MCAT prep guide - Kaplan or Princeton Review? (Houston, Howe: high school, college)

[EDS_]

Our son will take the MCAT in a few months.

Advice appreciated.

[GreyDay]

Kaplan is a bit better from memory. Good luck doctor.

[EDS_]

Awesome thank you.

[mSooner]

Apply to Texas med schools! No better deal or selection elsewhere in the US!

Also, make sure he gets his applications in as soon as the schools start taking them--this burned a few people I know.

I wish I could offer advice via MCAT prep--my husband bought a book, studied from it, and took a free Kaplan prep test. He was happy enough with his 1st score to not try again/take a class.

[GreyDay]

More from the journal of anectdotal evidence. MCAT's are serious business these days. Some kids have been groomed for this from high school. I'd get my extra curriculars in order, dig up whatever volunteer work you did. Shadow any random doctor. Be prepared for the "why do you want to be a doctor?" question.

As for prep. You don't have to study. You don't need a class. You don't even need to try very hard on your personal statement....but since everyone else (traditional and non-traditional students) is and you don't want to wind up in Grenada fighting monkeys for your anatomy books, I'd take Kaplan, crush the online questions and apply to 6-10 schools.

For the record, I didn't study for my MCATs at all and went out the night before. But I was 21 and dumb. Studying and the classes can only help. BTW, I took it on paper.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by mSooner

Apply to Texas med schools! No better deal or selection elsewhere in the US!

Also, make sure he gets his applications in as soon as the schools start taking them--this burned a few people I know.

I wish I could offer advice via MCAT prep--my husband bought a book, studied from it, and took a free Kaplan prep test. He was happy enough with his 1st score to not try again/take a class.

He's all over going to med school here in TX. UTSW would be his first choice.

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by ganongrey

More from the journal of anectdotal evidence. MCAT's are serious business these days. Some kids have been groomed for this from high school. I'd get my extra curriculars in order, dig up whatever volunteer work you did. Shadow any random doctor. Be prepared for the "why do you want to be a doctor?" question.

As for prep. You don't have to study. You don't need a class. You don't even need to try very hard on your personal statement....but since everyone else (traditional and non-traditional students) is and you don't want to wind up in Grenada fighting monkeys for your anatomy books, I'd take Kaplan, crush the online questions and apply to 6-10 schools.

For the record, I didn't study for my MCATs at all and went out the night before. But I was 21 and dumb. Studying and the classes can only help. BTW, I took it on paper.

He's got the below on his resume 100% documented and verifiable
~400+ general community service hours (hauling trash, cooking meals for the needy, changing diapers - no kidding etc.)
~250/300 more in hospitals
~Paid "Cardiac Hospital" internship this summer ~160 hours
~He's shadowed various docs since 9th grade the last one just last week

He's got two more summers to make it better.

[stan4]

Hm.

When *I* took the course, Princeton Review was better because they forced you to come to classes and do homework and take 6 full-length practice tests under real conditions. However, more people did Kaplan because it was a few hundred dollars cheaper.

Let me tell you, even the proctor of the test told me that he thought it was strange I was smiling so much...well, by then, that test and that environment were old hat (this was paper).

I needed the structure. With all my other classes and working in the lab, it was just better that way. You know how your kid is...investigate both programs and see which fits him better.

Oh...and if I were y'all, I'd get him published or involved in some research or something asap.

UTSW class of 2002

[EDS_]

Originally Posted by stan4

Hm.

When *I* took the course, Princeton Review was better because they forced you to come to classes and do homework and take 6 full-length practice tests under real conditions. However, more people did Kaplan because it was a few hundred dollars cheaper.

Let me tell you, even the proctor of the test told me that he thought it was strange I was smiling so much...well, by then, that test and that environment were old hat (this was paper).

I needed the structure. With all my other classes and working in the lab, it was just better that way. You know how your kid is...investigate both programs and see which fits him better.

Oh...and if I were y'all, I'd get him published or involved in some research or something asap.

UTSW class of 2002

Congratulations on '02.

We have a doc friend very wired into UTSW and she said research is serving they really want to see on an app. Kid is looking into that.

[mSooner]

Oh...and if I were y'all, I'd get him published or involved in some research or something asap.

Have him check out summer research programs. DH did one at UT Houston before his senior year and one at UTSW before MS-1. He continued with his MS-1 research this year. All got/will get him good pubs. UTSW and UT Houston aren't the only schools that offer these...as an added bonus, many pay as much as a summer job.

There's also undergrad research--at OU it was through the Honors College. I spent a couple nights with DH at the lab doing his mice stuff It's not always the most glamorous or interesting work, but he did know his way around a lab well by the end and I think that helped him with the research programs offered by the med schools.

As long as he keeps a good GPA, sounds like he's on the right track.