MCAT Prep Course: Kaplan or Princeton Review?

[cary_fan]

I'm going to add my vote to TPR. I came from an engineering background, with virtually no science/bio courses in undergrad, and I found the course material very comprehensive and at the level of depth appropriate for the MCAT. I certainly had to put a lot of time into it myself, but it's a lot easier when you know how far to go with detail.

 

And yes, strategy is also important, and my instructors were amazing for offering test-taking tips. I took the paper exam though, so I can't comment on how effective it is for CBT. If there are similar online strategies being developed by TPR, I'm sure that they'll share those as well.

 

The mock exams were also invaluable. Again, I think CBT throws a few wrenches in there, but enduring test conditions was also great preparation. On the final exam day, it's just one less unknown you have to deal with.

 

Best of luck!

[The Law]

Every person I've talked to has said TPR.

[Madz25]

I found Kaplan's VR to be easier than TPR's. I was always scoring 9/10 with TPR but got 11+ on Kaplan's (did not get 11+ on the real thing lol).

 

I liked TPR.

[Kuantum]

Every person I've talked to has said TPR.

 

It really depends on the person. If you take TPR...you will be in classes a lot. With Kaplan, its not like that. Studying on your own, its probably not like that either. However, if you like going to classes...then TPR may be for you.

[avenir001]

True...depends on the person. I wouldn't attend class 4 times/week in the summer even if PR paid me. >90% of my learning takes place at home...my only problem seems to be discipline these days...and I may have to ship my laptop to the middle east so I can focus on the mcat!

[bane]

True...depends on the person. I wouldn't attend class 4 times/week in the summer even if PR paid me. >90% of my learning takes place at home...my only problem seems to be discipline these days...and I may have to ship my laptop to the middle east so I can focus on the mcat!

 

definitely going to be a problem for me in the summer when it feels like the nice days will never end and you have all the time in the world to study....

 

i'll just tell myself that you dont want to be rejected and sit on the butt for a year doing nothing. that will motivate me. (in theory)

[Madz25]

True...depends on the person. I wouldn't attend class 4 times/week in the summer even if PR paid me. >90% of my learning takes place at home...my only problem seems to be discipline these days...and I may have to ship my laptop to the middle east so I can focus on the mcat!

 

yeah...im the same way. i learn by myself. i did, however, attend ALL of tpr's classes cuz they were at 9am...and otherwise i would've been waking up at 2pm every day and wasting my summer lol.

[Daemos]

I took kaplan last year...but I got swamped with so many last min things, that unfortunately I could not take full advantage of it.

 

But now that I want to redo a course, I'm looking for a course that'll help me more with my Writing Sample than anything else, this is my WEAKEST section. VR is my BEST section, (which I scored I believe a 10 on, without using any tricks but my own, as I never went through the kaplan stuff)

[rogerroger]

Guys it is all about Examkrackers. From my personal expirence I think you are best to leave the two big prep monsters alone. Pre-meds sign up for them like it is some sort of ritual in order to write the MCAT. There is a third option and it is the best option from my expirence.

 

I found Kaplan useless in 2006. The instructor was some 4th yr student who I see every day and he just read the Kaplan "binder".

 

The course text were EXACTLY the same as what you can get at Chapters. The online exams were pure **** compared to the AAMC practice exams and didn't reflect the MCAT style at all.

 

When I went to my first lecture and it was about the "green dot" suggested as a relaxation tool I knew I was in trouble...

 

Kaplan's VR strategy was a joke. Doing the Kaplan method of "mapping" I was getting about a 6 on the VR. I forgot Kaplan and went EK about 1.5 months before the exam and quickly shot up to about an 11 on the AAMC practice tests.

 

The online materials were crap. The little subject tests they gave you involved more calculations than the real MCAT and the questions were generally harder and they were not in the MCAT style of giving you little clues in the passage etc.

 

I used Audio Osmosis from EK and it was good as well, esp. when you don't want to read but just take notes.

 

I stopped going to my Kaplan class after 5 classes because it was a waste of my time. This means something because I never skip class.

 

On test day I got:

 

PS = 8 <-- the reason why I am writing again

BS = 11 <-- in a bio related major, Kaplan didn't do much here

VR = 13 <-- EK did this (the highest I got practicing with Kaplan was 6)

WS = R <-- Kaplan might of helped a tiny bit. I usually do ok on written stuff so this wasn't on my radar most of the time. Read the spiffy dozen pages of Kaplan info at Chapters are you got what Kaplan offers for the WS. The in class grammar exercises etc were a total waste of time. I can't stress this enough.

 

TOTAL = 32R

 

Getting a 13 in VR made me a strong believer in EK.

 

I am writing again because I want to get a more balanced PS score (I am mathematically challenged...). This time I am only using EK texts and audio osmosis. I will supplement my physics with the highly recommended Nova Physics Text talked about on SDN and might supplement with my old course texts if I feel it is needed in BS and PS. VR this time will only be EK from the start of my studies.

 

EK Text = about $180 (I think it consists of 4 books in a package. Bonus: Nice glossy colored text which Kaplan and TPR don't have)

EK Question texts (4 books) = about $150

AAMC Exams (7 exams, Personally I don't think you need more. These take a full day. One week total of writing the MCAT is a lot of time to dedicate to seeing what you don't understand. My avg score on the practice exams was about 30-31. I got 32 on the real deal. I didn't feel like I needed more than 5 practice exams in 2006) = $280

Total cost = $610 <-- nothing compared to Kaplan and you get more bang for your buck.

 

The down side is getting your ass in gear to study on your own. I didn't have a hard time doing about 5-6 hrs a day 6-5 days a week for 3.5 months. What I told myself was that the MCAT was my job and right after med school I will be pulling longer hours than only 30 hrs. a week. If I can't get my ass out of bed and to work on my own I won't be a doctor for a long time... Might as well start training now. After I finished the exam I went on vacation for three weeks and did no work for the whole time in order to recharge the batteries for the new normal school year. If your a self motivated and self-directed learner I would put good money on Kaplan really pissing you off in a month.

 

The other thing that sucks with EK is that there is no CBT stuff. So I will just scan some of the mini-MCATs and answer with an excel spreadsheet to get the electronic feel of doing questions off a computer screen. No biggie really, it is better to have good questions rather than a perfectly replicated CBT program in my opinion. Again, that's just me.

 

I don't plan on doing this test again and will be doing my own modified version of the EK 10 week plan but extended up to 14 weeks and keeping one day off every week. Additionaly, as I review each chapter I will also be making my own review cue cards. Kaplans cue cards were ok by the way. There I said a good thing about Kaplan.

 

The thing that really made me laugh about Kaplan was that they emailed and phoned me in Nov. inviting me to an interview to be an instructor ... I can tell you right now I am in no way qualified to teach ppl how to write the MCAT. I only went to 5 Kaplan classes and I don't even like my unbalanced score! Simply, if you get an ok total score you can teach for them... There is more to teaching than getting over 10 in two sections. Seriously, you would hate me if I was teaching you physics... Hell, you would be teaching me 99.99% of the time

 

That is my two cents, take it or leave it.

[THX]

Yeah, I didn't take physics in high school... and the course I took in university wasn't really run well, so I don't feel confident in it... vs say, chem or bio where I really feel like I can tackle those subjects.

 

So you suggest that I go over the basic physics concepts before I start studying for the mcat, right? I'm really confident in my general chem and bio... and especially after next year where I will have just taken biochem, genetics, and orgo, that will just help strengthen those subjects. Do you think I should start looking over physics concepts really early? Any tips on how to prepare for physics, especially since I feel weak in it?

 

Thanks!

 

Out of curiosity, in reference to your university physics.. are you talking about the german? (ie. I don't want to name him here, because he's a nice guy. But I do know that I am ill prepared for the physics section of the MCAT because of the course)

[rogerroger]

Out of curiosity, in reference to your university physics.. are you talking about the german? (ie. I don't want to name him here, because he's a nice guy. But I do know that I am ill prepared for the physics section of the MCAT because of the course)

 

 

Yes the German. I had him three years ago and not much was learned. Top rate guy though.

[bane]

Guys it is all about Examkrackers. From my personal expirence I think you are best to leave the two big prep monsters alone. Pre-meds sign up for them like it is some sort of ritual in order to write the MCAT. There is a third option and it is the best option from my expirence.

 

I found Kaplan useless in 2006. The instructor was some 4th yr student who I see every day and he just read the Kaplan "binder".

 

The course text were EXACTLY the same as what you can get at Chapters. The online exams were pure **** compared to the AAMC practice exams and didn't reflect the MCAT style at all.

 

When I went to my first lecture and it was about the "green dot" suggested as a relaxation tool I knew I was in trouble...

 

Kaplan's VR strategy was a joke. Doing the Kaplan method of "mapping" I was getting about a 6 on the VR. I forgot Kaplan and went EK about 1.5 months before the exam and quickly shot up to about an 11 on the AAMC practice tests.

 

The online materials were crap. The little subject tests they gave you involved more calculations than the real MCAT and the questions were generally harder and they were not in the MCAT style of giving you little clues in the passage etc.

 

I used Audio Osmosis from EK and it was good as well, esp. when you don't want to read but just take notes.

 

I stopped going to my Kaplan class after 5 classes because it was a waste of my time. This means something because I never skip class.

 

On test day I got:

 

PS = 8 <-- the reason why I am writing again

BS = 11 <-- in a bio related major, Kaplan didn't do much here

VR = 13 <-- EK did this (the highest I got practicing with Kaplan was 6)

WS = R <-- Kaplan might of helped a tiny bit. I usually do ok on written stuff so this wasn't on my radar most of the time. Read the spiffy dozen pages of Kaplan info at Chapters are you got what Kaplan offers for the WS. The in class grammar exercises etc were a total waste of time. I can't stress this enough.

 

TOTAL = 32R

 

Getting a 13 in VR made me a strong believer in EK.

 

I am writing again because I want to get a more balanced PS score (I am mathematically challenged...). This time I am only using EK texts and audio osmosis. I will supplement my physics with the highly recommended Nova Physics Text talked about on SDN and might supplement with my old course texts if I feel it is needed in BS and PS. VR this time will only be EK from the start of my studies.

 

EK Text = about $180 (I think it consists of 4 books in a package. Bonus: Nice glossy colored text which Kaplan and TPR don't have)

EK Question texts (4 books) = about $150

AAMC Exams (7 exams, Personally I don't think you need more. These take a full day. One week total of writing the MCAT is a lot of time to dedicate to seeing what you don't understand. My avg score on the practice exams was about 30-31. I got 32 on the real deal. I didn't feel like I needed more than 5 practice exams in 2006) = $280

Total cost = $610 <-- nothing compared to Kaplan and you get more bang for your buck.

 

The down side is getting your ass in gear to study on your own. I didn't have a hard time doing about 5-6 hrs a day 6-5 days a week for 3.5 months. What I told myself was that the MCAT was my job and right after med school I will be pulling longer hours than only 30 hrs. a week. If I can't get my ass out of bed and to work on my own I won't be a doctor for a long time... Might as well start training now. After I finished the exam I went on vacation for three weeks and did no work for the whole time in order to recharge the batteries for the new normal school year. If your a self motivated and self-directed learner I would put good money on Kaplan really pissing you off in a month.

 

The other thing that sucks with EK is that there is no CBT stuff. So I will just scan some of the mini-MCATs and answer with an excel spreadsheet to get the electronic feel of doing questions off a computer screen. No biggie really, it is better to have good questions rather than a perfectly replicated CBT program in my opinion. Again, that's just me.

 

I don't plan on doing this test again and will be doing my own modified version of the EK 10 week plan but extended up to 14 weeks and keeping one day off every week. Additionaly, as I review each chapter I will also be making my own review cue cards. Kaplans cue cards were ok by the way. There I said a good thing about Kaplan.

 

The thing that really made me laugh about Kaplan was that they emailed and phoned me in Nov. inviting me to an interview to be an instructor ... I can tell you right now I am in no way qualified to teach ppl how to write the MCAT. I only went to 5 Kaplan classes and I don't even like my unbalanced score! Simply, if you get an ok total score you can teach for them... There is more to teaching than getting over 10 in two sections. Seriously, you would hate me if I was teaching you physics... Hell, you would be teaching me 99.99% of the time

 

That is my two cents, take it or leave it.

 

 

thanks a lot for sharing your experience in such detail! very much apreciated, especially since i was really looking into EK....

 

but the way life works, if someone says something you want to believe, no matter how crappy the reference, you believe it as fact. and if the facts all point in the other direction from the most credible source, if its against your own gut, you'll totally disregard it.

 

all the same, great post and thanks again.

[Jochi1543]

Yeah, I read lots about Kaplan here, and I got their Big Book....nothing too impressive. I mean, it has all the info there that you need for the MCAT, but other than that - nothing too special. Moreover, it has a lot of info that you won't need on the test - it will be given to you in the MCAT passage if necessary to answer a question. I was skeptical when I received my Examkrackers orgo book that had like half the info of Kaplan and yet claimed that this was "all you'll ever need to succeed on the MCAT," but once I took some actual MCAT tests (as opposed to Kaplan tests), I saw that a good chunk of Kaplan information would be offered right in the passage, so I had just wasted my time memorizing it. And yes, I agree that Kaplan tests seem to have a great deal of calculations in it, in the physics section primarily.

 

Examkrackers is more conceptual...say, the orgo book really focused on the principles behind reactions. Like, the Kaplan book just gives you the aldol condensation in like 2 steps with no explanation as to WHY it happens like that, while in Examkrackers it takes up at least half a page in a 5- or 6-step diagram where every step is explained and made clear.

[rogerroger]

You hit the nail right on the head. Master the fundamentals of EK and use the passage to fill in the blanks.

 

For instance say two ppl with the same academic capabilities wrote the test. One memorized everything but the other had mastered the conceptual theory behind each topic. I bet my good money on the second guy smoking the first guy.

 

I know for a fact some ppl violently oppose my views on this, but this is the only way that makes any sense to me.

 

I will tell you this right now, the MCAT isn't like your final exams. The biggest learning curve of the MCAT is developing a large tool box of fundamental science skills which can be applied flexably and CONFIDENTLY.

 

Example: Knowing that the anterior pituitary releases prolactin which effects mammary gland secretions and that this mech is inhibited by dopamine from the hypothalmus will not get you as many points as knowing the theory behind how negitive feedback regulatory mechs apply to this process. You will need to more often deduce how this system might be effected by certain effects and any holes in your understanding of the theory will be exposed quickly. Chances are the passage will tell you what some hormone acts on or if it dosn't mention it then it might be irrelavent to the question.

 

Anyways, best of luck no matter what method you use.

[Daemos]

Maybe a combination approach is best.

[Jochi1543]

Maybe a combination approach is best.

Yeah, I'm going through Kaplan now, but I can't WAIT for my EK physics (and then Gen Chem) to arrive!