NEVER TAKE KAPLAN AS A PREP COURSE AGAIN... spread the words please

[Gauss44]

So I have enrolled in the MCAT prep from Kaplan. I wanted to tell you guys that I have been ripped off like never before.

I DONOT RECOMMEND TAKING KAPLAN AT ALL. PLEASE FORWARD THE INFORMATION TO ALL EVERYONE SO THEY WORDS SPREAD OUT.

Over the past 2-3 months I haven't been able to access the AAMC material that they provide when purchasing the course. I spent 2000$ on this stupid thing.
They just say there is a problem with the connection from Kaplan and AAMC. I have contacted AAMC and they mentioned nothing is wrong in their system and they haven't heard anything from Kaplan regarding this issue. Kaplan said all the students are having this issue, but I did a post and people are accessing them fine.

I have spent more than 100 hours on the phone, email and waiting for return phone calls trying to figure this out and no one addresses my problem. All I have received is an apology from the staff member. I tried getting names and contact information of the agents who assisted me so I don't have to repeat myself but they refused to give me their information.

It is interesting that all my progress from the old tests that I have took already is gone since they tried to reset my account to see if it works. So I can't even go back to review my progress.
Now I feel saddened. I feel I wasted so many hours of my time, and most importantly the effort that I should be putting for studying for MCAT. I haven't been so frustrated ever in my life and I don't like anyone goes thru this problem.

Please spread the words until justice is served.
If you have any suggestions to what to do at this point, feel free to comment.

Why did you spend over 100 hours on the phone?

IMO, if you are that serious, you would have been better off going to the Better Business Bureau, consulting a lawyer, venting on yelp.com, sending a well thought out letter to a higher up, or something. Spending 100 hours on the phone with any business over a few issues seems crazy, amateur, and doesn't reflect well on you at all.

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[mirimonster]

Am I the only one who liked the Kaplan course materials? I didn't like the classes, but they gave plenty of questions to play around with like their Q bank and all that.

I liked the Kaplan materials, and considering that's pretty much all I used other than AAMC exams, I think they get an undeservedly bad rap on SDN. I thought the examkrackers 1001 series was wayyy too detailed and didn't accurately represent AAMC style questions. TPR was too cut and dry (I had Cracking the MCAT) - impossible to read and no explanation if there was a concept you weren't as familiar with. I never tried BR, but I've heard they're good.

I think the AAMC exams were a much better representation of the exam than the Kaplan practice exams.

🙄 Well obviously practice exams composed of old official test questions are going to be better. Kaplan practice exams are just a nice extra so you don't waste all the AAMC's early.

 

[pre med 2014]

Why did you spend over 100 hours on the phone?

IMO, if you are that serious, you would have been better off going to the Better Business Bureau, consulting a lawyer, venting on yelp.com, sending a well thought out letter to a higher up, or something. Spending 100 hours on the phone with any business over a few issues seems crazy, amateur, and doesn't reflect well on you at all.

I think his issue was he didn't have access to the 8 AAMCs, that is not a minor issue.

 

[BuddyTheElf]

You clearly haven't spent much time thinking this through. From what I read it pays decent (only when teaching though, any out of class time is minimum wage). Classes are 3 hours each, twice a week, and sometimes ridiculous times of the day. Those teachers are definitely not juggling 6-7 courses (12-14 classes/week) just to get a full-time hours.

Who do you expect to teach it? You're not going to get some "professional teacher" with an education degree who's gone through years of teacher schooling to teach for Kaplan. Let's not forget education majors do not have the science background to teach the MCAT. Medical students certainly don't have the time. Many college grads, including the ones who have teaching experience, don't have the science knowledge to teach. Who are you left with? People who are intelligent and trying to make extra money on the side with a 10 hr/wk job that can work around their actual job or classes they're taking.

You're expecting someone with teaching experience to work max 25 hr/wk for average pay and minimal benefits? You think there are hundreds of qualified individuals vying for a hallowed role as a Kaplan MCAT instructor? Get your head out of your butt and maybe you'll remember how to use it.

These classes are clearly designed for 3 types of individuals: (A) non-trad students who would prefer someone to reeducate them, in person, the science concepts they learned a 5-10 years ago; (B) students who are poor test takers and need help learning testing strategies; and (C) students who have poor motivation/organization and desire a forced, structured environment.

If you take the course and you're not in any of those groups, I bet you'll be disappointed. That's because the course ISN'T DESIGNED FOR YOU. Stop being pissy and start using that brain of yours. I'm sure it's in there somewhere.

👎 Entirely unnecessary. Showing your true colors there by saying things like this to someone you don't even know. I'm allowed to have an opinion, it doesn't make me any less intelligent than you. Keep your condescending attitude to yourself.

Edit: And just so you're aware, pachewisc, contributing in a POSITIVE and COURTEOUS way is in the Terms of Service. And you just violated them. Keep that in mind.