books to Kaplan/PR and the difference is clear. Kaplans VR strategy in particular didn't work for me...went up 2 or 3 points (after significant prep) by switching to EK strategy.

 

[brats800]

as you can see from the varied responses, its really personal preference. i took kaplan and was quite happy with the result. could i have done as good if i studied on my own with a review book? maybe. but i figure spending the $ to get into medschool is worth it. 1) i did well enough that i don't have to take the test again. that alone is worth the $. 2) while $1500 or whatever sounds like a lot today, it won't seem all that bad once i've taken out ten times that amount in loans. that little bit of change is worth it to get into medschool.

personally, kaplan was great because it forced me to study more than i would have otherwise. as an athlete and someone who was quite happy hanging with friends or watching movies instead of studying, kaplan squeezed every last ounce of studying out of me when i really didn't want to study. if you are motivated to sit down and study for however many hours per week, then maybe you don't need to take a course. but if you're like me and you know you'll study more if you take the course, then maybe you'd benefit and be happy with the results like i was.

 

[DeaconMD04]

I feel like I am the only one in the world who took the Kaplan Online Course. Instead of going to the classroom all the time, which I know would have been a waste of time for me personally, all of the resources are available online. There are presentations with voiceovers, practice quizes and tests and then full length tests. You can study at your own pace. I used it for about a month and it helped a lot. That's just my 2 cents.

 

[lightnk102]

i signed up for a kaplan course originally, and was really dissatisfied with the books. i ended up forking over another 100 bucks for the examkrackers books and read the two of them in conjunction. i stopped going to kaplan class (especially the verbal classes. useless) because i made more progress if i used that 2 hours to study on my own.

i suppose its debatable as to which on helped me more. but i personally found the kaplan to be lacking. i liked how the examkracker books were thinner (easier to lug around in your backpack) and how they were in color. the color helped especially in the orgo and biology when they had reactions and pathways.

the examkracker orgo flashcards were a lifesaver. the kaplan flashcards - eh.

edit: the only good thing i liked about kaplan was the weekly full-length practice MCATs they had (3 or 4 in a row in the weeks leading up to the real MCAT). it helped build up my stamina and let me see where i may falter (i tend to get more wrong in the late morning and late afternoon when i'm getting tired). my final score ended up being 2 points higher than my last kaplan practice mcat.

 

[Lindyhopper]

I had a very positive experience with EKs. One of the reasons was that my PS teacher Jordan Zaretsky (of audiosmosis fame) was just a great teacher. I understand he will be teaching all sections on their new online course. It may be a great fit for people in a lot of different personal situations.

 

[fotolilith]

According to a study reported on this site, http://www.naahp.org/abstract_fourflat.htm, prep classes improve your chance of getting into medical school by 5%.

On the other hand, if you use the prep class as a crutch, it could actually lower your chances (I read about how one med school stopped contracting prep classes for their students, cuz 70% of the people taking the course failed their step 1 the first time).

The material (practice tests) are good, but you've got to commit to self study anyways, so why not save the money?

 

[45408]

I wasn't motivated enough to study early and often during the summer, so I dropped the cash (my own hard-earned dollars 🙁) for a Kaplan class. I'd do it the same way all over again. I would say that it's a falsehood that you can't get a pretty high score with a test prep company. I scored pretty well, I think.

 

[45408]

According to a study reported on this site, http://www.naahp.org/abstract_fourflat.htm, prep classes improve your chance of getting into medical school by 5%.

That's too narrow of a mindset to really be that applicable to the topic at hand, to be honest. There are too many other factors to be considered than to just glance at a one-paragraph abstract and decide that the above statistic must be taken at face value.

My friend got a 38 by using the EK books, but for the 3-4 weeks before the MCAT, he studied ~10 hours a day. Can you do that? I sure wouldn't have been able to.

 

[fotolilith]

That's too narrow of a mindset to really be that applicable to the topic at hand, to be honest. There are too many other factors to be considered than to just glance at a one-paragraph abstract and decide that the above statistic must be taken at face value.

My friend got a 38 by using the EK books, but for the 3-4 weeks before the MCAT, he studied ~10 hours a day. Can you do that? I sure wouldn't have been able to.

The topic at hand is whether to take a prep course, so yes, it was applicable. Not strictly at face value, but as something to keep in mind. Like an earlier post remarked, a lot of it depends on personal attributes - I know plenty of ppl who either took a prep course once, bombed the mcat, studies on their own and aced it, and vice versa.

I think a statistic like that suggests that, over a population, the difference in scores between people who take a prep class and people who don't is not that big. And I think it tempers the prep courses' claims of HUGE improvements.

Thus, if someone were on the fence about the course, has consistently shown than they learn better through self study better that in class, and wanted to save money, I would probaby suggest that they just get the prep books and study on their own (with appreciation that it takes a LONG time).

If they need the motivation or have been out of school a while, the course is a good investment.

And no, I never had the time to study that many hours a day, although if I had a chance to go back and prep for the MCAT again, I would have made the decision to use the time (even 10 hours a day) to score a few more points.

Mainly it depends on the individual's motivation. Like I said in my first post: the course should not be used for a crutch, although when I took Kaplan they sure as hell tried to convince us that they were the magic key to that perfect score.

 

[RaistlinMajere]

I found TPR helpful, but only for the books and study schedule that they provided and the practice exams. The actual class was review for me and I probably should have focused all those hours into taking practice questions instead, but I did pretty well, so I can't complain.

 

[Biscuit799]

Here's my take on Kaplan: I knew for a fact that if I tried to study on my own, I would procrastinate and wait until a month before the exam to start studying. Taking the Kaplan course forced me to start studying 6 months before the exam. Had I known that I would've started studying 6 months before the exam on my own, I would've just bought the books and taken practice tests on my own. So if you have an honest perspective of yourself, and think that you're capable of cracking the books waaay before the test, then don't bother with the course. But if you know you'll find it hard to get motivated to study for a test that's half a year away, then definitely take the course.

 

[45408]

Like I said in my first post: the course should not be used for a crutch, although when I took Kaplan they sure as hell tried to convince us that they were the magic key to that perfect score.

🙄 It's a business. They're not going to make money if they say "You know, you could just buy Exam Krackers and save yourself a TON of money." 😀

Seriously, do you expect anything different from any of them? It's like Ford saying that a Corvette really would be preferable to any of their offerings.

 

[Spankete87]

I had a really great experience with TPR - but for me it was definitely because it forced me to study every day and not put it off until a month before the exam. You also take more realistic exams because you're in a room full of people, you have someone timing you etc. When I went into the real test I had no problem because I had been through the test 5 times already. I also thought the class was really great because I met a lot of people that I ended up studying with outside of class, which made the studying a lot easier for me since I'm not in school anymore. Crazily enough, I met one of my best friends in my MCAT class. It definitely all depends on if you can study on your own adequately enough and if you mimic the test conditions well enough for you to do well on the real thing.

 

[doogyhowser]

so, i've got a kaplan comprehensive review book that i'm well into.

i work full time and have been out of school for several years now, so i've decided to go with the princeton review course. i need the structure and i like the classroom learning thing with homework and objectives and all.

i'm gonna buy some aamc mcats too, when i'm ready to start the practice tests.

i've heard lots of good about exam krackers, which book(s) would you suggest getting from them?

just wanna cover all my bases, i figure variety will help.

or, is this gonna be overkill?

thanks for all your input so far guys, i really appreciate it. best of luck to you all

 

[doogyhowser]

bump

 

[harrysal]

The review courses will be helpful if you have been out of school for a while. I had my last pre-med course 4 years before I took the MCAT and with TPR I learned everything I needed to know, and got a very good score. Plus the practice tests, and the struscture helps a lot if you are lazy like me!.

 

[boardchic]

It sounds a little like overkill to me, but, like everyone else has said, it depends on you and your study style. I took Kaplan and I'm really glad I did, mainly because it sort of force fed me what I needed to know. But a lot of people who took the course with me didn't even go to class... they just used the materials and took the practice tests, which they probably could have done on their own or with the cheaper online test prep course. Personally, I benefited both from review of the material (it had been three years since I'd taken most of the courses) and the test-taking advice. But I'm also the kind of person who learns things best by hearing them in a classroom and doing problems over and over, rather than just reading books on my own. I'm also lazy and would rather go out drinking than study so the structure was good. I certainly could have studied more and harder, but with the kaplan prep, I did just fine (39).

 

[45408]

bump

YES, THEY ARE WORTH IT.
NO, THEY ARE NOT.


I just summed up the rest of the responses you get. A two-page thread like this needs a bump like I need a hole in the head.

 

[ElKapitan]

I had been working for about a year before I took TPR, I found my classmates to be very helpful. In fact, if it wasn't for their advice I wouldn't have done as well as I did. I also could not have motivated myself to study as hard as I did without a course. Working forty hours, then trying to study for the MCAT, sucked goat balls.

As it has been said before, if you can self-motivate, then self-motivate. If you are unsure to whether you can self-motivate, then do you really want to take that chance with the MCAT?

 

[doogyhowser]

YES, THEY ARE WORTH IT.
NO, THEY ARE NOT.


I just summed up the rest of the responses you get. A two-page thread like this needs a bump like I need a hole in the head.

meeeeoooow!
i'd be tired of these threads too "THE PROWLER" if i'd of taken the mcat already had your score.

you could just not read this thread too if it's gonna get yer panties ina bunch.

i have enjoyed your various threads and contributions though.

thanks everyone else too.

best of luck all

 

[45408]

I post in these threads since I feel that I had a experience with a prep course that people are interested in (in a general sense), but bumping threads should be if the answer was not answered completely....if you want to bump a thread, try being subtle, like asking another question. 😉

 

[TripleDegree]

the Kaplan book seems thorough...

Just wondering if dropping 1500 bucks on a review course is a good investment.

:

My humble opinion: NO