ExamKrackers MCAT Strengths and Weaknesses

Examkrackers MCAT is sort of on the other end of the spectrum from Kaplan MCAT review. To use the same analogy I use with Kaplan, examkrackers is the Honda Civic of MCAT test prep. They are cheaper, dependable, and easier to handle. Examkrackers has been around for less time, but they do a very good job of letting helping you get the score you want. I would say two things about examkrackers before we even start. Don't worry about going to their website, it is complicated and looks like a kid put it together. And don't do their live lecture course. Kaplan's is less expensive and from all reports, significantly better. That said, their comprehensive book/audio program may be extremely good for you, so I'm going to talk of the strengths and weaknesses of that program on this page. All products that I recommend are listed here on this amazon search page and I will talk of a few of them individually as we go.

The strengths of Examkrackers MCAT

Examkrackers MCAT is a very good review program and incorporates many well known learning methods into their teachings. They encourage thinking about and answering questions of the material, they incorporate humor and fun into the sometimes long and dreary lectures, and they do a very good job of teaching the critical thinking that is so vital to your success on the MCAT.

That last one is the biggest value of the Examkrackers MCAT system. Their ability to teach you how to work through problems quickly, efficiently, and accuratly competes with, and may be better than the Kaplan's modality for teaching the same (and by the way, Examkrackers and Kaplan are the best at it, no one else even comes close). If you believe that you need the most help in understanding the process of thinking about each question and arriving quickly at a conclusion, then examkrackers may be perfect for you.

The two products that do this the best are the Examkrackers 5 book comprehensive program which is a very good representation of their comprehensive program in book format. Or their Audio Program, which is a little more humor and sound effects then I'd like to see, but still is very effective at teaching the critical thinking skills necessary to do well on the MCAT. So I recommend this program for those of you who believe that to be your biggest weakness going into the exam.

The Weaknessess of Examkrackers MCAT

While examkrackers MCAT is very good at teaching critical thinking skills, they seem to lack in the teaching of the basic science knowledge necessary if you are lacking in that area. If you don't have the great foundation necessary, examkrackers won't help significantly in overcoming that obstacle. This may not be a problem for many of you who just need help with the critical thinking aspect, but it will not give the requisite knowledge you need to master the science subjects necessary. Some people compensate for this by buying many of their subject specific books available on the amazon search page above. I however don't recommend that because their are better programs for learning the basic science foundation. Kaplan and Princeton Review are both much better at that and you should probably stick with them in that case.

The second major weakness with many of the examkrackers products is more of a personal preference. But due to the fact that I get many complaints about it being a problem I feel like I need to let you know that it exists before you invest your money. The examkrackers people are crazy, they make jokes, they are over-enthusiastic, they seem not very serious in much of what they do. For me, and many of the people I work with in getting into medical school, that feels unprofessional and they don't want to leave their future in the hands of such unprofessionalism. I personally believe that they are all very professional there at examkrackers, but that they just rub some students the wrong way. Many people enjoy the entertainment aspect that exists. And you may very well be one of them. But I view it as a weakness of the program and feel everyone should know that before purchasing.

When to Go with Examkrackers and When Not To

I recommend examkrackers when you have taken your Practice test and you have reviewed your exam and come to the conclusion that you need help more with critical thinking than any other thing. If you have not already done so, please head over to that practice test page as it will explain to you how to personalize your study plan and raise you score significantly.

I also recommend examkrackers for people that tell me they have trouble staying awake when studying. Though that is more of a soft recommendation, because it would be better for you to get more sleep and be more alert in the day, as you will learn more quickly if you fix your bad habits first.

Examkrackers is a very solid program, and well known for a good reason. They could be a good study option for many people, and now you know what they do well and not so well. That will give you leg up when making the decision.

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