To study sufficiently for the MCAT exam, you need adequate preparation materials.
Last week, I took you through Kaplan vs. The Princeton Review (TPR), and today I am here to help you understand the Examkrackers.
It’s a test prep company just like Kaplan and TPR, and they offer a wide range of products that are useful in helping students prepare for the real MCAT test.
In this article, I will give you an overview of the Examkrackers, review their on-demand course and give you an objective comparison between Examkrackers and Kaplan.
Let’s get right into it.
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Pros
Best video lessons for MCAT in the industry.
Offers all prep options: online, live classes and private tutoring
Score increase guarantee
Cons
Higher price tag but we think it’s well justified.
Examkrackers Overview
Examkrackers is an MCAT test prep company offering a wide range of products. They have been in the industry for over 20 years and have worked with nearly 100,000 MCAT students.
The company started off as an in-person MCAT prep class for New York’s Columbia University-Based students, way back in 1997.
Currently, the company prides itself for spreading their services to several university campuses in the United States.
Their MCAT prep books also rank among the most trusted across North America and the world at large.
Presently, Examkrackers offer their MCAT prep services to students across the world and their shine is still on, and it will hopefully be around even in the future.
Their main modes of service delivery are instructor-led and self-study.
And their tutors are certified and highly qualified.
- Programs Examkrackers Offer
As already mentioned above, their programs are categorized as either tutor-led or self-study. The two main categories are then further divided into;
- Self-paced Online Courses
- In-person Course
- Live Online Courses
- Prep Books
This makes it easier for students to choose the program that best suits their needs. And if you don’t want to take a course, then you can always get their prep books to use with other study-materials for adequate preparation for the MCAT real exam.
ExamKrackers MCAT Review
Although ExamKrackers offer various programs, the on-demand course is the most famous.
I also feel that this course provides students with the most value and at an affordable price. And that’s why I saw it fit to give you a detailed review of this program to help you make an informed choice.
When you enroll for this classes, you stand to gain from 34 recorded MCAT lessons, a 10th Edition of the MCAT Complete Study Package and 5 full-length MCAT practice tests.
And of course, you receive a personalized schedule and syllabus.
I also like the fact that they provide students with a detailed test review answers, which will allow you to understand why specific answers are wring and why others are correct.
Through this, you get to understand your way around, giving the best answers to tricky questions, which are a norm in the MCAT real test.
Furthermore, there are 32 in-class test reviews and a 6-month forum that gives you access to a certified MCAT instructor. Which means you ‘can shoot any question and get answers.
Besides, forums are a great way of exchanging notes with like-minded individuals.
And it comes in handy especially if you’re taking the test for the 1st time and can’t find a study-partner within your physical location.
The package also includes 3 strategy coach sessions.
Another thing that I find quite impressive about this course is its affordable pricing. It costs $1,745, and with all the material you stand to gain, it’s worth it.
Now, that you have a crispy idea of what this course entails. Here’s how your study life will look like for those 12 weeks that you will be undertaking the on-demand course;
First, you will be allocated an experienced instructor, who has worked with tons of students before to help you through the period.
Expect to have time to time meetings with the instructor as they check on your progress and help you go through your day to day study plan.
The instructor will be responsible for monitoring your MCAT practice tests and will help you set weekly goals that they will “push” you to achieve.
Many students confess that having an accountability partner .is the best thing that ever happened to them during their MCAT prep. Why? Because it will push you to do your best, not only to prove your worth to yourself but, to them that trust your capabilities.
A tutor will know when to help you speed things up by tightening your study schedule and when to urge you to take it slow, especially when they notice you’re burning out.
You also won’t have any obligation to attend classes, which is ideal for students working around a tight schedule or, those who prefer studying by themselves, away from the crowd.
The EK MCAT passages for the on-demand class students are created in a natural way and focus on helping them boost their weaknesses.
You can also look forward to the online weekend MCAT forum discussions, where instructors help students come up with strategies to deal with weak areas. The best part is that none of this is mandatory, so, if you get to attend at your will, then it means you’re ready to give it your all!
If you follow the study schedule religiously, then you should be feeling ready for the real MCAT test at the end of the 9th week. This way, you can use the remaining weeks for final touches.
But, if you find yourself not ready the 9th week, the 3 remaining weeks are sufficient to catch-up and polish on your weak areas.
It’s clear that the ExamKrackers on-demand classes doesn’t focus on creating pressure in students. Instead, it encourages you to study at a good pace by spreading out content, which I find impressive.
Once you register for the course, they ship all the course materials to your address and you can begin your classes within no time.
The books (10th Edition) you will receive include;
- Reasoning Skills; Verbal, Research& Math
- Physics
- Psyc&Soc
- Biology 1-Molecules
- Chemistry
- Biology 2- Systems
You will also gain access to the 11th Edition MCAT Manuals at no extra cost.
Here is a reminder of the course content;
- 32 in-class test review( recorded)
- 34 MCAT Lessons (Recorded)
- MCAT schedule and Syllabus ( Page by Page, Week by Week)
- Sunday night MCAT study group forum sessions( not Mandatory)
- Access to MCAT instructor in study forums for 6 months
Note; all the recordings will be made available to you for the entire 12 weeks period.
One thing that I wish ExamKrackers would have added to this course is a score guarantee or at least a money-back guarantee of some sort, if not satisfied with the services.
But, their policy reads “on-Demand Course is non-refundable”, so this shouldn’t get you by surprise.
Nevertheless, considering the number of positive reviews the course if receiving from students, I don’t think you will even need a refund, or would you? You can always share your experience with us in the comment section.
The EK on-demand MCAT course will be ideal for you if you plan on purchasing the 10th Edition complete home study book set.
Plus, wouldn’t mind supplementing them with a stand-alone course.
ExamKrackers vs. Kaplan MCAT: Which one is better?
Both Kaplan and ExamKrackers are famous MCAT test prep companies. And they have been used for ages to help students achieve high scores in their MCAT test.
But, as with everything in life, each has its share of pros and cons, and that’s why you will easily find some students preferring one of them over the other.
In this section, I am going to take you through a comprehensive comparison between the ExamKrackers‘s on-demand course and Kaplan’s self-paced course. I will be focusing on the features they offer, to see which one stands out.
- Pricing
Pricing is one of the most important aspects of any product as it automatically sets a standard for its customers. The same case applies to both the Kaplan and ExamKrackers’s pricing of their online programs.
The Kaplan self-paced program currently goes for $1,799. But, you qualify to receive a discount of $300, using their coupon.
On the other hand, ExamKrackers have priced their on-demand course at $1,745, with no discount.
In this category, I find Kaplan’s discount pretty tactful as this is a common customer winning strategy used by famous online companies.
Yes, the pricing difference between the two companies might not be much, but in case a student has to choose between the two based only on their pricing, then ExamKrackers can lose a great deal.
- Duration
The ExamKrackers’s on-demand course goes on for 12 weeks.
On the other hand, the Kaplan self-paced course takes students through 5-months of intensive studying.
If you look at the time frame, you can easily tell which company covers the most content.
And, the answer is Kaplan.
I mean, you can’t logically cover in 12 weeks what one can cover in 5 months. One has to give way to the other. So, in this category, Kaplan /takes the crown hands down.
- Tutor-led Videos
Learning by yourself is fun. First, because you can embrace flexibility and 2nd because sometimes you understand yourself more than others so you can easily concentrate on your weaknesses away from pressure that comes with a crowd.
That said, some guidance will always come in handy. And the best way to achieve is through the use of instructor-led videos.
Kaplan has a tutor-led videos option for their self-paced students, which is helpful.
They are usually clear and short. So you get to watch them wherever you want. They, however, don’t indicate the exact number of recorded videos to expect.
ExamKrackers on the other hand, gives you access to a total of 66 recorded videos (32 in-class test and 34 MCAT Lessons)
- Practice Tests
When it comes to practice tests, Kaplan, /through their self-paced course offer students 16-full length practice exams. The exams are quite popular for offering useful MCAT patterns since the designers are highly qualified and experienced tutors.
Consequently, ExamKrackers offers full length practice tests, only that due to the time constraint of the course, theirs are only 5. But still, I find them sufficient since they’re spread out well, if combined with other studying materials.
- Exam Reviews
It will be useless to take prep tests if you won’t take time to review the answers. Most MCAT test prep companies seem to understand this and ExamKrackers is no different.
The company offers 5 detailed online reviews of the full-length MCAT exams, to help students identify their weaknesses and strengths.
Kaplan promises to offer the same, though they don’t indicate how many of such sessions you should expect.
- Prep Books
With EK, you will receive a complete set of the MCAT prep books (10th Edition), which are normally 6 (Biology 1: Molecules, Biology 2: Systems, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology & Sociology, Reasoning Skills: Verbal, Research, and & Math)
Kaplan also gives you their 7-book MCAT subject Review set, which cover the following areas; Chem/phys1, 2&3, CARS1&2, Psych/Soc1&2, Bio.Biochem1, 2,&3, Science Capstone and Countdown to test day.
As you can see, Kaplan’s set is more detailed than ExamKrackers’s.
- Study Plan and Schedule
Kaplan’s self-paced course comes with a tailored study plan and schedule to help students focus on crucial areas for a good score in the real MCAT test.
The same case applies to ExamKrackers.
So, if you were to choose either companies based on the issuance of study schedules and plans, then you might have a hard time as it’s a tie.
If you have tried to create a study plan from scratch, then you know how frustrating it can get. So this is definitely a plus on both companies.
- Premium Offer
Premium offers are always enticing and are a great way for companies to make extra cash and students to gain more content than they would from a regular plan.
Though EK doesn’t have a premium option, Kaplan has the self-paced plus, which is charged at $2,999.
And you get to benefit from;
- MCAT Foundations of Biochemistry and Behavioral Science
- Application, interview planning, and personal statement.
- 3-hour 1-on-1 tutoring,
- One-on-one Tutoring
This option is only available in the self-paced option in Kaplan. Students benefit from 3 hours of one-on-one tutoring with certified instructors.
ExamKrackers, on the other hand offers students 6-month forum access to an MCAT instructor. So, you will have to make time for those sessions if you want to benefit from such.
So, with EK, you really have no option of choosing to access the tutor by yourself or as a group.
- Exclusive Innovative Tools
Self-paced students in the Kaplan course gain access to the Adaptive Qbank, which helps them in strengthening their weak areas by challenging their various skills.
The system also displays excellent 3D images, which makes it easy to understand concepts.
Such option is unfortunately missing from the EK course package.
- Comparison Table
| Company | ExamKrackers | Kaplan
|
| Price | $1,745 | $1,799 |
| Discounts | No | $300 |
| Duration | 12 weeks | 5months |
| Tutor-led Videos | Yes | Yes |
| Practice tests | 5-full length | 16 full-length |
| Exam Reviews | Yes | Yes |
| Prep Books | 6 | 7 |
| Study Plan & Schedule | Yes | Yes |
| Premium | No | Yes |
| One-on-one Tutoring | Yes | Yes |
| Exclusive innovative tools | No | Yes |
Since this is an ExamKrackers review, I am going to finish by giving you a summary of the pros and cons of the EK test prep.
Most of the points I have already covered in the above sections, so this is generally to give you an idea of what EK prep is really like.
Also, another MCAT prep we really think you should check out is the Prep101 MCAT. Read our detailed review about Prep101 here
Wrap Up
Since this is an ExamKrackers review, I am going to finish by giving you a summary of the pros and cons of the EK test prep.
Most of the points I have already covered in the above sections, so this is generally to give you an idea of what EK prep is really like.
| Pros | Cons |
| Top-notch ease of readability content | Yes, they provide necessary details .for MCAT students, but, the information isn’t really enough. |
| Great use of images and graphs make concept understanding easy | They don’t offer enough practice tests, which are vital in building students’ stamina. |
| Allows students to apply basic science conceptsThey don’t integrate concepts well-enough, in line with the MCAT test patterns. | |
| Their usage of side panels is a well-thought-of way of presenting important points. | The number of passage-based questions they provide after each small section, isn’t enough.
They can do better to help students outline concepts practically. |
| Their online courses are affordable and precise | |
| Their unique way of presenting the 2nd Biology book; systems provides all useful information medical students require in their medical journey | |
| Their tutors are highly qualified, with tons of experience in preparing MCAT students for the real exam. | |
| Their online courses provide great support for their complete book set. |
When planning for the MCAT test prep, one of the most important decision you will make is the type of review resources you’re going to use.
Currently, there are several test prep companies in the market, thus it’s confusing to separate one from the other, especially when trying the exam for the first time.
But, like any other market place, there is a list of the best MCAT test prep companies and ExamKrackers happens to be one of them.
The company offers many prep programs, which include; Self-paced online Course, In-person Course, Live online Courses and Prep Books.
It’s also quite affordable when compared to giants such as Kaplan. And is ideal for students searching for a simple clear and well-presented MCAT prep option.
