Self Study vs Review Course

[jlindsey]

I'm taking the MCAT in the spring and was going to begin studying. I am planning on just buying a book and studying on my own. I was wondering if it would be more beneficial to enroll in a course or is it a waste of time and money? Also, which books are recommended? Examcrackers, Kaplan, etc.

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[b&ierstiefel]

I took Princeton Review. Then when I got into med school I was a teacher for Kaplan (ironic i know). Personally, I'm biased towards review courses since I've taken them all my life for standardized exams and they've helped me tremendously.

Pros for Princeton Review: they give you many practice exams to take (i was able to take a full length practice exam 11 times on 11 consecutive weekends...4 were scheduled by Princeton Review, the other 7 were practice tests provided by Princeton Review that we did on our own). they also give you pointers on "thinking like the test-makers" where they go into the psychology going into how questions are made and how to answer questions (e.g., they will give advice on why never you should pick certain type of answers for a given type of question).
Cons for Princeton Review: i felt that some of the review materials were not comprehensive enough on some points. this course was also much more expensive than Kaplan when I was studying for the MCAT (fortunately, mommy paid for it )

Pros/cons for Kaplan: good review books, a bit detailed on some concepts though but that's OK, if you know what details can be ignored, you're golden. some practice tests are administered too but there are not as many provided as Princeton provides (why am I obsessed about this point? I believe that 50% of preparing for the MCAT is getting used to taking the exam itself and getting to know the kind of questions you're likely to see on the real day).

The teaching you get in either review course is heavily dependent on the teachers themselves. Remember, the teachers use a manual when they teach but they're human...they still have to communicate the information to you.

The best thing that worked for me is to take Princeton Review, buy the Kaplan books off of someone and have the information supplement each other.
Every Saturday, get together with your friends who are in the review course. Sneak into a lecture hall (especially if one of your friends does research in one of the buildings), and take a practice exam. Afterwards, go out to dinner, drink a few beers (if you're into it), and grade the exam when you're feeling kinda good. Lastly, after you have all that experience under your belt and you've reached the real MCAT day, think positive and confident!

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

I studied on my own using Kaplan's comprehensive review book. It only cost me $45. I reviewed the entire book before taking the MCAT. I got a 32.

A friend of mine took Kaplan and also got a 32. He spent $800.

 

[rockit]

The only thing about taking a review class is that its a LOT of time. I was undoubtedly helped in the sciences by taking TPR, but I would have liked to have had more time to work on verbal (which is more time consuming than learning science.) I'd order an AAMC test and take that before you decide what to do.

 

[MoosePilot]

I would definitely take a class if you can work it into your time and budget. I improved my scores from 32 during college, while all the subjects were fresh, but using self-study, to 36 8 years after college, with no science work in the intervening time, but using TPR to prep. So I really believe in commercial prep, particularly Princeton Review.

 

[jeffsleepy]

Taking a course helps keep you accountable in regards to studying. Princeton Review ended up improving my score by 12 points. It especially helped in verbal. If you can afford it, I highly recommend some sort of class.

 

[MoosePilot]

Princeton Review ended up improving my score by 12 points.

Wow! You're counting from the first diag to the real thing?

 

[Og kingofBashan]

Considering the importance of the test, I would say take a class just in case, even if all it gives you is confidence.

Me, if i don't end up taking a class, I'll always be asking myself the question "what if i took the class, my score mighta been higher?.."

So I would say the money will be trivial when you look back later down the road (in light of all those loans!)

 

[jeffsleepy]

Wow! You're counting from the first diag to the real thing?

Yup, although some of that might have been luck on the real one... I now tell every premed I know to take their course.

 

[UseUrHeadFred]

A course would have only succeeded in stressing me out and making me more disgruntled about the whole process than I already was. Plus, I'm not made out of cash.

But, I'm the desciplined type that sticks to a study schedule. The 32 was quite an improvement for me. I used my time wisely and still did well in my normal classes, and still had time for fun.

 

[Dr. N]

I am taking Kaplan course right now and planning to take MCAT in coming august. Personally, I think that taking Kaplan is a waste of money (I don't know anything about other courses). I am studying a lot at home and go to lectures twice a week. Before lecture, we have to read new material at home and when we come to class, we hear same staff that we just read at home --- repetition. Not much of problem solving in class. Books are terrible -- lots of mistakes and not much illustrations. All the Kaplan mnemonics you can find here on SDN --- mnemonics helped me a lot. I was struggling with physics and Kaplan book did not help me much, then I tried to find MCAT physics by nova, but ended up buying Examkrackers book --- boy, they are great --- Kaplan books are nothing compared to EK. I also purchased AAMC tests and do them at home. So if I would do everything again --- NO, i would not take any classes, but would buy EK books and do lots of test from them and AAMC. But you have to be very self motivated (although, for Kaplan you have to be very self motivated too).
Good luck.

I'm taking the MCAT in the spring and was going to begin studying. I am planning on just buying a book and studying on my own. I was wondering if it would be more beneficial to enroll in a course or is it a waste of time and money? Also, which books are recommended? Examcrackers, Kaplan, etc.

 

[PRamos]

The only thing about taking a review class is that its a LOT of time. I was undoubtedly helped in the sciences by taking TPR, but I would have liked to have had more time to work on verbal (which is more time consuming than learning science.) I'd order an AAMC test and take that before you decide what to do.

I agree with your time comment. I took Princeton my first time and spent tons of hours studying because I felt guilty not getting my money's worth. It helped me I'm sure, but I think I could have spent some of that time better. Only one of the teachers was really good. The others weren't bad, they just couldn't answer things that weren't on their outline. I should have skipped class and studied more on my own.

I'm taking Berkeley this time and the teachers are much better. I like their approach to the exam. I feel like I actually understand things this time and that I'm starting to get the hang of the test. Maybe it helps that I studied for the test last year, but my first diag was my best yet.

If you take a course, make sure you do more work outside of class than in class. If you study on your own, get the Berkeley books and EK physics. If you wait until October, I think I know where you can buy some used Princeton, Berkeley, and Examkrackers materials.

 

[sfbear]

I think if you're currently in school, tend to test well, and are disiplined enough to do the practice exams on your own, don't worry about the review course.

On the other hand, if you've been out a while or know that you won't study on your own, then take a prep course.

I'd be wary of Kaplan - I found their practice exams to be drastically different than the real thing.