ok, i took the kaplan class before the april sitting, and i've used pr materials (haven't taken the class) for the aug. test. here's the breakdown:
kaplan:
pros- excellent training library...their videos really are helpful, and they have all sorts of practice items available...topical tests are available online....they have all the aamc practice tests on site (i believe...they MIGHT not have the more recent ones, i.e. V and VI, but I know they had a LOT of AAMC testing material.)
cons- with the exception of verbal, all the teachers weren't really what i expected for the money i paid..the vast majority of the practice materials are only available on-site..the material that is online is not print-able....their books touch on all the high points that will be covered on the test (or that are fair game), but don't go much further
princeton review:
pros- VERY thorough books...tons of practice material, and all of it is in book form, so you can use it when you please, where you please.
cons- the reading material is very thorough, and can get a little daunting at times...again..didn't take the class, so i have no way of telling you anything about the instructors, but i will tell you this: i teach for kaplan, and they will not let me teach an MCAT class that has anyone i go to school with enrolled in it, for fear that i would have a friend in the class, and they wouldn't take me seriously. conversely, i have a lot of friends who teach for PR, and they taught their friends MCAT stuff. i'm not going to comment on which way i think is better, just be aware that this is how it works sometimes.....the practice tests (a-d) are really tough and can be a bit discouraging
in the end, it's your call. PR held classes on our campus, so a lot of people ended up choosing it b/c of the added convenience. kaplan's staff is super-friendly, and they really went out of their way to help out during mcat week (general stress-busting stuff, snacks and drinks in the test rooms, etc etc etc). good luck deciding