Full Answer
After most class sessions, I left with my brain feeling like oatmeal. Kaplan throws a ton of material at you in three hoursand you are expected to stay engaged and soak it all in. It can be tough at times, but I definitely felt like I was getting money’s worth out of every three-hour session.
All in all, Kaplan’s lessons, coursework and practice materials add up to over 700 hours of prep time. At least that’s what they say, and honestly, I ‘ll have to take their word for it because it was more than I could ever get through.
In total, Kaplan will ship you 8 hard copy books with the purchase of a prep course. Of these 8 books, 7 are subject specific review books, and 1 is a lesson book. As you may expect from Kaplan, these books are all extremely thorough and well-written.
So if you sign up for the live online option with Kaplan, you get 12 three-hour sessions with a Kaplan instructor. Kaplan doesn’t say anywhere on their website whether all of their instructors have scored in a certain percentile or better on the MCAT, but my teacher let us know that she had scored in the 94th percentile.
Conclusion. Kaplan MCAT prep is a great choice to get you ready for the MCAT. Many have gone through the course and had great success and you do have the higher score guarantee, which means Kaplan stands behind their work. Kaplan is a great choice if you learn mainly by lecture/video and practice questions.
I actually think the kaplans "on demand" was really helpful. I will attest to the fact the KAPLANS exams are usually more difficult and that the VR is a waste of time in all senses.. but it does provide you will all the material that you need to prepare and lots and lots of practice material.
Best MCAT Prep Books Summary Kaplan Test Prep MCAT Complete 7-Book Subject Review. Examkrackers MCAT Study Package. Mometrix MCAT Prep Books. Test Prep Books, MCAT Prep Books.
All in all, Kaplan gives students access to 16 full-length practice tests. This is a very respectable number of practice exams and is bested only by the Gold Standard MCAT Prep, which provides 20 tests. While 16 exams doesn't sound like much, at 7 hours+ per exam, that is a lot of hours spent simulating the real MCAT.
Verdict: UWorld vs Kaplan NCLEX With high-quality video lessons, optional live classes, a prep book, and bonus resources (most of which UWorld does not offer), Kaplan offers the better overall NCLEX prep option. This is especially true considering that their self-paced course with these features is less than $200 more.
Kaplan's Live Online MCAT Course consists of live lessons 6 nights a week, and our On Demand Courses include over 90 hours of recorded lessons. Our In Person MCAT Course option consists of 12 three-hour classes with an expert MCAT teacher. How long should I study for the MCAT?
12 weeks, or 3 months, is generally sufficient time to spend studying for the MCAT at about 20 hours per week. This can be compressed or extended based on your schedule.
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.
Plenty of students can work full-time during their prep and still excel on the MCAT – but if this applies to you as well, consider setting aside 4-5 months instead of 2-3. It's best to take at least 5 full-length exams. The MCAT has a run time of 6 hours and 15 minutes, and that doesn't include breaks.
Yes, Kaplan MCAT test prep is worth it. It gives excellent MCAT foundations, the ability to choose between private tutoring, online or live online classes, and high-quality materials.
Though their overall quantity of practice material and video lessons is less than Princeton Review's, Kaplan wins out with quality.
When you consider all of the things that Kaplan does well, it's not hard to see why it's a favorite among prospective medical students. Kaplan MCAT offers an intuitive platform with tons of versatile content to go through. It excels most with practice questions and exams.
The Kaplan ACT prep packages range widely in price, from just under $100 for their DIY, self-paced course, up to $2,000+ for private tutoring packa...
Yes. Kaplan’s mainstay course, the Live Online package, offers 16 hours of live instruction with a Kaplan expert through a virtual classroom.
100% yes. If access to official, previously used ACT questions was not enough on its own, you also get some of the best instruction in ACT prep (li...
Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.
At $749, Kaplan's SAT Classroom package isn't cheap. However, students do get quite a bit for the investment (note that some of the details have changed slightly since 2012--Kaplan is constantly updating and evolving their products):
The student I observed took SAT Classroom over three weeks from February 14th to March 8th. The class met Tuesday and Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sundays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (a bit longer for the proctored exams).
After the course was over, the student I observed wrote up some feedback on his experience with SAT Complete Prep. Here are the highlights:
I was more impressed with this course than I thought I would be. As a professor who likes a physical classroom and interacting with my students face-to-face, I've always been resistant to online learning. Seeing the class in action, however, made me reconsider that position.
The most unique and valuable aspect of the Kaplan ACT prep course is that they have partnered with ACT directly to bring their students an exclusive learning experience. In partnership with the makers of the exam, Kaplan’s course offers students access to real, previously used ACT questions and full-length practice tests. In fact, the two organizations are so closely intertwined in their prep that you actually are re-directed to purchase the course through ACT’s website, and the actual online materials say it is an ACT prep course “powered by Kaplan.” So essentially the prep course is from the makers of the ACT, with expertise from Kaplan.
The Learning Path is quite simple and straightforward, and you can finish a unit in 2.5 to 4 hours.
Similar to their practice questions, Kaplan offers practice exams built on official ACT materials. In total, you get access to 5 full-length practice tests. Again, there is no better means of studying than under exam-like conditions.
When most people hear that test prep giant Kaplan has partnered with the makers of the ACT to bring students exclusive access to official ACT problems and practice tests, as well as video lessons and a budget friendly price point, they search no further. But does a partnership with ACT necessarily mean that they offer the best all-around package ...
Similar to the mobile app issue, Kaplan does not offer a higher score guarantee, despite that competitors like Magoosh and Princeton Review offer one with their courses. Not only that, Kaplan offers a higher score guarantee with a number of their other courses, so not sure why they don’t offer one here.
Kaplan Refund Policy. Although they do not have a higher score guarantee, Kaplan does have a nice refund policy if you change your mind within a couple days after purchasing their course. If circumstances change and you need to cancel your prep course, you can do so within 3 days of signing up for a 100% refund.
The Kaplan ACT prep course is about as close to perfect as it comes with ACT prep. The course is highlighted by Kaplan’s direct partnership with ACT, the makers of the exam. This exclusive benefit gives Kaplan students access to real, previously used ACT questions and full-length practice tests. This is where a significant portion of Kaplan’s ACT value is derived. But it doesn’t end with best-in-class practice material.
The lecturers at Kaplan are very patient in teaching the module and making sure each and every student understand what they are teaching, as some students may be fast learner while others just need abit more time. Each lecturer has their own unique way of teaching.
It is very easy to pass all your module if you stay focused and yes, I have passed all my modules.
The classes in Kaplan is 3 hours a day, 5 days a week. On certain days there may be 2 classes a day which goes up to 6 hours. There are 3 different session timings for full-time students in Kaplan and its 8:30AM to 11:30AM, 12PM to 3PM or 3:15PM to 6:15PM
In Kaplan the assessment format is either 2 quizzes followed by exam or 1 quiz 1 assignment followed by exam. Every time before a quiz or exam, lecturer would give us some key points to study.
I am a shy person, I do not engage in conversation unless someone started it first.
Follow your interest. Humans tend to focus more when we are interested in the stuff we are doing.
Something bad about being in a private school is that we students have to pay adult fares when we travel via public transport. As a private student at Kaplan doing diploma studies, we are not entitled to the use of concession card. Because of this, the monthly expenses could be rather high.
Hey everyone! Recently I had gone through the entire 100 Anatomy Concepts PDF/Dorian anki deck and found it very useful; however, there were many cards that didn't have context from the PDF itself. I decided to make my own deck for the 100 Concepts and included the corresponding slide on the extra info section for each card.
This is not for the high scores but for those IMGs that can't even get a good score on NBME to get going. It has been a looooong journey..felt like it would never end... but this community made it so much easier knowing that you are not alone.
All in all, Kaplan gives students access to 16 full-length practice tests. This is a very respectable number of practice exams and is bested only by the Gold Standard MCAT Prep, which provides 20 tests. While 16 exams doesn’t sound like much, at 7 hours+ per exam, that is a lot of hours spent simulating the real MCAT.
Kaplan’s cheapest prep option, the On Demand Course, will cost you around $1,800. This course is self-paced and allows you to study from anywhere at any time. It is designed for students who require a flexible study schedule and prefer to learn alone.
For most students this will be plenty of time to accomplish their MCAT prep, but for some, 5 months may be pushing it. The AAMC recommends 300 to 350 hours of study time prior to sitting for the MCAT.
In total, Kaplan will ship you 8 hard copy books with the purchase of a prep course. Of these 8 books, 7 are subject specific review books, and 1 is a lesson book.
Kaplan Higher Score Guarantee. As some of you may have noticed plastered all over their website, Kaplan does provide a higher score guarantee. If your MCAT score doesn’t improve after having used the Kaplan prep course, they will give you 100% of your money back, or let you retake their course.
Kaplan does offer a mobile app for MCAT study; however, it contains only 1,000 study flashcards. While other test prep providers such as Magoosh offer mobile apps that connect with your online account and provide access to your core study materials, the Kaplan app simply provides an ancillary study resource.