The Resource Tier List

Part of The MCAT. There are dozens of companies selling MCAT products, and the names start to blur together quickly. This is a map of the resources students actually talk about, what each one is generally used for, and where the recurring strengths and complaints tend to be.

First, what this list is and is not

This is not a scientific ranking of every MCAT product. There is no clean, independent trial that can tell you which company raises scores the most. A lot of the public discussion comes from students, tutors, advisors, and the companies themselves. Students also use different resources at different stages, which makes simple comparisons messy.

So I am separating three things:

  • AAMC status: how close a resource is to the people who write the exam.
  • Community reputation: recurring patterns in public Reddit, SDN, advisor, and student discussions.
  • Fit: what problem the resource is good at solving, and what it tends to do poorly.

The community notes below are a summary of recurring opinions, not my personal endorsement of a company. Prices, product contents, and quality can change. ⟳ Verify current details before buying.

The short answer

If you want the stack that comes up most often in student discussions, it is usually some version of:

  1. AAMC official practice materials for the most representative questions and full-length exams.
  2. UWorld for a large third-party question bank with detailed explanations, if you can afford it.
  3. Kaplan books, Khan Academy, or another single content source for learning and relearning material.
  4. Anki, commonly AnKing, MileDown, JackSparrow, or Mr. Pankow, for retention.
  5. Jack Westin or another CARS source for regular passage practice.

Many students use only a subset. The right resource depends on whether your problem is missing content, weak reasoning, poor retention, limited time, or limited money.

Price snapshot

These are approximate U.S. prices visible in July 2026. Some are regular prices, some are current sale prices, and some vary by access length. Used books, library access, Fee Assistance, and seasonal promotions can change the math a lot.1 ⟳ Verify every price at checkout.

Resource Approximate current cost What that price usually buys
AAMC Official Prep Online-Only Bundle $323.70 sale / $390 regular; $0 with eligible FAP benefit One year of official online prep products
AAMC individual practice exams $35 each for several exams; some exams are free One official full-length exam
AAMC Question Pack Bundle $76.50 sale / $90 regular One year of online Question Packs
UWorld MCAT QBank From $339 Third-party QBank; access length varies
UWorld books From $289 Six science books and two CARS books
Kaplan book set Roughly $300–$320 new; often $30–$100 used Subject-review books; edition and seller matter
Khan Academy MCAT collection Free Videos and practice material; verify current access
Blueprint QBank About $249 in current comparison pricing Third-party QBank; package and sale pricing vary
Blueprint full courses About $1,200 self-paced to $3,000 for the 515+ course Self-paced or live structure, depending on package
Altius full-length bundle About $300 regular for 10 exams; promotions vary Third-party full-length exams and explanations
Jack Westin free tier Free QBank, daily CARS, free exams and other tools
Jack Westin+ $29.99/month Additional videos, solutions, schedule, and live help
ExamKrackers book package Around $289 Seven books plus online practice; package varies
The Berkeley Review 10-book set $395 Large review set with extensive practice
Princeton Review book set $259.99 Seven subject-review books and online practice
Princeton Review test package $299 Eight third-party full-length exams
Anki Free on computer/web; approximately $25 one-time on iPhone Flashcard software; decks are generally free
Community P/S review documents Free Student-created condensed notes; quality varies

The important comparison is not just “free versus paid.” It is what the resource costs relative to the job it performs. A $30 used book may solve a content problem. A $339 question bank may be wasted if you have not learned the material or will not review the questions. A $2,000 course may be reasonable for someone who truly needs structure, and a terrible purchase for someone who only needs more practice.

S-tier: the resources that define the exam

AAMC Official Prep

What it includes: official full-length exams, the Sample Test, Question Packs, Section Bank, flashcards, and other official practice products. The exact bundle and product names can change. ⟳ Verify current contents.

Price: The AAMC currently lists its one-year online-only bundle at $323.70 on sale, with a regular price of $390. Individual practice exams are commonly listed at $35, while some exams are free. The Question Pack Bundle is currently listed at $76.50 on sale, with a regular price of $90. ⟳ Verify current prices.

Community reputation: essential and the most representative practice available. Students repeatedly advise saving the official material for the later part of preparation, especially the full-length exams, because using it too early can waste your best comparison to the real test.

Best for: learning how AAMC writes passages and answer choices, calibrating your timing, and judging readiness near test day.

Limitation: AAMC practice is not designed to be your only content-teaching resource. The explanations can also be shorter than what you want when you are first learning a topic.

My practical read: This is the one category where the community consensus is as close to unanimous as MCAT advice gets. Make the AAMC material central to your plan. If you qualify for the AAMC Fee Assistance Program, check what official preparation access is included before you spend money.

AAMC's free resources

The AAMC offers free planning tools, the Unscored Sample Test, and other free materials. The AAMC also provides access to official preparation products through certain assistance programs. ⟳ Verify current eligibility and access.

Start with these before buying a course. The Exam Blueprint and Study Plan can help you understand what you are looking at.

A-tier: the major third-party resources

UWorld MCAT QBank

What it is: a large third-party question bank, usually used for science practice and detailed review. When students say “UWorld,” they usually mean the QBank, not necessarily every other product the company sells.

Price: The MCAT QBank currently starts at about $339. UWorld also lists books from about $289 and larger prep courses from about $599 to $1,199. Those are different products. Do not accidentally buy a full course when you only wanted the QBank.

Recurring praise: detailed answer explanations, useful visuals, strong review tools, and enough questions to expose patterns in your weaknesses.

Recurring criticism: expensive, large enough to become overwhelming, and often harder or less perfectly representative than AAMC material. Some students find it especially useful for biology/biochemistry, chemistry/physics, and psychology/sociology, while others feel certain questions are more difficult than they need to be.

Best for: students who understand the basics and need high-volume practice with explanations that teach.

Do not use it as: a replacement for AAMC questions or a reason to measure yourself against an internet percentage chart. A low UWorld percentage does not translate cleanly into an AAMC score.

Kaplan MCAT Books

What they are: a commonly used content-review book set covering the major science and behavioral sections, with a separate CARS book.

Price: A new set is often around $300–$320, while used sets can be found for roughly $30–$100 depending on edition and condition. ⟳ Verify the edition and current seller price.

Recurring praise: organized, widely available used, comprehensive, and easy to pair with study calendars and community Anki decks. Students who want a single printed backbone often start here.

Recurring criticism: dense and sometimes more detailed than the exam needs. The CARS book is not usually treated as a substitute for actual passage practice. Some students also find the psychology/sociology coverage better when paired with a condensed review document or videos.

Best for: a student who wants a structured, inexpensive-used content backbone and learns well from books.

Cost move: look for a recent used set through a library, campus group, or student marketplace. Make sure the edition is not so old that the outline or test format has changed materially.

Khan Academy MCAT Collection

What it is: free videos and practice material created through the AAMC and Khan Academy partnership.

Price: Free. The cost is your time and internet access. ⟳ Verify current access before building an entire long study plan around it.

Recurring praise: free, useful for filling content gaps, and especially helpful when a textbook explanation is not making sense. Students frequently use it for targeted review rather than watching every video from beginning to end.

Recurring criticism: the videos can take a long time, the practice is not the same as official AAMC practice, and the organization can feel less direct than a book set.

Best for: targeted content review, especially when money is tight or you need another explanation of a difficult topic.

Important access note: free partnerships and libraries can change. ⟳ Verify current availability before making it the only foundation of a long study plan.

Blueprint MCAT

What it is: a commercial ecosystem that includes books, videos, question banks, full-length exams, analytics, and paid courses.

Price: Current comparison pricing places the QBank around $249, while full courses run from about $1,200 self-paced to about $3,000 for the 515+ package, depending on format, access, and promotions. ⟳ Verify the exact package.

Recurring praise: polished interface, structured planning, visual lessons, and a useful option for students who want more accountability or a guided course.

Recurring criticism: expensive, and some students find its questions or full-length scores less representative than AAMC material. Students also vary in how much they like the platform's teaching style.

Best for: a student who needs structure, a polished study platform, or third-party full-lengths for stamina practice and has the budget.

My practical read: Blueprint can be a good fit, but it is not automatically better than assembling a cheaper independent plan. Do not buy the full course when what you actually need is a question bank or a calendar.

Altius

What it is: a commercial prep company known for full-length exams, courses, tutoring, and mentoring options.

Price: Altius lists a 10-exam full-length bundle at about $300 before promotions. Courses and tutoring cost substantially more. ⟳ Verify the current bundle and whether a promotion changes the price.

Recurring praise: some students and tutors like its passage practice and full-lengths for building stamina and reasoning under pressure.

Recurring criticism: access and cost vary, and third-party score interpretation should be treated cautiously. It is less commonly the default recommendation than AAMC plus UWorld, but it can be useful for additional practice.

Best for: students who want more third-party full-length or structured support after they understand what gap they are trying to fill.

B-tier: targeted tools with real use cases

B-tier here means situational rather than weak. It is also where community consensus is least consistent.

Jack Westin

Best known for: a free daily CARS passage, additional CARS practice, study guides, and a broader paid platform.

Price: The free tier is $0. Jack Westin+ is currently $29.99 per month with a seven-day trial. Dedicated courses can run from roughly $1,700 to $4,600, depending on the course and current promotion. ⟳ Verify the package before treating a sale price as the normal price.

Recurring praise: free daily practice makes it easy to build the CARS habit, and the site has a large amount of accessible material.

Recurring criticism: students disagree about how closely every passage matches AAMC style. Use it for volume and routine, not as a perfect substitute for official CARS material.

ExamKrackers

Best known for: concise content-review books and additional passage books, including CARS material.

Price: The complete seven-book package generally runs around $280–$300 through Amazon, although individual books and used editions cost less. Their live courses can cost several thousand dollars. ⟳ Verify current package pricing.

Recurring praise: shorter and more digestible than some comprehensive sets, which can help a student who gets buried in Kaplan-style detail.

Recurring criticism: the brevity can become a limitation if you need a more complete explanation, and opinions on its practice questions vary.

Best for: a student who already has some foundation and wants a concise review source.

The Berkeley Review

Best known for: detailed chemistry and physics materials and practice.

Price: The current 10-book set is listed at $395. Individual books or used sets can cost less, and the full set is a lot of material. ⟳ Verify edition and shipping costs.

Recurring praise: depth and challenging practice, especially for students who want extensive work in chemistry or physics.

Recurring criticism: can be more material than a student needs, and the style may feel overwhelming if your foundation is not ready.

Best for: targeted chemistry/physics reinforcement, not automatically as a complete first resource.

Princeton Review

Best known for: comprehensive books, courses, full-length exams, and paid instruction.

Price: The current boxed book set is listed at $259.99. The separate eight-exam test package is listed at $299. Full courses cost much more. ⟳ Verify current package pricing.

Recurring praise: structure and broad content coverage, particularly for students who want a formal course environment.

Recurring criticism: students often describe the books as dense and the practice exams as less representative or “deflated” compared with AAMC scores.

Best for: a student who needs a formal course or prefers its teaching style. Use its full-length scores as practice data, not as a verdict on your actual readiness.

Anki decks

Commonly discussed decks include AnKing, MileDown, JackSparrow, and Mr. Pankow for psychology and sociology. The names and versions change, so check the current deck information before downloading.

Price: The decks are generally free. Anki itself is free on computer and the web; the iPhone app is approximately $25 as a one-time purchase. ⟳ Verify current app pricing.

Recurring praise: free or inexpensive, efficient for retention, and useful for high-volume factual material.

Recurring criticism: large decks can consume the entire day, and a deck can give you the illusion of progress while you avoid practice questions.

Best for: retaining material you have already learned. Choose one core deck, unsuspend cards deliberately, and do not treat the number of cards completed as your score.

The Psychology/Sociology condensed documents

Students often refer to the “86-page” or “300-page” psychology/sociology review document. These are community-created summaries, and the name can refer to different versions. They are commonly used alongside Khan Academy, Anki, or practice questions.

Price: Free. The tradeoff is that you are relying on a community document whose authorship, accuracy, and update history may be unclear.

Recurring praise: efficient review of vocabulary and high-yield concepts.

Recurring criticism: condensed notes can omit context, vary in accuracy, and encourage memorization without understanding.

Best for: a review aid after you have checked the concept against the AAMC outline or another reliable source.

What I would buy at different budgets

Nearly $0

  • AAMC free planning and sample materials
  • Fee Assistance Program, if eligible
  • Khan Academy targeted content review
  • One free Anki deck
  • Jack Westin daily CARS practice
  • A used library or borrowed content source if you need one

This is a real preparation plan. Owning more products is not the same as being more prepared.

A modest budget

  • A used Kaplan or ExamKrackers book set, if you prefer books
  • A paid question bank for the period when you are ready to practice heavily
  • AAMC materials, with Fee Assistance if eligible

The usual community preference for the paid question-bank slot is UWorld. That does not mean you need it before you have learned the material or that you need to finish every question.

A larger budget

You can consider Blueprint, Kaplan, Princeton Review, or Altius courses if you need structure, accountability, tutoring, or a classroom-like schedule. The reason to buy the course should be the structure it provides. If you are an independent student who only needs questions, a full course is probably more than you need.

The resource stack I would start with

  1. Use the AAMC Blueprint and official materials to understand the exam. Save the official full-length exams for late, because they are your only real comparison to the real test. The Question Packs are practice material and can come in as soon as you have learned the content. If a third-party bank is out of reach, the packs are your question bank rather than your reserve, and saving them leaves you with nothing to practice on.
  2. Pick one content backbone: used Kaplan books, Khan Academy, ExamKrackers, or another source that fits how you learn.
  3. Add Anki only for retention, with one manageable deck.
  4. Add UWorld if you can afford a large third-party question bank and are ready to review questions carefully.
  5. Add Jack Westin or another CARS source for regular practice.
  6. Use Blueprint, Altius, Kaplan, or Princeton Review full-lengths for stamina only when you need more exams than the AAMC provides.

The Study Plan explains when each layer belongs. The point is not to finish the entire internet. It is to identify the gap, use the right tool, and review what the work is showing you.

Resource quality, prices, product contents, and free-resource availability change. Community reputation is not a guarantee of results. Verify current details before buying, and use the AAMC outline and official practice materials as the reference point. This page is educational information, not financial or admissions advice. — Last reviewed: 2026-08-06

A note on AI tools

An AI assistant is not a resource in the same sense as the products above: it does not teach you content and it is not written by anyone who has seen the exam. What it can do is work on the material you already have. The AI Workbench covers what that is worth, what it costs, and the two ways it can quietly damage a deck.

References and source notes

The named recommendations above are a synthesis of recurring public discussion, not a controlled comparison. The main source groups reviewed for this page were:

Footnotes

  1. Resource prices quoted on this page come from the vendors' own published pricing: AAMC Official Prep pricing and bundles (https://store.aamc.org/mcat-prep/product-bundles.html), UWorld (https://gradschool.uworld.com/mcat/question-bank/), The Berkeley Review (https://www.berkeleyreview.com/product/full-10-book-set/), Princeton Review (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/783711/), Jack Westin (https://jackwestin.com/mcat-jw-plus/), Altius (https://get.altiustestprep.com/april2026/), and Blueprint (https://blueprintprep.com/mcat). Corrected 2026-08-18: Blueprint was priced two ways on this page, "$1,700–$3,500+" in the table against "roughly $1,700 to more than $3,000" in the body, and neither appeared in this footnote. The vendor's published starting prices are $1,199 self-paced, $1,899 live online and $2,999 for the 515+ course, so the old floor overstated the cheapest course by about $500. Anki is $24.99 one-time on iOS with the desktop, Android and web versions free (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ankimobile-flashcards/id373493387 and https://apps.ankiweb.net/). ExamKrackers publishes no list price: its own page describes the seven-book set and its online practice and then sends buyers to Amazon (https://examkrackers.com/mcat-books/), so the figure quoted here is a marketplace price and moves with the seller rather than with the publisher. The Kaplan figure has no source here yet. Prices change without notice and bundles are repackaged, so check the vendor before budgeting against any figure here. ⟳ ↩