The 3 Best MCAT Prep Courses

If you have stayed on your Pre-Med track through the Junior Year of Undergrad, you are fully aware of the MCAT looming on the horizon and the magnitude of what this exam means on your future.  This test is no joke and sometimes the study groups and the flashcards you make are just not good enough to elevate your score to a higher echelon.  Thankfully, there are several useful resources out there that can open your eyes to new ways about thinking about problems and deepen your understanding of the topic. MCAT Prep courses are a useful option to consider and are used by the majority of medical students who successfully enter Medical School.  Here are the Top 3 Medical Prep courses currently out there and why you should consider at least one of them in order to maximize your chances when facing the Medical School Admissions Board.  

Number 1:  Kaplan MCAT Prep 

This is often one of the first resources mentioned when friends are asking about Prep courses and for a good reason, it works.  I personally used Kaplan and can easily say that I would not have had a career in medicine if it wasn't for the exam prep I received from this course.  The one negative about this course is it is going to cost you.  The cheapest course you can find is $1,999 and is a self-paced course that provides some flexibility in a study schedule. As you get more and more features, the price creeps higher and higher with the most popular of an In-Class course at a local Kaplan Center costing $2,999.  In most cases, you can get a discount on the final price thankfully, but it is going to still be a large dent in the wallet.  

Now to why you should get this.  With this course, you purchase over 150 hours of classroom and practice test material that can significantly augment your scores. The teachers are highly competent and Kaplan mandates that all teachers are previous MCAT test takers that have at least scored in the 90% percentile.  They have to go through 2 months of training prior to becoming certified teachers and are prepared to answer even the most complicated questions. The classroom sizes are also capped to a maximum of 10 students (mine center wouldn't allow groups larger than 7), so you have plenty of time to receive personalized attention on difficult material.  The teacher will walk you through the course book and make sure that students understand all the components presented.  

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What more, this course also provides online access to 14 practice exams that are very similar to the ones that you will face on the actual MCAT.  Luckily enough, the MCAT Test Writers do not receive enough compensation for writing the actual test and have signed contracts with Kaplan to write mock practice questions that mimic what to expect. When you are writing such an important test, the wisest thing you could do is see mock practice questions written by question writers of the actual MCAT exam.  Kaplan also offers a guarantee where you will increase your initial scores by at least 30 points or else they will either refund or offer you an additional course for no additional charge provided that you attending the classes during your first attempt at the exam.  

Top 2 MCAT Prep Courses: The Princeton Review  &  ExamKrackers 101

Number 2:  The Princeton Review MCAT Prep Course 

If you consider Kaplan to be the McDonald's of the MCAT Prep Universe, then The Princeton Review is the Burger King.  Those who don't like Kaplan usually end up enrolled in The Princeton Review courses and it is also a quality way to prepare for the MCAT.  The Princeton Review has many similarities to Kaplan and comes in a bit more forgiving on the bank account.  A self-prep course costs only $1,699 with the most popular In-Class course coming in at $2,199.  This is nearly $1,000 less than Kaplan so it is a good alternative to consider if money is not a luxury.  

With enrollment, students will receive 123 hours of In-class and On-line tutelage with over 650 hours of material to work through. Students will also have access to 14 practice tests with the purchase as well as personalized reviews to help target what they are weak in.  

When studying for my MCAT, I had friends that chose Princeton Review material over Kaplan and I heard good things about their course. The course textbooks provide more detail about topics than Kaplan in subjects like Physics and Biochemistry and can help you feel more comfortable with the material.  It was also easy to digest and I found myself switching between textbooks at times to have a deeper understanding of the material.  A few friends did complain that their teachers were not as thorough as what I experiences in Kaplan so be aware that this could be an issue if you are leaning towards Princeton Review at the moment.  

Number 3:  ExamKrackers 101 MCAT Prep Course 

Keeping up with our fast food metaphor, ExamKrackers would probably be the Wendy's in the MCAT Prep Universe.  Some people will prefer this one over the others but in reality, it is not as popular as either Kaplan or The Princeton Review.  ExamKrackers does not offer an On-line Self-Paced option like the other two but does provide an Intensive Six-Week Course to quickly run through the material leading up to a test.  This costs $475 and a student will have 18 hours of classroom experience.  Students also have the option of enrolling in a more conventional classroom like Kaplan and Princeton and this is the cheapest of the three coming in at $1,848.99.  A student will have 72 hours of course material and access to over 3,300 MCAT-styled practice questions.  You will also have access to 8 practice tests in order to maximize your study time.  

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ExamKrackers may not have the magnitude of study material or coursework that the other two provide but what was beneficial about ExamKrackers is the textbooks you can purchase to supplement your study material.  Out of the three, these books are the most detailed and comprehensive so you will be able to understand almost all topics without much difficulty once you read through the material. I found them as a great tool to supplement my Kaplan course and found that they provided a different perspective that really simplified a difficult concept.