As you prepare for the MCAT, you will realize just how expensive it can be. Aside from the different MCAT prep materials that you might have to purchase, you might also want to enroll in an MCAT prep course or hire an MCAT tutor.
With other things to spend your budget on, the prices of these MCAT prep courses and tutors would make you rethink whether they are worth the cost.
Here is where Khan Academy MCAT prep course comes to your aid. Why?
They are completely free of charge and are even better because they are created in partnership with the AAMC, which happens to be the administering body of the MCAT.
The question, however, is the Khan Academy MCAT prep course effective and reliable?
That is exactly what this article is meant to answer. This article is a review of the Khan Academy MCAT prep course. Please keep reading if you are interested in learning more.
What is Khan Academy MCAT Preparation Course?
Khan Academy, a non-profit company, was founded in 2008 with the purpose of offering free online instruction in the form of videos and brief sessions. Sal Khan, the company's creator, aimed to provide helpful test preparation for free.
First, this educational platform assisted students in their preparation for important tests like the SAT and ACT.
The MCAT classes for college-aged and pre-med students were soon added to the Khan Academy's growing library of resources. The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), which oversees the MCAT and has accepted their MCAT course as the first ever.
You can track your progress by viewing a playlist of the course's original videos, which are both hosted on YouTube and available on the website. The AAMC collaborated with Khan Academy to produce the articles and videos there. It can be comforting to be aware that the AAMC has chosen to collaborate with an external company as it is the first of its kind.
Today, Khan Academy is AAMC's top partner, and the two organizations collaborate to create information for students preparing for the MCAT exam.
The Khan Academy's MCAT course is organized around the AAMC Foundational Concepts, as opposed to other MCAT prep courses organized around science subjects (chemistry or biology).
The corporation stated in 2020 that they would stop offering the course; however, with the backing of AAMC, it chose to extend its availability until 2026.
Who Needs the Khan Academy MCAT Preparation Course?
The Khan Academy MCAT prep course is definitely for those students who need assistance with their MCAT preparation but do not have the budget to spend on commercial MCAT prep courses such as Kaplan, Blueprint, or Princeton Review.
Being free, many students take this opportunity and take the Khan Academy MCAT prep course while incorporating it into other MCAT prep materials they have.
Although this Khan Academy material is sufficient as a stand-alone MCAT preparation, it should still be combined with lots of additional practice.
Additionally, do not expect Khan Academy to provide the knowledge required to bring you entirely up to speed if you are bridging any knowledge gaps for the MCAT.
You can add to this course with some free MCAT practice exams, but you should also be sure to practice on some real MCAT questions from earlier tests, which are available on the AAMC website.
Lastly, the Khan Academy MCAT prep course is for those students who can study independently and require minimal supervision. The materials from the course should be enough to help them with the different MCAT foundational concepts they are having difficulties with.
Khan Academy MCAT Prep Course: What Does it Include?
The Khan Academy MCAT prep course is free, and it has its share of limitations. That being said, you have to be more resourceful in securing yourself with other MCAT prep materials to help you maximize your MCAT preparation.
Nevertheless, here are what comes with the Khan Academy MCAT prep course:
Khan Academy MCAT Free Videos
The Khan Academy MCAT prep course content includes a wide range of subjects. The video content helps the curriculum, which focuses mostly on reviewing material rather than teaching it for the first time.
The videos are a great method to trigger memories. The video courses are brief and simple to understand.
Voice-over audio is used in each video to give the impression that you are in a classroom listening to a professor.
Khan Academy MCAT Prep Course Curriculum
According to Khan Academy, they cover all fundamental ideas you will come across on the MCAT. Thanks to their relationship with AAMC, all of the MCAT topics are covered.
The Khan Academy curriculum covers 14 topics in-depth, including biochemical foundations, biological foundations, living systems, physical processes, and more, just as you might anticipate from an MCAT course.
There are sections for non-science topics like society, culture, and social inequality in addition to divisions for all the sciences. These are the focus of the MCAT CARS section.Khan Academy MCAT Resources
Due to investments made by Google and AT&T, the Khan Academy app is available for both Android and iOS devices and syncs your progress across the app and the website. It is, therefore a fantastic tool for evaluating while on the road.
Because of this app, you may seamlessly navigate between the website and the app and continue where you left off. When you do not have access to the internet, you can still download and watch the video lessons. This is a fantastic added additional feature, especially given that the software is free.
Khan Academy MCAT CARS Review
For the MCAT exam's Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills part, new study and instruction materials are included. There have been added tutorials, practice passages, and instructional films on how to approach studying for this section.
The Critical Analysis & Reasoning Skills Section has been added, making the Khan Academy MCAT Collection complete. It covers sample material from each of the exam's four sections, and the collection also includes 1,100 videos and 3,000 practice problems to make studying easier.
Khan Academy MCAT Prep Course Pricing Options
As previously mentioned, the Khan Academy MCAT prep course is FREE. You do not need to pay anything.
Simply go to their website to get free access to the different MCAT prep materials specifically designed and patterned from the MCAT itself.
To monitor your progress as you answer the different MCAT questions, it is advised that you sign up on their website.
Here is the content of the Khan Academy MCAT prep course:
Course Section | What’s Included? |
|---|---|
Practice Passages: MCAT CARS Section | 9 informative videos about the MCAT CARS section 40+ MCAT CARS passages with at least 3 questions to answer each |
Practice Passages: MCAT Bio/Biochem Section | 50+ MCAT bio/biochem passages with at least 4 questions to answer each |
Practice Passages: MCAT Chem/Phys Section | 100+ MCAT chem/phys passages with at least 5 questions to answer each |
Practice Passages: MCAT Psych/Soc Section | 90+ MCAT pysch/soc passages with at least 5 questions to answer each |
Foundation 1: Biomolecules | 10 informative videos about amino acids and proteins 10 stand-alone questions |
Foundation 2: Cells | 7 informative videos about cell membranes 9 stand-alone questions |
Foundation 3: Organ Systems | 170+ informative videos about the different organ systems in the human body 1,190 stand-alone questions |
Foundation 4: Physical Processes | 270+ informative videos about the different physical processes 300+ stand-alone questions |
Foundation 5: Chemical Processes | 210+ informative videos about the different chemical processes 220+ stand-alone questions |
Foundation 6: Processing the Environment | 80+ informative videos about factors that change the ways people see the world, think, and act 130+ stand-alone questions |
Foundation 7: Behavior | 113+ information videos about human behavior 100+ stand-alone questions |
Foundation 8: Individuals and Society | 50+ informative videos on individuals and society 70+ stand-alone questions |
Foundation 9: Society and Culture | 30+ informative videos about society and culture 30+ stand-alone questions |
Foundation 10: Social Inequality | 10+ informative videos on social inequality 8 stand-alone questions |
Khan Academy MCAT Prep Course Pros and Cons
The Khan Academy MCAT prep course being free, some might think that it is not a reliable and effective course. Do not be deceived, as this is certainly not true.
Over the years, a lot of students attest to the fact that the Khan Academy MCAT prep course indeed helped them perform well on the MCAT.
However, as with any other MCAT prep courses, the Khan Academy MCAT prep course has its share of drawbacks as well.
Listed below are the pros and cons of the Khan Academy MCAT prep course, for your reference.
The Pros of Khan Academy MCAT Preparation Course:
The Cons of Khan Academy MCAT Preparation Course:
Khan Academy MCAT Prep Course: Customers’ User Experience and Reviews
The Khan Academy has been around for many years and has helped many students fulfill their ambition to become doctors by providing a free MCAT prep course.
That is why these students have nothing but good words to say about the Khan Academy MCAT free course.
TrustPilot Reviews
The Khan Academy has an overall rating of 4.1 (great) on Trustpilot. This means that students who avail the different materials they provide are satisfied with what was provided in the courses of Khan Academy.
Keep in mind, though, that this rating is for all the programs offered by Khan Academy, not just for the MCAT prep course.
Website Reviews
Here are a few reviews and feedbacks from students who availed of the Khan Academy MCAT prep course.
Reddit Reviews
Source: Reddit.com
Source: Reddit.com
Verdict: Is Khan Academy MCAT Prep Course Worth it?
The Khan Academy MCAT prep course is a good resource for students who not only have a tight budget but want an MCAT prep course that is AAMC-approved.
With thousands of practice questions to help you study for the MCAT, you might not need to look for other supplemental MCAT resources.
With that, it is safe to say that the Khan Academy MCAT prep course is absolutely worth a try. You do not have to pay anything, and it is accessible on their website and has an app.
Furthermore, should you decide to pair the Khan Academy MCAT prep course with other MCAT prep courses to maximize your MCAT preparation, you might want to check out MCAT Mastery strategy courses. Though they are not free, they are definitely affordable compared to other MCAT prep courses that are pricey.
As we always tell our students: you shouldn’t pay for content review because that can be free from places like Khan Academy. The only thing that deserves an investment is learning the strategy of HOW to study for an exam like the MCAT. Getting a tutor, for example, is a high yield approach to maximizing your MCAT score.
Additional FAQs – Khan Academy MCAT Preparation Course
Is Khan Academy Enough for MCAT Preparation?
However, some students also claim that the Khan Academy MCAT prep course lacks content, and therefore, needs to be paired with another MCAT prep course or with other MCAT prep materials.
You can try the Khan Academy MCAT prep course first, and if you think it is not enough, you can pair it with other MCAT prep materials and courses.
Is Khan Academy Discontinuing Its MCAT Prep Course?
But in 2021, Khan Academy collaborated with the AAMC to keep the MCAT prep course running until 2026. This is excellent news for many pre-med students who intend to use Khan Academy for their MCAT studies. They must have made a new deal with the AAMC in response to the vast number of students who depend on Khan Academy.
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