Thank You SDN

[BerkReviewTeach]

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Members do not see this ad.

This is a long overdue message!

For the more than twenty years this forum has existed, thousands upon thousands of premeds, medical students, and doctors have been helped. For us (me), this forum has been a godsend and we owe you a huge thank you. As a small company we have survived because you exist. As I'm sure many other small MCAT companies would agree, this is that rare spot where students can share and read honest opinions about their journey to medical school and the aides that are available to them.

Long before the word "influencer" came into vogue, you had thousands of them sharing their experience. As a small company with a great course (at the time) but no advertising budget, this site was the great equalizer. I believe deeply in my heart, and the average MCAT scores confirm this, from 2008 to 2015, we were the best MCAT course in the nation. We weren't right for everyone, no course is, but for the student who was logical and hard-working, it was a perfect fit. Premeds were able to learn we existed because of SDN. Students who heard about us here relocated thousands of miles just to take our class.

You have also served as a reality check. Sometimes truth hurts, and you need someone to give you a candid response. In 2017, there were posts here that made absolutely spot-on comments about our company being slow to adapt. The classroom aspect of our program had been updated and was strong, but our exams and books had been stagnating. People called us out on it, rightfully so, and it woke us up. Sort of. The organic chemistry, general chemistry, and physics books got several new passages and questions in their subsequent printings. Unfortunately, the biology book, CARS book, and psychology book did not get that same attention.

In the past six years, since the inception of the new MCAT, at least eight new companies have come into being, all using SDN as a springboard into existence. SDN members have shared their opinions, and now one of those eight has the most popular online test bank and literally every other company is scrambling to catch up. SDN was a haven for a CARS tutor to get traction, and now he is venturing out to be a full company. Their story, as well as our story, do not happen without SDN serving as a platform for the best services and products to be recognized.

As I write this, I have no idea where we will be a year from now, something I have not fathomed in a long time. So now seemed like the right time to say a long overdue thank you to the SDN community, the thousands of kind members who have sung our praises over the years, the hundreds of posters who have given us hard-to-read feedback crucial to growth, and especially Dr. Burnett for creating such an amazing forum. You are all awesome.

 

[deleted626763]

🙂 Thank you for posting. I've been very happy with your books. 🙂

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

If you have questions about the state of our class, please PM me. We have stopped doing in-person classes.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

We have also decided to stop running on-line classes starting in 2022.

Thanks for so many terrific years. Our class was amazing because of some of the greatest teachers you'd ever meet taught our classes. It was inevitable that they would move on (to other careers, the afterlife, or retirement), so it wasn't going to last forever. But the doors close with a sense of pride that there are thousands and thousands of posts here from people who loved what those teachers did. It was a great ride and Berkeley Review changed the industry and showed that a small company with a great course could take on and beat Goliath.

 

[Roxas]

@BerkReviewTeach

Thank you for your efforts as well. Back in 2013 I was able to improve my MCAT score by 6 points using your company's books and actually look back on my MCAT days with fondness. I couldn't have done it without you guys!

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

@BerkReviewTeach

Thank you for your efforts as well. Back in 2013 I was able to improve my MCAT score by 6 points using your company's books and actually look back on my MCAT days with fondness. I couldn't have done it without you guys!

Thank you so much for sharing this. It means a lot.

 

[MyOdyssey]

Thank you so much for sharing this. It means a lot.

When did you revamp your orgo, chem and physics books? I purchased your books around 2018 and may want to purchase the newer versions.

Have you revamped any of your volumes since then?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mad Jack]

This is a long overdue message!

For the more than twenty years this forum has existed, thousands upon thousands of premeds, medical students, and doctors have been helped. For us (me), this forum has been a godsend and we owe you a huge thank you. As a small company we have survived because you exist. As I'm sure many other small MCAT companies would agree, this is that rare spot where students can share and read honest opinions about their journey to medical school and the aides that are available to them.

Long before the word "influencer" came into vogue, you had thousands of them sharing their experience. As a small company with a great course (at the time) but no advertising budget, this site was the great equalizer. I believe deeply in my heart, and the average MCAT scores confirm this, from 2008 to 2015, we were the best MCAT course in the nation. We weren't right for everyone, no course is, but for the student who was logical and hard-working, it was a perfect fit. Premeds were able to learn we existed because of SDN. Students who heard about us here relocated thousands of miles just to take our class.

You have also served as a reality check. Sometimes truth hurts, and you need someone to give you a candid response. In 2017, there were posts here that made absolutely spot-on comments about our company being slow to adapt. The classroom aspect of our program had been updated and was strong, but our exams and books had been stagnating. People called us out on it, rightfully so, and it woke us up. Sort of. The organic chemistry, general chemistry, and physics books got several new passages and questions in their subsequent printings. Unfortunately, the biology book, CARS book, and psychology book did not get that same attention.

In the past six years, since the inception of the new MCAT, at least eight new companies have come into being, all using SDN as a springboard into existence. SDN members have shared their opinions, and now one of those eight has the most popular online test bank and literally every other company is scrambling to catch up. SDN was a haven for a CARS tutor to get traction, and now he is venturing out to be a full company. Their story, as well as our story, do not happen without SDN serving as a platform for the best services and products to be recognized.

As I write this, I have no idea where we will be a year from now, something I have not fathomed in a long time. So now seemed like the right time to say a long overdue thank you to the SDN community, the thousands of kind members who have sung our praises over the years, the hundreds of posters who have given us hard-to-read feedback crucial to growth, and especially Dr. Burnett for creating such an amazing forum. You are all awesome.

I never attended your in-person course, but I landed a 35 on the MCAT in 2013 with the use of your books. I self-studied for the MCAT using nothing but your material and EK, and would probably not be a doctor today without your books. I am eternally grateful, as I never could have figured out physics or mastered chemistry without your material.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

When did you revamp your orgo, chem and physics books? I purchased your books around 2018 and may want to purchase the newer versions.

Have you revamped any of your volumes since then?

Thanks in advance.

The ones you have are good. Spend that money elsewhere. Chemistry and Physics got overhauls four years ago, so as long as you have the practice tests in the back of physics and general chemistry, then you have the latest books. Biology last got a notable change over ten years ago. It was recently printed with a few changes that shifted the page numbers slightly, but the biggest thing was the removal of the exams in back. The biology books you have are actually better, because they include those exams.

 

[BerkReviewTeach]

I never attended your in-person course, but I landed a 35 on the MCAT in 2013 with the use of your books. I self-studied for the MCAT using nothing but your material and EK, and would probably not be a doctor today without your books. I am eternally grateful, as I never could have figured out physics or mastered chemistry without your material.

THANK YOU so much for your kind words. They mean a lot. The chemistry and physics books really are the best of everything on the market. They are written by the company founder and long-time teacher, so they flow well for review. While your words are kind, you got a 35 which is all you and your brilliance and hard work. I'm quite sure you'd be the same amazing doctor you are with or without our books.