I'm really interested in this topic too. I'm also working near Irvine and look for MCAT prep nearby. I know UCLA has really good prep called Swartwood but it's too far. Let me know if you find anything useful.What is the best in-class MCAT review course in the Orange County/UCI area?
All of the reviews I have seen are out-dated and I want to know in reference to the new MCAT. Princeton Review or Berkeley Review or Kaplan or other?
I'm really interested in this topic too. I'm also working near Irvine and look for MCAT prep nearby. I know UCLA has really good prep called Swartwood but it's too far. Let me know if you find anything useful.
Thank you for the information. May I ask if Berkeley Review does a good job of going over the material content or reviewing the content? I have not taken a science course for 2 years so I'm looking for a prep course that does a lot of review of the material and not just teach how to solve problems.I am currently taking the Berkeley Review (BR) course and I think it is very helpful! It is a little cheaper than the other courses offered but I think it is better (but I haven't taken others). Kaplan and others charge more for less classes. (don't quote me on that)
It depends how you like to study and what you need from the classes. BR is 5-6 days/week for 2hrs. This is more helpful for me because it helps me continually stay on top of my work. They also provide you with ample amount of practice problems and testing materials. BR also has fairly small class sizes with multiple instructors who each give you their advice about the MCAT. Not everyone studies the same so its nice to see different perspectives.
Most people in my class are from UCI or UCLA.
Hope this helps.
Thanks for the info.I'm coming from a different perspective here, so take that into account. Having worked for BR in Southern California for a while now, they offer what I would say is the perfect class. The lectures are designed to review material in context. Most of what you learn involves applying concepts to questions and the art of analyzing questions and their answer choices. You will learn unique ways to think about the content and some unforgettable mnemonics. Ask any Berkeley Review student to draw the common sugars in any format (Fischer, Haworth, or chair) and you'll see what I mean.
If you want to see a class first hand, you should sit in on a lecture. It's an open invitation to anyone interested in their classes. So far people who have sat in and compared the BR classes to other courses all seem to end up choosing BR. Small classes with expert teachers, two of whom are the primary authors of some of their books, is pretty much unbeatable. Ask students what they think of Tammy, Todd, Spencer, Cecile, and Adam and you'll hear glowing praise. They are a big reason for the exceptional scores BR students have been getting on the new MCAT.
As docdoc points out, a majority of the students in the summer Irvine course are from UCLA and UCI. During the school year it is a lot of students who have graduated from all over (in the Fall class) and UCI undergraduates (in the Spring class).
I'm coming from a different perspective here, so take that into account. Having worked for BR in Southern California for a while now, they offer what I would say is the perfect class. The lectures are designed to review material in context. Most of what you learn involves applying concepts to questions and the art of analyzing questions and their answer choices. You will learn unique ways to think about the content and some unforgettable mnemonics. Ask any Berkeley Review student to draw the common sugars in any format (Fischer, Haworth, or chair) and you'll see what I mean.
If you want to see a class first hand, you should sit in on a lecture. It's an open invitation to anyone interested in their classes. So far people who have sat in and compared the BR classes to other courses all seem to end up choosing BR. Small classes with expert teachers, two of whom are the primary authors of some of their books, is pretty much unbeatable. Ask students what they think of Tammy, Todd, Spencer, Cecile, and Adam and you'll hear glowing praise. They are a big reason for the exceptional scores BR students have been getting on the new MCAT.
As docdoc points out, a majority of the students in the summer Irvine course are from UCLA and UCI. During the school year it is a lot of students who have graduated from all over (in the Fall class) and UCI undergraduates (in the Spring class).
For Berkeleyreview, do you know what additional materials and resources do they give to students besides the BR books?
