Is it possible?

[subzero0174]

I am planning on taking the MCAT in april 2006. I emphasize the word planning because I am not sure if I will have the time to study to the point of where I will recieve my desired score(30+). I am going to be in my junior year, second semester, and will be taking around 15 credit hours for the entire 3.5 months before the test. I am planning on taking the kaplan course, which I hear takes too much time alone. I also wanna be able to use the Exam crackers study process. Do I have too much on my plate? Should I just do all this in the summer and take it in august? I wanted to take it in april because I just dont know if I could get myself to study that much in summer. It would also make for a great summer to know it was out of the way. Did anyone of you guys have a similar experience of taking the kaplan course with such a course load through the university at the same time(and trying to use the EK plan)? Thanks for the feedback

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[llort]

subzero, no. it is not possible. I took Kaplan (a good way to waste $1400) while taking 16 hours of hard courses last spring and got a f-cking 22. I studied on my own over the summer and took again and did better. Kaplan blows. I would suggest doing this to prepare for MCAT:
1. buy a kaplan or princeton MCAT review book at barnes and noble for like $70. work through the book. it has all the same info that you will cover in kaplan course.
2. buy like 5 practice tests from AAMC at like 40$ each. take them on the five saturdays leading up to the MCAT.
3. buy exam crackers if you think you'll have time.

this is a much cheaper way, and more reasonable if you are taking a heavy course load. The kaplan course basically reviews all the stuff in the book, my teachers sucked, and moved way too fast,so I got like nothing from the classes. the kaplan web site stuff has some additional practice, but also a lot of errors on the site. Dont waste your money or time with these greedy heebs.

 

[ElKapitan]

I am planning on taking the MCAT in april 2006. I emphasize the word planning because I am not sure if I will have the time to study to the point of where I will recieve my desired score(30+). I am going to be in my junior year, second semester, and will be taking around 15 credit hours for the entire 3.5 months before the test. I am planning on taking the kaplan course, which I hear takes too much time alone. I also wanna be able to use the Exam crackers study process. Do I have too much on my plate? Should I just do all this in the summer and take it in august? I wanted to take it in april because I just dont know if I could get myself to study that much in summer. It would also make for a great summer to know it was out of the way. Did anyone of you guys have a similar experience of taking the kaplan course with such a course load through the university at the same time(and trying to use the EK plan)? Thanks for the feedback

I didn' take the MCAT until after I graduated but I took The Princeton Review when I was working full time. I think it is a rather comparable work load. It really was a pain in the ass, I would have to rush out of lab to get to some class that I didn't really want to be in. I did alot studying from like 10-1am in the morning. So I think it can be done with a heavy work load. However, I don't think I could have done it in college. There were way too many times people could convince me to go drinking, or to a movie, or a concert.

I actually haven't heard or seen too many success stories from people who studied for the MCAT while school was in session.

The only advice I can give is that you should think of preparation for the MCAT, like a class you can't blow off. A class that if you don't study for you won't pass. Much like some upper level bio class with a teacher that is a true pr*ck.

 

[ElKapitan]

subzero, no. it is not possible. I took Kaplan (a good way to waste $1400) while taking 16 hours of hard courses last spring and got a f-cking 22. I studied on my own over the summer and took again and did better. Kaplan blows. I would suggest doing this to prepare for MCAT:
1. buy a kaplan or princeton MCAT review book at barnes and noble for like $70. work through the book. it has all the same info that you will cover in kaplan course.
2. buy like 5 practice tests from AAMC at like 40$ each. take them on the five saturdays leading up to the MCAT.
3. buy exam crackers if you think you'll have time.

this is a much cheaper way, and more reasonable if you are taking a heavy course load. The kaplan course basically reviews all the stuff in the book, my teachers sucked, and moved way too fast,so I got like nothing from the classes. the kaplan web site stuff has some additional practice, but also a lot of errors on the site. Dont waste your money or time with these greedy heebs.

Most people I have talked to say, having to shell out the $1400 makes them study harder, because if they do poorly on the MCAT, they feel as if they have wasted their money.

 

[Bigsheed920]

Best bet is to buy used AAMC practice tests from eBay and other stuff u can find ur hands on and study on ur own in the summer.

 

[vikaskoth]

i thought the 5 proctered tests in cramped room with small desks with people coughing, cell phones buzzing or ringing were worth the money to prepare for actual test day. the test reports help a lot also. If you can take kaplan and keep up with all the hw(or even half, its a lot )then i think almost anyone could get well above a 30

 

[erin682]

I actually haven't heard or seen too many success stories from people who studied for the MCAT while school was in session.

Not true. I know a number of people who took full courseloads, studied and did well on the MCAT. The biggest key to doing well on the MCAT is to take as many practice exams as you can. I took them once a month to every other week most of the semester prior to the exam and then every week in the month or so prior to the MCAT. Its a lot of work but definately doable.

 

[myodana]

1. buy a kaplan or princeton MCAT review book at barnes and noble for like $70. work through the book. it has all the same info that you will cover in kaplan course.
2. buy like 5 practice tests from AAMC at like 40$ each. take them on the five saturdays leading up to the MCAT.
3. buy exam crackers if you think you'll have time.

...Dont waste your money or time with these greedy heebs.

ok, so... aside from the super-offensive ethnic slur at the end of the post, i agree with everything this guy said. i did exactly those things, and worked with a study partner all summer doing full-length tests every weekend, and did well (32P). the exam crackers really helps, especially on parts that kaplan doesn't explain too well (for me it was a lot of the physics and chem. also, the 101 questions books from exam crackers are really good for practice (you can get them fairly cheaply on amazon.com).

that's the advice from this "heeb."

 

[subzero0174]

Well I am even more undecided now I have no clue what to do.

 

[Kazema]

It's definitely doable. Just don't expect to have much of a life outside of school and MCAT studying.

 

[Wiggy73]

I actually haven't heard or seen too many success stories from people who studied for the MCAT while school was in session.

Try mine. I didn't take a prep course, but I did take the April MCAT as a junior while carrying a normal (was it 15 or 16 hours? whatever) load. So it's obviously possible. In fact, I'd go out on a limb and say it's what most traditional applicants do.

 

[patzan]

Not true. I know a number of people who took full courseloads, studied and did well on the MCAT. The biggest key to doing well on the MCAT is to take as many practice exams as you can. I took them once a month to every other week most of the semester prior to the exam and then every week in the month or so prior to the MCAT. Its a lot of work but definately doable.

I agree 100%. I had 17 hours and worked about 25 hours/week and did as I expected. Take a lot of practice tests. This is more an exercise in taking this test than anything else. Buy Kaplan's tests from a friend and get the AAMC tests. Get all the tests you can and take them.

 

[Brain]

It's possible but you might want to start studying before the second semester of your junior year. I took it last April during a semester with a full course load in graduate school with a job, doing thesis research, the usual extracurricular activities, and writing two manuscripts on top of this. I didn't take a prep course because I just didn't have enough hours in the day. I got up at 5:30 am and studied for an hour everyday. I did just fine on the test. The point is that it is doable without a prep course if you make it a priority. Set up a study schedule, write it down, and stick to it. Best of luck.

 

[AnotherDork]

Dont waste your money or time with these greedy heebs.

There's your problem, llort! I had to show them my horns before they gave me the practice test with the RIGHT answers. Oh, and the courses are given in biblical Hebrew too, so only us Chosen People can understand them.

Seriously. Some people are jackasses.

 

[beanbean]

llort - there is no need to be rude and offensive in your posts. Racial slurs have no place here.

OP - there are plenty of good posts in the MCAT forum regarding studying for the MCAT.

 

[Blue Scrub]

I took Kaplan the first time I took the MCAT, and I did pretty horrible....im really against Kaplan for the MCAT....I really believe Princeton Review or ExamKrackers (which I took before the 2nd time I took my MCAT, and improved a lot) are much better classes if that's what you want to do.....as far as materials, I think PR and EK are really good materials as well......Im not so sure about Kaplan just because I didnt use any of their materials the 2nd time, but Im sure their practice tests are fine to use for practice.......its true, I think the trick is just taking a bunch of practice tests....take 1 or 2 a month, and leading up to the MCAT, take one like every weekend if you have the time.....it will pay off in the end, good luck!!

 

[Microhabitats]

I am planning on taking the MCAT in april 2006. I emphasize the word planning because I am not sure if I will have the time to study to the point of where I will recieve my desired score(30+). I am going to be in my junior year, second semester, and will be taking around 15 credit hours for the entire 3.5 months before the test. I am planning on taking the kaplan course, which I hear takes too much time alone. I also wanna be able to use the Exam crackers study process. Do I have too much on my plate? Should I just do all this in the summer and take it in august? I wanted to take it in april because I just dont know if I could get myself to study that much in summer. It would also make for a great summer to know it was out of the way. Did anyone of you guys have a similar experience of taking the kaplan course with such a course load through the university at the same time(and trying to use the EK plan)? Thanks for the feedback

Anything is possible as long as you try hard. Getting 30+ is not as hard as it sounds. However, good planning is very important. Since you are going to take the MCAT in 2006, you still have plenty of time. If you have the extra money to take Kaplan, you can try it. Yet, it is still totally up to you if you want to do well. While Kaplan classes are not that useful, they have many valuable study materials available to their students. You will do well on the real MCAT if you complete all Kaplan's practice exams and understand what you are doing. Good luck.