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Examkrackers vs Kaplan MCAT
Determine which MCAT course and prep books are best for you between Kaplan and Examkrackers
When preparing for the MCAT, choosing the right study materials can make a significant difference in your performance. This article provides an in-depth comparison between two of the most popular MCAT prep options: Examkrackers and Kaplan. By evaluating their course structures, study resources, prep books, and overall effectiveness, we aim to help prospective medical students determine which provider best aligns with their learning style and goals.
To kick this comparison off, let’s explore the key advantages that make Kaplan’s MCAT preparation courses superior to those offered by Examkrackers.
Video Lessons
One area where Kaplan outshines Examkrackers is in their video lessons. While the video lectures from Examkrackers are certainly good and have their merits, they are not quite as strong or engaging as Kaplan’s.
Example video lesson from Kaplan
For one, the Examkrackers videos have background music playing that can become distracting at times. They also contain a limited amount of graphics and animations.
In contrast, Kaplan’s video lessons are exceptional, featuring impactful graphics, bullet-point notes, and engaging animations. Their video lessons are right up there with Blueprint’s as the best in the entire MCAT prep space.
As such, we think Kaplan is the better choice for visual learners who need or want engaging video lessons that hold their attention and boost material retention.
MCAT Practice Tests
Kaplan also outperforms Examkrackers when it comes to practice tests. Kaplan offers an impressive 17 full-length simulated exams, compared to the 10 that Examkrackers offers.
MCAT question from Kaplan
Practice tests under exam-like conditions are crucial for effective MCAT preparation, and Kaplan’s provision of 7 additional tests is a major advantage. It’s widely recognized that taking and reviewing practice tests is where students often see the most improvement, making Kaplan’s extensive test bank a critical benefit.
MCAT Workshops
One of Kaplan’s standout features is their unlimited live online workshops and office hours. Kaplan hosts nightly webinars, providing additional study time and deep dives into specific MCAT topics, such as CARS strategies or biology content review.
These sessions allow for detailed exploration of complex subjects, followed by an open Q&A segment where students can ask about anything. They are a fantastic way to end the day, offering valuable insights beyond the main coursework and opportunities to ask specific questions, adding significant value to the learning experience.
The Kaplan MCAT workshops are fantastic
Importantly, even students enrolled in Kaplan’s On-Demand course can access these workshops and office hours, which is a major benefit for those on a tighter budget.
It’s also worth mentioning that Princeton Review, like Kaplan, offers unlimited access to live workshops and office hours, providing similar value to their students.
Mobile Apps
Kaplan provides students with two distinct mobile apps. One app focuses exclusively on practice problems, while the other is a virtual reality app that covers approximately 1,000 science-related MCAT topics.
Together, these mobile apps offer students the convenience of studying on-the-go, making it easier to fit prep time into their busy schedules.
These mobile resources are perfect for reinforcing knowledge during commutes or breaks, ensuring consistent study habits. Additionally, the app’s accessibility helps students maximize their study time, leading to better retention and performance on the MCAT.
Performance Reports
Another significant advantage of Kaplan is their superior performance metrics. Kaplan’s score reports and analysis tools surpass those of Examkrackers.
These metrics are incredibly valuable for identifying weak areas, tracking answer-changing habits, and assessing overall progress.
Higher Score Guarantee
The last advantage in favor of Kaplan is pretty straightforward – Kaplan offers a higher score guarantee, while Examkrackers does not.
In other words, if your MCAT score doesn’t improve after completing the Kaplan MCAT course, you can either receive a full refund or retake the course. Certain requirements must be met to qualify for this guarantee, but it serves as a valuable safety net for students.
Now that we’ve discussed the strengths of the Kaplan MCAT program, let’s turn the tables and discuss the reasons you should consider using Examkrackers to help you study for the MCAT.
MCAT Prep Books
One of the standout positives of this course is how it leverages the Examkrackers books as its backbone. This strategy, in my opinion, is incredibly smart and effective.
The MCAT books from Examkrackers are top-notch
The Examkrackers books are renowned in the test prep community for their comprehensive and high-quality content (similar to Princeton Review). They offer a wealth of information, presented in a way that is both thorough and easy to digest. By making these books the focal point of the course, students are able to benefit from a structured and reliable source of knowledge.
The books break down complex topics into manageable sections, making it easier for students to absorb and retain the material. This approach not only helps in understanding the subject matter but also in building confidence as students can track their progress through the well-organized content.
Overall, the decision to center the course around these highly regarded books enhances the learning experience, providing students with a solid foundation for their exam preparation.
Material Retention
One of the standout features of the Examkrackers MCAT course is the inclusion of embedded content questions in each chapter. These questions are not designed in the traditional MCAT style, but we actually find this to be a significant advantage.
Flashcard from Examkrackers
These quick, quiz-style questions serve as immediate checks on your understanding of the material as you progress through the chapter. They are strategically placed to test your knowledge in real-time, helping to reinforce what you’ve just learned. This approach aids in retention by encouraging active recall, a proven method to enhance memory.
The incorporation of these questions alongside the chapter text is a smart and effective strategy. It ensures that learning is interactive and engaging, rather than passive. Instead of just reading through dense material, you are prompted to apply what you’ve read, which deepens your comprehension and retention of the concepts.
Examkrackers offers several different course options. For their self-paced KrackU course, you can choose between 7 to 365 days of access, which range in price from $95 to $1,745. The company also offers a live online course that costs around $2,500.
The courses from Kaplan, on the other hand, range in price from $2,000 all the way up to $3,600.
Therefore, you’ll likely save a good chunk of change by going with Examkrackers for your MCAT prep. Though, it’s worth noting that Kaplan does frequently offer sales and discounts.
After reviewing each MCAT course, and considering all the various factors, our team concludes that Kaplan offers the better MCAT prep program. Their updated video lessons, volume of practice tests, mobile apps, higher score guarantee and exceptional live instructors make Kaplan our preferred choice.
Although Examkrackers has many strengths, such as their attractive price point and robust prep books, we found Kaplan to be more effective overall.
Which MCAT prep course is better, Kaplan or Examkrackers?
Although both companies have their own strengths and weaknesses, our team believes Kaplan offers the superior MCAT course thanks in large part to their engaging video lessons, top-notch instructors, and higher score guarantee.
Does Kaplan or Altius guarantee a better MCAT score?
Yes, Kaplan does offer a higher score guarantee. However, Examkrackers does not.
