Prep101 Vs. Princeton Review For MCAT: 2026 Comparison

On the one hand, you have a well-known and recognized test prep company; on the other, you have a fairly new lesser-known alternative.

It might be easier to assume that Princeton Review is the clear winner here, but that may not necessarily be the case.

This in-depth comparison of Prep101 MCAT Vs. Princeton MCAT objectively analyzes both options, stacking the courses side-by-side and breaking down everything you need to know to make the decision that best guarantees value for your money.

Fact-check note (updated February 12, 2026): Pricing and guarantees for both providers are cohort- and promo-sensitive. Always verify current checkout details before enrolling.

Prep101 MCAT Vs. Princeton MCAT Comparison Table

Prep101 MCAT Vs. Princeton MCAT Overview

Princeton Review is a well-known, tried-and-tested test prep company that has been around for decades, helping thousands of pre-med students ace the MCAT.

Offering a combination of self-paced and live study options, Princeton’s current lineup centers on Self-Paced, Ultimate, 515+, and 515+ Immersion.

The major difference between these tracks is the intensity of live instruction and coaching support, with live hours ranging from about 90+ up to 195 depending on plan.

Prep101 is a relatively new, lesser-known platform that's been making waves and quickly building up a reputation for offering excellent MCAT prep.

This comprehensive MCAT prep course has the unique advantage of compiling study materials from various sources, thereby eliminating the testing bias that comes with studying using just a single resource.

Incorporating materials from Examkrackers, Altius, and the AAMC, the Prep101 MCAT course is dense in content, allowing for very comprehensive content review and MCAT practice.

Prep101 currently highlights Live Online variants (including flexible scheduling) plus other paths such as Self-Paced and 515+.

Now let's take a closer look at how the Princeton Review and Prep101 MCAT courses stack up against each one.

Prep101 MCAT Vs. Princeton MCAT Detailed Comparison In 2026

Course Formats and Pricing

Live Online Flex entirely occurs online, whereby each class is offered four times weekly: weekday morning, afternoon, evening, and weeknight.

Both courses have the same features, except for the classroom environment. If you are signed up for Classroom Plus, you can easily switch to Live Online Flex and vice versa.

Princeton Review offers four current course options, ranging from $1,599 for shorter self-paced access to $7,349 for its highest-tier live track. You have the Self-Paced course, Ultimate Course, MCAT 515+, and 515+ Immersion.

As indicated by the pricing, the Princeton Review MCAT prep courses vary vastly in their features and offerings especially when it comes to the total hours of live instruction and the option of having a personal student advisor.

Prep101’s Live Online format is now priced very close to Princeton’s Ultimate Course, but it still stands out for total live hours and integrated full-length test volume.

Flexible Class Scheduling

The greatest advantage of the Prep101 MCAT course is that it allows for flexible scheduling.

The same class is offered multiple times each week, so you can attend whichever best suits your schedule and availability. Alternatively, you could also choose to attend all the classes if it's on a topic you are particularly struggling with.

Furthermore, there are always recordings for each class, so if you miss all of the scheduled options, you can still self-study in the same class later on.

Course Structure

Prep101 now advertises 154 hours of live instruction spread across 55 live lessons covering the core science concepts on the MCAT.

That structure is further supported by in-class guided practice through chapter exams and workshops.

Princeton Review’s MCAT live classes vary with the specific course you've signed up for.

Princeton’s live-instruction volume is heavily plan-dependent. Current listings run from 90+ hours in lower live tracks to 195 hours in 515+ Immersion.

By sheer quantity alone, Prep101 has the upper hand in that it allocates much more class time at a relatively lower price, while Princeton Review requires you to pay more for increased class time.

Aside from the live class instruction, both platforms additionally offer workshops and on-demand video lectures to aid with self-studying.

Besides that though, Princeton Review goes the extra mile by providing office hours included in their MCAT Topic Focus package.

Office hours can provide a great opportunity for students to learn and think about the material in a refreshingly new way outside the classroom, thereby enriching their studying.

While lectures are often highly structured and fast-paced with time constraints, office hours allow for a more laid-back approach where students can better reflect on problem sets and think through specific topics they would like to discuss with the lecturer.

Princeton Review has the upper hand in this regard, whereby they provide office hours, whereas Prep101 doesn’t.

Personal MCAT Coach

While Prep101 may not offer office hours, you get a personal MCAT coach instead, all included within the basic subscription package.

The point of the MCAT coach is to keep you on track, motivate you, and reinforce good study habits so you don't fall short before test day.

They additionally help you design a personalized study plan exactly tailored to your individual circumstances and will regularly meet with you to finetune this study plan ensuring it still serves your study needs and goals.

Princeton Review does offer more personalized advisor/coaching support, but this is generally concentrated in higher-tier live plans rather than entry-level options.

Practice Tests & Questions

Prep101 currently advertises 25 full-length exams: 10 from Altius, 10 from Examkrackers, and 5 from AAMC. On the other hand, Princeton currently lists 18 full-length practice exams in its core MCAT products.

Besides just the sheer quantity, Prep101’s exams are superior because they offer far more realistic MCAT practice that's as close as possible to the real exam.

Aside from the AAMC exams, Altius is the one other resource that’s very similar to what you will see on the MCAT, especially when it comes to their experimental questions.

Princeton also emphasizes diagnostics heavily, with volume varying by product (for example, 35 in Self-Paced and higher diagnostic quiz counts in 515+ tracks).

MCAT Prep Books

Prep101’s current book stack is typically described as 7 hyperbooks plus 5 classroom companion workbooks.

Princeton’s current book count typically ranges from 8 to 9 depending on track.

The Princeton Review books are really well written by expert MCAT tutors, incorporating a bit of humor and plenty of high-quality graphics.

Examkrackers books are incredibly in-depth and detailed, and they are excellent guides not just for content review but also for test-taking strategies. Each section is accompanied by clear graphics, diagrams, and practice questions.

Furthermore, the books are very easy to read and even cover more information than the Kaplan books.

All in all, because they are written with personality and more engagingly, the Princeton Review MCAT books win this round.

Mobile App

While Prep101 doesn't have any mobile App to help you study on the go, Princeton Review does have an MCAT flashcards App that you can download for free once you've signed up for any of their MCAT prep courses.

Providing access to over 500 flashcards, this app allows you to easily get some learning done while you are up and about.

Via the App, you can set alerts for when you want to test yourself on something, track your progress, and even create your own custom cards based on the specific MCAT content you're struggling to grasp.

Score Guarantee

Lastly, we have the matter of guarantees. MCAT courses can often cost a fortune, and having a guarantee helps give some peace of mind that you're not simply flushing all that money away without any assurance that the course will actually help you pass the MCAT.

Prep101 does not provide any guarantees. Instead, though, the platform has an unlimited free repeats policy in that you can take the course as many times as you wish.

This means you can start your MCAT prep earlier, signing up for the course in the summer after your first year, then retaking it in the summer after your second year right before sitting for the exam.

All this at absolutely no extra charge!

On the other hand, though, Princeton does offer a better score money-back guarantee whereby if you don’t score higher on the actual exam, you get your money refunded.

Verdict: Which One Is Better?

The Prep101 Vs. Princeton Review MCAT course comparison is a pretty tight race. Both have stellar online courses with various features to facilitate self-study.

On the one hand, Princeton Review has top-notch MCAT prep books and provides more guided practice through their workshops and office hours.

They also provide more tests and practice questions than what's offered by Prep101 and a handy flashcards mobile App to facilitate studying on the go.

On the other hand, Prep101 has a deep curriculum packed with detail for those needing stronger content review, and the flexible class scheduling sweetens the deal even further.

Besides, Prep101 is priced cheaper yet packed with features only accessible on the higher-priced Princeton MCAT courses. These features include a personal MCAT advisor and more live class hours.

Moreover, Prep101’s annotated class notes are extremely beneficial, helping you fill any cracks in our content review. Not to mention that Prep101 does have better full-length exams that are representative of the actual test in structure, content, and passage lengths.

So should you go with Prep101 or Princeton Review for your MCAT prep?

Well, ultimately, this will largely depend on your budget.

If you are looking for an online course not exceeding $2,500, then we highly recommend Prep101. The course is affordable but offers in-depth content review with many premium features and excellent guided practice from expert instructors.However, if you are willing to splurge to the point of spending over $7,000 on an MCAT prep course, then perhaps you are better off going with Princeton’s 515+ Immersion.

Offering far more guided practice and on-demand tutoring, this high-end option might be just what you need to score in the 99th percentile.

Ultimately, though, Prep101 takes the day for being more comprehensive and efficient without requiring you to break the bank.

You can check out the other comparisons we did on other MCAT prep resources below:

• Kaplan MCAT vs Princeton Review
• Prep 101 vs Kaplan MCAT
• Prep101 Vs. Princeton Review
• UWorld Vs. Blueprint MCAT
• Memm Vs. Anki
• Blueprint MCAT vs Princeton Review

Prep101 MCAT Vs. Princeton MCAT FAQs

Should I Take Prep101 Or Princeton Review For MCAT Prep?

Prep101 should suffice for any student looking for a premium yet affordably priced MCAT course that's comprehensive and offers a personalized studying approach.

However, if you need far more guided practice through workshops and office hours, then Princeton Review would be a better fit for you.

Which Is Better For CARS MCAT: Prep101 Or Princeton?

Prep101 is better for CARS, especially because this course comes with the Examkrackers 101 Passages in MCAT verbal reasoning that's widely acclaimed as being an excellent resource for CARS.

Aside from that, Prep101 has 12 out of its 14 workshops dedicated especially to CARS.

Which Has Better MCAT Books: Prep101 Or Princeton Review?

Princeton Review has better MCAT books that are written with humor and personality and, therefore, more engaging for the reader.

Their extensive glossaries and chapter review are also quite helpful when you are looking to quickly scheme through before the exam.