private tutor vs study group

[benbuttcakes]

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I already have a decent background for the MCAT: I've studied through the EK books, online resources (student doctor, wikipedia), and a little bit of the condensed Kaplan and Princeton Review books. I've also done all the AAMC exams (got about 30 average on the last 5 I took), some BR and some GS tests.

I'm taking the MCAT January or February 2011.

I just need someone there to help me understand some of the really hard and tricky problems and concepts that I come across during my studying. I've nailed down easy and medium difficulty problems, but struggle still with hard ones.

I have no problem helping others because I feel teaching is often the best way to be taught. But I also need someone willing to do the same with me.

My question: If money is a small issue (still a factor though), would you recommend private tutoring (most likely independent) or a study group?

I know it depends on who the tutor or who is in the study group, but I just wanted to know the views of people on this forum based on the average MCAT study groups and MCAT tutors. (Of course, an awesome tutor is always better than a lame study group and an awesome study group is also always better than a lame tutor)

I was also thinking about maybe enrolling in a Kaplan or TPRH refresher classroom course to keep me on a schedule. But my main reason (60 percent of it) for wanting to join was just so I can raise questions during class and office hours when we're going through the material. I'm leaning against this currently because I'm not sure if I should dump the Berkeley Review books I'm currently on to study on Kaplan or TPRH books.

 

[TwoPaddles]

I already have a decent background for the MCAT: I've studied through the EK books, online resources (student doctor, wikipedia), and a little bit of the condensed Kaplan and Princeton Review books. I've also done all the AAMC exams (got about 30 average on the last 5 I took), some BR and some GS tests.

I'm taking the MCAT January or February 2011.

I just need someone there to help me understand some of the really hard and tricky problems and concepts that I come across during my studying. I've nailed down easy and medium difficulty problems, but struggle still with hard ones.

I have no problem helping others because I feel teaching is often the best way to be taught. But I also need someone willing to do the same with me.

My question: If money is a small issue (still a factor though), would you recommend private tutoring (most likely independent) or a study group?

I know it depends on who the tutor or who is in the study group, but I just wanted to know the views of people on this forum based on the average MCAT study groups and MCAT tutors. (Of course, an awesome tutor is always better than a lame study group and an awesome study group is also always better than a lame tutor)

I was also thinking about maybe enrolling in a Kaplan or TPRH refresher classroom course to keep me on a schedule. But my main reason (60 percent of it) for wanting to join was just so I can raise questions during class and office hours when we're going through the material. I'm leaning against this currently because I'm not sure if I should dump the Berkeley Review books I'm currently on to study on Kaplan or TPRH books.

Private tutoring costs billions of dollars. I think a study group is better because you get to "teach" them by speaking up about a topic, and also receiving feedback. But I think the best thing to do rather than both of these is just doing problems/passages on your own. Simply reading material does not mean that you know it 100% well. You have to practice it and see whether you are correct, and determine your weak areas.
Its just like playing sports. If you want to learn how to play baseball, you go out and hit some balls (passages). If you workout your arms in the gym, you will be stronger (content review)...which is a good thing. But you want to learn baseball, not get too big. Even if you get the strongest man in the world to hit a baseball, it wouldn't be efficient as someone who has played baseball for years. So I hope you get my point. You want to practice baseball? you gotta hit a baseball all the time. That said, study groups discuss topics/content most of the time. I think its better to focus on passages everyday, and get together with couple people once or twice a week to keep some of the content fresh in your head.

Btw, is MCAT offered in February? ...Didn't know 😎

 

[benbuttcakes]

Private tutoring costs billions of dollars. I think a study group is better because you get to "teach" them by speaking up about a topic, and also receiving feedback. But I think the best thing to do rather than both of these is just doing problems/passages on your own. Simply reading material does not mean that you know it 100% well. You have to practice it and see whether you are correct, and determine your weak areas.
Its just like playing sports. If you want to learn how to play baseball, you go out and hit some balls (passages). If you workout your arms in the gym, you will be stronger (content review)...which is a good thing. But you want to learn baseball, not get too big. Even if you get the strongest man in the world to hit a baseball, it wouldn't be efficient as someone who has played baseball for years. So I hope you get my point. You want to practice baseball? you gotta hit a baseball all the time. That said, study groups discuss topics/content most of the time. I think its better to focus on passages everyday, and get together with couple people once or twice a week to keep some of the content fresh in your head.

Btw, is MCAT offered in February? ...Didn't know 😎

Haha, ya I meant I'm taking the MCAT in January or the next available date, which apparently isn't until late March lol.

On your point about the focusing on passages - I get your analogy and its good. Put it simply, "its the passages, stupid!" should be the slogan for proper MCAT studying.

I am increasingly adopting a passage/problems based approach for studying. Suffice it so say, I'm now mainly using the Berkeley Review books (I HIGHLY recommend these) with the Sn2ed approach (slightly modified) which focuses on just that.

Being on day 4, I am already starting to feel this stuff getting drilled in my head, but only time will tell.

The other thing I was seeking, besides getting help with the really hard things that I come across, is keeping the motivation to continue studying the coming months. I'm guessing a good deal of what a classroom class and maybe even private tutoring offers is putting you in a circumstance that keeps you motivated to learn (since you know you're paying and would waste your money if you didn't). A study group, I hope, can also provide an environment that encourages a person to study by putting the person in an environment with other high MCAT seeking students. Only, the encouragement is free.

 

[TwoPaddles]

Haha, ya I meant I'm taking the MCAT in January or the next available date, which apparently isn't until late March lol.

On your point about the focusing on passages - I get your analogy and its good. Put it simply, "its the passages, stupid!" should be the slogan for proper MCAT studying.

I am increasingly adopting a passage/problems based approach for studying. Suffice it so say, I'm now mainly using the Berkeley Review books (I HIGHLY recommend these) with the Sn2ed approach (slightly modified) which focuses on just that.

Being on day 4, I am already starting to feel this stuff getting drilled in my head, but only time will tell.

The other thing I was seeking, besides getting help with the really hard things that I come across, is keeping the motivation to continue studying the coming months. I'm guessing a good deal of what a classroom class and maybe even private tutoring offers is putting you in a circumstance that keeps you motivated to learn (since you know you're paying and would waste your money if you didn't). A study group, I hope, can also provide an environment that encourages a person to study by putting the person in an environment with other high MCAT seeking students. Only, the encouragement is free.

SN2ed's schedule is a good one but two things I would change on that schedule is taking more FLs than just AAMC 3-10 and also reviewing (re-reading) material everyday instead of 1 or 2 times a week.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

SN2ed's schedule is a good one but two things I would change on that schedule is taking more FLs than just AAMC 3-10 and also reviewing (re-reading) material everyday instead of 1 or 2 times a week.

I completely concur on both of these points. The first few full lengths people do are about learning to manage your time and get used to the style of testing. They give you a sense that the test is not that fatiguing (less than expected), and it's all about staying focused for the entire exam. After about three exams, that's then the real growing happens. Exams from that point serve as a great review. It varies from person to person, but 8-15 exams seems to be the range. Be careful not to take any anomoly scores too seriously. As to the second point of re-reviewing along the way, that's important too. I'm not a believer in re-reading material, but instead doing passages and questions (serves the same purpose in the end). I think by doing sectional homework in phases, this allows you to review earlier material as you progress.

I just need someone there to help me understand some of the really hard and tricky problems and concepts that I come across during my studying. I've nailed down easy and medium difficulty problems, but struggle still with hard ones.

I have no problem helping others because I feel teaching is often the best way to be taught. But I also need someone willing to do the same with me.

My question: If money is a small issue (still a factor though), would you recommend private tutoring (most likely independent) or a study group?

You answered your own question better than anyone can answer it for you. Small study groups are great for motivation and exposure to different questions. That sounds like exactly what will work for you. You have the perfect attitude for it. For the occassional hard question, post it in the Q and A section here. I'd venture to guess you'll get a better answer 75% of the time than you'd get from a private tutor. It will save some money too.

On your point about the focusing on passages - I get your analogy and its good. Put it simply, "its the passages, stupid!" should be the slogan for proper MCAT studying.

I am increasingly adopting a passage/problems based approach for studying. Suffice it so say, I'm now mainly using the Berkeley Review books (I HIGHLY recommend these) with the Sn2ed approach (slightly modified) which focuses on just that.

Being on day 4, I am already starting to feel this stuff getting drilled in my head, but only time will tell.

You might want to download one of the xls file attached to my signature. This will allow you to modify the daily schedule based on the materials you're using and the number of FL exams you wish to do. It incorporates the review TwoPaddles mentioned and parallels SN2ed's layout. A schedule and checklist can really help with motivation.

The other thing I was seeking, besides getting help with the really hard things that I come across, is keeping the motivation to continue studying the coming months. I'm guessing a good deal of what a classroom class and maybe even private tutoring offers is putting you in a circumstance that keeps you motivated to learn (since you know you're paying and would waste your money if you didn't). A study group, I hope, can also provide an environment that encourages a person to study by putting the person in an environment with other high MCAT seeking students. Only, the encouragement is free.

You are so right about the "I paid for it so I'm going to do it" idea. It's like a gym membership. You go at first because of the desire to get your money's worth, but that drive only lasts for so long. After a while, you get into the habit and keep going because you see the positive results. If a class can do that for you, then it's excellent and more than worth the time and money. But the risk is that after the I paid for it motivation wears off, if the teachers aren't motivating or there are a couple students in the class who insist on asking 10-15 questions per lecture, oblivious to the other 19 students in the room, then it can be detrimental.

If you can build a small study group of people who mesh, then you have created the perfect learning environment. Don't be afraid to change groups along the way if your group is not benefiting you as you'd hoped.