Does the Kaplan PCAT prep course help?

[PharmacistApril]

I have been getting mixed responses so I wanted to know what you guys thought about it. I know the course costs alot..........I want to take it next semester when I start Orgo 1. I just want to know is it better if I study on my own, or does the course have a significant impact on PCAT scores in a good way?

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[babyvi3thonnie]

I have been getting mixed responses so I wanted to know what you guys thought about it. I know the course costs alot..........I want to take it next semester when I start Orgo 1. I just want to know is it better if I study on my own, or does the course have a significant impact on PCAT scores in a good way?

hi...it just depend on you...my friend took it and she got in the 80s on her pcat but i took it last yr and i still did horrible on the pcat...if you decide to take kaplan then you must willing to do all the assignments and attend all the classes then it may help you...however i didnt all the work they offer....and i didnt feel they teach enough in their classes and also it was taught by a first yr pharm student who happens to get in the 90s on the pcat...i thought it was going to be real teacher or something so i was a little disappointed...

this yr i jut decided to buckle down i study from various study books that are sold in bookstore and i did better on my pcat...well good luck

 

[hexane]

I had three of my friends pay their $1000+ and they still weren't happy with their scores. In my opinion, if you schedule your study time well and really study you don't need to spend all that money. Instead all you need is a couple of pcat books and a quiet place to study.

 

[Farmercyst]

Moved to PCAT from Pre-pharm a/o involves PCAT prep.

 

[bsmspharmd]

I haven't taken the course, but I have spoken to a Kaplan representative (read salesperson) about it. He says that Kaplan will teach you strategies to increase your odds of getting the right answer by eliminating wrong answers.
For example, certain multiple choice quetions group answers like this:

A. I
B. II
C. III
D. II and III

The kaplan strategy is to automatically eliminate answer A regardless of what "I" is simply because "I" appears the fewest number of times in the answers list.

My reply was that if you know your stuff, you don't have to use silly tricks to improve your odds, and that logic will eliminate the blatantly wrong answers, and help you figure out the right ones.

I'm not planning on throwing my money away on their course, but i do plan to spend a lot of time studying actual material before the test.

 

[bear85]

Yeah, so i paid around $1200 for kaplan. I think it helped me brush up on stuff i didnt remember such as math and general chemistry, but since i took this class during the fall semester i found that i didnt have a lot of time to do the assignments and homework they gave out. if you take kaplan during the summer when your not busy it might be worth the money. if youre going to take kaplan during a busy semseter, forget it, not worth the money or time you spend going to class (two 3 hour sessions a week!) just study on your own and manage your time well.

 

[guptek]

i took the online course and i thought it really helpmed. i got a 92%
i thot the kaplan practice tests were harder than the actual pcat. so i was not as stressed while taking the actual test. But then i made sure i covered each and everything in the book....so i guess it also depends on how much hard work you put into it! gud luck!

 

[airen]

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading mixed reviews about Kaplan's PCAT course. Some people think it's beneficial and others don't. I'm sort of perplexed whether I should sign up for it and I need to know ASAP because the course has already begun in the area I live. I'm planning to study on my own to supplement the assignments for the course but if the course isn't really going to help, I don't want to throw away $1299 down the drain.

What should I do? I checked out Princeton Review and they don't have any PCAT course offered. What are your opinions about Kaplan and do they have a competitor I should consider?

 

[rielazegui]

I took the kaplan review and i think it helped me a lot. It showed me exactly what to study. Since the pcat covers a lot of material and i dident know where to start. Also for me, its easier that someone tells me the info rather than me finding it out myself. Also the practice test helps, it shows you what to expect. I worked really hard and studied only the stuff they told me to and i was really happy with what i got. 98% overall

 

[MsSunshine]

I took it last year and they shower you with a lot of info. I think it could help you if you have been reviewing for a while on your own and then take it as a final review. I do not recommend it if your math and science background information is weak.

 

[fifteen1]

I am also taking the course in preparation for the June exam. Do you have any tips/suggestion/strategies?

 

[stewiefan2006]

I have been getting mixed responses so I wanted to know what you guys thought about it. I know the course costs alot..........I want to take it next semester when I start Orgo 1. I just want to know is it better if I study on my own, or does the course have a significant impact on PCAT scores in a good way?

I just finished with the Kaplan class and it has helped alot. i got a 373 on the diagnostic first exam, and my final exam was a 442. I am hoping to keep that score on the test in 2 weeks. My only downfall at the moment is organic chemistry-sn1 and sn2 reactions. Yes, my mother paid for the class but she did only because she wants me to be happy and be a pharmacist. if you can afford the class, take it. the materials they give you are awesome. i have 3 great books from them. it gives you great brush up on important topics-and they give you flashcards!

 

[B1terangel]

well i dont know if any of the course help. My sisters and I kinda paced ourself and studied on our own. We both score above 90 percentile on the Pcat and Over 30 on the Mcat. I think that if u spent time to study and when u learn something, make sure that u positively know it. Not forgetting what u learned is the Key. And we were too Poor to spend all that money in those courses.

 

[pigxoxo]

I took the kaplan review and i think it helped me a lot. It showed me exactly what to study. Since the pcat covers a lot of material and i dident know where to start. Also for me, its easier that someone tells me the info rather than me finding it out myself. Also the practice test helps, it shows you what to expect. I worked really hard and studied only the stuff they told me to and i was really happy with what i got. 98% overall

I am taking my pcat on October, so i was wondering if you still have the material from the kaplan course that you could sell to me. I really want to take the course but it is tooooo expensive for me. thanks

 

[nerv12345]

the kaplan course is good as a review course...don't expect it to be an intense crash course...because it's not.
i'm taking it and i'm pretty disappointed by the lack of intensity of this $1000+ course.

the practice questions they have for HW are way too easy and generalized as well...i don't feel like i'm learning much