what is the best mcat test prep course

by Marcellus Gutkowski 8 min read

Best MCAT Prep Courses Summary

  • Best Overall MCAT Prep Course: Blueprint MCAT
  • Best MCAT Live Online Classes: Princeton Review
  • Best Value MCAT Prep Course: Magoosh
  • Most Personalized Instruction: Altius
  • The Popular MCAT Pick: Kaplan
  • Most MCAT Study Material: Gold Standard

Full Answer

What is the best MCAT prep program?

Best MCAT Prep Courses SummaryBest Overall MCAT Prep Course: Blueprint MCAT.Best MCAT Live Online Classes: Princeton Review.Best Value MCAT Prep Course: Magoosh.Most Personalized Instruction: Altius.The Popular MCAT Pick: Kaplan.Most MCAT Study Material: Gold Standard.

Is blueprint or Kaplan better MCAT?

Although you would think this would give the edge to Kaplan, our team found Blueprint's practice tests were slightly more representative of the actual AAMC exam, its' testing interface more functionally identical to AAMC's, and their test scoring analytics more detailed and helpful. Edge – Blueprint.

Is Kaplan or Princeton Review better for MCAT?

The primary difference between the Kaplan and Princeton Review MCAT offerings revolves around instruction. Kaplan provides better quality on demand, video-based instruction, while we tend to like the quantity and approach of Princeton's live classes better.

How much is a MCAT prep course?

Students can purchase the MCAT prep course for $359 and will have access to the course for 12 months. The course includes more than 380 video lessons to cover all sections of the MCAT. The course comes with 3 practice tests and over 700 practice questions.

Does the year of MCAT book matter?

They are all the same (post-2015). I feel the more recent the better, but honestly as long as it is after 2017 should be fine. The MCAT changed in 2015 and you want something that came after 2017 as they will have had time to make better material to study. Those should work fine!

Is the Princeton Review worth it MCAT?

Is Princeton Review good for the MCAT? Princeton Review is consistently one of the highest-rated MCAT courses among students and our staff. Their course options, high score guarantee, and top-notch platform keep students satisfied with their study.

How many months should you study for the MCAT?

Most 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.

Is an MCAT prep course worth it?

So, are MCAT prep courses actually worth it? 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.

How far in advance should you study for the MCAT?

The earliest we recommend taking the MCAT is the end of the summer between your sophomore and junior year of college. In that case, we recommend beginning to study no earlier than the spring of your sophomore year.

Is Khan Academy enough for 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.

Is Kaplan a good MCAT prep?

The quality of Kaplan's MCAT practice tests are above average. They are not so exceptional that I would flag them as a course highlight, but they are more than serviceable and do a fairly nice job of mimicking the real MCAT.

What is average MCAT score?

500Your MCAT total score will be in the range of 472-528 with an average score of 500. Each of the four MCAT sections is scored between 118-132 with an average score of 125. Applicants accepted to allopathic (MD-granting) medical schools for the 2021-2022 year had an average MCAT score of 511.9.

Is blueprint MCAT course good?

Blueprint does an excellent job replicating real MCAT questions in terms of question length, difficulty, and content. With respect to quantity, you will get access to 15 full-length practice exams. This is a very respectable figure and bested only by Gold Standard MCAT Prep's 20 practice tests.

Is the blueprint MCAT course worth it Reddit?

Absolutely not worth the money. If you want, you can buy the exams separately, but thats the only thing I'd recommend buying (and that's only if you aren't satisfied with the 4 practice exams the AAMC provides).

Are blueprint MCAT exams harder than AAMC Reddit?

TLDR: C/P: Blueprint physics has longer passages, is more calculation heavy, and has harder equations, making C/P harder than AAMC.

Is Kaplan MCAT good?

The quality of Kaplan's MCAT practice tests are above average. They are not so exceptional that I would flag them as a course highlight, but they are more than serviceable and do a fairly nice job of mimicking the real MCAT.

What is the best MCAT prep course?

After reviewing numerous courses, we found that Princeton Review and Blueprint were the best MCAT prep courses. Both courses offer some great f...

Are MCAT prep courses worth it?

MCAT prep courses are a great way to learn new material and refresh yourself on old material. Some factors to consider might be your budget, learni...

How far in advance should you study for the MCAT?

The amount of time it takes to study for the MCAT will vary from person to person. It is recommended that students give themselves adequate time to...

Is Kaplan or Princeton Review better for MCAT?

Both prep courses are great options when studying for the MCAT. Princeton Review is a little cheaper and has a couple of different features versus...

How difficult is MCAT?

The MCAT is a very difficult exam. Many students spend months preparing for the MCAT exam. MCAT prep courses are an efficient way to study and ta...

Do I need a MCAT prep course?

Given the high stakes nature of the MCAT, it is strongly advised that you purchase and take a MCAT prep course. The vast majority of students will...

How much does a MCAT prep course cost?

MCAT prep courses range widely in price, from $30/month for budget subscription courses, up to $5,000+ for comprehensive packages with tutoring. Th...

Will a MCAT prep course raise my score?

The short answer – very likely yes. Compared to self-studying with free resources, or not studying at all, a MCAT prep course is very likely to imp...

How did you choose the best MCAT prep courses?

We looked at 4 major categories (Curr iculum, Pricing, Platform, and Student Feedback) when evaluating the best MCAT prep courses and ranked each course on a scale of 1-5. While there might be other factors that impact your decision, these should get you most of the way in determining if a course is a good fit for you.

What is self prep for MCAT?

MCAT Self Prep is known as one of the most affordable MCAT prep courses available today. Their on-demand courses give students structure to plan out their MCAT study schedule.

How long is Magoosh MCAT?

Magoosh MCAT sets itself apart as one of the only budget MCAT prep courses on the market today. This MCAT course includes 1-12 months of access to 380+ video lessons, 3 practice tests of over 700 practice questions, detailed text explanations, email assistance, and a 7-day money back guarantee.

How many hours does the Blueprint MCAT take?

Blueprint MCAT is a personalized online MCAT prep course that utilizes diagnostic test results to create a custom study plan. This MCAT course includes 240+ hours of live instruction over a 6-month period. In addition to the course, students can join 2-hour Live Online Office Hours with your instructor up to 5 times per week.

How many AAMC practice tests are there?

Study curriculum is customized for each student based on diagnostic test results and all courses come with 15 AAMC practice tests. Instructors are required to have taken the MCAT and scored in the 99th+ percentile.

What is the gold standard for MCAT?

Gold Standard is one of the best resources for MCAT review materials that an aspiring medical student can utilize. They provide various prep courses and packages that are tailored to the needs of prospective test takers.

How long does it take to study for the MCAT?

This equates to about 2-3 months (or longer) depending on other outside commitments like work and school. You can check out some MCAT study schedules here that break down what to study based on how long you have.

What is the MCAT test?

The Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, is the standardized exam utilized by almost every major school in the U.S. and Canada in its medical school admission process. The MCAT is administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges, or AAMC, and is designed to assess skills that are crucial to success in medical school, including problem solving, critical thinking, and knowledge of natural, behavioral, and social science concepts and principles. As a note, when applying to med school, your MCAT must be recent – most schools will not accept MCAT exam scores that are more than three years old.

What is the Gold Standard MCAT Prep Package?

The other major highlight of the Gold Standard MCAT Prep package is their bundle of high-quality eBooks. These digital prep books have been around for over 20 years and are extremely well-vetted by this point. Each chapter within the eBooks covers a MCAT subtopic in great detail, breaking down otherwise complex subject matter into understandable bites. They are well-articulated and content-rich. I would be shocked to see an official MCAT question where the underlying topic wasn’t covered somewhere in these eBooks. The books also contain some helpful illustrations and graphics that improve understanding and material retention. For students who prefer a prep book as their main source of instruction, you will find these eBooks and the course as a whole well suited to your needs.

What is Altius prep?

As mentioned, the basis of every Altius prep package is a series of meetings with a dedicated mentor. Altius specifically labels this person a “mentor” and not a “tutor,” as they train their mentors to offer much more than simply answering questions. The Altius mentors set a roadmap for your studies, help you assess your weak spots, answer content questions, review practice exams with you, and much more. Think of them more as a Sherpa on your journey up the mountain to a solid MCAT score, guiding the way.

How does Altius prep work?

The other half of the Altius prep system is built around small, group-based learning sessions. These study halls will generally serve as the basis of your content review and strategy building, with your 1-on-1 mentor meetings serving to reinforce these group meetings with a more personal touch. These group sessions are led by one to two Altius experts (depending on the day) and generally integrate content reviews, working problems as a group, and reviewing practice problem sets. These sessions dive deep into the details, and you consistently find yourself learning something new each session with how deep the meetings go. You meet via Zoom, and these sessions are capped at just 6-8 students.

How many hours of online learning for MCAT?

In total, you’ll get somewhere between 120 and 200 hours of these live online group learning sessions, again depending on which package you sign up for. Our team found these review classes to be highly effective (just as much so as the mentoring sessions) and one of the key highlights of the Altius MCAT course.

How many hours does Princeton Review have?

As mentioned, Princeton Review boasts an extremely impressive 123 live class hours. For reference, that is more than 3x their next nearest competitor (Kaplan at 36). Additionally, we loved the structure of Princeton’s live classes. Rather than being led by a generalist MCAT expert, your lessons are guided by a rotating team of subject matter experts. In total, you will get 4 to 6 expert instructors teaching your class sessions, depending on their area of expertise.

How many practice problems are there in Princeton Review?

In addition, you get access to 500+ detailed video lessons which cover and reinforce the same material. When combined with 16 full-length tests, 2,500+ practice problems and a set of content-rich prep books, there will never be a shortage of prep work. And it’s not just the quantity of Princeton Review’s coursework that impresses, the quality is also very good.

What is the best MCAT prep course?

Magoosh is the best value you can find in an MCAT prep course: It offers the most comprehensive program you can get on a budget. For $399, you get yearlong access to customizable study plans, nearly 400 content review videos, more than 700 practice questions, three full-length practice exams, detailed question explanations, and email support from MCAT tutors. You can also pause your account at any time if you have to reschedule your exam for any reason.

How long is the Altius MCAT prep?

If you enroll in this program, prepare yourself for an ultra-intense 10 weeks: This Altius MCAT prep course includes 50-plus hours of MCAT study for 10 weeks straight, and you’ll be studying with some of the most dedicated pre-med students around.

How long does it take to study for MCAT at Altius?

Altius offers a range of in-person and online MCAT prep course options, but the real win is its summer immersion program, which requires full-time studying for 10 weeks straight.

How many hours of tutoring for MCAT?

By the end of the program, you’ll have received more than 500 hours of MCAT instruction and tutoring in just 10 weeks.

What is Kaplan test prep?

Kaplan is one of the most well-known names in test prep, thanks to its robust course offerings, student support, financing options, and test score guarantees.

Does Kaplan have a MCAT prep course?

Kaplan offers a variety of different MCAT prep courses, as well as a la carte study options. For example, if you need intensive study for several months before taking the MCAT, you can choose one of the comprehensive live online or on-demand courses. But, if you feel confident and just want a refresher leading up to your exam, you could purchase a practice test bundle or the quiz bank, a library of dynamic online quizzes.

Is Magoosh a good test prep?

Although Magoosh is relatively new to the test prep scene (founded in 2009), it has a great track record of helping students improve their scores and get into top medical schools around the country. Magoosh offers a 10-point score improvement guarantee or you get your full tuition back, so if you’re a retaker, the investment is risk-free.

What are the best MCAT Prep Courses? How did you find them?

We started by compiling a list of the top MCAT prep course providers online. There’s many reviews out there already and we took the top courses from all of them. Then we separated their courses into two categories: self-paced, live online. Some reviews include in-person but since we can’t afford to fly around the world to attend these courses we had to skip them for now. Some test prep companies offer on-demand, live-online and in-person classes, while others only have one single format. We evaluated each method individually as most students are only considering one option. Generally each teaching method has different advantages, and we created specific criteria for each method to rank the best prep courses in each.

How much does Kaplan cost for MCAT?

Pricing: Kaplan offers a top notch MCAT prep course, but it comes at a price. They have the most expensive on-demand option in our list, starting at $1,799. Their live online and in-person options are even more. If prices is a consideration you can get a better deal with Blueprint.

What is the MCAT channel?

MCAT Channel: Kaplan’s MCAT Channel gives students access to live lectures from 1st-rate, experienced MCAT teachers 6 days a week in addition to on demand, pre-recorded content that is available 24/7. Best of all recorded episodes can searched by interests, study needs, or even your favorite professor!

How long is the MCAT?

Especially when considering you may be balancing work, school and a host of other responsibilities. The MCAT testing period of 7.5 hours can be brutal without the best MCAT prep course.

What happens if my MCAT score doesn't go up?

If your score doesn’t go up, you can do the same program again at no extra charge, or (the best part) you can ask for your money back. You can study up until the very day of your exam with Kaplan’s course materials, which do not expire until you take the MCAT.

How long does Magoosh study plan take?

These range from 1 month to 6 months. The study plans give you daily exercises and even have built in rest days. This is a great way to stay organized and make sure you’re maximizing your study time.

Is the Blueprint MCAT affordable?

However, Blueprint MCAT Review manages to offer an affordable package with quality and quality.

What is the MCAT?

The MCAT, short for Medical College Admission Test, is a standardized test that students must take if they’re hoping to be admitted into medical school.

The 5 Best MCAT Prep Courses

The Princeton Review has been offering standardized test prep for many years, and it’s good at what it does. Currently, it offers four different MCAT prep courses.

Conclusion- Best MCAT Prep Courses

We sincerely hope this information gave you some good insight on choosing from the best MCAT prep courses to be found online.

How many questions are in the MCAT question bank?

To provide practice and test comprehension Blueprint includes 15 full-length practice exams and a question bank with over 4000 questions. The Blueprint question bank has many filtering options including by subject, difficulty level, and number of questions, so students can individualize their practice questions and studying. With 4000 questions, the ability to filter is a nice way to make them less overwhelming. When students purchase the Blueprint MCAT preparation, they do not just get access to blueprint’s practice resources, but also 15 months of access to AAMC practice resources.

What is Altius test prep?

Altius is unique in that it is a test prep company that works solely with MCAT students. While other test prep companies offer study materials and services for a range of popular exams, Altius is built for and devotes their focus on just the MCAT. With the specialized approach Altius takes the MCAT, they make claims of big results including scores in the 90th percentile and improving your score by 10 to even 30 points. Altius stands behind their products by guaranteeing that any student who fully completes any silver, gold, or platinum MCAT Mentoring Program and does not score in the 90th percentile can continue to receive their services for free until they do.

What is examkrackers online?

Examcrackers offer either a 12-week on demand course or a summer online class. The on-demand class is designed to be more flexible for students balancing classes, work-study, hospital hours, or any other mid-semester demands. The Examkrackers on-demand MCAT prep includes a week-by-week schedule and syllabus, recorded lectures, full-length practice tests with recorded test reviews, and 3 MCAT strategy coach sessions. To offer a sense of community among students in the on-demand course they also gain access to optional weekly study group meetings and 6 months access to an Examkrackers online MCAT forum. The Summer online class includes 4 weekly 2-hour class sessions, full-length practice tests with exam reviews, weekly small study group with an instructor, and recorded review sessions for each class.

What is gold standard test prep?

Gold Standard gives students many options by combining their services with other test prep company’s materials and makes many components of their packages customizable. This prep is best for a student who does not need much support, is self-driven, and knows what they need or want in their prep.

What is an examkracker?

This is great for students who feel overwhelmed by prep and outside responsibilities, but with mixed reviews on the curriculum and a low amount of practice tests this is not the best option for someone who wants a thorough, challenging prep.

Is MCAT a good fit for medical school?

Your MCAT score has major implications for your future in medical school and ultimately your medical career. So, you do not want to trust just any prep company with the role of helping you prepare for the MCAT. You want to make sure the MCAT test prep you invest your time, money, and goals in is a good fit and just as invested in your success as ...

Does Examkrackers offer MCAT?

Examkrackers offers both online and in-person MCAT prep courses that aim to work with medical students, not overwork them. Along with offering quality lessons from highly qualified instructors, Examkrackers recognizes that students have to be engaged to get the most from their prep, which can not happen if they are burnt out and unable to give their all.

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