Best MCAT Prep Courses in 2026

Prepping for the MCAT is mentally and emotionally tasking.

You certainly don't want to waste time preparing using the wrong resource or course.

We have reviewed 6 MCAT prep courses in order to answer the following question: What is the best MCAT prep course in 2026? Before choosing a course, figure out how many hours you need with our MCAT study hours calculator and check which schools your target score makes you competitive for with our MCAT school comparison tool.

Well, here are our findings:

• Best overall value: Blueprint (they are running a sale currently, so check it out).
• Best live-online flexibility: Prep101.
• Best in-person option: Kaplan.

MCAT Prep Courses Comparison Table

Look Inside: The 6 MCAT Prep Courses We Reviewed

1. Blueprint MCAT Review

Among the many Blueprint MCAT highlights include their extremely good video lessons, very representative practice materials, and incredibly helpful advanced analytics.

This course is best suited for students seeking a flexible, adaptive, and tech-driven MCAT prep experience.

Blueprint’s cheapest MCAT course currently starts at $1,099 for Self-Paced, while Live Online starts at $1,899 and 515+ starts at $2,399. The good news, there is always a blueprint MCAT coupon code that can help you save.

First off, Blueprint’s organization of the MCAT content is quite commendable. The syllabus is organized into modules, each covering a subtopic of the MCAT.

Not only that but there are quizzes spread all out across each module. You have an assessment quiz at the beginning of the module, concept check quizzes between videos, a quiz at the end of each module, and end-of-chapter exams.

This incredible approach allows you to consistently test what you're learning so you can best understand where your strengths and weaknesses lie as far as content grasp goes.

Aside from the numerous module quizzes, the module video lessons are also very engaging, full of illustrations and animations appealing to visual learners and enhancing content retention.

Another stellar aspect of this MCAT prep course is the quality of their mock exams and QBank questions that are all incredibly representative of the actual MCAT with regard to the level of difficulty.

Blueprint’s practice material gives you a very good idea of what MCAT-style questions look like, thereby allowing you to hone the skill of knowing how to think for the MCAT.

As with all the other top MCAT prep courses, a Blueprint MCAT course subscription comes with access to all the AAMC MCAT prep study materials.

The advanced analytics Blueprint uses is another thing that makes this test prep company absolutely worth your time and money.

The analytics don't just show you what you got wrong and right. Rather, they go deeper in revealing your underlying answering patterns, broken down by subject, question type, and AAMC reasoning skills.

The intuitive visualization of this data helps you spot your weaknesses easily and quickly, even at a glance. You don't have to start figuring out how to interpret the data presented because it's all been done for you, and your patterns are highlighted accordingly.

Lastly, Blueprint offers a ton of free MCAT prep course resources, including a highly customizable study plan, flashcards, a daily MCAT question, and live webinars, among other valuable resources bound to be invaluable in your MCAT preparation.

2. Kaplan MCAT Review

Kaplan is a very popular study option for the MCAT, and that’s not surprising, seeing as they offer one of the most comprehensive MCAT prep courses in the market.

This course is best suited for review-focused students who already know most of the content.

Their prep options comprise On Demand, Live Online, In Person, 515+, Bootcamp, and tutoring packages, thereby catering to a wide variety of learners.

Kaplan’s entry point is currently the 4-month On-Demand Course at $1,599, with higher-tier options including Live Online, In Person, 515+, Bootcamp, and tutoring packages.

All courses come with 7 MCAT prep books, which many students speak of very highly.

The well-written Kaplan books are one of the highlights of this MCAT test prep company. The books are well-written and have excellent content coverage in both breadth and depth of material.

The great thing about Kaplan’s MCAT content is that it is detailed yet concise, giving you the exact knowledge of what you need to know for the MCAT, no more, no less.

Each learning module is summarized in about 3 or so video lectures. Each video lesson is pleasantly short and to the point, so you won’t feel bogged down with overwhelming information.

The best part is that the videos are very interactive and visually engaging, full of pictures, drawings, graphs and other graphics, which is great for enhancing visual learning.

The test prep company gives you plenty of MCAT practice material via lesson review quizzes, mock exams, practice questions, homework assignments, and a QBank.

Additionally, all the Kaplan MCAT prep courses include access to all the official AAMC practice materials, so you get the most realistic MCAT-like practice from the test developers themselves.

One thing you need to keep in mind is that Kaplan’s full-length practice tests are much harder than the actual MCAT. They include too many low-yield topics and involve a lot of recall-type questions, which isn't exactly what the MCAT tests.

Nonetheless, these practice tests are excellent for content review in how they challenge your content grasp, so if you can get by with a decent score, then you'll definitely do just fine on the real exam.

The answer rationales provided by Kaplan are pretty solid. The text-based explanations are brief and to the point, perfectly highlighting why your answer was the right or wrong answer choice.

The company also has an MCAT mobile companion app that allows you to study on the go with QBank practice, videos, and flashcards.

Overall, Kaplan offers a good coverage of MCAT content review, and their well-written books will prove to be worthy companions during your MCAT prep.

3. Princeton Review MCAT Review

The first thing you need to keep in mind is that Princeton Review MCAT is very content-heavy and detailed, almost to the point of being overbearing.

This course is best suited for Students who need a thorough content rebuild – especially if you're rusty on sciences.

The upside here is that this prep program is well-rounded and comprehensive, covering virtually everything you need to know going into medical school.

The Princeton Review MCAT prep options currently comprise Self-Paced, Ultimate Course, 515+, and 515+ Immersion, plus MCAT tutoring packages.

Their cheapest MCAT option is currently the 6-month Self-Paced Course at $1,599, while 515+ Immersion is listed at $7,349.

Aside from that, you also get 8 physical MCAT books, including 2 exclusive titles. The Psych/Soc book, in particular, is very well written, providing great content explanations. Also, the Science and CARS workbooks are absolute gold.

One commendable thing is the knowledgeability of the Princeton Review MCAT instructors.

The lessons are taught by instructors who are specialists in the respective MCAT subjects. This is quite rare, as most prep companies simply have generalist instructors who teach every subject.

That being said, the on-demand Medflix video lessons are rather humdrum and leave much to be desired.

Although the lectures do a good job of getting into every nook and cranny, covering every single MCAT concept, the videos themselves lack engagement and visual appeal. Not to mention the lecturer moves through the material rather quickly.

Without a doubt, the Princeton Review live online MCAT lessons are far better than the on-demand content if you want something stimulating and engaging.

This MCAT prep program allows for a ton of practice through diagnostic exams, full-length practice exams, practice questions, and drills. Not to mention you also get access to all the AAMC practice materials.

One thing to note is that Princeton Review’s full-length exams are quite possibly the hardest 3rd party MCAT mock exams you could possibly find. They involve very complex passages, and you will typically be required to remember very niche concepts that aren't even likely to be tested on the real exam.

Nevertheless, the best part about Princeton Review’s practice material though is their answer rationales.

The explanations are incredibly thorough, going into great detail to break down the essence of the question and providing a thorough analysis of each answer choice. That was quite impressive.

Another invaluable resource that comes with Princeton Review is the subject-specific live Office Hours accessible across all their MCAT courses, including the self-paced one. There are 6 sessions every week, each about an hour long, and your specific questions are what lead each session.

If nothing else, these office hour Q & A sessions make Princeton Review MCAT absolutely worth its money in gold.

4. Prep101 MCAT Review

The Prep101 MCAT course curriculum is incredibly detailed, containing many materials and resources. So if you are to make optimum use of your subscription, you need to ensure you have the time and are ready to apply yourself fully to the entire program.

This course is best suited for students who thrive in an intensive live-class setting with structured pacing and a heavy CARS focus.

Prep101's Live Online course will cost you $2,895.

First off, this program pairs you with a personal MCAT coach who guides you on how to organize your studying and provides you with motivation as you go along with your MCAT prep.

Besides helping you design an efficient study plan tailored specifically to your needs, the coach will help reinforce good study habits, and this can go a long way in keeping you on track with your MCAT prep.

Offering 154 hours of live instruction, this program offers a Fixed and a Flexible class schedule. While the fixed schedule has each class offered just once a week, the flexible plan has each live class offered 4 times weekly.

As such, it is up to you to customize your weekly class schedule accordingly, based on whichever class time best suits your availability.

The best part is that you do not need to sign up for a class in advance. Simply show up and attend whichever one suits your schedule.

Additionally, all live classes are recorded, so you have recordings of all lessons available to you at all times on your student portal.

Regarding practice resources, Prep101 gives you 25 full-length exams (5 AAMC + 10 Examkrackers + 10 Altius), 44 in-class exams, and several after-class practice sets. But the unique thing here is that their full-length tests are taken from multiple sources.

As a result of this diversity, while studying using Prep101, you can rest assured that you will not be subject to the testing bias that typically occurs when you just use one resource for your MCAT studies.

Also, Similar to all other MCAT prep courses worth their value, a Prep101 subscription includes access to all the official AAMC practice materials.

The hardcopy books included in Prep101 MCAT include 7 KrackU hyperbooks and 5 classroom companion workbooks, which should be used alongside the live online lessons.

The KrackU hyperbooks are very well written, comprehensively covering everything you would need to know for the MCAT. Also, their striking visual appeal and interactivity is definitely an added incentive to study with them.

Lastly, one final perk is that Prep101 features an unlimited repeat policy whereby you can re-apply to take the prep course as many times as you wish at no extra charge.

So the advantage here is that you can start prepping for the MCAT as early as the summer after your first year. No need to put it off till the last minute.

5. Altius MCAT Review

Altius is known for its highly personalized, mentorship-driven approach to MCAT prep, aiming to deliver top-tier results through intensive support and realistic practice materials.

This course is ideal for students seeking intensive, individualized mentoring, realistic practice, and a collaborative learning environment.

Altius MCAT may be more popular for its practice exams, but that's not all that the test prep company has to offer. There are full MCAT prep courses as well, and quite a number of options at that.

Their mentoring programs range from Silver at $3,699, Gold at $4,999, to Platinum at $7,299. They also offer an Elite classroom track and a Self-Paced course at $999.

Most test prep companies only offer online MCAT prep courses. However, Altius goes the extra mile to offer an extensive in-person full immersion course for students who wish to have an MCAT studying experience that's completely free of distractions.

Now that's something you do not see every day.

The Altius MCAT prep course curriculum is very structured, coupled with extensive content review, guaranteeing to eliminate any knowledge gaps you may have.

One unique thing you may notice about this test prep provider is that there aren't any on-demand video lessons available. Rather, Altius emphasizes a more guided study approach.

Overall, this test prep company places a huge emphasis on tutoring and mentorship. So, in addition to live classroom instruction, you also have one-on-one mentoring, small group tutoring sessions, etc.

As far as practice goes, Altius gives you 10 full-length exams, a diagnostic exam, in-class exams and access to all the AAMC study materials.

Altius practice tests are renowned for being excellent practice materials, and their analytics are really great as well. However, these exams are slightly harder than the AAMC, so keep that in mind while reviewing your performance.

In particular, the Bio/Biochem and Chem/Phys sections are really well done, with great content coverage that aligns well with the AAMC.

Once you are done taking an exam and are ready to review it, the powerful analytics Altius uses allows you to analyze your results using diverse metrics.

You can categorize your performance by topic, subtopic, question type, scientific inquiry and reasoning skills, thereby helping you narrow down your weak areas to the very specifics.

Having video explanations is another area where Altius stands head and shoulders above its competitors. There is an exhaustive video explanation for every single practice question and passage you tackle on Altius.

Besides showing you how to approach the questions, these video explanations are incredibly in-depth, keenly dissecting the question and answer choices and giving you handy answering strategies for different question types.

This means that Altius is valuable not just for content review, but the insights provided in the answer explanations help sharpen your MCAT reasoning skills.

6. UWorld MCAT Review

UWorld is best known for its question bank, but the Comprehensive Prep Course wraps that QBank in an 8-book set, 1,300+ video lessons, and the complete official AAMC Prep Hub.

This course suits students who learn from detailed, illustrated explanations and who have not already bought their AAMC materials.

UWorld sells three MCAT products on the same platform. The standalone QBank is $339, the Core Prep Course is $599, and the Comprehensive Prep Course starts at $1,199. Only the Comprehensive tier includes the video lessons and the AAMC Prep Hub, which is a $390 value on its own. Our readers can take $50 off the Comprehensive course with code IMP4PREPPAL50, detailed on our UWorld MCAT discount page.

The thing that separates UWorld from the rest of this list is what happens after you answer a question. Instead of a paragraph telling you the right answer, you get flowcharts, annotated passage data, and colour-coded diagrams explaining why each wrong option is wrong. Review is slower as a result, and students who rush through questions get very little from it.

The video lessons are the newest reason to consider the full course rather than the QBank. They run 3 to 6 minutes and sit inside the digital books rather than in a separate player, so you watch the lesson at the exact point in the chapter where you got stuck.

Where UWorld falls short of Blueprint is practice volume and safety net. Two full-length UWorld exams is a small number next to Blueprint's 15, and UWorld offers no score guarantee at any tier. It is also self-paced only, so there is no live class or tutoring option if you need external structure.

Read our full UWorld MCAT prep course review for the tier-by-tier breakdown.

What Are The Top Features To Look For In An MCAT Prep Course?

Course Duration

When do you plan on taking the MCAT, and how much study time do you have between now and your test date?

Different MCAT prep companies have different course durations, so you should choose accordingly to ensure you maximize your study time.

For instance, if you plan on taking the MCAT in a year, it makes sense to sign up for an MCAT course which will give you a one-year access period to the study materials and resources.

On the other hand, if you are taking the MCAT in 3 months, then it really doesn't make sense to sign up for a 6-month-long MCAT course, now does it?

Alongside this consideration, keep in mind how long it takes to complete the specific course you are looking at. Some courses will take you a month to get through, while others will require about 4 months to get through all the materials and resources.

So choosing accordingly will help you make the most use of the MCAT prep course, thereby giving you the best value for your money.

Course Structure

What kind of test prep MCAT study approach are you looking for; self-study, in-person, tutoring, or live online classes? Each approach has its own benefits, depending on your learning style and schedule. If you prefer personalized guidance and structured support, Inspira Advantage MCAT tutoring offers one-on-one coaching tailored to your strengths and weaknesses. On the other hand, self-study may be ideal if you are disciplined and have access to high-quality resources.

Your decision here will be based on the kind of learner you are. Are you disciplined enough to self-study efficiently, keeping yourself motivated throughout, or are you the kind of student that needs a rigidly structured study schedule provided by a classroom setup?

Are you a non-traditional student with work and other life commitments and therefore need a course that will be flexible enough to align with your busy schedule?

How much time can you dedicate to studying every week, and can you find a course schedule that aligns with your availability?

Content Coverage

How would you gauge your MCAT content grasp so far? Are you looking for an in-depth content review or just a brief reminder of a few MCAT topics and concepts here and there?

How long ago did you take your prerequisites? Are you a traditional or a non-traditional pre-med student?

What is your learning style? Are you an audio-visual learner that needs engaging interactive video lessons, or are you more of the reading type that prefers textbooks?

Are you okay reading lengthy text blocks on plain pages, or do you prefer reading something more stimulating with color, illustrations, and summaries?

Study Resources

Among the resources included in most MCAT prep courses include video lessons, MCAT books, flashcards and Anki decks, QBanks, mock exams, summary notes and cheat sheets, study guides, customizable study planners, and many others.

As a rule of thumb, the more resources offered by a prep course, the better off you will be, but of course, this is not a hard and fast rule.

The kind of learner that you are will determine which resources matter more to you than others.

For instance, some students may prefer reading MCAT Books, while others would rather read summarized notes. Some students may prefer tackling a QBank, while others would rather self-test using flashcards.

The key thing to remember is that no two learners are alike. Similarly, there isn't necessarily a right or wrong way to go about your MCAT prep. What works for you may not work for someone else.

What matters is choosing the methods and resources that enhance your learning, effectively giving you visible progress as you inch closer to your testing date.

Practice Materials

Getting a good MCAT score isn't really a matter of how much content knowledge you possess. Rather, the MCAT tests how you apply basic knowledge to solving novel problems given to you in the passage-based questions. Many test-takers find it helpful to use an MCAT score conversion tool to better understand how their practice test scores correspond to the actual scoring scale of the exam, and a free MCAT study plan generator to lay out the weeks between now and test day.

As such, you must be familiar with specific MCAT test-taking skills and strategies.

This is not something you read about in a book. Rather, the only way to hone these skills is to practice as much as possible, using various practice resources. Specifically, you will have that much of an advantage if you use AAMC-style practice materials.

Using the right practice material will help you learn what content is tested on the MCAT with regard to high-yield and low-yield topics and concepts.

Similarly, you will get exposure to how MCAT-style questions are phrased, so you can best understand what a question is asking and what content knowledge you need to possess to answer different question types correctly.

Building stamina is another underrated advantage that comes with doing lots of practice using full-length mock exams under the exact test-taking conditions you are bound to encounter on test day.

At the very least, every online MCAT prep course worth its value should have practice material that's good enough to enrich your MCAT prep.

Guarantees

Most MCAT courses, even the self-paced MCAT prep options, are usually quite expensive, and signing up for one is often a huge financial sacrifice on the students' part.

As such, courses that offer a money-back or higher score guarantee help give you the peace of mind that your sacrifice will indeed pay off with a good MCAT score, and even if it doesn't, you can always get your money back!

Best MCAT Prep Course FAQs

How Much Does An MCAT Prep Course Cost?

The cost of an MCAT prep course can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending on course format and support level.

In this roundup, the cheapest listed option is Blueprint's Self-Paced course, which starts at $1,099.

On the higher end in this roundup, options like Princeton Review 515+ Immersion and premium Altius packages are priced in the multi-thousand-dollar range.

Should I Self Study Or Take An MCAT Prep Course?

If your content knowledge is solid and you are self-driven and disciplined enough to stick to a study schedule, then you may do just fine with a self-study option.

Conversely, if it has been a while since you took your prerequisites and aren't confident in your MCAT content knowledge, then taking an MCAT prep course may suit you much better for intense content review.

Taking a prep course is also advisable if you are the kind of student that struggles to stick to a study regimen and therefore need the rigid structure of a classroom setup to keep you on track with your MCAT prep.

How Long Is An MCAT Course?

Typically, many MCAT prep courses are about 2-months long, meaning that is the amount of time you would need to get through all the study resources and practice material provided.

However, this varies from course to course, so just make sure you first confirm the duration of the MCAT course you are interested in taking before signing up.

Will An MCAT Prep Course Raise My Score?

Yes, an MCAT prep course can help raise your score in a number of ways.

The content review portion of an MCAT course can help deepen your content knowledge, and having MCAT tutors you can turn to when stuck is definitely much better than trying to figure things out on your own while self-studying.

Also, the practice material found in MCAT prep courses is beyond valuable, not to mention that the insights given in answer explanations can equip you with strategies on how to approach MCAT-style questions.

Lastly, there is the idea of community. Whether in classrooms or group discussions, you will get to interact with peers with whom you can exchange information, tips, and tricks and simply motivate each other towards MCAT success.

Studying for the MCAT can be a long and exhausting undertaking, and having a close-knit community of fellow students could go a long way in keeping you challenged and motivated.

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