How to Find an MCAT Tutor

You know your MCAT score is important. You also know that it is a tough exam to study for on your own. So you’ve probably asked yourself: should I take an MCAT class or should I get an MCAT tutor? We’ve addressed the first question in a previous post and we will answer this second question here. Before we explain how to find an MCAT tutor though, we want to first discuss whether or not you should get a tutor.

Should I get an MCAT Tutor?

There are many ways to prepare for the MCAT and getting an MCAT tutor is one of them. To decide if a tutor is the right approach for you, ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I know what I need to study for the MCAT? If you don’t know where to begin or what to do for your MCAT studies, you probably want to consider getting MCAT tutor
• Am I motivated enough to study for the MCAT by myself? If not, an MCAT tutor can help you by setting up a study plan with regular deadlines to keep you on track.
• Do I enjoy studying by myself or with others? If you know that you can’t study by yourself, a tutor may be a good idea for you. Many students enjoy being able to talk through the concepts tested on the MCAT with others. An MCAT expert is particularly helpful because they can tell you if what you are saying is right or wrong.
• Do I learn better when studying in large groups or in smaller groups? If you enjoy studying with others but don’t want the hassle or studying with a larger group, you may want to consider getting a tutor. While large study groups may be fun, they are also often less efficient. A tutor, on the other hand, will spend all of their time helping you study.

How to Find an MCAT Tutor?

Okay, so you’ve decided you want to get an MCAT tutor but now need to figure out how to find one. A quick search on the Internet will list hundreds if not thousands of “MCAT” tutors. However, you don’t want any random person helping you. You want someone with the experience and the proven track record that you can trust to guide you to your target score. You have two safe options:

• Go to a large test preparation company. These large companies have numerous MCAT experts and many of them have been teaching the MCAT for years. While the cost of these tutors is not cheap, you know that you will be working with a trained MCAT expert.
• Ask your friends for their recommendations. There’s nothing better than asking a friend you trust to give you good advice with the MCAT. If they got a great MCAT score through a tutor, then you want to work with the same tutor. In addition, many of the best tutors spread by word of mouth. If a tutor does not have your friend’s recommendation, then you definitely want to search elsewhere.

Whether or not you choose to use an MCAT tutor, you will need to make sure that you study hard to do well on the exam. To make sure you are studying effectively, we recommend that you read more about the biggest study mistakes on the MCAT and the top five strategies for MCAT success.