As the owner of a tutoring company that does MCAT tutoring, you might expect me to say that MCAT tutoring is always worth it. I don’t think that’s the case, though. After all, many people do very well on the MCAT without any tutoring.
Unlike other exams, those who do get tutoring on the MCAT tend to have very specific (some might say idiosyncratic) reasons. They get stuck or demotivated, and just can’t get past a hump. Then they seek out a tutor.
Which, again, raises the question: for those who are totally stuck, is MCAT tutoring worth it? Let’s look at r/MCAT to decide.
In a post titled “Tutoring Courses – Opinions?“, the original poster (OP) talks about his friend who scored very highly with a tutor. OP wants a tutor for the personalized study plan and accountability. To sum it up, the opinions seem to be “A tutor is a good idea if money isn’t a problem but accountability is”.
In another post, “Choosing MCAT Tutoring”, OP wants opinions on whether or not to go for a Kaplan tutor. The top poster says “Tutoring is a good idea only if you’re willing to put in a lot of work between sessions”.
The post titled “BEWARE OF NEXT STEP TUTORING! IT IS A SCAM!“, on the other hand, has much stronger opinions, needless to say. OP feels ripped off by Next Step and sour on tutoring in general.
Finally, on a post entitled “Private tutoring useful?”, OP inquires as to whether her brother should get an MCAT tutor. The top post says definitely not Kaplan, as they found their prep course a waste of time. The second post says tutors are useful for specific, problem areas, but prep courses are never useful.
Summary of Reddit’s opinions towards MCAT tutors
Essentially, the general opinion of Reddit seems to be that tutors are expensive, but can be worth it for specific areas or accountability. This depends on your financial situation, though.
No matter what, however, you should stay away from Kaplan or Next Step for tutors.
If you are interested in a tutor or a study plan, can I suggest a smaller, more focused tutoring company?