Taking the MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is a significant step in the right direction.
It’s your admissions ticket to medical school, and you should only take it once.
By reinforcing the medical information you need to get into med school, an MCAT preparation course can help you earn a solid score on the MCAT on your first try.
The top MCAT prep courses contain both knowledge and technique, are completely online, and allow students to tailor their studies to their own requirements and exam schedule.
We combed over the details of the most popular MCAT prep courses to help you figure out which one is right for you.
Blueprint
Blueprint is our obvious pick as the finest overall MCAT prep course, with live online office hours five days a week, the flexibility to repeat a class to reinforce the lesson, access to thousands of practice questions, and the most realistic full-length sample tests.
In addition to one-on-one tuition, Blueprint (which merged with Next Step) provides two MCAT prep courses.
Its Live Online Course has more than 40 hours of live classroom training from 524+ score professors that teach live and on camera.
160 learning modules, all AAMC resources, over 10,000 practice questions, 15 full-length practice tests, six MCAT content and strategy guides, and the flexibility to reschedule courses are all included in the course. The cost of six months of access is $2,299 USD.
Blueprint also guarantees a raise in your score. Students who finish the Live Online course but do not improve their score will get a free six-month subscription to MCAT Live or a full refund minus the cost of AAMC materials.
Students who enroll in an online course for six months or longer will get a free three-month extension or a full refund, excluding the cost of AAMC materials.
You may create a free account to have access to seven learning modules, the Study Planner Tool, and one full-length practice test before committing to Blueprint.
Kaplan
Kaplan has been researching and monitoring the MCAT since 1938, resulting in a spectrum of test prep solutions that encompass the medical information and test-taking abilities that prospective medical school applicants need to know.
Kaplan provides a wide range of MCAT preparation classes as well as a la carte study choices.
If you need to study intensively for many months before taking the MCAT, for example, you can enroll in one of the complete live online or on-demand courses.
If you’re confident and only need a reminder before your exam, a practice test package or the quiz bank, a library of interactive online quizzes, are also good options.
Kaplan’s flagship Live Online course costs $2,499 and includes 12 scheduled three-hour sessions as well as over 90 hours of recorded content.
For $2,999, the Live Online Plus course includes all of this as well as one-on-one coaching, admissions assistance, and focus area preparation.
Kaplan, for example, provides complimentary consultations to prospective students to assist them decide which prep course is best for them.
Students may also qualify for Affirm interest-free financing, which makes the pricing a little less daunting.
Altius
If you prefer in-person learning over online learning, Altius offers the greatest in-person MCAT preparation course.
Altius provides a variety of MCAT prep courses, but for in-person instruction, the Platinum Summer Immersion program is the best option.
Students come from all across the United States and Canada to take the summer immersion MCAT prep course at the Utah and Oregon campuses, according to Altius.
If you join in this program, be prepared for a grueling 10-week period: This Altius MCAT prep classes covers more than 50 hours of MCAT study over the course of 10 weeks, and you’ll be studying with some of the most devoted pre-med students in the country.
In-person MCAT preparation is out of reach for many people, costing $9,999. Altius, on the other hand, has a scholarship program that can help you save a few hundred bucks.
A Gold Summer Immersion program, which costs $8,499 and includes less total hours of teaching and coaching, is also available.
The advantage of face-to-face exam preparation is that there is no time for interruptions.
The Altius Summer Immersion program might be your ticket to the medical school of your dreams if you struggle to stay motivated or disciplined in your studies.
The Princeton Review
For individuals wishing to improve their score in a short length of time, The Princeton Review provides numerous possibilities.
Each course has its unique set of features, as well as a score guarantee and a return policy.
The Princeton Review was established in 1981 and has since established itself as a leading name in the preparation course sector.
It now offers a variety of test preparation courses, including four MCAT prep alternatives and a bootcamp.
Students who wish to apply to the nation’s best medical schools should take the MCAT 515+ Immersion Course.
You’ll have access to over 195 hours of live teaching, unlimited on-demand tuition 24 hours a day, 16 full-length practice tests, and all AAMC practice materials. The course will set you back roughly $6,999.
You must have a beginning score of 505+ to be eligible for the 515+ score guarantee.
If you don’t get a 515 or above on the exam, you’ll get a complete refund minus the shipping charge for the course materials, which includes 11 textbooks.
MCAT Self Prep
Are you particular about how you study? To make the most of your time and effort, go to MCAT Self Study and totally tailor your MCAT prep course.
MCAT Self Prep not only has a free MCAT prep course and a fully customized option, but it also has a selection of prebuilt premium courses that start at $9.99 and contain the same content as a Kaplan or Princeton Review MCAT prep course.
Of course, you can’t expect the same degree of teaching for free or $9.99—that is, no one-on-one coaching or in-person classes.
The free course, on the other hand, contains ten study modules, a video library, study tips, MCAT questions of the day, a Meta study group, and 24-hour chat assistance.
The free MCAT Self Prep course might boost your score if you’re a self-starter and a dedicated learner.
Consider Self Prep’s Basic Pro ($9.99), Advanced Pro ($99), or Deluxe Pro ($999) courses if you need a little more structure.
These are all one-time purchases, and as the rates rise, the material becomes more thorough and you receive more rewards.
MCAT Self Prep also allows you to entirely tailor your study schedule. To assess your present knowledge and test-taking skills, you’ll first take a diagnostic exam.
Then you’ll define objectives, make action plans, create a schedule, keep track of your progress, and take the MCAT.
Conclusion
Many students, especially those who have already taken the MCAT and had an unsatisfactory score, may consider taking MCAT prep classes.
Unlike your undergraduate coursework, MCAT preparation classes are focused solely on this one exam.
MCAT prep classes, in addition to addressing crucial subject areas like physiology and pharmacology, also include test-taking strategies like time management and elimination.
MCAT prep classes are particularly beneficial for individuals who require the guidance of a mentor or tutor.
Preparation classes may not be worth it for persons who study well on their own and can devote to the process.