How to advise MCAT taker

[saildawg]

Hi everyone,
I took the MCAT in April and Aug last year and now my girlfriend is preparing for the April MCAT. I took Kaplan class for the April and used EK home study schedule for the Aug. I did much better the second time around and I absolutely loved the EK approach and absolutlely hated Kaplan. However, after I gave my advice to her she still decided to do Kaplan, mainly because everyone else at school is doing Kaplan and she doesnt want to be left out. She looked at the EK material over the break and liked it better thank Kaplan, but she has paid for Kaplan and it starts on Thursday. Right now she is using both books to review. but she is a slow learner/reader. I told her doing this is overkill, but I do not know how to tell her how to study. I feel she is similar to myself at this time last year, memorizing facts and so forth but never reallly learning material and thinking big picture connections. I thought EK did a great job of teaching the material this way and it really has changed me as a student. I don't know what to tell her, I am scared that if she uses EK and doesn't do well it will be all my fault.
Thanks for nay help

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[UserNameNeeded]

Yeah, this is similar to the question I posed in another thread. I don't know if I should be just as well off (scoring 30+, did you get a 30+ when you took in August after using EK books?) doing the EK home study thing or if it would be better to supplement that with a Kaplan course, too. I'm so worried I'm gonna blow it that I might end up doing what your girlfriend's doing. I have 2 days to decide.

 

[bigdan]

I think that everything will tie into how the OP's girl studies. Kaplan seems to work best with those that put in the extra work that is assigned, and those that take advantage of using all the vast resources that they have. My thought is that if you're that dedicated and focused, you may not need to drop $1100+ in order to study.

I used EK and was dedicated to it; I used the complete study package and EK AO (although the CD's were of only minimal help to me).

Surely your girl not doing well isn't your fault on any level (and if she aces it it's not cause of you either). Maybe you can help her find HOW she best studies and learns, and help her pick the best system or hybrid to maximize her learning. If she has a weakness that is already identified (bio v. chem v. physics, etc.), I'd start there.

Good luck to both of you.

dc

 

[saildawg]

I think that everything will tie into how the OP's girl studies. Kaplan seems to work best with those that put in the extra work that is assigned, and those that take advantage of using all the vast resources that they have. My thought is that if you're that dedicated and focused, you may not need to drop $1100+ in order to study.

I used EK and was dedicated to it; I used the complete study package and EK AO (although the CD's were of only minimal help to me).

Surely your girl not doing well isn't your fault on any level (and if she aces it it's not cause of you either). Maybe you can help her find HOW she best studies and learns, and help her pick the best system or hybrid to maximize her learning. If she has a weakness that is already identified (bio v. chem v. physics, etc.), I'd start there.

Good luck to both of you.

dc

Well, it is not a matter of not having enough resorces, b/c w/ EK I had Complete study package, AO, all 1001 books, and she will purches aamc tetst 3-7. I think she has choosen to use the EK books becuase they teach better and to go to class and do the online assignment from Kaplan. Seems to confusing to me, but it is her money and time (well I guess partially my time as well). Good luck to all of you.

 

[Mr PluM]

dawgidy dog,

first, she is yur gurlfriend, support whatever she does, everyone is different..if everyone around her is doing kaplan then it is probably better for her pyschologically...all you can do is make love to her...You already assuming she is going to do bad because she did not listen to you, or you are going to feel guilty....loosen up...remember this is about her, not you....

 

[DeigoT]

Hi everyone,
I took the MCAT in April and Aug last year and now my girlfriend is preparing for the April MCAT. I took Kaplan class for the April and used EK home study schedule for the Aug. I did much better the second time around and I absolutely loved the EK approach and absolutlely hated Kaplan. However, after I gave my advice to her she still decided to do Kaplan, mainly because everyone else at school is doing Kaplan and she doesnt want to be left out. She looked at the EK material over the break and liked it better thank Kaplan, but she has paid for Kaplan and it starts on Thursday. Right now she is using both books to review. but she is a slow learner/reader. I told her doing this is overkill, but I do not know how to tell her how to study. I feel she is similar to myself at this time last year, memorizing facts and so forth but never reallly learning material and thinking big picture connections. I thought EK did a great job of teaching the material this way and it really has changed me as a student. I don't know what to tell her, I am scared that if she uses EK and doesn't do well it will be all my fault.
Thanks for nay help

I am in a similar situation where I took the Aug MCAT (using Kaplan) and didn't do well and now I am sooo confused as I have registered for Kaplan again and I also have all the EK material. I thought I would start Kaplan next week and use the EK as a supplement, but it seems I like the EK material better and wonder if I should do it the other way around. The advantage of doing Kaplan is it will force me to stay on course since I will need to show up to class having read the assignments. I worry that I may occasionally slack off with EK homestudy. I know you may be thinkning why retake Kaplan if it didn't work the first time around, but I recognize that with a summer class and work, I didn't do 3/4 of the work. Is there anyone who used both? What worked?

Thanks

 

[shuzee]

i am in a very very similar position. i retaking the mcat, took kaplan in summer last year and didnt quite like it. i think it would be unfair to blame Kaplan for my poor performance on the Mcat, but i still purchased EK stuff and have started going over it. Hopefully it would help this time. are the EK mini Mcats helpful?? i have not purchased those yet.