MCAT Preparation

[deleted421268]

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in terms of preparing for MCAT is it possible to self study solely from buying the prep books to get competitive score on MCAT? Also what percent of questions must one get right to get like a certain score?

 

[Hopeful_vet]

I took a Kaplan class and if I could go back, I wouldn't do it again. Don't get me wrong, it was helpful, but the class is all about test taking strategy. The books that come with the class are the only form of content review, and you can buy those separately. The $2000+ price tag is tough to swallow. There's so much free/cheap material out there, you definitely can do it on your own.

As far as percent of questions right, it completely depends on the test. Some tests are more difficult, so you don't need as many correct, while others are easier so yo need a large number of questions right to get the same score.


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[eteshoe]

Yes it's possible. I bought some material from Amazon and AAMC, studied, and did fine. Plus I was not willing to shell out any money for a class that basically taught testing strategy. With enough timed practice exams, you'll figure out the strategy that works for you (at least that's what's worked for me for the ACT, SAT, GRE, and MCAT).

 

[kiwifriend]

Just from my personal observations from my experiences and my friends':
private tutoring (you can find this for same price as a kaplan class and it is much more individualized) > kaplan class >/= self-study

So if you don't feel like shelling out lots of money, self-study can be successful. You do have to be pretty self-motivated though so you should be honest with yourself before you take this path. I would recommend the Kaplan content books and the Next Step practice tests. NS questions are super hard but I felt that they prepared me really well. I ended up scoring way higher on the real thing than on my Next Step FL practice tests. Their review books are far too detailed though which is why I recommend the Kaplan ones.

Whatever strategy you choose, it's super important to review all the content early and dedicate a significant chunk of time to just practice. Content knowledge will only get you so far. At a certain point it is all about familiarity with the format of the passages and the types of questions asked.

 

[deleted421268]

I do not plan to go class route at all. From self studying from books I hear it's basically like a 9 to 5 job everyday studying to be successful.

 

[eteshoe]

I do not plan to go class route at all. From self studying from books I hear it's basically like a 9 to 5 job everyday studying to be successful.

Depends on how long you have till your exam. If you have 2-3 months, it could be another 'job' depending on your familiarity with the subject matter. In my case, I was a non-trad and could only devote about 2 hrs/night and stretched my studying over ~ 9 months. A bit excessive but hey it worked.

 

[Dr Tony T. Chopper]

in terms of preparing for MCAT is it possible to self study solely from buying the prep books to get competitive score on MCAT? Also what percent of questions must one get right to get like a certain score?

Self study is the way to go if you can convince yourself to stay focused. Kaplan, for one, is a big money waster and underpreps you on certain sections.

 

[deleted421268]

Tough part is there are so many books to choose to study from but which ones are the best?