| Feature | Kaplan MCAT | Princeton Review MCAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,700 | $2,399 |
| Practice Questions | 3,000+ | 2,500+ |
| Video Lessons | 600+ | 500+ |
| Live Class Hours | 100 | 120 |
| Access Period | 6 months | 4 months |
| Score Guarantee | Higher score guarantee or money back | Score improvement guarantee |
Kaplan and Princeton Review are the Coca-Cola and Pepsi of test prep. Both have been around for decades, both have massive brand recognition, and both offer comprehensive MCAT preparation programs. But there are meaningful differences beneath the surface.
Kaplan MCAT emphasizes its massive question bank, data-driven approach, and Smart Reports analytics. Pricing ranges from $1,999 to $3,499.
Princeton Review MCAT focuses on small class sizes, a higher score guarantee (510+), and their proprietary InPractice platform. Pricing ranges from $1,999 to $3,999.
Kaplan offers 16 full-length practice exams and over 3,000 practice questions. Their content has been refined over decades, and the question bank is one of the largest in the industry.
Princeton Review provides 15 full-length practice tests and their own extensive question bank. Their content is well-organized and includes detailed video explanations for most questions.
Winner: Kaplan — Slightly more practice material and a longer track record of content refinement.
Kaplan's teaching is systematic and strategy-focused. Their instructors follow a proven curriculum that emphasizes test-taking techniques alongside content mastery. Classes are well-structured but can feel formulaic.
Princeton Review prides itself on smaller class sizes (capped at 24 students in live courses), which allows for more personalized attention. Their instructors tend to be more interactive, and the smaller groups mean you can actually ask questions.
Winner: Princeton Review — The smaller class sizes are a genuine advantage for students who benefit from interaction.
Kaplan's Smart Reports feature provides detailed analytics on your performance, identifying strengths and weaknesses across content areas. The platform is functional but not particularly innovative.
Princeton Review's InPractice platform offers adaptive drills that adjust difficulty based on your performance. It's a step above Kaplan's analytics but still behind newer competitors like Wizeprep.
Winner: Princeton Review — InPractice is slightly more advanced than Kaplan's analytics tools.
| Feature | Kaplan | Princeton Review |
|---|---|---|
| Self-Paced | $1,999 | $1,999 |
| Live Course | $2,799 | $2,799 |
| Premium | $3,499 | $3,999 |
| Guarantee | Score improvement | 510+ or money back |
Princeton Review's 510+ guarantee is more specific than Kaplan's general improvement guarantee. However, both guarantees come with conditions (minimum study hours, completed assignments, etc.).
Winner: Princeton Review — The specific 510+ guarantee is more meaningful than a vague improvement promise.
This is a close call, but Kaplan edges ahead overall. While Princeton Review wins on class sizes and their score guarantee, Kaplan's larger content library, more consistent teaching quality, and slightly better value at the premium tier give it the advantage.
That said, both courses are solid but expensive options. Students looking for better technology and value should consider Wizeprep, which outperforms both on adaptive learning and pricing. See our full MCAT rankings [blocked] for the complete picture.