Is it better for prep to take an MCAT prep course or use other resources? If it's taking a prep course, which one do you guys recommend? What do you recommend for other resources?
MCAT Prep Courses
- Thread starter mg17
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I would recommend you look at the last several posts in the 509+ thread. That will show you the many different ways people have found success. There is no cut and dry answer to your question, but that should help give you some ideas.
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Is MCAT tutoring worth it?
Well, from a purely monetary perspective, any investment you put into the MCAT is probably worth it. If you can raise your score by 5 points and get into medical school, well your earning power as a physician compared to most other professions is much higher (let’s not, for a second, take into account all the debt that goes into medical school. That’s a story for another day).
Private MCAT tutoring can cost almost $8,000 or more. It’s not a small investment, however, your medical school education will likely cost >$400,000 when all is said and done. So that’s ~2% of your education costs going into maximizing your score for the most important test in your life, one that will determine if you can or cannot be a physician. Compare that to the cost of a course which is typically in the range of ~$2,000 and you are spending about 1.5% more in your total education cost for private tutoring. For some people, it’s a no brainer! That extra small percentage can get you into medical school. But, it’s not for everyone! Most people will be able to succeed with an MCAT prep course instead of private tutoring. As you assess yourself as a student, you need to think about a variety of factors before jumping into private MCAT tutoring, but for the right student, it’s a great option.
Well, from a purely monetary perspective, any investment you put into the MCAT is probably worth it. If you can raise your score by 5 points and get into medical school, well your earning power as a physician compared to most other professions is much higher (let’s not, for a second, take into account all the debt that goes into medical school. That’s a story for another day).
Private MCAT tutoring can cost almost $8,000 or more. It’s not a small investment, however, your medical school education will likely cost >$400,000 when all is said and done. So that’s ~2% of your education costs going into maximizing your score for the most important test in your life, one that will determine if you can or cannot be a physician. Compare that to the cost of a course which is typically in the range of ~$2,000 and you are spending about 1.5% more in your total education cost for private tutoring. For some people, it’s a no brainer! That extra small percentage can get you into medical school. But, it’s not for everyone! Most people will be able to succeed with an MCAT prep course instead of private tutoring. As you assess yourself as a student, you need to think about a variety of factors before jumping into private MCAT tutoring, but for the right student, it’s a great option.
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The problem with MCAT tutoring as I see it is that no tutor is worth the money companies charge. Paying someone more per hour than you'll make as a doctor seems absurd. I personally chose to take a course my second time, and it was helpful, but not essential. I liked having office hours, which was similar to tutoring. I could not see dropping anything over a couple grand for it though. If you do private tutoring, then find a tutor directly. When you go through a company, you're paying for the tutor plus the company's greed. If you take a course, do one that is in-person. Online classes just aren't the same. Get your money's worth.
