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Here is my outlook on kaplan for board prep USMLE/COMLEX step 1. And before I start typing...Yes, I am taking the Kaplan intense prep class for the USMLE step 1. I am an osteopathic medical student...and I am going to take both COMLEX and USMLE step 1.
Why are you taking Kaplan?
I am taking the course because of a few reasons. One, I am not a super organized person to where I can develop a fantastic study plan and stay on schedule. Kaplan definitely gives you this. Also, there are 239872948723987 sources to study for USMLE/COMLEX step1 and which ones are good? There seems to be some common threads...Robbins Review, First Aid, Qbank, BRS Path among TONS of other things. Kaplan has all the subjects tested in books and organized well. So my initial reason for taking kaplan was that I had all the info right here and qbank...did I spend $1150, yes...was it a waste? no way!
Is Kaplan best for me?
The only one who can answer that is YOURSELF. I asked about 20 third years (class of 2008) who took kaplan last year and all said it was worth it and would take it again. None of them (the ones I asked) failed the USMLE (which is good for the overall national osteopathic mean taking the USMLE). The only people who said it wasn't worth taking Kaplan were the people who did NOT take the class. Now, I would assume the great studiers, or superbly motivated students can ace their board exam no matter how they study (solo or with kaplan). Although, myself personally tends to do better with direction and having MOST if not all the sources right there in front of me.
What about these other sources people say are better than Kaplan?
Examples...Goljan for path, Robbins question review for Path, First Aid for USMLE step 1 (the Bible), USMLERx, Microbiology Made Simple, etc etc etc...you all know the lists they go on and on and on. Are these sources better than kaplan? Maybe? For you maybe, for someone else maybe. So many maybes. I have invested in other sources besides kaplan....First Aid, First Aid Q&A, BRS Path, Robbins Review, Pharm cards, and Microcards. In my opinion I will be well prepared studying Kaplan's sources and a few other supplemental materials.
How do I know which supplemental materials to buy if I do kaplan?
What I am doing is keeping the list short...talking to other people...looking at the resources people say to buy and just deciding on my own intuition if they seem beneficial or not. In the end...that's what everyone else is doing anyway. It's IMPOSSIBLE to study every source, read every book, do every practice question, etc etc in 6 weeks or so.
I think Kaplan is a waste of Money...Why should I give them money when I can do it myself?
I agree with where this question is going completely. If you can do it yourself...DO IT YOURSELF. And I would easily bet that you will do awesome.
For people like me....who ask...What books are right, what should I study first, what schedule should I have, which questions prepare me best, blah blah blah?
Then I would suggest signing up for kaplan...yes you can do it on your own and maybe score higher if you did. But being in Kaplan has it all mapped out for you and you have at least all the sources/study material you will need (some may argue with this in certain subjects...ie-path...ie-OMM, etc) but that's where you buy one or MAX 2 sources to supplement in the areas you feel you need better prepping.
Finally, why the hell are you posting this...do you work for kaplan, are you making commission?
No No and No and no....I am posting this for people like me (especially confused second year osteopathic students) who are wanting to do well on the USMLE and are baffled as how to plan, study, and attack the USMLE step 1 board exam. Will my plan help those confused allopathic students too? YES.
So to sum this up....
Many people think people who take Kaplan are in the C's are degrees club and need to take it b/c they aren't prepared for the board exam...that maybe true. But I am no where near the bottom...and I am doing very well in classes. I am just a person that feels more confortable with a plan and some concrete direction. I strongly believe you can study and maybe to better studying on your own. But ALL the people I spoke to who took kaplan were glad they took the class and would do it again. My MCAT scores weren't 38+ and I wasn't a genius in college....but I feel smart preparation and hard work for the boards will equate to a great score. Everyone would love to be in the 260+ club (but sorry, most ppl will not get it)...who knows if what I am going to do will get that score. The best thing you can do is make a plan and stick with it. If you are like me...and need to have all the prep material right there, a concrete direction, and have review sessions from PhDs, MDs, and DOs (not medstudents who did well on boards) then I think taking Kaplan will work out. $1150 is a lot of money, yes, but for someone like me...I think it will be well spent.
Why are you taking Kaplan?
I am taking the course because of a few reasons. One, I am not a super organized person to where I can develop a fantastic study plan and stay on schedule. Kaplan definitely gives you this. Also, there are 239872948723987 sources to study for USMLE/COMLEX step1 and which ones are good? There seems to be some common threads...Robbins Review, First Aid, Qbank, BRS Path among TONS of other things. Kaplan has all the subjects tested in books and organized well. So my initial reason for taking kaplan was that I had all the info right here and qbank...did I spend $1150, yes...was it a waste? no way!
Is Kaplan best for me?
The only one who can answer that is YOURSELF. I asked about 20 third years (class of 2008) who took kaplan last year and all said it was worth it and would take it again. None of them (the ones I asked) failed the USMLE (which is good for the overall national osteopathic mean taking the USMLE). The only people who said it wasn't worth taking Kaplan were the people who did NOT take the class. Now, I would assume the great studiers, or superbly motivated students can ace their board exam no matter how they study (solo or with kaplan). Although, myself personally tends to do better with direction and having MOST if not all the sources right there in front of me.
What about these other sources people say are better than Kaplan?
Examples...Goljan for path, Robbins question review for Path, First Aid for USMLE step 1 (the Bible), USMLERx, Microbiology Made Simple, etc etc etc...you all know the lists they go on and on and on. Are these sources better than kaplan? Maybe? For you maybe, for someone else maybe. So many maybes. I have invested in other sources besides kaplan....First Aid, First Aid Q&A, BRS Path, Robbins Review, Pharm cards, and Microcards. In my opinion I will be well prepared studying Kaplan's sources and a few other supplemental materials.
How do I know which supplemental materials to buy if I do kaplan?
What I am doing is keeping the list short...talking to other people...looking at the resources people say to buy and just deciding on my own intuition if they seem beneficial or not. In the end...that's what everyone else is doing anyway. It's IMPOSSIBLE to study every source, read every book, do every practice question, etc etc in 6 weeks or so.
I think Kaplan is a waste of Money...Why should I give them money when I can do it myself?
I agree with where this question is going completely. If you can do it yourself...DO IT YOURSELF. And I would easily bet that you will do awesome.
For people like me....who ask...What books are right, what should I study first, what schedule should I have, which questions prepare me best, blah blah blah?
Then I would suggest signing up for kaplan...yes you can do it on your own and maybe score higher if you did. But being in Kaplan has it all mapped out for you and you have at least all the sources/study material you will need (some may argue with this in certain subjects...ie-path...ie-OMM, etc) but that's where you buy one or MAX 2 sources to supplement in the areas you feel you need better prepping.
Finally, why the hell are you posting this...do you work for kaplan, are you making commission?
No No and No and no....I am posting this for people like me (especially confused second year osteopathic students) who are wanting to do well on the USMLE and are baffled as how to plan, study, and attack the USMLE step 1 board exam. Will my plan help those confused allopathic students too? YES.
So to sum this up....
Many people think people who take Kaplan are in the C's are degrees club and need to take it b/c they aren't prepared for the board exam...that maybe true. But I am no where near the bottom...and I am doing very well in classes. I am just a person that feels more confortable with a plan and some concrete direction. I strongly believe you can study and maybe to better studying on your own. But ALL the people I spoke to who took kaplan were glad they took the class and would do it again. My MCAT scores weren't 38+ and I wasn't a genius in college....but I feel smart preparation and hard work for the boards will equate to a great score. Everyone would love to be in the 260+ club (but sorry, most ppl will not get it)...who knows if what I am going to do will get that score. The best thing you can do is make a plan and stick with it. If you are like me...and need to have all the prep material right there, a concrete direction, and have review sessions from PhDs, MDs, and DOs (not medstudents who did well on boards) then I think taking Kaplan will work out. $1150 is a lot of money, yes, but for someone like me...I think it will be well spent.
