Why does TPR give you twice as many classroom hours as Kaplan?

[liberaeas]

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I noticed from looking at the class schedules online that TPR gives you approx. twice as many classroom hours as Kaplan (~100 hrs vs ~50). What are people's thoughts on that? Are you getting twice as much for your money with TPR than with Kaplan?

(I know that there was another post on this topic earlier but no one really replied, so hopefully someone will now).

 

[medicomel]

I noticed from looking at the class schedules online that TPR gives you approx. twice as many classroom hours as Kaplan (~100 hrs vs ~50). What are people's thoughts on that? Are you getting twice as much for your money with TPR than with Kaplan?

(I know that there was another post on this topic earlier but no one really replied, so hopefully someone will now).

I think the discussions have centered on learning styles, whether you are one to glean a great deal of information via lecture (TPR) or by self-study (Kaplan). I'm taking Kaplan right now, so I can't say if it's great or not. All I know is that the homework outside of class works to reinforce basic concepts learned in class and in the review notes, which we are required to have read before class.

I think the real meat of the Kaplan program is its wealth of study materials. Each explanation for a question stem is very detailed, so you'll fill in any gaps (in due time...as you take more and more practice tests) that may have been missed in the review/lecture material. Also, it helps me to see it from another source and so I'm more likely to retain it.

 

[gujuDoc]

I take Princeton review, but from what I understand Kaplan focuses more on strategy while Princeton focuses more on reviewing the material while giving minor strategical tips.

Kaplan has the test bank and Q bank but Princeton has more out of the class stuff which you can do like Workbook problems and in class compendium problems etc.

 

[willthatsall]

I took Kaplan and I wished they had even fewer classroom hours. I was initially concerned that TPR would be better because of the extra instruction time, but I found the classroom time to be far less useful than self study and the kaplan topical tests. I can't say which one is better because I don't know anything about TPR. I will say that I didn't find Kaplan's teaching plan very impressive, but I loved the materials they had at the center (and I think online now, too). Perhaps TPR has better teaching, but if you are keeping up outside of class and working hard, the in class stuff gets pretty tedious. Oh and Kaplan doesn't cover everything in class. There will be things that you have to cover on your own, the class just hits the main points. It was good for me, but if you would rather get a more thorough lesson, TPR is probably better.

 

[BraveCourage]

I took Kaplan and I wished they had even fewer classroom hours. I was initially concerned that TPR would be better because of the extra instruction time, but I found the classroom time to be far less useful than self study and the kaplan topical tests. I can't say which one is better because I don't know anything about TPR. I will say that I didn't find Kaplan's teaching plan very impressive, but I loved the materials they had at the center (and I think online now, too). Perhaps TPR has better teaching, but if you are keeping up outside of class and working hard, the in class stuff gets pretty tedious. Oh and Kaplan doesn't cover everything in class. There will be things that you have to cover on your own, the class just hits the main points. It was good for me, but if you would rather get a more thorough lesson, TPR is probably better.

So are you saying that you didnt benefit from the course being taught, or did you feel that just having Kaplan's books in front of you was enough?

 

[gujuDoc]

So are you saying that you didnt benefit from the course being taught, or did you feel that just having Kaplan's books in front of you was enough?

Well I can't comment on Kaplan material but princeton review's in class time isn't really what makes it worth while so much as just having their books and practice tests.

Their resources is what I think makes the money worth it. The in class time should only be for people wanting to get something clarified that they don't understand. But all the material they provide gives you more than enough to study from.

 

[Shrike]

I take Princeton review, but from what I understand Kaplan focuses more on strategy while Princeton focuses more on reviewing the material while giving minor strategical tips.

A common misconception about Princeton Review. Those "minor strategical tips" are a huge part of the course; if you're viewing it as a review course, you're missing out. In particular, over the course of the 105 hours (varies slightly) you should do around 50 practice passages in class, followed by discussion of how you approached them, and how you could have done better.

Subjects vary, of course; the amount of material in biology and the generally straightforward nature of MCAT biology passages makes it important to do a lot of review work; contrariwise, in verbal it is all about technique, and by the end of the course you should be doing three or four passages per class.

Good luck.

Shrike
TPR physics, verbal, bio

 

[willthatsall]

So are you saying that you didnt benefit from the course being taught, or did you feel that just having Kaplan's books in front of you was enough?

Yeah, having the course taught was a wasted of time in my opinion. I would have been fine just having the books and the practice materials. The classroom time was really just wasted time that I could have spent working on practice tests or studying on my own. That's why I say I would rather have Kaplan because I wouldn't want any more classroom time.

 

[BraveCourage]

I noticed from looking at the class schedules online that TPR gives you approx. twice as many classroom hours as Kaplan (~100 hrs vs ~50). What are people's thoughts on that? Are you getting twice as much for your money with TPR than with Kaplan?

(I know that there was another post on this topic earlier but no one really replied, so hopefully someone will now).

I was actually registered in both Kaplan and TPR for about a month each for a MCAT course that starts in late January in preparation for the April MCAT. The primary reason I finally decided to stay with Kaplan was because of their assurance that if you do not feel ready to take the April exam even after finishing their class, you can redo the entire course for free in preparation for the August exam. TPR doesnt have such an assurance, and they say that you actually have to sit down for the MCAT exam in April, and if you dont feel comfortable with the score you got, you can take another preparation class for the August MCAT. Why screw yourself up if you dont feel prepared, I dont understand. Boooo TPR!

 

[DrMom]

The most valuable thing you can do is as many practice questions & passages as possible. The remainder of the materials & classes are helpful for review, but the questions are crucial.

 

[gujuDoc]

I was actually registered in both Kaplan and TPR for about a month each for a MCAT course that starts in late January in preparation for the April MCAT. The primary reason I finally decided to stay with Kaplan was because of their assurance that if you do not feel ready to take the April exam even after finishing their class, you can redo the entire course for free in preparation for the August exam. TPR doesnt have such an assurance, and they say that you actually have to sit down for the MCAT exam in April, and if you dont feel comfortable with the score you got, you can take another preparation class for the August MCAT. Why screw yourself up if you dont feel prepared, I dont understand. Boooo TPR!

Actually, this statement about TPR is completely false. It may be true where you live, but where I live I knew a few people who sat through the course 3 times before actually taking the MCAT. One got a 30 and the other got a 34.

Anyhow, at my test center in Tampa, Florida, they let you take the course as many times as you need once a paid member even if you haven't taken the MCAT.

The only time they ask for extra money is if you need a newer version of the books.

 

[gujuDoc]

The most valuable thing you can do is as many practice questions & passages as possible. The remainder of the materials & classes are helpful for review, but the questions are crucial.

I absolutely agree with this statement. The practice tests and workbooks passages/questions are what makes any course worth while. Otherwise exam kracker's and aamc exams should suffice if you are a person who can do without a lot of extra materials because you are confident as a standardized test taker.