mymeddream Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 Hi everyone, So, I tried to study for the MCAT on my own last summer and just didn't get to it....I really feel that I need the structure of a class to help keep me on track and I am thinking of writing the MCAT by the beginning of August. I am looking at either Kaplan or Princeton....leaning towards Kaplan for some reason. I do have a science background except for organic and would need to review all of the sciences since it was a few years ago when I did first year bio/chem/physics and also need to work on the verbal and WS a lot. What would be the best choice for me? What has been your experience with these prep courses? Sorry, I am not too familiar with the prep course enrollments etc...I heard that if you apply early, you get discounts etc....should I sign up now? Have other people already signed up? I would like to take the course either at York (preferably), UofT or Ryerson. Has anyone completed the Kaplan or Princeton course at these locations? What was you experience? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymeddream Posted March 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Any inputs anyone? (Sorry, I am not familiar with the whole prep course thing and have been looking around the company's websites and threads on this forum for the last few days or so....would love to hear your inputs). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehumanmacbook Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Any inputs anyone? (Sorry, I am not familiar with the whole prep course thing and have been looking around the company's websites and threads on this forum for the last few days or so....would love to hear your inputs). I'm taking princeton this summer @ their downtown location...from what people have told me, the PR course is more intensive in terms of material; Kaplan is better for those who have a science background and is more condensed. Prep 101 uses the EK series and there have been mixed reviews. There are online courses for those who want to self-study. You really have to decide, I think, what works best for you - are you self-disciplined enough to study by yourself? Or would you prefer the classroom setting? EDIT: Also remember to grab EK's VR 101 passages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymeddream Posted March 19, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 I'm taking princeton this summer @ their downtown location...from what people have told me, the PR course is more intensive in terms of material; Kaplan is better for those who have a science background and is more condensed. Prep 101 uses the EK series and there have been mixed reviews. There are online courses for those who want to self-study. You really have to decide, I think, what works best for you - are you self-disciplined enough to study by yourself? Or would you prefer the classroom setting? EDIT: Also remember to grab EK's VR 101 passages. Thanks for the response. I was leaning towards Kaplan since I have a science background (except for orgo) and I heard the same thing like you mentioned. I do have the self discipline to sit down and study on my own.....I just feel that I need the course to keep me on track and guide me in the right direction in terms of the studying (i.e. I am more likely to do my work if I know that I to go to the class at a certain day/time instead of putting it off all the time). I got the entire EK package so I will be using that for my studying as well. Just wondering...did you already sign up for your course for the summer? If so, did they give you discounts for signing up early? Are there benefits of signing up early? (I am thinking of starting the course around mid-May). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehumanmacbook Posted March 19, 2011 Report Share Posted March 19, 2011 Thanks for the response. I was leaning towards Kaplan since I have a science background (except for orgo) and I heard the same thing like you mentioned. I do have the self discipline to sit down and study on my own.....I just feel that I need the course to keep me on track and guide me in the right direction in terms of the studying (i.e. I am more likely to do my work if I know that I to go to the class at a certain day/time instead of putting it off all the time). I got the entire EK package so I will be using that for my studying as well. Just wondering...did you already sign up for your course for the summer? If so, did they give you discounts for signing up early? Are there benefits of signing up early? (I am thinking of starting the course around mid-May). I am unsure if they offer discounts, you will have to check Princeton or Kaplan individually. I know that if you are, for example members of a certain club, you will get discounts...for McMaster it's golden key or MMHS. I'm sure other premed or academic clubs offer that where you are, etc. I haven't signed up yet, but I know that I will be taking the course in downtown toronto....I think it's @ U of T. The link is here: http://testprep.princetonreview.com/CourseSearch/Search.aspx?productType=C&itemcode=19&Zip=M2N%204H3&rid=2 If you feel you need a course, it depends whether you have something else going on (ex. summer course, research, job). I'm dedicating my summer specifically to MCAT (only want to do it once ) so I will be going with Princeton and their books because I know from colleagues that they definitely are very comprehensive with their stuff. Albeit they also say that the courses get boring later....Kaplan I don't know much about actually, esp. their classroom courses. Someone else will have to comment on that. I hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymeddream Posted March 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 I am unsure if they offer discounts, you will have to check Princeton or Kaplan individually. I know that if you are, for example members of a certain club, you will get discounts...for McMaster it's golden key or MMHS. I'm sure other premed or academic clubs offer that where you are, etc. I haven't signed up yet, but I know that I will be taking the course in downtown toronto....I think it's @ U of T. The link is here: http://testprep.princetonreview.com/CourseSearch/Search.aspx?productType=C&itemcode=19&Zip=M2N%204H3&rid=2 If you feel you need a course, it depends whether you have something else going on (ex. summer course, research, job). I'm dedicating my summer specifically to MCAT (only want to do it once ) so I will be going with Princeton and their books because I know from colleagues that they definitely are very comprehensive with their stuff. Albeit they also say that the courses get boring later....Kaplan I don't know much about actually, esp. their classroom courses. Someone else will have to comment on that. I hope that helps! Thanks! I will call the companies to check on the enrollment and offers. I am kind of thinking the same way as you.....want to write the MCAT once...so I will be dedicating the summer to MCAT (no other course, no job, nothing else but the MCAT). Anyone else have any inputs on the Kaplan course? WOuld love to hear about it before I enroll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gb35 Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Thanks! I will call the companies to check on the enrollment and offers. I am kind of thinking the same way as you.....want to write the MCAT once...so I will be dedicating the summer to MCAT (no other course, no job, nothing else but the MCAT). Anyone else have any inputs on the Kaplan course? WOuld love to hear about it before I enroll. Kaplan worked for me. I can't comment on PR's strategies, but I thought Kaplan's were great, and I already had a background in all the MCAT topics, so I felt like Kaplan was a better fit with less class time, and less in depth content. That being said, I found Kaplan's VR passages terrible. I liked their strategy, but I bought EK's 101 passages in VR to get myself some more practice, and did all the AAMC full length verbal sections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymeddream Posted March 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Thanks gb35! Has anyone done the Princeton course? I would love to hear about it as well before I make my decision. I tried to look up some information about the two to make a comparison...TPR has 105 hours of classroom instruction whereas Kaplan has only 54 hours....that was the only biggest difference I could find.....now I am starting to look into Princeton (I don't mind spending a lot more time in class and feel that I need that structure).........are there any other major differences between the two companies? How is the verbal prep with princeton? (almost everyone I talked to is saying that Kaplan VR prep was crappy......is TPR any better?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymeddream Posted March 24, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2011 Anyone already took Princeton? How was the course? What was your experience? I know that they go into the material more extensively but are they good with their strategies? How is their VR section? I would really appreciate some input from people who have already completed the Princeton course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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