MCAT Prep courses

[dyk343]

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This has probably been discussed many times, but are the MCAT prep courses worth the $1800? (or whatever they cost)

I know there are books/online tests you can study from at home for much cheaper. Has anyone had success with the "study on your own method?" I'm poor and $1800 is a lot to ask right now in my life.

 

[DPMstudent]

This has probably been discussed many times, but are the MCAT prep courses worth the $1800? (or whatever they cost)

I know there are books/online tests you can study from at home for much cheaper. Has anyone had success with the "study on your own method?" I'm poor and $1800 is a lot to ask right now in my life.

Thats actually a pretty good question I think, its a new one to me. Personally, I just browsed over the Kaplan MCAT book and scored mid 20s. I had a friend though who did the course and scored a few points higher. I'm sure it would help, but maybe only a couple of points worth IMO. I guess what really matters though is how you study on your own. Will you be motivated to study on your own? Do you need practice tests to perform better (with someone simulating the test situation)? Do you need someone setting study goals for you each week?

 

[dyk343]

Thats actually a pretty good question I think, its a new one to me. Personally, I just browsed over the Kaplan MCAT book and scored mid 20s. I had a friend though who did the course and scored a few points higher. I'm sure it would help, but maybe only a couple of points worth IMO. I guess what really matters though is how you study on your own. Will you be motivated to study on your own? Do you need practice tests to perform better (with someone simulating the test situation)? Do you need someone setting study goals for you each week?

I am much better at studying on my own. I always get more out of reading/studying than I do from lecture.

How much did you "browse" the books? I'm not looking for a minimum effort here, I am just curious what I am getting myself into. Thanks

 

[DPMstudent]

I am much better at studying on my own. I always get more out of reading/studying than I do from lecture.

How much did you "browse" the books? I'm not looking for a minimum effort here, I am just curious what I am getting myself into. Thanks

2-3 weeks before the exam I just read through the chapters. Maybe like 3-4 hours a day. I had a pretty strong foundation in the subjects in undergrad, so I didn't sweat it really. Looking back, I should've studied harder, just because I'm curious now if I could've broke 30 or not. But, I'm still happy. I did well enough for DO/DPM school, which was my goal.

 

[geoff325]

i took the kaplan prep course and and scored a 28, which was much lower than i had been scoring on practice tests. the prep course is not really meant to teach you material. it is much more focused on preparing for questions, understanding how to read and map passages and eliminate answers. the material is up to you to learn. the fact that you study well on your own is good. I took the actual class in person. I believe you can take the course online with recorded lectures for several hundred dollars less, and I believe it would be pretty equal to what I got. The real mcat was so unlike any of the practice tests i was taking though. I was scoring 32 to 34 and finishing with ten minutes left in each section. Then real test day came. It felt like I got punched in the mouth and I didnt even finish both science sections (i did but had to completely guess on entire passages). If you asked me if the course was worth it two minutes before the test, I felt great and prepared and relaxed and would have said absolutely yes. If you asked me in the month following while waiting for my score, I would have said no and I am terrified that I bombed it and scored in the low 20s. That was my experience.

 

[geoff325]

2-3 weeks before the exam I just read through the chapters. Maybe like 3-4 hours a day.

I would certainly study more than this and earlier too. Shoot for the stars. It was much easier mentally and emotionally for me to choose podiatry over MD possibly and DO easily as opposed to podiatry being my only option.

 

[dyk343]

I would certainly study more than this and earlier too. Shoot for the stars. It was much easier mentally and emotionally for me to choose podiatry over MD possibly and DO easily as opposed to podiatry being my only option.

Thanks for the feedback! I plan to start studying next week!

 

[DPMstudent]

I would certainly study more than this and earlier too. Shoot for the stars. It was much easier mentally and emotionally for me to choose podiatry over MD possibly and DO easily as opposed to podiatry being my only option.

I still had the options of DO/DPM. MD was never realistic just on GPA alone. I had a low-mid 3 point. I scored well enough to have my pick of DO/DPM schools to choose from. But anyway, yea study up. Although I don't really know if the course is worth it. Get some review books/practice tests and do it on your own, but take it serious.

 

[NAVYLABTECH08]

I recommend Kaplan over the others. TPR's book was a little dry and EK was too laz. The EK told me no tto study things because they were not tested and >50% of my test came from those items. Good thing I am thorough and studied it all anyways.

 

[Achilles23]

I'd recommend doing an online study course...I'd mainly focus on taking practice tests. the more questions you expose yourself too the better you will do. most of the information on how to answer the question is in each passage, its learning how to apply the information. from my experience, the study books that I read were completely off base, they focused on memorization which is not at all the right way to study. there are websites that offer like 5 or 6 practice tests for $75 dollars, that is what i recommend doing.

 

[GymMan]

You can get a mid-high 20s score with the Kaplan review books (skip the course), provided you're diligent with your studies. Do it as often as you can 24/7 and you should do fine. That's what I did. Save the money for other things. School will use up those funds fast.

 

[sguiliana]

You can get a mid-high 20s score with the Kaplan review books (skip the course), provided you're diligent with your studies. Do it as often as you can 24/7 and you should do fine. That's what I did. Save the money for other things. School will use up those funds fast.

I agree. I used Baron's MCAT prep book after deciding against the $3000 course, or whatever it cost. Scored 28N. If you put in the time to study, you will do fine.

 

[dyk343]

I have access to Exam Krackers 7th edition. I'm not taking the class but I have the books/audio osmosis. Anyone had success with this?

 

[uberconfuzzled]

I have access to Exam Krackers 7th edition. I'm not taking the class but I have the books/audio osmosis. Anyone had success with this?

Yea, don't take the class. The exam krackers and audio osmosis was 10 times better than the prep courses. In addition, i would get the EK 101 verbal passages because the original verbal prep book only had like 4 passages in it...AAAANNND i would also go to AAMCAS and buy those full exams (I think its a couple hundred??) The exams in EK are solely based on the chapter you just studied from. So, the material is not random like the real MCAT will be. Also, EK doesn't tell you anything about the essay portion, but don't worry about that. I scored ridiculously high on the written without practicing once. Hope that helps!

 

[GeauxT]

really the only benefit to the class is that it more or less forces you do study and keep up with the homework and all that stuff...if you are studious on your own then it is not necessary especially if you feel like the money will be an issue

 

[smartman716]

I'm for self study with a lot of practice and honest asessment of oneself.

 

[UMDPM]

I have access to Exam Krackers 7th edition. I'm not taking the class but I have the books/audio osmosis. Anyone had success with this?

The Exam Kracker books and Audio Osmosis are good, but I do not reccomend the class. It is new and did not help me at all!