Hi all,
I'd like to know everyone's views and give recommendations on both these prep courses.
I am planning on taking Aug'03 MCAT and am wondering if I should side with Kaplan or Princeton for summer before MCAT.Also, I would like to know of a good comprehensive MCAT prep book to begin with now…and how to go about doing things at this stage…I am full time student and work part time…taking org, A&P, gen physics and cell-molecular bio this fall.
All suggestions are welcome…in fact I need some guidance as I don't really have time to research all this.
Thanks,
empower12
Hi,
TPR, no classes, scale back the job = good score.
Arlita
PS Took MCAT Aug 2002 and too cheap to pay the $15 for the sneak peak. 
Thanks Arlita for ur reply.
empower,
I just took the aug 2002 mcat. I have not had the prereq's for the mcat in close to 10 years, so I really depended heavily on my review materials to relearn, as opposed to refreshing my memory on those topics. I used examkrackers, the audio osmosis and the books, including 1001 questions, and the bulletin on their website, and found it to be very adequate preparation.
Personally, i felt i didn't need to go into a classroom and have some random instructor read back to me what is written in the books that come with the course. Also, because you are in a classroom setting, the pace that you are presented the material is predetermined i.e. no matter how well you know a topic your still gonna have to cover it. And vice versa, if you are weak in a topic, you're gonna have to go at the pace of the class, regardless of whether you get it or not. I figured on my own i could work my weakest areas until i felt they were strong and do so based on my own performace, not a class syllabus.
In my opinion, the key to success on the mcat is to prepare most intensely in your weakest areas. Sounds simple and obvious right? not really, i found if i didn't make a conscious effort to study the subjects i hated most (orgo) that i would end up gravitating towards subjects i was better at (chem). My point is, if i didn't make a conscious effort to prepare in my weak areas, my score would have been a lot lower, and this is what you risk in signing up for a class.
I ended up with V10, P10, B10, writing R. Not exactly the best endorsement for EK, but, if you consider how long it has been since i took prereqs, it's not bad. Also, i felt nerves got the best of me on test day. On practice exams i was in the range of 32-34, and was really expecting that type of score, think nerves robbed me of about 4 pts. I may end up retaking in april, i haven't decided yet (tyring to make up ground for a poor ugpa), but if i do, you can bet i'll be using EK again. Just my 0.02$
i need the structure of a class to study. I tried self study this summer with the examkrackers material and the kaplan books and I got a 21. 7v, 6ps, and 8bs. I did the kaplan class last spring but withdrew from the april test. I feel like I would have done better in april because of the classes and because I had a study group then. I might not have gotten the 30 or higher I was aiming for but I believe I would have scored higher than a 25.
I signed up for Princeton and am going to start in November. I am stopping school after this semester. Ive got an insane amount of undergraduate credits, 208? Another semester isnt going to change my gpa much. Just need to finish off strongly.
I dont know what Princeton is like, I just know this. No matter what you do you're success is based upon the effort you put in. No course will get you a great score, you're hard work will.
The reason I am not taking Kaplan again is because I didnt like the classes. Some of the instructors really knew they're stuff, but the classes were too short and pushed together. In physics my class always had a lot of questions and there was very little time for questions and discussion. We ran through the lesson plan and were kicked out of the building at 9 because they closed it up at 9:15. Kaplan does have a great library of information though.
thank u both for sharing ur experiences.
i am positive that i tend to do better in a structured preparation…left to myself i tend to lose track of time and procastinate.that is why i really like a lot of class tests.which is what i am getting at my post bacc. program.however, i think it is a big negative to just keep doing what u are good at…and that is a big risk of joining a course, but i will join a prep course…'coz i have been through GREs and know how i tend to work.
i am going to take a full length MCAT before i start any prep classes to see what my weaknesses are…and in my prep class i will spend more time on those topics then.
once again, thanks for ur replies.