The question of one course versus another gets bantered around this place quite frequently. And the replies pretty much read the same, with one third acting as cheerleaders for Course A, one third acting as cheerleaders for Course B, and the last third talking about you and your needs. In the end, the thread doesn't help as much as you'd think, because there never is a clear and obvious choice. So what I would strongly suggest is the following:
First evaluate your strengths and weaknesses
- (1) Rank your intuition and knowledge base in biology, physics, verbal, general chemistry, and orgo.
(2) Assess how well you can study on your own versus how much you need support. Even if you take a course, 80%-90% of the time you put in to preparing will be on your own.
(3) What type of learner are you; do prefer reading or lectures?
(4) How good of a test taker are you; do you have good instincts when it comes to answering multiple choice questions?
Add more question you feel are pertinent, and once you have that list, ask people more specifically whether Course A or Course B was strong in the areas where you have needs.
Second, find out about each course in YOUR area. Teacher quality and material availability vary drastically between sites. While Course A may have a magnificient verbal teacher in Baltimore, they have a terrible one in Des Moines. While Course B may have an amazing physics teacher in Dallas, they have the worse physics teacher ever in San Diego.
The number one thing when considering a live MCAT course is whether the teachers style will help you to get a better score and whether they will be available to field the questions you'll have over the course of the program. One knock on the large programs in major metropolitan areas is that there are so many students, that you get lost in the crowd and can't easily get help. Ask friends who have taken the classes at the location where you'll be taking the class.
I personally think classes are great for about 60 to 70% of people taking the MCAT and a waste of time for the rest. You need to know which one you are. Materials, both on line and on paper, can be found everywhere from eBay to Craigslist, so when you are considering a classroom course, consider just the aspects that are specific to the class: instructor quality, office hours, and ability to get questions answered.
Unfortunately, getting an answer specific to your location is not that easy on SDN. This place is great for so many general premed questions, but when the questions become regional, you might need to augment the answers here with other sources.
Good luck!
