Thursday, October 21st
2021 MCAT Test Prep Course Reviews
Kaplan
- Cost: From $1,599
Kaplan has MCAT prep courses in the form of practice tests or full courses. Products are recommended based on how long you have before taking the MCAT (3+ months, 1-3 months, or less than one month), schedule flexibility for studying, and if you prefer face-to-face or online learning. Kaplan boasts that their platform is used in over 36 countries by 2 million+ people a year.
10 MCAT study options
Students can choose one or more of the following options when they sign up with Kaplan:
- Online Course - Small Class ($2,299)
- Online Course - Lecture ($2,299)
- In-Person Course - ($2,299)
- DIY Course - ($1,599)
- Tutoring + DIY Course ($2,799)
- Bootcamp ($6,499)
- Platinum Practice Bundle ($399)
- Gold Practice Bundle ($249)
- Practice Test - 3 pack ($179)
- QBank ($49/month)
700 hours of MCAT instruction
The Kaplan courses include up to 700 hours of instruction and practice material for members. As you go through the material, the program adapts to the level of the student and builds from there. In addition, students are able to take 16 different full-length practice tests to identify areas they need to work on and get a feel for what the actual MCAT will be like. They also have access to 8 different books, considered to be the best in MCAT prep.
Flexible lectures
As the MCAT is modified year to year, the Kaplan study course adapts to these changes to keep their content as relevant as possible. Live courses give students round-the-clock access to interact with teachers and students. Since the course is flexible with students' schedules, they can watch live lectures or view them on-demand later. Courses can be filtered by teacher and topic for specific areas of study.
Higher score guarantee
Kaplan guarantees that you'll get a higher score on your MCAT if you are taking it over again. If you don't, they will either let you continue using their platform for free or give all of your money back. This should be reassuring for students looking to really put in the time to use Kaplan's resources. It also shows that a lot of students use their platform after having already taken the MCAT at least once.
Disappointing complaints
Unfortunately, Kaplan only has a C- rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). A common complaint from students is that they have paid money and adjusted schedules for test prep classes that were later cancelled. However, as far as course material and how helpful Kaplan was in preparing students for the MCAT, they receive great responses from users.
Overall, we found Kaplan to be expensive. If you're just starting out with test prep and have other resources up your sleeve for reviewing MCAT material, this might not be a budget-friendly starting place. We are concerned about their low BBB rating, but we see the value in the materials offered here for students who really need to improve their scores. If you need to improve your MCAT score and have the money, Kaplan is a good place to go.
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Who Has the Best MCAT Test Preparation Program?
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a test that determines a student's eligibility for acceptance into medical schools in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Caribbean Islands. Students are assessed in their problem solving, written analysis, critical thinking, and knowledge of scientific concepts.
The MCAT is a 7 hour and 30 minute test, so as you can imagine, students will be recalling just about every bit of applicable knowledge they have learned in school up to that point. Medical Colleges use the MCAT score that students receive to decide whether or not they want to accept them into their program.
MCAT Test Prep Course FAQ
Continued from above...
For students hoping to get into certain medical schools (or any medical school), their performance on the MCAT is a big factor in determining their future. Having to retake such a huge test due to a bad score is not only expensive (a few hundred dollars) and mentally exhausting, but also could end up costing you a year or two of time if you aren't able to achieve your desired score in time for admission deadlines.
The best way to ensure a good MCAT score is simply to practice, practice, practice. There are great online resources designed specifically for helping medical students prep to succeed on the MCAT. Investing the time and money to use a reputable online program will help you succeed when you take a test as critical as the MCAT. You'll be able to go into your test with confidence, peace of mind, and of course, a lot of knowledge.
There are quite a few MCAT test prep services to choose from out there. Before buying a membership for one of them, we suggest you keep the following criteria in mind:
- Cost. Is the price of the course reasonable for what you're getting? How do they compare to other MCAT test prep courses with similar teaching methods?
- Instruction Method. Do you have access to a teacher one-on-one? Are there lectures you can tune into? Or is everything done at your own pace with reading materials?
- Use of Materials. How long is your paid membership? Will you have access to all of the content for a long enough time to adequately prepare for the MCAT?
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best MCAT test prep programs available today. We hope this information helps you feel confident and successful when you take the MCAT!
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