Did you take an MCAT Prep Course?

[Rafa]

Because you probably didn't need to.

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[NapeSpikes]

No. And it shows!

 

[Moto]

I saved money so that I could afford to apply to more schools.

I figured one still has to study, regardless of how much money one forks over to the prepcourse.

Edit: I should also mention that an accepted friend of mine donated all his study material (guilty smile)

 

[Bluntman]

The classroom sessions themselves are bs, but for me the course was worth it for 2 reasons:

1. It gave me a structured timeline that forced me to start studying for the exam in January. If I didn't take the course, there is no way that I would have studied for the MCAT that early with all the other stuff I had going on.

2. Access to the vast libraries of practice problems and exams.

 

[LucidSplash]

Well, I felt like I needed to. I didn't take it the first time, but it was between my sophomore and junior year (2001) and I only managed a 29. I somehow messed up the verbal section wish is my strongest section. But when I retook it again this past August it had been so long since I'd had to work with some of the material (especially the organic and physics) that I took the review course to help me freshen up. I was afraid my science scores would go down retaking it, and even though it was a huge expense I still feel it was good. But I wish I'd take the online course and saved some $$ because I didn't need the classroom based course.

 

[Bluntman]

But I wish I'd take the online course and saved some $$ because I didn't need the classroom based course.

Ditto.

 

[jebus]

I don't understand the poll: I don't think the type of MCAT preparation has much to do with application success...
Can someone shed some light on this? I'm just confused.

 

[Apparition]

I don't understand the poll: I don't think the type of MCAT preparation has much to do with application success...
Can someone shed some light on this? I'm just confused.

MCAT prep affects MCAT score. MCAT score affects the outcome of applying. What's so confusing?

 

[jebus]

MCAT prep affects MCAT score. MCAT score affects the outcome of applying. What's so confusing?

What it is? Stop dipping in my Kool-Aid. Doing well on the MCAT isn't necessarily correlated with a prep course enrollment... Isn't that out of sight?
Are you hip to the jive? Can ya dig what I'm laying down? I knew that you could. That's the joint.
I guess I'm a square, just not a hepcat - I didn't take a prep course...

 

[Apparition]

What it is? Stop dipping in my Kool-Aid. Doing well on the MCAT isn't necessarily correlated with a prep course enrollment... Isn't that out of sight?
Are you hip to the jive? Can ya dig what I'm laying down? I knew that you could. That's the joint.
I guess I'm a square, just not a hepcat - I didn't take a prep course...

Ummm..i didn't take a course either. I'm assuming OP is trying to decide if s/he should take a prep course. It won't really help him but there have been more pointless polls on SDN. I'm not dipping in your Kool-Aid.

 

[Orthodoc40]

Yes and was that ever a big waste of time & money!

 

[lastrun82]

i asked my parents for the money to take a course and they said 'no. we believe in you'
having faith in me was nice but what i really wanted was $1500

but i ended up doing fine, probably even better than i would have with a course cause i didn't waste any time in classes that move as quickly as the slowest person

 

[SailCrazy]

Because you probably didn't need to.

I'm a "yes." You're 1/2 right in that I would have gotten into a med school w/o Kaplan. You're 1/2 wrong in that I wouldn't have scored as well as I did w/o Kapan, and I wouldn't currently have an acceptance at my top choice school.

 

[SailCrazy]

...i didn't waste any time in classes that move as quickly as the slowest person

The classed move at the same pace no matter who is in it... They are set lessons.

 

[dajimmers]

Nope, and glad I didn't.

 

[xspiritmental]

Started self-studying over Christmas break -- it was somewhat tittilating

 

[pseudoknot]

I didn't take a class; I just worked through the ExamKrackers books on my own. I think they're outstanding and I can't recommend them highly enough. Some people benefit more from the structure imposed by a class though. Anyway, if you don't have the attention to detail required to realize that this thread belongs in the MCAT forum, you may be in trouble either way....

 

[Rafa]

Anyway, if you don't have the attention to detail required to realize that this thread belongs in the MCAT forum, you may be in trouble either way....

Nah, this is a pre-med thread. Not asking for tips to study for the MCAT, just asking if those of y'all who've just gone through the app. process wished you'd used prep courses or not.

 

[badlydrawnvik]

i probably wouldn't have been that motivated to study or had as many materials without the course. i fully give credit to the course for my score.

 

[Goodergirl]

Nah, this is a pre-med thread. Not asking for tips to study for the MCAT, just asking if those of y'all who've just gone through the app. process wished you'd used prep courses or not.

But your question doesn't ask whether or not we'd wished we'd used a prep course. I used a prep course and got in but wished I hadn't- I thought it was a waste of money since most of the real learning occurred by reading and practicing- two things I could have done without a class. I took Kaplan by the way.

 

[DarkFark]

I decided not to take a review course because I fancy myself an 'independent learner'. I invested about $200 in review materials and practice tests instead.

 

[lookslikerain]

Yes, and I really regret it. I am certain I would have scored around the same if I hadn't.

 

[karirunner]

I did b/c (1) I was taking a heavy class load that semester and needed someone to force me to study for the MCAT on a set schedule and (2) my parents said they'd pay for it. I took the Princeton Review course and thought it was helpful- my teachers were great and the course covered the basics of some classes (microbio, immunology, etc.) that I hadn't taken yet. If mom and dad hadn't paid for it, no way. If you think it'd help and someone else is footing the bill, do it, but if you can study well on your own just buy the review materials off of a friend and save the $1500 for traveling to interviews

 

[ZenAlchemy]

Did not. Still spent almost $200 on prep books. Got a 37.

There's no reason to take a course if you can make a decent plan of study for yourself and stick to it.

 

[MDhopeful023]

I agree with the above post (above mine) don't waste your money if you are structured/organized person you can easily do the studying yourself... about 200 dollars can get you all the books... PLUS you can always buy practice material from AAMC... I took a prep course and it was a waste of time... you can review material yourself and don't need a person to re-teach you.... ALSO I scored better by studying with myself (go figure)

 

[Depakote]

Yes, totally worth it... 32

 

[BooMed]

I did because I had just started my second semester of Orgo, Physics, and Biochem and I took the MCAT before I was done with those classes.

Still though, those six hours every week were the most excrutiatingly boring times of my life. I hated it.

 

[browniegirl86]

I did. Classroom sessions were ok because I liked my teachers and the people in my classes, but really the practice materials are what helped me to get a high score. I did probably 90% of the Kaplan practice materials over 2 months, and I can definitely say that my score would not have been anywhere close to what it is without that practice.

Plus I got a job out of the deal. Not too shabby.

 

[Saluki]

I thought the classroom sessions were crap, but I guess it would depend on who you had for teachers....
But I still thought it was worth it to take the course
1)Taking the practice tests with a bunch of other people there and someone actually administering it was really great mentally.
2) I didn't really make much use of the materials in their library until the last week, which was a mistake. Those additional practice materials on each topic could really give you the practice and confidence to boost your score.
3) Structure and timeline. If you're disciplined enough, you can do it without but it's a lot easier this way.
4) Competition- Every time they would announce in class what the highest score and the average was on the practice test- so that brought an added incentive to study (it was all anonymous- so no one knew whether I was doing higher or lower than the average or if I got the top score, but it helped give me a little more motivation to study before the individual practice tests)

 

[ShyRem]

I would have taken a course if one had been offered in my area. I didn't know about any online courses. Not even any advertising for MCAT prep courses or any information about them at my school. Everything is word of mouth.