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I often see posts about whether students should take a prep course, and if yes, which to take. The top two contenders are typically Kaplan and TPR since EK and BR aren't offered en masse yet. I am currently a Kaplan MCAT Teacher who took a TPR Hyperlearning course when preparing for the MCAT, so I am in a position to objectively evaluate both and figured I would offer my two cents.
Should you take a prep course?
Simply put, if you can afford it, you should take it.
It's a myth that prep courses should only be taken by someone who isn't disciplined. These courses offer you a lot of extra practice material that mimics the actual content of the test, though of course AMCAS tests can never be beat. Plus, 67% of your peers are taking it and of course, the discipline/regimented schedule is helpful. Finally, you would rarely be paying the entire $2000. Both Kaplan and TPR are always running promotions, so you could more than likely get at least $200 to $300 off.
But buyer beware: if you're not willing to supplement the work in the classroom with at least 10-30 hours and are not motivated, don't waste your money. NO ONE will be spoon feeding you the information, and this is unfortunately the attitude I sometimes see with students. Just sitting in a classroom passively absorbing information will not bring you a 30+ score.
How do you ensure quality teachers?
Obviously, if you're going to be shelling out $2000 or so, then you want to make sure you are getting the bang for your buck.
My suggestion is to look through the potential course dates, find one that works for you, and ask the test center who will be teaching those classes. Then attend the lecture of those teachers since most teachers teach more than one section at a time. This is available for FREE and can be arranged by calling the test prep center near you, even before you have signed up for a course. This way you can see whether the teacher is boring you to death or are you moderately engaged. We are all given a script/ book of material, so the content the teacher is going over will rarely vary. What you want to make sure with this informal session is the teacher can answer your questions, and their teaching style matches yours.
On-site versus online?
The advantage of online is it is VERY convenient. You can do it from your home. You can still interact with other students through a chat function, and even ask questions. It's still very interactive. Of course, you have to be motivated because no one is directly watching you, and it's very easy to just log in and zone out. If you need that type of one-on-one attention, go for the on-site class.
Kaplan
Set-up: There are two classes each week, and each class is 3 hours. Attendance is mandatory. You also have access to an online center, which includes:
1. All AMCAS Tests
2. All Kaplan tests
3. Sectional tests
3. Chapter quizzes
4. Subject tests (passages)
5. Workshops for difficult concepts
6. Recorded lectures if you miss class
7. Formula booklet/ Condensed notes for each science section
8. Question bank
Non-online resources:
1. Flashcards for each science section
2. Verbal workbook
3. Individual section books
Strengths:
1. Plethora of online material. Kaplan CANNOT be beat in this regard.
2. Kaplan's BS and PS section is spot on in terms of difficulty, variety, and content.
Weaknesses:
1. Kaplan classes are too condensed/ superficial, and what this means if you are not the type of person who comes prepared to class, you will be very lost. Kaplan classes are for people who just need to brush up on material, not who need to re-learn it.
2. Kaplan's Verbal passages are too easy/ do not reflect difficulty of real Verbal. They are good practice, but mostly a last resort.
3. Inflation of test scores so you can't take scoring seriously. Often, students do worse on the real exam than their Kaplan average would've predicted because of this inflation. Just subtract 2-4 and you are good to go.
4. Kaplan courses typically have generalist teachers, which means one teacher will be teaching every single section. This can be good or bad, depending on the capability of your teacher.
TPR
Set-up: There are classes four days a week, each 2.5 hours. Attendance is mandatory. Access to an online center is also available, which includes:
1. All AMCAS Tests
2. All TPR Tests (11)
3. Subject quizzes (passage style)
4. 30+ additional verbal passages
5. Recorded lectures of class if you miss it
6. 2 Practice passages and 2 question sets for each topic
Non-online resources:
1. Science workbook (contains passages and problem sets)
2. Verbal workbook (42 passages + 4 diagnostic tests)
3. 5 Section books with free-standing questions in each chapter
Strengths:
1. If you don't remember the material very well, TPR is perfect for you. TPR goes over 115% of the information you would ever need to know for the test.
2. PS section with appropriate level of difficulty
3. Verbal section (passages are spot on in terms of content and difficulty), though they don't have as many abstract questions. It's great for understanding the pattern of the verbal section though, and then moving on to EK 101.
Weaknesses:
1. Their BS section is weak
2. This can be a good or bad thing, but PR scores are deflated, so your confidence might start shaking a little if you constantly see lower scores. I would add 2-3 points to your TPR average, and you're good to.
3. TPR teachers are specialized for each subject. This theoretically means your teacher should know what they're talking about. Unfortunately, TPR doesn't require teachers to take the MCAT, so sometimes you can get a very esoteric teacher who hasn't a clue how to relate content to the critical thinking aspect of the MCAT.
Final thoughts: Both courses are excellent depending on what you are looking for. If you want the best of both worlds, find a friend to study the MCAT with. One of you can take a Kaplan course, the other can take a TPR course, and then both of you can combine your resources to have access to EVERYTHING you will ever need to be prepared for the MCAT.
Should you take a prep course?
Simply put, if you can afford it, you should take it.
It's a myth that prep courses should only be taken by someone who isn't disciplined. These courses offer you a lot of extra practice material that mimics the actual content of the test, though of course AMCAS tests can never be beat. Plus, 67% of your peers are taking it and of course, the discipline/regimented schedule is helpful. Finally, you would rarely be paying the entire $2000. Both Kaplan and TPR are always running promotions, so you could more than likely get at least $200 to $300 off.
But buyer beware: if you're not willing to supplement the work in the classroom with at least 10-30 hours and are not motivated, don't waste your money. NO ONE will be spoon feeding you the information, and this is unfortunately the attitude I sometimes see with students. Just sitting in a classroom passively absorbing information will not bring you a 30+ score.
How do you ensure quality teachers?
Obviously, if you're going to be shelling out $2000 or so, then you want to make sure you are getting the bang for your buck.
My suggestion is to look through the potential course dates, find one that works for you, and ask the test center who will be teaching those classes. Then attend the lecture of those teachers since most teachers teach more than one section at a time. This is available for FREE and can be arranged by calling the test prep center near you, even before you have signed up for a course. This way you can see whether the teacher is boring you to death or are you moderately engaged. We are all given a script/ book of material, so the content the teacher is going over will rarely vary. What you want to make sure with this informal session is the teacher can answer your questions, and their teaching style matches yours.
On-site versus online?
The advantage of online is it is VERY convenient. You can do it from your home. You can still interact with other students through a chat function, and even ask questions. It's still very interactive. Of course, you have to be motivated because no one is directly watching you, and it's very easy to just log in and zone out. If you need that type of one-on-one attention, go for the on-site class.
Kaplan
Set-up: There are two classes each week, and each class is 3 hours. Attendance is mandatory. You also have access to an online center, which includes:
1. All AMCAS Tests
2. All Kaplan tests
3. Sectional tests
3. Chapter quizzes
4. Subject tests (passages)
5. Workshops for difficult concepts
6. Recorded lectures if you miss class
7. Formula booklet/ Condensed notes for each science section
8. Question bank
Non-online resources:
1. Flashcards for each science section
2. Verbal workbook
3. Individual section books
Strengths:
1. Plethora of online material. Kaplan CANNOT be beat in this regard.
2. Kaplan's BS and PS section is spot on in terms of difficulty, variety, and content.
Weaknesses:
1. Kaplan classes are too condensed/ superficial, and what this means if you are not the type of person who comes prepared to class, you will be very lost. Kaplan classes are for people who just need to brush up on material, not who need to re-learn it.
2. Kaplan's Verbal passages are too easy/ do not reflect difficulty of real Verbal. They are good practice, but mostly a last resort.
3. Inflation of test scores so you can't take scoring seriously. Often, students do worse on the real exam than their Kaplan average would've predicted because of this inflation. Just subtract 2-4 and you are good to go.
4. Kaplan courses typically have generalist teachers, which means one teacher will be teaching every single section. This can be good or bad, depending on the capability of your teacher.
TPR
Set-up: There are classes four days a week, each 2.5 hours. Attendance is mandatory. Access to an online center is also available, which includes:
1. All AMCAS Tests
2. All TPR Tests (11)
3. Subject quizzes (passage style)
4. 30+ additional verbal passages
5. Recorded lectures of class if you miss it
6. 2 Practice passages and 2 question sets for each topic
Non-online resources:
1. Science workbook (contains passages and problem sets)
2. Verbal workbook (42 passages + 4 diagnostic tests)
3. 5 Section books with free-standing questions in each chapter
Strengths:
1. If you don't remember the material very well, TPR is perfect for you. TPR goes over 115% of the information you would ever need to know for the test.
2. PS section with appropriate level of difficulty
3. Verbal section (passages are spot on in terms of content and difficulty), though they don't have as many abstract questions. It's great for understanding the pattern of the verbal section though, and then moving on to EK 101.
Weaknesses:
1. Their BS section is weak
2. This can be a good or bad thing, but PR scores are deflated, so your confidence might start shaking a little if you constantly see lower scores. I would add 2-3 points to your TPR average, and you're good to.
3. TPR teachers are specialized for each subject. This theoretically means your teacher should know what they're talking about. Unfortunately, TPR doesn't require teachers to take the MCAT, so sometimes you can get a very esoteric teacher who hasn't a clue how to relate content to the critical thinking aspect of the MCAT.
Final thoughts: Both courses are excellent depending on what you are looking for. If you want the best of both worlds, find a friend to study the MCAT with. One of you can take a Kaplan course, the other can take a TPR course, and then both of you can combine your resources to have access to EVERYTHING you will ever need to be prepared for the MCAT.
Most important advice I can offer for students studying for the MCAT:
DON'T COME ON SDN!
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