A closer look: Picking prep option from multiple choices
By Genie Song
April 13, 2004 9:00 p.m.
Correction Appended
For students planning on pursuing graduate education after UCLA,
preparation courses for graduate school entrance exams can be
effective, yet costly, ways to boost LSAT or MCAT scores.
The two most well-known prep course companies, Kaplan and the
Princeton Review, both offer several options for students preparing
for entrance exams, including online courses and one-on-one private
tutoring.
But traditional classroom sessions still remain the most popular
methods.
“Attending classes definitely helps a lot,” said
Robert Gall, a first-year student at the UCLA Anderson School of
Management, who took a Kaplan course before taking the GMAT.
“I liked being able to interact with other students and the
teachers were very knowledgeable.”
Classroom courses at Kaplan or the Princeton Review range from
$1000 to $1500 for two- to four- month sessions that meet a few
days a week for about two to three hours a day. Both offer several
different sessions with varying times to accommodate different
schedules.
Many students opt for these well-known companies, despite their
high costs, because of their reputations for success, their
guarantees of high scores, and the personal attention they
give.
“Our GMAT, GRE and LSAT classes have no more than eight
students per teacher,” said So Young Kim, the Southern
California Managing Director of the Princeton Review. “Small
class sizes and personal attention produce better
results.”
At Kaplan, if students do not feel prepared after completing the
course, or are not satisfied with their scores, they can retake the
course for free as many times as needed.
If these courses seem necessary but too expensive, there are
other test preparation companies that are not as popular as Kaplan
or the Princeton Review, but still offer quality classes, often at
a much lower cost.
Berkeley Review, which just offers classes for MCAT students,
holds three monthlong classes at the UCLA Bradley Center for as
little as $600.
“I found it to be very helpful because the teachers
genuinely seemed to care,” said Arthur Tran, a third-year
biology student who took Berkeley Review courses to prepare for the
MCAT he will be taking this Saturday. “I think it was
definitely worth the cost, considering it’s a lot cheaper
than other courses.”
Still, some argue that the classes offered by the bigger
companies are worth the high price tag.
“All our teachers have to go through 40-plus hours of
training,” Kim said. “Not everyone makes the
cut.”
If cost is not an issue, students may opt for one-on-one private
tutoring, which many major companies offer.
These sessions can cost anywhere from $2000 to $5000 for 15 to
35 hours with a tutor who can meet with the student as the
student’s schedule allows.
Financial aid is available for some courses and is usually
distributed according to a need-based system. But aid is limited,
and many students may turn to online courses or independent study
with a book.
Online courses have become more popular recently with the
increase of Internet-savvy students and the flexibility the courses
allow with pace and content .
Many online classes are personalized to cater to each individual
student’s weak and strong areas and are significantly cheaper
than classroom courses or private tutors, with prices starting at
$500.
Despite financial aid and cheaper online courses, some students
resort to more traditional study, using just a book and a
highlighter. This method may or may not be effective, depending on
the student’s discipline and level of motivation.
“I couldn’t afford those LSAT classes,” said
Kris McFarren, a second-year UCLA law student.
McFarren, like many other aspiring law students, went to the
library and studied with the LSAT preparation books there, taking
sample tests for weeks before the test.
“It worked for me because I had the discipline,”
McFarren said, adding that he will be taking prep courses for the
BAR exam. “I would have preferred to study for the LSAT in a
structured environment.”
Many graduate school entrance exam prep courses are offered in
Westwood or on the UCLA campus, and students can sign up for
classroom sessions, private tutors or online lessons through the
companies’ Web sites.
Correction: April 16,.2004, Thursday.
Berkeley Review’s MCAT preparation service is a six-month
program costing between $1,095 and $1,195 “Picking prep
option from multiple choices,” A Closer Look, April
14.
