Altius Vs. Blueprint MCAT: Which one is better?

Choosing the right MCAT prep course can be a real game-changer, but with so many options out there, it’s hard to know which one’s best.

That’s where the showdown between Altius and Blueprint comes in.

We’re diving deep into what each of these heavy hitters offers – from prices and teaching approaches to videos and practice tests.

We’ll break down how they work, whether they’re more hands-on or structured, and who they’re great for.

Stick around to find out which one might be your perfect match.

Altius Vs. Blueprint MCAT Comparison Table

Here is a comparison of the tutoring packages for both courses:

Altius Vs. Blueprint MCAT Overview

Altius and Blueprint are two of the most popular MCAT prep courses out there.

Both of these companies have some striking similarities in their offerings.

For example, both Altius and Blueprint offer multiple types of MCAT prep courses, including Live, Tutoring, and Self-Paced courses.

However, Altius is slightly different in the sense that they only offer MCAT prep, while Blueprint also offers LSAT and other med school prep courses as well.

Still, both are unique and effective in their own ways. Let’s compare how they fair against each other.

Altius Vs. Blueprint MCAT Detailed Comparison In 2024

Pricing & Course Options

Altius has a course option for every kind of student.

Whether you like to study at your own pace, want to be assisted by an Altius mentor, or simply want to take some practice exams, Altius has got you covered.

You will find the following prep programs on their website:

• MCAT Mentoring: These course options include 1-on-1 mentoring sessions with regular course material. The price ranges from $2,999 to $6,999.
• Summer Immersion: This category includes 10 weeks of hyper-focused MCAT prep offered during the summer break. The Gold package costs $8499, and the Platinum costs $9,999.
• MCAT Study Materials: This category includes a self-paced course priced at $999. Also, you can buy bundles of practice tests and tutoring sessions separately.
• Undergrad Science Tutoring: This includes tutoring sessions.
• Medical School Admissions Mentoring: These are mentorship and review sessions to improve your overall application.

Blueprint, on the other hand, also offers multiple course options.

• 515+ Course: It’s a live course taught by two 519+ instructors with 80 hours of classes and a guarantee of scoring 515 or higher on the MCAT. It costs $3,499.
• Live Online: This is another live course with 12 hours per week from two dedicated tutors. The course comes with a score increase guarantee and costs $2,599.
• Self-Paced Course: This category includes a self-paced course priced at $1,999.
• Tutoring: This is Blueprint’s pure tutoring category with further options, including Core, Premium, and 515+ options. The price varies from $3,599 to $11,000.
• Summer Immersive: This is Blueprint’s intensive summer program that lasts 4 weeks and costs between $6,000 and $7,000.

Course Curriculum & Structure

Altius’s primary focus for MCAT prep is more on personalized one-on-one tutoring and small group classes.

Their approach is hands-on, emphasizing individualized learning with dedicated mentors.

The coursework revolves around intensive review sessions with mentors, tailored to address strengths, weaknesses, and exam content.

For Blueprint, everything revolves around your study plan, a central component of the Blueprint dashboard.

The program generates a personalized calendar-style study plan detailing what and when to study until exam day.

You will probably get three to five daily assignments comprising learning modules, AAMC problem sets, or mock exams. These cover MCAT subtopics, integrating video lessons, quizzes, drills, and strategies.

Each module is self-contained and allows you to master the topic before moving on to practice.

MCAT Video Lessons

This one isn’t even a competition.

Video lessons are not Altius’s strength; they’re entirely focused on live classes and group mentoring sessions.

Conversely, Blueprint excels in MCAT video lessons, featuring animated visualizations, striking graphics, and engaging instructor delivery.

Spread across about 160 bite-sized modules, their content is concise, aiding retention.

Particularly for visual learners, Blueprint stands out as an exceptional choice.

Live Classes & Mentoring

Altius MCAT prep course features live classes in the form of small groups.

These are more like workshops than lectures because there are only a handful of students, and they have to participate actively in the discussions.

These live classes may take place once a week or more often, depending on the track you choose.

The number of hours for these live classes is directly linked to the package you select, ranging from 120 to 200 hours.

How good are these? They are extraordinary. They actually seem like an extension of their 1-on-1 mentoring sessions.

Since there are only 6 to 8 students per batch, you get the personalized focus and attention of your mentor in each session. 

Overall, it’s a very powerful combination of group talks and mentoring, which keeps you surrounded with peers and high-achieving MCAT tutors.

Blueprint, on the other hand, also offers almost 16 to 40 hours of 1-on-1 mentoring on top of the video lessons and other resources.

Interestingly, they take a dual-instructor approach, which makes the classes a little interesting.

The duo of teachers would often refer to each other for their areas of strength, and it also takes away the monotony of having to study from a single teacher.

MCAT Practice Tests & Questions

We did first mention that video lessons are not Altius’s strengths, but Altius’s practice tests are something special.

They understand the importance of practice and have built perfect-match MCAT practice exams in every aspect.

From word count to difficulty, topic, formatting, and standardization, they have successfully replicated AAMC procedures to bring you the real MCAT experience.

How are their tests so representative of the original MCAT?

Well, they claim to have invested millions of dollars into building software that detects patterns just like the FBI’s software does for criminal activities. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

This is also the reason why Altius also offers their practice exams as standalone items: because they believe in their accuracy, and the results speak for themselves.

On top of this, their questions are accompanied by detailed explanations, so you clearly understand why certain options are correct or incorrect.

Blueprint also boosts a highly representative set of practice questions with real-MCAT-like experience.

Like Altius, their questions also match AAMC’s length and difficulty, preparing you for the real thing.

These, too, come with in-depth text and video explanations, helping you understand the correct options.

Moreover, Blueprint also lets you create custom practice tests as per your preference.

You can create up to 4000 questions with their AI-powered system.

Prep Books

Altius offers a single prep book, which is their MCAT bible and is almost 600 pages long.

This prep book features practice drills, questions with explanations, and content review.

While it might not seem like much when compared to other MCAT courses that offer heaps of books, Altius actually does a great job with it.

They have intelligently cut down the fluff and only included bits that are most effective.

Blueprint, on the other hand, offers much more value and gives you six prep books, each for all the individual subjects.

These revamped books complement their online course.

Each book offers in-depth reviews, chapter-end practice problems, and clear explanations for complex topics, enhancing the overall learning experience.

User Experience

While Altius offers functional online tools, it’s not their standout feature.

Their forte lies in the human-centric aspects of MCAT preparation: small group live classes, personalized 1-on-1 mentoring, and live review sessions take center stage in their approach.

So, you don’t really get to experience the platform itself; instead, you go to live classes and tutors.

Conversely, Blueprint boasts one of the finest digital platforms.

Their interface is sleek, modern, and remarkably user-friendly.

The navigation bar at the top neatly houses key study resources like the study plan, exams, QBank, and analytics, ensuring effortless navigation within the Blueprint portal.

The platform’s functionality is top-notch, delivering a snappy, ultra-modern experience where all study material is just a few clicks away.

Refund & MCAT Score Guarantee

If there’s one thing that you will see popping up on both Altius’s and Blueprint’s websites, it’s the word “Guarantee.”

So, let’s compare what kind of guarantees they offer.

First, all of Altius’s full courses (not tutoring sessions) offer higher score guarantees.

The 1-on-1 mentoring programs offer a Guaranteed 90th-percentile MCAT Score OR a Minimum 12-point Score Increase if you complete 100% of the Platinum, Silver, or Gold 1-on-1 MCAT Program.

Then there’s the 30-day Money Back Guarantee. You have 30 days from the date of purchase to receive a full refund if you’re not satisfied for any reason.

And there’s yet another bold and crazy guarantee.

If you complete 100% of the Elite Program assignments and do not improve your score over a previous MCAT (or your first full-length diagnostic exam), Altius will refund double your paid amount.

How’s that for a guarantee?

Well, that’s how confident they are in their prep programs.

Lastly, they have a 14-day money-back policy for all self-study Altius MCAT prep courses and materials, provided that you haven’t used any of them.

Blueprint also offers two incredible guarantees.

Their live and self-paced courses come with a score increase guarantee, while their tutoring and 515+ Course come with a guarantee that you will score more than 515.

Needless to say, these are pretty bold claims and show how confident the company is about its prep material.

Verdict: Which One Is Better?

To be fair, both courses are excellent in terms of value for money.

Altius’s personalized approach revolves around live classes, small-group sessions, and 1-on-1 mentoring.

It’s the go-to choice for highly personalized attention and relishing the classroom environment.

Also, while video lessons might not be Altius’s strength, their practice tests are highly representative and closest to the original MCAT.

Moreover, they have customer-friendly refund policies along with generous score guarantees.

Still, Blueprint might be the better resource for overall prep.

It excels in its structured and comprehensive course curriculum.

Their emphasis on a well-organized study plan, segmented modules, and highly engaging video lessons offers a self-paced and structured approach to learning.

They might not offer tutoring at the same price as Altius, but Blueprint stands out for its exceptional video lessons with excellent information-packed content.

Plus, you also get an AI-powered question bank featuring over 4000 practice questions.

They help you practice different questions and enhance your test-taking skills along the way.

So, while Altius has its own unique features and offerings, Blueprint is the better option with better videos and more practice questions.