Company | Price | Time to Complete |
---|---|---|
Kaplan Best Overall | $1,799 to $6,999 | Varies depending on plan |
Altius Best In-Person Option | $500 to $10,000 | Varies depending on plan |
MCAT Self Prep Best Personalized MCAT Prep Courses | Varies by plan type | Lifetime access |
Magoosh Best Value | Free to $999 | Self-paced |
[9 Essential Courses]
Updated on October 15, 2019. In 2020, the basic cost of the MCAT is $320. This price includes both the test itself and the distribution of your scores to all the medical schools on your list. Additional fees must be paid for test date and/or test center changes.
Kaplan offers the MCAT Advantage On Demand course for $1,900, which includes online video instruction accessible any time of the week and a higher-score guarantee. An in-person course or group tutoring for the MCAT can typically cost $500-$2,000 and may last one to several weeks.
MCAT Prep courses are probably only worth it if you need structure, support and don't feel confident self-studying for the MCAT. Many students score well on the exam without ever having taken (or paid a lot of money for) a course. It's definitely not a necessity.
Students can access free online prep courses through providers like MCAT Self Prep while some of the more expensive courses offered by providers like Kaplan, Altius, and The Princeton Review can cost between $6,999 and $9,999 including one-on-one tutoring.
For students that cannot afford the $270 price, the AAMC offers a fee assistance program that allows students to get access to the materials for free! As well as other perks like reduced MCAT exam fees, MSAR's access, and reduced primary application fees.
Yes! Our eCourse is 100-percent FREE! Our Free eCourse includes the MCAT Launchpad, MCAT Bootcamp, our 10 Content Modules, Weekly MCAT Study Tips, MCAT Questions of the Day, our Facebook Study Group, and much more! All of this is available to you completely free of charge.
The MCAT comes first. The medical schools are not going to look at it negatively if you quit your job to study full-time for the MCAT. One month is not enough time to study for the MCAT for most people.
Even with six months to prepare, you will need to put aside a good chunk of study each week to attain a competitive score on the MCAT. Let's take a look at how the next six months should shape up for you. First thing to consider is that this is a long term plan.
You have many options when it comes to MCAT studying, you can self-study or you can take a prep course. Both options can be effective, but you should consider your goals and circumstances to choose the best path for you. One of the hallmarks in any pre-medical journey is taking the MCAT.
Best MCAT Prep Courses SummaryBest Overall MCAT Prep Course: Blueprint MCAT.Most Immersive MCAT Prep: Altius.Best Value MCAT Prep Course: Magoosh.Best MCAT Live Online Classes: Princeton Review.The Popular MCAT Pick: Kaplan.Most MCAT Study Material: Gold Standard.
between 200 and 300 hoursMost students spend between 200 and 300 hours preparing for the MCAT.
Yes, Khan Academy is good for the MCAT. This is a great prep course to get free content and extra resources before taking exams. How Many Khan Academy Videos Are There For MCAT? There are about 1,100 Khan Academy videos for the MCAT, which is enough to prepare you for the real med school test.
200 to 300 hoursMost people need 10–15 hours per week to study for the MCAT over a period of at least four to six months . In total, you should aim for at least 200 to 300 hours of MCAT study time.
How much does the Kaplan MCAT course cost? The Kaplan MCAT prep options range in price from about $1,800 on the inexpensive end for their self-paced program, all the way up to around $7,000 for their intensive, 5-week bootcamp course.
0:127:44How I Got a 521 (99th Percentile) on the MCAT as a Mediocre StudentYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo you do like one little section of content review and then you do questions that are based off theMoreSo you do like one little section of content review and then you do questions that are based off the content you just reviewed I'm now going to get into.
“What you really need to keep up with the Joneses on the MCAT prep is more like $300, not $3,000.” So Bryan pegs it $300 to about $600 to get the AAMC material and get your Next Step full-length practice tests. And then either borrow a set of books or use the Khan Academy.
Best MCAT Prep Courses SummaryBest Overall MCAT Prep Course: Blueprint MCAT.Most Immersive MCAT Prep: Altius.Best Value MCAT Prep Course: Magoosh.Best MCAT Live Online Classes: Princeton Review.The Popular MCAT Pick: Kaplan.Most MCAT Study Material: Gold Standard.
It also covers most topics you'll encounter on the MCAT. Khan Academy excels in a couple of critical subjects. The platform is one of the best for psychology and social sciences. The MCAT resources don't gloss over those topics, which sometimes occurs with other test prep courses and resources.
The MCAT, also known as the Medical College Admissions Test, is one of the most important tests anyone seeking to become a doctor will take. Most MD and DO-granting medical schools require MCAT scores to even qualify for consideration (although there are some schools that don’t ). Despite its importance, the MCAT is not free.
Depending on your circumstances, you’re looking at several hundred dollars to register for a single MCAT test date. If you’re like most prospective students, you’ll likely take in a couple of times to get the best date possible. In those instances, MCAT costs quickly rise.
If you’re getting concerned about the realistic MCAT price we’ve listed above, don’t worry. There are ways to lower costs and make things more manageable for you.
As you can see, the true MCAT price is a bit more than the test fee. While you don’t technically have to spend anything extra, it’s usually necessary if you want to get a competitive score and get accepted.
The Next Step MCAT class includes official AAMC materials, and on top of this, they have ten full-length practice tests. They have 70 hours of class videos. They have ten hours a week of live office-hour instruction. You get a six-month enrollment so that’s equal to 250 live hours.
It’s about $300. It’s significantly less expensive if you qualify for the free assistance program. If you have no other money to invest in prep, the Khan Academy is free. Their quality of prep material ranges from excellent to pretty good. It’s the official partner of AAMC and it’s free.
However, for a lot of people, the self-study approach is not going to work for them. They need an MCAT prep course and the social support of classmates. They need live interaction with faculty members.
The MCAT tests basic medical knowledge you need to have for medical studies, and it’s made up of four sections.
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a multiple-choice exam that can be computer-based or paper-based.
The AAMC offers an assistance program aiding students who can not afford to take the MCAT exam or apply to medical schools without financial assistance. This program is only available for US residents.
Since most medical schools require applicants to submit an Medical College Admission Test score, having a good MCAT score will increase your chances of attending a reputable med school.
MCAT and medical school application fees are not the only thing you have to consider.
You won’t be able to get the MCAT fee reduced unless you apply for the AAMC fee assistance program. However, there are other ways to save some money.
The MCAT Registration System accepts American Express, VISA and MasterCard, including debit cards with the VISA or MasterCard logo. We regret we are unable to accept other forms of payment.
The AAMC's Fee Assistance Program aids individuals with extreme financial limitations who otherwise could not take the exam.
Why We Chose It: Blueprint is our choice for the best MCAT prep course because of its strong student support, impressive instructors, breadth of study materials, and access to full-length practice exams.
The MCAT is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and consists of multiple-choice questions on problem-solving; critical thinking; and knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science required for students who want to study medicine. The best MCAT prep courses are those that are engaging, ...
Pricing is $2,299 for six months of access. Blueprint’s Online Course provides the same learning modules, practice questions, and full-length MCAT exams as the Live Online Course, but in a more mobile-friendly format. You pay $1,799 for six months of access, $2,199 for nine months of access, or $2,499 for 12 months of access.
Kaplan’s Live Online Course is available for six months for $2,499. You can also choose the Live Online Course Plus for $2,999 which includes everything in the Live Online Course plus three hours of one-on-one tutoring, MCAT foundation courses, and more.
Why We Chose It: Kaplan is our choice for the best live-online course because of its full schedule and study plan, access to live classes, and the ability to ask questions to off-screen teachers throughout the lessons.
The 510+ score guarantee promises that if you don’t see an increase in your score of 10 points or a score over 510, you will get a full refund. The Princeton Review’s Ultimate Course is regularly $2,099 but is on sale for $1,899 as of March 2021.
Each course comes with its own features, score guarantee, and refund policy. The Princeton Review was founded in 1981 and has since become a top name in the prep course industry. Today it offers a wide selection of test prep courses including four MCAT prep options and a bootcamp.
With each of Kaplan's MCAT courses, no matter the format, you’ll get access to a full MCAT prep course, live or on demand, up to 700 hours of guided prep and practice from MCAT experts, a Qbank, 16 full-length practice tests, 8 books, and all official AAMC practice materials.
An MCAT prep course is an investment in your future. If you’re willing to put in time and money now, it may mean the difference between getting accepted to medical school and needing to retest and reapply.
This is why it’s important to find out exactly what an MCAT prep course offers and if that matches your academic needs. Many students achieve success just by creating their own MCAT study schedule and sticking to it. You might be one of them or you might be someone who could really benefit from an MCAT prep course.
Additionally, while MCAT prep courses do offer access to a large number of resources, these resources may not always be reliable. That’s why it’s important to regularly check your progress. For example, taking as many practice tests as possible definitely helps to keep track of your progress and improve your final score. But without personalized feedback and professional help, many students find it difficult to figure out what areas of weakness they should address and how to structure their time to achieve the highest results possible. This is why going with a prep course with good reputation, proven strategies, and unbiased excellent reviews is key in your search for the right MCAT prep class. If the MCAT prep course you choose is not reliable or comprehensive, you may end up wishing you had just chosen the self-directed study option.