Taking a course and using diff. books

[apc]

I'm in an odd situation. I'm able to sign up for a Kaplan course for half the reg. price, however based on many reviews here, I'm not sure if their books are as useful as EKs.
So does any1 recommend taking Kaplan and using EK books as well (3-month prep time)?
Or will it be a waste of time....?

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[NYR56]

My friend is taking Kaplan and she hasn't improved much at all so I just told her to switch to the EK books. The main thing the course will do for you is keep the review structured and help you stick to a schedule. If you are able to be dedicated on your own, the course is unnecessary. Either way, I definitely would use the EK books instead of the Kaplan books.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I'm in an odd situation. I'm able to sign up for a Kaplan course for half the reg. price, however based on many reviews here, I'm not sure if their books are as useful as EKs.
So does any1 recommend taking Kaplan and using EK books as well (3-month prep time)?
Or will it be a waste of time....?

Read SN2ed's thread, because it addresses so many things. Every program and set of materials has its strengths and weaknesses. That's why the current consensus amongst people here who have taken multiple courses or used mulitple books is to pick the best for each individual section. EK is best for certain sections, and it would seem like a definite yes to using their materials for those topics. BR is best for other subjects, so it would likewise seem obvious to use those materials for their specialty topics.

If you can get the Kaplan course for half price, and there are things you would definitely use and benefit from, then why not? Just the AAMC exams alone will help. If there are online resources and selected lectures you need, then why not put together a mixed bag of useful materials from BR and EK to couple with attending the beneificial parts of a discounted course?

 

[SN2ed]

No, it doesn't hurt to mix and match books.

Biology: 1. EK Bio (for content) + BR Bio (for passages and further topic depth if needed) 2. TPR Hyperlearning, detail oriented 3. Kaplan

Physics: 1. BR 2. Nova 3. TPR Hyperlearning 4. Kaplan

Verbal: 1. EK Verbal + EK 101 Verbal 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. BR 4. Kaplan (Avoid if possible)

Organic Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

General Chemistry: 1. BR, by far 2. TPR Hyperlearning 3. EK/Kaplan

Extra Practice Material: 1. TPR Hyperlearning Verbal Workbook + TPR Hyperlearing Science Workbook, good source of practice passages 1. AAMC Official Guide to the MCAT Exam (most representative material available) 2. EK 1001 series, helps nail down basics

 

[apc]

Thank you for your responses.
Having an expensive course like this offered at half price is very tempting.
Also, with the money saved, is it worth it to sign up for some hours of tutoring (kaplan's)?

 

[SN2ed]

Thank you for your responses.
Having an expensive course like this offered at half price is very tempting.
Also, with the money saved, is it worth it to sign up for some hours of tutoring (kaplan's)?

If it's free, sure. If not, don't bother. You can usually get a good college tutor to help you through topics for free or very cheap.

 

[apc]

If it's free, sure. If not, don't bother. You can usually get a good college tutor to help you through topics for free or very cheap.

Having a tutor for less than 20 hours covers the other half of the price. So with some tutoring and the course itself I'd be paying the regular price. But again thank you for the advice. I'll probably keep the other half and invest in the books you mentioned.

 

[SN2ed]

Having a tutor for less than 20 hours covers the other half of the price. So with some tutoring and the course itself I'd be paying the regular price. But again thank you for the advice. I'll probably keep the other half and invest in the books you mentioned.

Private MCAT tutors, for the most part, are horribly over-priced. The vast majority of the time, they help you with content. However, you can get content help from college tutors like I previously mentioned. So SAVE your money and get a college tutor if necessary. Don't make it a probably, especially at Kaplan's insane prices.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

Private MCAT tutors, for the most part, are horribly over-priced. The vast majority of the time, they help you with content. However, you can get content help from college tutors like I previously mentioned. So SAVE your money and get a college tutor if necessary.

EXCELLENT advice.

For the price, most commercial MCAT tutoring is extremely overpriced. MCAT tutoring runs in the neighborhood of $125/hour. General practitioners average out to make about $60 to $70 per hour. Really puts it in perspective.

You can get excellent tutoring on content for maybe $30 to $40 per hour. Email them your questions in advance, so they come prepared and you use your time efficiently.