A message from our founder . . .
Greetings, My name is Lauren Curtis, founder of Altius Test Prep. If you are reading this, you are probably about to embark on the long and strenuous journey of MCAT preparation. I wish you the very best and sincerely hope that you achieve a score that exceeds your expectations. Understanding a little about my background and the history of Altius Test Prep may help you make that pivotal decision regarding who you will depend on for this essential preparation.
In 2004, after several years working in the business world, I decided to return to school and pursue my dream of becoming a physician. I bought and carefully used and analyzed all three of the so-called "complete" MCAT study programs offered by the major preparation companies then in existence.
As I studied, I saw a regular pattern among all programs. The first chapter or two of each book was dedicated to strategy and tactics. Following this were several hundred pages of text, consisting almost entirely of facts, figures and formulas. Nothing seemed illogical about this arrangement until I began taking the real MCAT practice tests published by the AAMC. I quickly determined that although I had memorized almost everything provided to me in these books, I was still ill-prepared to answer real MCAT questions. Frankly, I felt let down. I determined that students like myself could benefit greatly from an MCAT preparation program that focused more on conceptual thinking (what the MCAT actually tests) than on rote memorization.
In a spirit of candor, I want to make the point that many MCAT preparation courses do accurately identify the MCAT as a "conceptual" or "thinking" test. Unfortunately, after describing this fact to students at the outset, they then seem to abandon their own advice and revert to page after page of facts. At Altius, we use strategy and critical thinking skills to actually LEARN each subject. Every topic is discussed in a broad, conceptual way along with strategy for how to use that specific subject conceptually on the MCAT. Examples of how the MCAT tests each subject are integrated directly into the review material. Our students never learn a subject without also learning how the MCAT will expect them to use that information.
I believe that anyone who participates in our Altius Test Prep program and gives it their all can achieve a score significantly higher than they would studying on thier own or with any other preparation company. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me personally.