Searching for the right MCAT prep course is a very important step on the way to becoming a Doctor.
You’ll spend countless hours studying so it’s essential that you find the course that fits your unique learning style best. No one wants to waste hours, days and weeks studying for no reason. Let’s make sure you pass the MCAT exam the first time.
However, If it is your first time learning about the MCAT, It is important to read through and understand what MCAT is and stands for before moving on to the best MCAT Prep Courses, but if not, scroll down to the main information.
ABOUT THE MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test, or MCAT, is more than just a formality for medical school admissions and has been part of the medical school admission process for more than 90 years. Every year more than 85,000 students sit for the exam. It is a multiple-choice, computer-based, standardized exam that is required for admission to med schools in the United States and Canada.
The MCAT is developed and administered by the test maker Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) to provide med schools with common measures for comparing applicants’ qualifications and readiness for med school.
AAMC develops and administers the MCAT exam multiple times each year, from late January through September, at more than hundreds of test sites throughout the United States, Canada, and in other selected locations throughout the world. The MCAT consists of 4 sections, and they are:
- The chemical and physical foundations of biological systems.
- Critical analysis and reasoning skills (MCAT CARS).
- Biological and biochemical foundations of living systems.
- Psychological, social and biological foundations of behavior.
Med school admissions committees look at your MCAT score, along with your academic record and supporting materials, to assess your foundations to build a successful medical career. Heads up: A high score on the MCAT will have a direct, positive impact on your med school application.
However, the MCAT exams usually consist of 230 questions with a duration of 7 hours, and 30 minutes.
WHAT IS MCAT?
Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a multi-choice, computer-based, formalized examination for expected medical students in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean Islands. The MCAT tests physical and biological sciences, verbal reasoning, and writing skills.
That is to say that MCAT therefore, necessitates more than an understanding of the skills mentioned above. It is an evaluation of a participant’s critical intellectual skills that reward them on their ability to know how to detect, interpret and resolve complex or complicated problems.
One of the most important steps to becoming a doctor is to find the right Medical College Admission Test prep courses. The various options, prices, guarantees, and features make it very hard to choose between all of the different course offerings, as well as bring about difficulty in finding the review class that suits your unique needs. The too much worry and cost.
To save you the hours and days of searching for these courses with fewer results or none, we have made finding a course that best suits your learning style easier by writing in detail the best 10 MCAT prep courses for you.
We want to help you pass your exam without trying a second time. If you have questions whose answers you don’t find here, please drop them in the comment section below.
WHO IS MCAT FOR?
The MCAT is for anyone who is planning on applying to a health professions school either in the United States, Canada, Australia, or the Caribbean Islands, and will need to register for and take the MCAT through the official AAMC platform.
HOW LONG IS MCAT?
From start to finish, the complete MCAT exam (including breaks) is 7 ½ hours long. Not including breaks, the exam is 6 hours and 15 minutes (content time only). The complete timed structure of the test is as follows:
10 minutes: Intro/tutorial
95 minutes: Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
10 minutes: Break
90 minutes: Critical Analysis and Reasoning (CARS)
30 minutes: Mid-Exam (lunch) break
95 minutes: Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
10 minutes: Break
95 minutes: Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
5 minutes: Void question (You will be asked whether you want to void your test, or proceed with official scoring)
5 minutes: Optional satisfaction survey
ARE THERE ANY PREREQUISITES REQUIRED IN ORDER TO REGISTER FOR MCAT?
No, there are no specific prerequisites in order to register for the test.
Although, it is highly recommended to have taken all of your undergraduate pre-med science courses, which include biology, anatomy and physiology, physics, biochemistry, and chemistry, before taking the MCAT as materials on the MCAT are built from these courses.
WHAT IS A GOOD MCAT SCORE?
The complete MCAT score range is from 472-528. The average score among ALL test takers is 500. For those who end up applying to medical school, the average score is between 505-506. The average score for medical school matriculants is from 509-512.
A competitive MCAT score is considered greater than or equal to 509, though there are of course exceptions to this. Many students are accepted to medical school each year with a score lower than 509, and many are rejected with a score higher than 509. These things happen.
If you were to assign a “magic number” for an MCAT score that gets accepted into medical school, it would probably be 510. However, this, of course, is not a surety of any kind.
WILL MEDICAL SCHOOLS SEE IF I VOID MY MCAT EXAM?
No. Medical schools have no record of voided MCAT scores or no-shows, nor do they have any way to look up whether or not you’ve voided a score. The only place it will show up is via your personal AAMC MCAT Score Reporting System, which only you can access. If you take the MCAT and void your score on your first try, for example, and then take it a second time and end up sending those scores to a medical school, the school will not be able to see your first voided exam.
HOW OFTEN CAN I TAKE THE MCAT?
You can take the MCAT up to three times in a single testing year, up to four times in a two-year period, and up to seven times total in your lifetime.
ARE MCAT SCORES ACCEPTED BY SCHOOLS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES?
Yes, any international medical school that is recognized by state boards in the U.S. will accept (and likely require) MCAT scores.
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WHEN TO TAKE THE MCAT EXAM
It is greatly recommended that the examinee should have taken all the undergraduate pre-med science courses, which include biology, anatomy and physiology, physics, biochemistry, and chemistry, before taking the MCAT.
In some cases, examinees take their exam in the calendar year that follows the year you plan to get into medical school.
Take the MCAT in April or May of the calendar year before you want to start medical school. So if you’re planning to become a first-year medical student in August 2025, then take the MCAT in April or May of 2024.
MCAT TEST PREPARATION RESOURCES
The AAMC offers official MCAT preparation tools to help potential examinees in the preparations for the examination and to ensure they can study and practice with test resources written by the test developers that can duplicate the MCAT experience in substitute testing conditions.
HOW TO STUDY FOR THE MCAT
The MCAT consists of four sections. These are Physical Sciences (chemistry and physics), Biological Sciences (biology and organic chemistry), Verbal Reasoning, and Writing skills. The Physical Sciences section consists of 52 multiple-choice questions that must be completed in 70 minutes.
The Verbal Reasoning section of the exam includes 40 multiple-choice questions, which must be completed in 60 minutes. Finally, the Writing Sample section consists of two essays which must be completed in 60 minutes.
10 BEST MCAT PREP COURSES
There are lots of MCAT prep courses in the market, and this makes it difficult to know and decide which ones will really suit your unique learning style and budget. It will be important and helpful to get a mentor or an instructor in your life because the way to medical school is designed with nervosity and hard work.
The MCAT Prep courses are in four types of study categories:
Self-paced courses – this study category makes provision for a vast range of materials and a general study plan to follow. This means you can study when you want and at your own convenience — a key feature for students who need adaptability in their study schedule.
Live online courses: – this study category is perfect for those who want the guidance and feedback of an instructor but have no time for or access to, a physical class. The pre-scheduled sessions mean you won’t have absolute control over your study plans. You will have to “show up” to classes but from the comfort of your home.
In-person prep courses – this study category offers the most commonly accepted learning experience. If you enjoy discussing subject material and test-taking strategies with an instructor and fellow students, an in-person course is a way to go for you.
The six-week intensive – this category is a great option if you are buoyant enough and have the time to devote to MCAT prep. If you do great or flourish in a classroom environment and know you need constant support, this study category might be the best choice for you.
Whichever category you choose, we have got you covered. Now go on to read about the 10 best MCAT Prep Courses.
#1. NEXT STEP PREP THE TEST
Next Step Prep Test offers are unquestionably the best around. This is the reason we have ranked them as the best overall prep courses for the MCAT.
It offers courses in the ensuing type, like direct online tutoring, live online classroom sessions, and online on-demand. The live online classroom sessions are the most popularized. It has a duration of 6 months.
It offers a lot more classroom video time than the other companies do. Next Step Test Prep is a company that particularizes in MCAT prep; as a student, you get 1-on-1 personal orientation with the teachers/instructors
Next Step also encloses a score enhancement surety with their course. If your score does not improve after taking their course, They will either give you a repayment or further your course free. This is a really magnanimous proffer that demonstrates their strong stand by their product.
#2. PRINCETON MCAT PREP
Princeton is known for providing precise training for the MCAT exams. It is also highly recognized as a famous educational organization that provides all-inclusive tutoring resources for a vast range of tests.
With Princeton, everyone has a chance to pick a course depending on their budget plans. All you need to do is to take this course seriously and as though your life depends on it, and watch yourself easily crack the MCAT exam and gain admission to your choice of college
Princeton is one of the most adaptable MCAT Test Prep Courses you can find online. It offers four different modes for this course – Ultimate, Self-paced, Strategy, and Private Tutoring. The self-paced course is the most cost-effective and highly chosen by students and provides you with knowledge of four different subjects – Physics, Organic Chemistry, Biology, and Biochemistry.
With Princeton, you can get access to exclusive and innovative tools, such as MedFlix, Diagnostic Exams, Drills, etc., learn from the expert tutors that will work with you to create a strategy, set goals, and achieve them, and you will get a refund of your payment for the course. if you don’t score higher after taking the course.
#3. ALTIUS MCAT PREP
Altius MCAT Prep course is much more different from the traditional lecture-based MCAT prep course. Its designed is to motivate and inspire students to accomplish high-end goals, improve their critical rational ability, promote a vast, theoretical understanding of core science concepts, and deliver phenomenal student achievement coherently.
Altius MCAT prep course is our second-best general. It proffers prep classes in various styles which include: direct tutoring, live in-person classes, and live online classes. Their live online courses are their most expansive and most popularized.
The most outstanding thing that sets Altius higher than the other test prep companies is that they publish the exact exam scores that their students made in the exams. This tells so much about their confidence in their products, and they are exceptionally good.
The Altius products and results really speak confidently for themselves. They offer 105 total course hours. Together with these classroom hours, you also get regular office hours for additional instruction and guidance. These things prove useful when you are stuck on a challenge and need professional guidance.
#4. KAPLAN TEST PREP
Kaplan ranked as our third general best MCAT, proffers the most broad options for MCAT test preparations which include: direct tutoring, live in-person classroom sessions, live online classroom sessions, and an online on-demand course.
Their live online course is their most known, but their in-person classes follow immediately. Because Kaplan is famed for its test preparation and their great products, they offer in-person classes all over the country. Our first two choices do not have these features.
Kaplan prep courses are designed for each and every student. Your strengths and weaknesses will be recognized to drive your studies toward those topic areas. This will help save you stress and some trouble and as well make your scores quicker and easier.
Kaplan is also famed as the first choice for students who want to become doctors by clearing the MCAT exam. The Kaplan will help you learn and understand the fundamental concepts of clearing the MCAT exam with a higher score in the first attempt. It includes multiple training modes, such as in-person, live-online, self-paced, etc.
#5. GOLD STANDARD MCAT PREP COURSE
Gold Standard MCAT gives only one kind of MCAT prep course: on-demand. This structure makes their product stand out in this category.
Their contents are routinely updated to provide the most relevant information, explanations, problems, and solutions.
The Gold Standard courses are designed for people on a budget as they are also accessible in the form of monthly subscriptions. This means that you can subscribe or pay for your prep materials on-demand and cancel them anytime.
You can also subscribe for long-term access for up to six months or a year at a time. This flexibility can be a great choice if you don’t have long to study. Gold Standard also offers tons of free resources that can be obtained even without taking a subscription.
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#6. MAGOOSH MCAT
Magoosh is similar to Gold Standard as it offers its prep classes only in 1 way: on-demand online. This format allows the student to study for the MCAT in their own time and not at any time. Promise to upgrade your MCAT score by at least 5 points.
You can take your pick from the two accessible options; 1 month and 12 months premium, both of which come with a 7-day payment-refund guarantee. They help you study with the most updated, reliable, and tested materials based on the careful study of millions of students’ answers
The targeted study plans will help you to stay driven and encouraged, and the weekly study schedule will help you follow through until exam day.
In Magoosh, the intuitive dashboard evaluates your scores, equates your fluency with that of the other students, and tracks your learning. You will also be able to gain real test experience with adaptive technology that simulates the official exam.
#7. ADAPT PREP
Adapt Prep will be appreciated more by the students who practice question junkie. It serves as a self-paced MCAT prep course or as a nonscheduled study.
They are makers of many educational tools and programs for different trades and certifications, and have a program designed to prepare aspiring medical students for the MCAT.
The students who enroll in Adapt Prep courses gain access to a toolkit that lets them design their own practice exams. With the option to choose the subject matter and length for each one, the possible variations are so vast they may as well be infinite.
#8. EXAMKRACKERS MCAT
Examkrackers’ MCAT is also one of the best MCATs; their materials are hugely respected, focusing majorly on medium and hard practice questions so that you won’t feel overwhelmed on the day of the exam.
The company also offers an at-home study program that will equip you with all the tools you’ll need to conquer MCAT prep on your own.
#9. KHAN ACADEMY
Khan Academy is one of the best MCAT prep; the MCAT Test Prep course is free and easily accessible online, which is particularly contrived for students who cannot afford to pay a significant amount to prepare for the MCAT exam. All the subjects in this course are shaped by Khan Academy and reviewed under the direction of AAMC.
The material in this course is classified according to pre-health competencies that are tried and tested by the latest MCAT exam. With this free course, you have the opportunity to learn different subjects of the MCAT exam, such as Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Cells, Physical processes, Organ systems, etc.
With Khan Academy, you will learn the fundamental concepts of clearing the MCAT exam in the first attempt, gain knowledge of Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of behavior passages, know about different parts of the Organ system and how they work,
get practice exercises with each subject to test your knowledge of the subject and improve your skills to clear the exam, get access to small video lectures with every subject for better demonstration and help to prepare for the MCAT exam absolutely free of cost without any hidden charges.
#10. MANHATTAN PREP
Manhattan Elite Prep offers MCAT test prep classes and tutoring services with online teachers that are experts in their fields for all major MCAT sections, which include these four -the chemical and physical foundations of biological systems section, the critical analysis and reasoning skills section,
the biological and biochemical and the psychological, social, and biological foundations of behavior. Manhattan helps students reach their best scores in online test preparation classes.
It allows for maximum adaptability by providing instant and infinite access to its online library for students pursuing MCAT. Manhattan understands that MCAT Test preparation courses can be expensive, So they provide MCAT instructors at affordable rates with a rare and inclusive understanding of MCAT contents
The mastery of the material enables them to be able to explain the distinct components of the MCAT in a comprehensive and analytical manner that advances better retention than students who strive at rote memorization. They understand the different needs of students.
CONCLUSION
Finding the right MCAT prep courses always comes with difficulties in making decisions as you would spend hours deliberating on which MCAT prep course 2023 suits your learning style as well as matches your budget plans. It is the reason we have made the above list for you.
Although the list of MCAT courses 2023 listed above is not done in our order of preference as they are all great choices, it will be important to read through them, find the style that will best suit you, and apply when you are best prepared.
We wish you all the best!
REFERENCES
- https://www.mcat-prep.com/ – MCAT PREP EVOLVED, SO DID WE
- https://www.thoughtco.com – The Best MCAT Prep Books
