Should i take mcat prep course

These office hours usually cover a particular subject. Get the benefit of having a tutor there, five days a week, in two-hour blocks, every day. Hence, you get the best of both worlds. Working full-time while studying for the MCAT is going to be hard.

You need to get your letters of recommendation in, as well. So make sure you carve out some time for that. You can make it happen.

Try Now. Do you need to look at restructuring chores or other home-based responsibilities in the short term while you study? While you cannot expect them to pick up all the slack, it is worth discussing what can be reconfigured to free up your time as much as possible over the next few months.

With careful planning and a realistic timeline, it is entirely possible to juggle work and effective MCAT preparation. Having a solid plan going into the process is key. Check out our complete list of law schools, based on surveys of school administrators and over 14, students. Teach or Tutor for Us. College Readiness.

All Rights Reserved. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University. Recently viewed. Find Your Dream School. By submitting my email address. I certify that I am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from The Princeton Review, and agree to Terms of Use. Take careful stock of your current schedule. Carefully assess how you use your time during the day. Create an MCAT study schedule—and stick to it.

Register Book Go. Institutional Partnerships K Home Tutor. Yes, I love saving money! No thanks, I'll pay full price. The costs of med school tuition and other related costs start piling up much before you even apply!

An MCAT prep course is another added expense. Signing up for a course that is not the right fit is a waste of money and time. You will need to submit proof of your AAMC fee assistance approval to qualify for the scholarship. In these cases, a one-on-one MCAT prep course can help you make the most efficient use of your time. Ultimately, only you can answer the question of whether or not you need an MCAT prep course.

The above factors can only guide you towards making a well-considered decision. If you choose to go forward with your search for your ultimate course, follow the steps outlined below. Follow these steps before you arrive at your final decision about taking, or not taking, an MCAT prep course:. Looking at the cost outlay for an MCAT prep course can be daunting, especially when you consider the overall medical school cost!

It might put you off the concept altogether. The important thing, however, is not to focus on the amount you have to pay, but to consider if you are getting value for your money. The ultimate goal is to efficiently use both your time and money to get the best possible result.

For some students, in the long run, the benefits of taking an MCAT prep course might be well worth the money. A self-paced class that offers an extensive library of study resources and some amount of office hours might be exactly what you need.

MCAT prep is extremely intensive, requiring a minimum of hours of study that should ideally be completed in 6 months before the test to keep the material fresh in your mind. Self-directed study for this test requires a high amount of discipline and focus. If you study better with external accountability, a rigorous, scheduled, in-person course would be the right choice for you. A lot of MCAT prep courses offer live instruction, expert guidance, personalized feedback and interactive sessions, not to mention access to a community of current test applicants and people who have successfully taken the MCAT.

They give you a forum to air your doubts, understand the finer points of the material and exchange test-taking strategies. Instructors are typically either subject matter experts professors or teachers or people who have recently done well on the MCAT. If this sounds like your study style, a prep course would be well worth the money.

For example, non-traditional students such as returning students or a non-traditional applicant often require intensive coaching on specific content to make their knowledge base stronger. You need to be able to read through the questions quickly, parse the information given, analyze the concepts you know and apply them to arrive at the answer.

A lot of MCAT prep courses have a special focus on test-taking strategies. Another benefit is the access to additional practice tests with detailed feedback to help you get comfortable with this test-taking format. Enrolling in a self-paced course that covers all the content for prep would give you that necessary peace of mind.

What can an MCAT prep course offer? The answer to this question is: it depends on the cost. There are numerous MCAT prep courses available today, offering both online and in-person coaching. The cost can vary depending on the brand name of the class, the amount of prescribed study materials and the extent of coaching services being offered.

However, remember that the course needs to address your needs, so do not go for the lowest or the highest cost without reflecting on what you need to get a good MCAT score.

Most programs provide multiple options at different price points to satisfy students with varying needs. The advantage of a personalized course is that it can be adjusted and modified directly based on your needs and progress. While class-sized courses are a great way to review material together, there is simply not enough attention paid to each student to focused on tier individual needs.

Below, we have listed all the services an MCAT prep course might offer depending on the price range:. Access to the complete, extensive library of study materials, practice tests, question banks etc. There are a lot of students who have aced the MCAT without enrolling in any course, via self-directed study. The AAMC offers a great collection of free and low-cost online resources on their website.

You can supplement this with other low-cost online resources, including webinars, videos, PDFs, podcasts, tests, test diagnostics and guides. You can also leverage free resources such as apps, forums, and discussion boards to form study groups. Additionally, while MCAT prep courses do offer access to a large number of resources, these resources may not always be reliable. 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.

If you thrive in a self-directed study environment, you can access the free and low-cost resources available online to create and follow your own study schedule. Listed below are a few of these resources:. Acing the MCAT is not easy. We can help! These resources include the same advice, tips, and strategies we provide in our one-on-one consultations. The difference is that some students can easily apply these strategies to their own study habits and schedules, while others need a personalized approach.

Alternatively, if you have the budget for it, you can opt for a private MCAT tutor. Tutors offer subject specific, 1-on-1 coaching along with individual feedback and test-taking tips.

This is a great choice for those who prefer face-to-face coaching, personalized guidance and customizable schedules. A tutor can give you a realistic interpretation of your performance in the practice tests and identify the most efficient way to improve your score. Struggling with MCAT physics?

Check out our video below:. You will have to plan your study schedule carefully, put in hours of dedicated studying and stay focused on your goal. An MCAT prep course could help you make the best use of your time and maximize your efficiency.