Five Keys To Scoring 40+ On The MCAT
You don't have to be a brainiac, nor do you have to lock yourself in the library; you only need to carefully master and apply our proven strategies and study habits. Over the past five years we have clearly demonstrated our expertise in helping students earn top-notch scores. During the 2009-2010 cycle, 7% of all Altius students earned a 40 or greater. Nationwide, only 0.4% of test takers earn a 40 or above. That means Altius students broke the elusive 40 mark at nearly TWENTY TIMES the national average (in other words, Altius students have a 900% greater chance of scoring a 40 or above). Our results make us the indisputable experts on how to earn 40+ scores. Here are five keys that are absolutely necessary to earn such a score:
1. Dedicate the Necessary Amount of Time
The traditional wisdom has been to set aside 2-3 months for MCAT preparation. Programs offered by Kaplan, Princeton Review and others can run for as little as 8 weeks, and rarely more than a few months. This is NOT enough time. Plan on spending a minimum of 5 solid months studying. Each week of those 5 months should include 15-20 hours of study. The "short-track" Altius program runs from January thru May and intensely tracks individual students to ensure they are puting in the required time. Any student who feels unprepared at the end of those five months can extend his or her study time in the program FREE of charge. Students who take the "long track" version of our program get to study with us during fall and spring semesters (nearly nine months) at no additional charge. Most major prep companies simply cover the material too quickly.
2. Learn why things happen, Don't just memorize
This is a serious, score-destroying flaw found in every other major MCAT prep program of which we are aware. The existing materials and methods focus far too much on details, memorization and formulas. You can count on one hand the number of questions on any recent MCAT exam that are of this type. Nevertheless, most programs still emphasize gaining information. The MCAT is a nasty compilation of obscure science passages and experiments on things most students have never heard of before. The key to success is to understand all science topics in a broad, conceptual manner. This helps students "see through" the difficult passages to the basic science actually being tested. If you memorize one piece of information, you can answer only one question. If you understand one principle conceptually, you are prepared to answer thousands of possible questions on that subject.
3. Study only the most accurate materials
The impetus behind the founding of the Altius program was the realization that the materials used by Kaplan, PR, Examcrackers, and the like were terribly inaccurate. We're not talking about typos and the occassional errata that occur in any published work. We are talking about questions that, while technically true, mislead students in very detrimental ways of thinking because they don't test in the same way the MCAT tests. Again, much of the problem is practice tests that train students to think the MCAT will be a knowledge dump, when it is actually an intense critical-thinking exercise. Many programs claim to address the conceptual nature of the test, but we take exception to their claims when we look at the actual questions and materials they use. If you wish to understand this major problem in more detail, simply call our office. An Altius representative will gladly walk you thru a sample from the current materials used by Kaplan, PR, etc. and outline for you where the major problems exist. We can then compare this to similar questions from the AAMC and from Altius to see the signicant and important differences. Altius materials are not perfect, but their flavor, construction, design and format is a far better match to real AAMC questions than anything else available anywhere. In addition, we intensely focus our students on every real AAMC exam and practice question ever published. You will not only take every one of these AAMC questions in the Altius program, but you will carefully dissect and analyze them with the help of your tutor. Finally, many programs seem to have missed the boat entirely as to what the MCAT does and does not test. Some books contain entire chapters on subjects the AAMC has clearly stated it WILL NOT test. Altius materials have a laser-like focus. You will focus only on what you must understand. Imagine the frustration of spending precious time and resources on a subject that isn't even tested by the MCAT!
4. Get Personal Coaching and Assistance
Thinking you know everything is a sure-fire indication of future disappointment. Even the very brightest students will benefit immensely from one-on-one personal guidance and assistance. The greatest stars of any sport always surround themselves with coaches, trainers and assistants. Doing it on your own is a clear disadvantage. Altius is the first program ever offered that can TRULY help an advanced student to accelerate their performance. Lecture-based programs must cater to the middle, and thus leave out both advanced students and those with real struggles. In a lecture-based program you can expect little or no real 1-on-1 attention (unless you pay several thousand dollars for a tutoring package). At Altius, you will be assisted, coached, motivated, and tracked regularly by a tutor assigned directly to you. With that tutor you will cover every single principle and every single strategy related to the MCAT. Take advantage of what they have already learned as they prepared for and aced this exam. There is a reason other programs charge thousands of dollars for their tutoring--they know it is far more effective than classroom lectures. At Altius you get the entire non-lecture interactive classroom program, PLUS 20 hours of private one-on-one tutoring, all for only $1849.
5. Elevate Your Expectations
No one ever wins a championship by saying, "I guess we'll try to go out and win a few games." The most important key to earning a 40 is to seriously, honestly WANT it and SEEK after it. Altius is the only program in existence where nearly every student is honestly working toward a 40, expecting that if they follow thru with everything they've been asked they have a REAL chance of accomplishing it. Everything in our program is tailored toward getting higher scores. We don't tolerate students who want to set a goal of scoring a 30. The elevated expectations that permeate our program are infectious and are a major reason our students have averaged an amazing 33.1 over the first 5 years. As one former student put it, "The difference between studying with Altius and with other programs is like the difference between training for the Olympics and training for a high school track meet."
We offer a Two-Week Money Back Trial Period because we are 100% sure you'll love this program. If you do your research, there really is no other program that can even begin to be compared to Altius. Over seven years, with over a thousand students and a consistent average in the 32-33 range, we have proven it. Our students score higher, and they will again this year. Where will you be?