Hey, just wanted to see if anyone attempted any MCAT courses and if they were any helpful??? I'm looking at either taking the Kaplan or Princeton Review.

4/20/2006 7:45:50 PM

Both Kaplan and Princeton Review do great prep work for exams. Personally, I prefer Kaplan, but both are good. You cannot go wrong with either one.

4/20/2006 9:48:49 PM

you should probably bttt this on saturday afternoon

4/20/2006 10:38:15 PM

when is the best time to take mcat courses? I'm a sophomore right now and I'm taking some of the helpful but not required premed courses this summer (zo 212)

4/20/2006 11:07:31 PM

I would just concentrate on organic chem and physics. Those are the hardest sections. You take MCAT spring of junior year or fall of senior year. The biological science sections are pretty simple.

4/20/2006 11:31:14 PM

idk


I'm taking it right now, but its 3 hours a day twice a week, which doesnt seem that bad at first until you factor in your other classes (well the class is over now...mcat on sat.). My test grades (for normal classes) have significantly improved since the class ended in late march, but you still have required practice mcats every weekend when the class ends. The class really helps refresh you on material that you forgot from your classes, the only problem is that just the class will only help you so much.


you still have to devote time outside of class to improve your mcat scores. If you have a tough semester, dont take it during the spring. If I had it to do over again and I felt like taking a summer class, I'd do it during the summer. That way you can focus all your time to mcat material and you wont be as burnt out on studying from other classes.

The only problem with taking it during the summer is that the august mcat scores come in really late, and you get a late start applying to medical school. You're at a slight disadvantage if your resume isnt well above average. On the other hand, if you take it in the spring and you're not prepared for it, you have to take it again in august anyway.


As you can tell, I dont know whats best for you. I'm sitting here posting instead of studying too I'll get back here on saturday and let you know what I thought, cause normally I can tell if I was prepared or not for these things.

4/20/2006 11:37:58 PM

Thanks a lot for your advice. Yeah, I'm actually a sophmore (junior by credit hours) and planning on taking an MCAT course over the summer and taking the august MCAT. I really wish I could have taken it this spring as I will be applying to med schools this summer as well, but taking genetics and biochem and physics together this semester gave me NO time to study for it, so I'm pretty much sacrificing the summer to study for this exam. I heard the Kaplan is good at strategies on how to solve questions where as the princeton review is better at teaching you the material you need to know. some ppl just told me to get their books and study alone cuz it's the same thing ... but i donno ....

4/21/2006 12:35:23 AM

oh yea... GOOD LUCK to all you taking the MCAT this Saturday !!!

4/21/2006 12:36:51 AM

I mean to say something about that....



If you have the discipline to make yourself study, I wouldnt waste my time on the course. You can buy problem solving strategy guides through kaplan if its that important, but I think if you buy a book or two with some practice tests thats enough to give you an idea of format. The thing about the questions is....they're tricky, but if you know the material cold, and know just some of the tricks, you will be fine.

4/21/2006 1:59:06 AM

Take the class if you don't have the discipline to make yourself study.

Either way, seriously put the effort into it.

4/21/2006 2:30:09 AM

but for three hours every day for 6 days a week.... that's gonna be a nightmare

4/21/2006 3:32:38 AM

Medical school is worse, if its that important to you, time shouldnt matter.

4/21/2006 11:52:43 AM

I am taking the MCAT tomorrow as well. It is good to see you are being proactive about this. I chose to not take a class and just study out of the books, but I am in second semester junior year of ChE and the only time I've had to study is on Saturdays, and sometimes I would have so much to do I wouldn't be able to study then either. I doubt I would have had time to take the class without my grades suffering either. So way to go on getting a jump start because you never know what situations might arise. We'll see how it goes tomorrow and I'll report back.

4/21/2006 2:20:20 PM

Took the Kaplan course...I think I benefited most from the 5 full length proctored tests. But, we'll see tomorrow and also when we get our scores back in 6 weeks!! I'll let you know...

4/21/2006 2:44:09 PM

CANT SLEEP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4/22/2006 2:12:06 AM

that sucked

4/22/2006 5:33:54 PM

What form did you have?

4/22/2006 6:44:17 PM

i had BG

4/22/2006 6:45:37 PM

My wife got a 24 the first time around, without any prep classes. Didn't get in with that. Took the princeton review class the following year, and got a 30, and admission to UNC.

The princeton review met 6 days a week i believe, versus just twice a week with the kaplan, so it's definitely more intensive.

4/22/2006 6:46:27 PM

well, it depends on how long the course lasts. Th kaplan course that is twice a week starts in the beginning of january. But i think they also have one that starts in October/November that only meets sundays.

4/22/2006 6:53:10 PM

^n00b

4/22/2006 8:22:52 PM

I'd agree with this:

Quote :

"Take the class if you don't have the discipline to make yourself study. Either way, seriously put the effort into it."

I didn't have time to take a class, so I signed up for the Kaplan online science review...total waste. It's the same info that's in the $50 review book that's available at any store.

If you can motivate yourself, I'd recommend their sciences review book and doing some practice tests. That'd pretty much cover it.

Oh, and if you actually get in...the MCAT is nothing compared to the USMLE, so there's plenty to look forward to.

4/23/2006 10:42:44 AM

I had forgm fg. I wouldn't be surprised with any score after leaving. Ive heard that its hard to predict your score right after the exam though.

4/23/2006 1:25:30 PM

what if you predict like 21 is that difficult too?



^^is the the license exam? If thats the same one that some doctors have to take every 10 years or so to keep their license, I've heard of some pretty damn smart doctors struggling to pass that one.

4/23/2006 6:57:02 PM

Quote :

"^^is the the license exam? If thats the same one that some doctors have to take every 10 years or so to keep their license,"

I think that's the board exam they take frequently. Gosh... and even after we get out of school, we are still haunted with more exams!

4/24/2006 12:35:24 PM

the USMLE is a 3 step exam you have to take to become licenced, and then you have to make sure to renew.
I have it this summer, and am dreading it with every bone in my body.

And you will never get away from exams... there are TONS of them in med school and most of them are harder than anything you imagined in undergrad for courses.

Last year, 1st semester of 1st year was 30 credit hours, second was 27 hours. just to give you some idea.

Be prepared for lots and lots of hard work!
~skip~

4/24/2006 1:31:15 PM