Why is MCAT preparation so expensive?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Espadaleader said:
Okay, I had to look back at my interview packets. Damn :( I am wrong about the USMLE.
A few of my schools factored in a few grand for interviews in MS-4.

If you cannot borrow over the COA how are you supposed to pay for this stuff?
Click to expand...

Lots of spending under the COA in the other areas, crashing on couches, using your own financial resources and/or those of other kind souls who are willing to lend/gift you some $$. I suppose this is how the people interviewing all over the place for really competitive specialties do this, because "a few grand" won't come close to covering an aggressive interview schedule.
Members don't see this ad.
 
Its way too common to take a course. I will admit that I did not feel that I needed a course, but I let pressure from friends who are pre meds and a HUGE pressure from my schools pre med adviser to take a course. There was definitely this sense that like 90% of people take a course and that I wouldn't be able to break a 25 without it. I obviously now know that is true, but at the time I was not as confident and was still working up the nerve to even commit fully to the med school idea.

Needless to say lesson learned. I know a lot more about myself through this process. Don't know how much that will help others, but at least when usmle/complex comes around, I now have a better idea how to do well

Sent from my RM-917_nam_usa_100 using Tapatalk
 
The answer seems simple to me. You have an enormous pool of hyper-competitive (mostly type A personality) students competing to join a profession that is lucrative and difficult to achieve entry into (where even minutiae can make the difference between being accepted or rejected). It's all about supply and demand. There is an enormous demand for these materials, thus, the test preparation companies capitalize on the opportunity.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Hahahahahah just wait till you start prepping for Step I ($2000+ easy for QBanks, review books, etc), and Step II -- the CS portion costs $1200 just for the registration fee alone lololol
 
crimsonkid85 said:
Hahahahahah just wait till you start prepping for Step I ($2000+ easy for QBanks, review books, etc), and Step II -- the CS portion costs $1200 just for the registration fee alone lololol
Click to expand...

good lord, standardized testing is such a racket.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
kirbymiester said:
+1

My experience:
MCAT 1: Took prep class and bought books accordingly --> 28
MCAT 2: Self-studied from books bought at previous prep class --> 32

Buying used off Amazon is the way to go...wish someone made that clear to me my first go-around.
Click to expand...


Which books did you use for the self study??
 
Espadaleader said:
A professional MCAT course is the de facto preparation method for pre-medical students. It runs approximately $1999 USD+.

With even more content being added to the MCAT, I fear that the MCAT preparation will become cost prohibitive, while the importance of professional preparation will increase.

For those that disagree with the aforementioned statement, I also think the self-study alternative will become much more difficult due to the increased content + costs of buying more materials.

There is also a twist in the new exam. It moves away from the more traditional concepts in general chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry. Concepts like phase equilibria, momentum, waves, circular motion, and mass spec will be removed completely and chemistry/physics will be taught only in a biological context. I also think that most students in traditional chemistry/physics courses will have a more difficult time because of it, because what they are learning in class will be farther from what is being tested.

As far as focusing the exam more on the biological aspects of these topics, I think that is ideal. However, until more general chemistry and physics courses become more interdisciplinary, I think students will be at a disadvantage. What are your thoughts?

JAMA posted an amazing MedEd issue in two weeks ago:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx?journalid=67&issueid=929415&direction=P

Ref: MCAT 2015: What the Test Change Means for You Now

If you're interested in why I am interested: I am interested in medical education research.
Click to expand...
Ya gotta find a way to keep the rabble out you know? myself included ;)

But in all seriousness, I think most of the people who are the real decision makers are so aloof on this issue because they come from backgrounds where they never had to experience economic scarcity in their own lives. Combine this with the fact that the average med school matriculants' annual family income is >$110000 according to the AAMC (more than 2x the national household income), and it's not hard to see that unfortunately, affordability (or lack thereof) is simply not a big issue for the people who make the rules.
 
Espadaleader said:
A professional MCAT course is the de facto preparation method for pre-medical students. It runs approximately $1999 USD+.

With even more content being added to the MCAT, I fear that the MCAT preparation will become cost prohibitive, while the importance of professional preparation will increase.

For those that disagree with the aforementioned statement, I also think the self-study alternative will become much more difficult due to the increased content + costs of buying more materials.

There is also a twist in the new exam. It moves away from the more traditional concepts in general chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry. Concepts like phase equilibria, momentum, waves, circular motion, and mass spec will be removed completely and chemistry/physics will be taught only in a biological context. I also think that most students in traditional chemistry/physics courses will have a more difficult time because of it, because what they are learning in class will be farther from what is being tested.

As far as focusing the exam more on the biological aspects of these topics, I think that is ideal. However, until more general chemistry and physics courses become more interdisciplinary, I think students will be at a disadvantage. What are your thoughts?

JAMA posted an amazing MedEd issue in two weeks ago:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx?journalid=67&issueid=929415&direction=P

Ref: MCAT 2015: What the Test Change Means for You Now

If you're interested in why I am interested: I am interested in medical education research.
Click to expand...
For a lot of applicant's families, esp. physician families, $2,000 is chump change.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
nvasu said:
Which books did you use for the self study??
Click to expand...

I used examkrackers over the summer while working in a lab, did innumerable Kaplan practice tests and I bought maybe 3 or so AAMC practice tests. Got a 37.
 
The Milkman said:
because it can be
Click to expand...

Exactly. Companies charge that much because students are stupid enough to pay it. Clearly if I'm paying $2k for an "enthusiastic, live instructor" with "online tracking tools that deliver personalized feedback" and other nonsense I'm going to do well, right? Definitely much better than if I just bought a new set of EK books off of Amazon for $200, right?

It's a racket, pure and simple. But people continue to pay it, so they'll continue to charge it. And as @DermViser said, most matriculating students come from the top income quintile.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
I'd say part of the problem is also college classes. After taking physics, chemistry and bio you should really be scoring 30+ without even studying. Otherwise you really did not learn anything in your classes...
 
Gotmedical said:
I'd say part of the problem is also college classes. After taking physics, chemistry and bio you should really be scoring 30+ without even studying. Otherwise you really did not learn anything in your classes...
Click to expand...

Let me know how that works out for you.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
xffan624 said:
Let me know how that works out for you.
Click to expand...

First practice test, 33, after 2 months of Kaplan books and AAMC practice tests, 40. Total money spent = 100 bucks for the books, 250 for all the practice test... and I thought that was outrageous, can't imagine paying over 1k for courses...
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Gotmedical said:
First practice test, 33, after 2 months of Kaplan books and AAMC practice tests, 40. Total money spent = 100 bucks for the books, 250 for all the practice test... and I thought that was outrageous, can't imagine paying over 1k for courses...
Click to expand...

That wasn't just using the courses you took in college. As your post said, you shouldn't even need the practice books. Guess you didn't learn anything in your classes.

I also got a 34 just using the practice books and one online, self-directed course over about 6 months. I was working full time so I paid my own way for everything. Didn't really have time to go to a regular course, although I suppose I could have afforded it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
MCAT prep is only expensive if you get suckered into paying >2K for one of those kaplan or princeton review courses.

Buying the Berkeley Review books + Exam Krackers + AAMC practice tests shouldn't cost more than $500 if you know where to look and get everything used online.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
xffan624 said:
That wasn't just using the courses you took in college. As your post said, you shouldn't even need the practice books. Guess you didn't learn anything in your classes.

I also got a 34 just using the practice books and one online, self-directed course over about 6 months. I was working full time so I paid my own way for everything. Didn't really have time to go to a regular course, although I suppose I could have afforded it.
Click to expand...


33 was just from courses in college... My point is you should be learning the basic skills well in college, so you should have a 30+ baseline if your college courses are adequate. Then, studying with mcat specific books can help you perfect your score. Paid MCAT courses are a waste of time.
 
Gotmedical said:
33 was just from courses in college... My point is you should be learning the basic skills well in college, so you should have a 30+ baseline if your college courses are adequate. Then, studying with mcat specific books can help you perfect your score. Paid MCAT courses are a waste of time.
Click to expand...

I agree, but some folks are well out of their MCAT courses when they take the MCAT. I had last taken a pre-req over 6 years after taking the MCAT.

I did ok without a prep course, but in that case it might have been justified to take one if I had had the time.

Also your results of a 40 are not typical of the general pre-med population. Even if someone had all the time in the world and resources to study, the average pre-med probably won't get a 40. Stating that everyone should be able to get a 30+ with just the prereqs ignores basic statistics. The average MCAT is 25 and that is with a good chunk of them taking a prep course.
 
I see this thread got resurrected. Let's be clear. People like @Psai are an anomaly. I have a friend, studied for three weeks and got a 32. You can self-study and be successful. I want to remind pre-meds on the thread that that is the may be the exception. I doubt that most are prepared enough academically and with sufficient motivation to self study for a few months or weeks and get above the 90th percentile (32-33). I understand this is my opinion but please hear me out. Anyone planning self-study should assess their fitness for starting. Just don't think "oh my friend self-studied, I'll do well".
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Everyone that does self-study should focus on practice tests though. Listen to what is on this thread. The one student said he did "Innumerable practice tests" burn that into you brain. I did a Kaplan course and ended up self studying lol. I only went for a few weeks but in that time I learned what the MCAT was and how to manage my time. If you can find that I think you could self-study from the AAMC exams and QBank.
 
It's not THAT expensive in the grand scheme of applications if you self-study, which I think is just as effective as taking a class if you have self-discipline.
 
Gotmedical said:
33 was just from courses in college... My point is you should be learning the basic skills well in college, so you should have a 30+ baseline if your college courses are adequate. Then, studying with mcat specific books can help you perfect your score. Paid MCAT courses are a waste of time.
Click to expand...

Lol wat?

You do realize that thousands of premeds who've gotten As in their prereqs from solid universities end up with sub 30 scores every year?

Getting a 30+ score is well above baseline at nearly every school with the exception of a few top universities.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Because people keep paying for it. I bought $400 of books and scored a 35, could probably have done better if I'd studied longer. Prep courses are totally unnecessary but people are so insecure that they feel like they will be at a disadvantage if they study from books versus with a prep course.
 
LOL @ review courses. Took one for the SATs way back when. That's money and time I will never get back. It was absolutely useless; I didn't learn one thing I wouldn't have picked up on my own by just reading the damn book. Buy a set of ExamKrackers books and go through them a few times. I did well above average on the MCAT.

For USMLE, COMLEX, and all those other fun tests, that's where you should be forking up a little more money. Those question banks aren't cheap.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
You don't need an MCAT prep course, do I don't think its prohibitive in any way. My sister and I studied off the books alone and both scored a 38.
 
Espadaleader said:
A professional MCAT course is the de facto preparation method for pre-medical students. It runs approximately $1999 USD+.

With even more content being added to the MCAT, I fear that the MCAT preparation will become cost prohibitive, while the importance of professional preparation will increase.

For those that disagree with the aforementioned statement, I also think the self-study alternative will become much more difficult due to the increased content + costs of buying more materials.

There is also a twist in the new exam. It moves away from the more traditional concepts in general chemistry, physics, and organic chemistry. Concepts like phase equilibria, momentum, waves, circular motion, and mass spec will be removed completely and chemistry/physics will be taught only in a biological context. I also think that most students in traditional chemistry/physics courses will have a more difficult time because of it, because what they are learning in class will be farther from what is being tested.

As far as focusing the exam more on the biological aspects of these topics, I think that is ideal. However, until more general chemistry and physics courses become more interdisciplinary, I think students will be at a disadvantage. What are your thoughts?

JAMA posted an amazing MedEd issue in two weeks ago:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/issue.aspx?journalid=67&issueid=929415&direction=P

Ref: MCAT 2015: What the Test Change Means for You Now

If you're interested in why I am interested: I am interested in medical education research.
Click to expand...

like with product, it's that price because people are willing to spend it. Pre meds must be OK with spending thousands of dollars in applications and interviews and then hundreds of thousands in education after that. We are use to seeing 4 figure costs in preparation for med school.
 
Espadaleader said:
I see this thread got resurrected. Let's be clear. People like @Psai are an anomaly. I have a friend, studied for three weeks and got a 32. You can self-study and be successful. I want to remind pre-meds on the thread that that is the may be the exception. I doubt that most are prepared enough academically and with sufficient motivation to self study for a few months or weeks and get above the 90th percentile (32-33). I understand this is my opinion but please hear me out. Anyone planning self-study should assess their fitness for starting. Just don't think "oh my friend self-studied, I'll do well".
Click to expand...

The test-prep market capitalizes on people's vulnerabilities, hence the ability to charge a lot of money which people will fork over. No one wants to take the chance of bombing bc they studied on their own. It's much easier to have a security blanket of a Kaplan course, regardless of it's actual merits. If you go to Kaplan's website - for private tutoring for the MCAT:
  • MCAT Private Tutoring - 35 Hours $5,699.00
  • MCAT Private Tutoring - 25 Hours $4,599.00
  • MCAT Private Tutoring - 15 Hours $3,499.00
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
T3ckFr3s said:
Why is MCAT prep so expensive? Because companies make profit off of these unnecessary courses and feed off the neuroticism of premeds.

I spent $500 on books to self study for the MCAT. Scored 30+, then sold the books and got $450 back. Take that as you will.

However, I do wonder how applicants are going to study for the new MCAT when I assume there is not going to be as much established study material to help them.
Click to expand...

nailed_it-s240x320-227191.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
So...I am still waiting on my MCAT score to get back which should be on monday (fingers crossed). I took the Kaplan prep course with a little bit of a discount so for about $1600--mind you I have a full time job right now so I can afford that. I don't think they courses all for s*** like you guys are saying. Are they for everybody? Probably not, but...for some ppl it does work. When I took the MCAT the first 2 times I scored 20 both times (3 months apart, bad idea); the practice tests I took after my course were all between 28-32, a huge improvement for me. I got A's and B's in all my science classes, so not totally sure why I had such a hard time with the test at first, but Kaplan did help. I think it may have had something to do with me not being used to the structure of the exam and the way the questions are asked. I do agree they're are too expensive because I had to wait til after I graduated to take the course. Anyway, the real test of whether this course was worth it or not will be when I get that score on Monday. :nailbiting:

P.S. I am NOT advertising the company or a drone on SDN advocating for them blindly lol before the trolls say anything :stop:
 
DermViser said:
The test-prep market capitalizes on people's vulnerabilities, hence the ability to charge a lot of money which people will fork over. No one wants to take the chance of bombing bc they studied on their own. It's much easier to have a security blanket of a Kaplan course, regardless of it's actual merits. If you go to Kaplan's website - for private tutoring for the MCAT:
  • MCAT Private Tutoring - 35 Hours $5,699.00
  • MCAT Private Tutoring - 25 Hours $4,599.00
  • MCAT Private Tutoring - 15 Hours $3,499.00
Click to expand...

I took their course, but mine was at my own pace. There is no way I would've had that kind of money to pay for a private tutor lol
 
LilEngineThatCould said:
I took their course, but mine was at my own pace. There is no way I would've had that kind of money to pay for a private tutor lol
Click to expand...
Depending on how affluent one's family is, I'm sure there are tons of applicants who take advantage of this option or it wouldn't be available.
 
DermViser said:
Depending on how affluent one's family is, I'm sure there are tons of applicants who take advantage of this option or it wouldn't be available.
Click to expand...
This is true and there's always quotes from students who used the option so I'm sure they do. I'm technically in the middle class, I still don't have that kind of money and neither do my parents lol had I suggested it to them, they probably would've just told me to take one of their other courses haha
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
How valuable you find prep courses will highly depend on how much of an independent studied you are.

I will also agree with some of the others in this thread, in that coming hot off the prereqs puts you at an advantage for the MCAT. None of my friends that finished the postbac took a prep course, with people generally scoring between 33-36s.

I definitely could not justify paying 2k for something I felt like I could do myself. Instead I just bought the examkracker books and the practice AAMCs tests.
 
As previous posts have pointed out, the cost of "standard" MCAT preparation courses is high enough that it has become a real issue. In my personal case, I did not feel preparatory courses were necessary. I took the MCAT last year with rather minimal preparation from a Princeton Review book ($25) and old practice tests I could check out from the public library, even though my family would likely have afforded paying for my formal test prep classes. In the end, I was satisfied with my score (~2nd-3rd percentile of test takers that year) and I don't feel I am particularly bright. That being said, formal courses can help, especially with science content (e.g. in case you don't know Newton's laws or how basic organic chemistry). I would have considered a course if I had not been a college student fresh out of organic chemistry, physics, and molecular genetics classes. Many of my classmates, however, seemed to be choosing test prep out of anxiety or a fear that students who took classes were "getting ahead". These do not seem to be the right reasons for spending 2-4 thousand dollars. Instead, I would recommend a student who was in my place to soberly assess their strengths and weaknesses. If you need to review physics or biology facts and don't work well with self-study, it may well be the best choice. If your knowledge base is sound, just doing practice problems may be enough.

Of course, my outlook towards medical applications is not very typical. Unlike some, I don't think medical admissions staff are all-powerful wizards who decide your future so I desperately did everything I could to secure a seat at the "very best" school. Medical schools (at least in the USA, where I live) are fallible and use non-standardized, non-reproducible, and non-transparent admissions methods, so I just gave up investing a huge amount of money into improving my application. All I really wanted was to have the chance to attend a decent medical school, so I can work to become a competent doctor. In the end, it seems that happened and I feel decently accomplished, even if I am not leaving my home state for a "top tier" school. Also, for all those who bemoan the social injustice of high MCAT prep costs, have you ever thought of what a small role this plays in the overall picture of privilege? Who do you think can afford expensive private colleges, find "unique" research or volunteering opportunities, go on impressive "life-discovering" gap years, not to mention have family members in alumni societies or making donations to medical schools? By comparison, the MCAT actually seems to be sort of a social leveler in medical school admissions.
 
Last edited:
Most people cannot study for $25 dollars and get a 35+. Especially those who are disadvantaged. The MCAT is a social injustice issue. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds (poor public HS, community college etc.) cannot study like you did. They just can't. Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part they have a knowledge base that needs a MCAT prep course which is not affordable. The AAMC is working with Khan Academy to fix this but it is an issue.

I am going to give two scenarios:

#1

If you took AP Physics, AP Bio, AP Chem, AP Calc etc. in HS, and had a strong foundation freshman year you probably could be like @Roshan.

Roshan said:
You don't need an MCAT prep course, do I don't think its prohibitive in any way. My sister and I studied off the books alone and both scored a 38.
Click to expand...

Like I said before, I have a few engineering friends. They sleepwalked through MCAT prep and got over a 30. Did minimum work. They came in freshman year taking Physics III and Diff Eq though. They have a strong foundation. Its really awesome! Look, if one less person can save money go for it!!!

#2

Student went to public high school. No AP/IB/Advanced courses. No exposure to Calc or Physics in high school. Worked full-time freshman year. Got B's in Bio/Chem/Calc. Quit his job and got 3.7+ from then on and is a solid student but is missing some material from those into courses which is important for the MCAT. Doesn't have friends/family to help with studying. Doesn't have a study buddy like @Roshan. This person probably needs a MCAT course. Again there are exceptions!!! But most likely, this person needs a MCAT course
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
@Espadaleader Although I agree with most of what you say, I'm still inclined to believe that the vast majority of selection for "advantaged" students comes before the MCAT stage. While I would love to see the MCAT become more of an even playing field for students, this late in the stage (college graduation and later) it's extremely difficult to make up for all the inequality that people have already experienced up to that point. Having more accessible study tools and so forth would only be a band-aid solution to a much bigger societal problem. Ultimately, I would argue that we "lose" most disadvantaged applicants way before the MCAT, way before college even. It's a big problem when the majority of doctors we're graduating came from affluent/privileged backgrounds (myself definitely included). Love that you're interested in this though, we need people like you to tackle these issues.
 
alpinism said:
MCAT prep is only expensive if you get suckered into paying >2K for one of those kaplan or princeton review courses.

Buying the Berkeley Review books + Exam Krackers + AAMC practice tests shouldn't cost more than $500 if you know where to look and get everything used online.
Click to expand...

I second this. The TBR books+EK/TPR verbal+AAMC practice tests were awesome. I self studied using those and the SN2ED schedule (modified) and got a 34.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
If someone can successfully complete college level bio, chem, physics, calc, then he/she has the knowledge base for the MCAT regardless of what HS he/she attended. The fact that the person in scenario #2 has been so successful indicates he/she has overcome the deficits that may have existed in his/her K-12 education. If those deficits were still present, he/she would not have made it past freshman year. I agree with KDizzle, inequality in education arises far before the MCAT.

Most of us know the guy in scenario #1, some may even be the guy. The one that seems to excel at everything with minimal effort. I could have taken the Kaplan or Princeton Review MCAT course 6 times, and I still would not have achieved the scores of some of the posters on this thread.

When people say one doesn't need an MCAT course, they are not trying to insult individuals that take a course, they are saying one can be successful without spending $1500-2000. They are trying to save fellow sufferers a couple of bucks.

Taking a course is a personal decision. Some people may benefit from them, others may not.
 
Last edited:
I agree with "shiftingmirage" and "KDizzles's" comments and hope I was not misinterpreted. I was not trying to say that MCAT study prep classes are bogus and people complaining of cost should just shut up and study. I was trying to say that paying $2000 may not be the best choice for everyone, and in my opinion a student should give the decision some serious thought. Personally, I have seen too many who view MCAT prep as an arms race and feel compelled to spend more just to "keep up" with the others. I have also met students who truly benefited from commercial test prep courses, so I believe whether you should buy a course is an individual decision rather than a general rule.

Similarly, I didn't mean that there are no social justice issues in medical school admissions; I just consider the MCAT as a very small part of how higher social standing advantages you in the admissions system. Social class isn't just about wealth, and simply offering free MCAT prep to needy college students would do surprisingly little. Personally, I feel that the MCAT is less dependent on social class than "soft" admissions factors. I mean, there are admissions consultants who you can pay to coach you for interviews and write essays, too. Moreover, inequality can operate at many levels, going all the way back to childhood.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Next unread thread

Similar threads

Mr.Smile12
"Preparing for the Marathon" article is out
Replies
0
Views
295
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
G
  • Question
Should I be prepared for criticism?
Replies
4
Views
997
gdub4ever
G
S
Why is there so much misinformation regarding AP credit?
Replies
2
Views
570
wysdoc
wysdoc
P
advice on ECs so far
Replies
5
Views
580
cj_cregg
cj_cregg
B
Better preparation for medical school --> Medical assistant or scribe
Replies
7
Views
2K
Gh0stInAJar
G
Top