Do you NEED to take a prep course?

[Aggiemaj]

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Is it REALLY worth all the money to take an MCAT prep course, whether it be Princeton Review or KAPLAN? I know people who didn't take a course and got into the medical school of their choice, and I know others who said they wouldn't have made it without the course. I just wanted to hear some more opinions! Thanks

 

[BigSkyDreams]

Howdy Aggiemaj,
Some might disagree but I think that if you have the discipline that you will need when you are in Med School, then the prep course should not be needed. However a good review book might help you focus in on the topics that you will need on the test. Most of the stuff that I saw on the MCAT dealt with intro course material, more broad than deep. The key to studying for the test is to identify your strengths and weaknesses, then concentrate on those areas. The best practice is taking practice tests. As many as you can find! The format is what catches more folks off guard than the matterial. As some review books point out this is a thinking test not just throwing up every fact that you learned over the years. Good luck.

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BSD
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Work under the assumption that you will be happy one day

 

[imtiaz]

I learned this the hard way, unfortunately I was out of about $1,300 already when I realized that I needed to study on my own to get results. You really do need to just bite down and study, the review courses cover what they can, but they don't cover everything you need to know for the MCAT. They don't have enough time to. Good luck!

Imtiaz

 

[Hawkeye01]

I agree with the previous posts, but I do think I am going to take the Kaplan course this spring. The way I look at it is, getting into medical school relys heavily on the MCAT and GPA. Look at how much you have spend on your GPA in tuition. If you consider the cost of the course, it is only a fraction of the amount you have already spent on tuition. Maybe I'm wrong, but that is how I justified taking the course.

"Building a Foundation." --Coach Alford

 

[Hope88]

Forget about the prep course. I am SO glad now, in the midst of a financial crisis, that I didn't fork over the $$$. I studied on my own and that worked out fine, because I just got an acceptance! Just knuckle down and dust off your old texts and notes (I hope you saved them!). Even better yet, if you know someone that has taken a course, see if you can borrow their books. From what I've been told, the books are the best part of the prep courses. Good Luck!

 

[tr]

Whether you need to take a prep course depends on your own testing personality.

If you:
- tend to do well on standardized tests
- feel you have a good understanding of
the material covered in your courses
- have a lot of discipline for self-study,
- are well organized

then you shouldn't waste the money.

However, if you
- are not a naturally good test-taker
- feel there are gaps in your knowledge
- do not have the discipline for a course of study that will last 2-4 months, or
- are not well organized,

then a prep course will give direction to your study and help you focus on the important things. You will still need to put in your own effort - the course won't do it for you - but it will provide an excellent base.

Evaluate yourself honestly to arrive at the choice that's right for you!

Best of luck.

p.s. here are my credentials - four years teaching SAT prep, three years tutoring premeds in chemistry and calc, SAT and MCAT scores above the 95th percentile, currently enrolled in a top-10 med school - just to give myself a modicum of credibility

 

[ChrisSteffen]

I did not take a prep course, and only took one practice test, and managed to score 30S, so it can be done.