The OAT (Optometry Admission Test) is no doubt a difficult one, which is why a lot of students turn to courses like that of Kaplan’s to study and prepare in advance.
It’s not really surprising, considering that Kaplan is one of the most well-known and reputable companies when it comes to exam prep courses. They have tons of practice questions, decades of experience, and a lot of amazing stuff going for them.
But this begs the question: is Kaplan OAT worth it? Let’s find the answer to that and more in this review.
What we will cover?
What the Kaplan OAT Prep Contains
As one of the most reputable companies out there, Kaplan offers highly detailed materials designed to help students prepare for various exams, OAT included.
Their prep course comes with some of the best options and resources that will help you learn and understand all of the concepts involved in the OAT. Through the prep course, you can expect a lot of stuff including the following:
- Personalized study plans
- A revamped OAT prep course
- 4000+ highly detailed practice questions
- 3D and AR learning environments
- Monthly interactive sessions
These are just a few of the many things you can expect from the OAT prep course at Kaplan. Next, let’s talk about its various aspects to see whether it’s worth it or not.
Pricing
Kaplan features 3 different study options which makes it flexible for most students as far as pricing goes. There are the 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months versions. Obviously, the option you choose will depend on how long you want to access Kaplan’s study materials.
Of the three, the 3-month package is the most popular. Priced at around $700, the package features several hours of study materials, Q&A sessions, videos, and a whole lot more. It also grants access to more than 7,000 questions tailored to your needs.
Aside from that, you can also benefit from 7 full-length practice exams which allow you to familiarize various concepts of the OAT before the actual exam takes place.
The best part about this package is the interactive sessions available each month. It comes with 70 live online classes, and the best part is that you can choose which days you want to attend depending on your schedule.
On the other hand, the 6-month package is pretty much the same as the 3-month package. The only difference is that it’s longer and also gives you expert coaching advise.
Finally, the 12-month package grants you one whole year of access as well as coaching and even tutoring. It costs around $1,600 which is quite a lot for most students.
All in all, the pricing for Kaplan OAT is pretty decent. The prep course offers a lot in terms of value, and while it might be more expensive than other courses, the fact that it grants you access to live classes makes it very well worth the price.
Online Tutoring Classes
The monthly packages are not the only ones included in the Kaplan OAT prep course’s pricing. There are also online tutoring classes in which you’ll get an online tutor who will give you undivided attention so you can study properly and be able to get a high score on the test.
Unlike the monthly packages, this one lets you choose a package based on your needs and budget. There will be different rates depending on the total number of hours you need, with the cheapest at $599 for 5 hours and the most expensive at $4,799 for 40 hours.
While this might seem expensive, the pricing is actually quite decent. After all, you won’t be able to find live OAT tutoring for less than $200 per hour that easily. Since the lessons are distributed throughout the week, you will be able to fit them into your busy schedule.
The good part is that you can pay for online tutoring on a monthly basis. This means that you’ll be able to pay from $50 to $400 per month for a whole year depending on your preference.
Prep Materials and Study Plan
The Kaplan OAT is a pretty comprehensive package with a lot of resources that can greatly help with your preparation and study for the OAT. It has tons of quizzes, full-length practice exams, and even interactive support.
That said, let’s have a look at the prep materials included in the prep course.
Video Lessons
Video lessons are always a feature in any of Kaplan OAT’s packages. With this, you will get up to 120 hours of guided and high-quality video lessons. Perhaps the only caveat is that albeit comprehensive, they’re a bit boring.
Despite that, there’s a lot of stuff you can learn considering how the videos are done in a way that you can improve a lot of your areas of study that need further improvement.
Live Classes
One of the highlights of the Kaplan OAT prep course is the live classes which are perfect for most students who need real-time interaction when studying. With more than 70 classes per month, you’ll surely get the feeling that you’re attending a class in real time even in the comforts of your own home.
This means you have the ability to ask questions as you go, then receive answers almost immediately. Besides, the instructors are all quite knowledgeable in the subject which made the classes even more exciting to attend.
That said, you will be able to pick your schedule and decide which days you want to attend a class. This makes the course quite flexible as you’ll be able to fit the classes into your own schedule.
Practice Tests
Another highlight of the Kaplan OAT course is the Qbank feature, which basically consists of more than 7,000 practice questions. All of the questions are specifically designed to meet your needs.
This feature is quite worthwhile as it gives you the ability to design quizzes on areas that need improvement without unnecessarily wasting time on the ones that you’ve already mastered.
Besides, with more than 7,000 questions included, you most likely won’t encounter the same questions twice during your study.
Aside from that, the questions are just like the ones that appear on the previous versions of the actual exam. They’re compiled by certified experts who have extensive knowledge of the OAT as well. And since there are 7 full-length practice exams, you’ll have plenty to work on!
Prep Book
Finally, we have the prep book which is yet another feature that the Kaplan OAT prep course is known for. It has the critical reading section which can help a lot when it comes to reading and answering exam questions.
Moreover, the “cheat sheets” portion of the prep book can be really useful when studying.
Money-back Guarantee
The Kaplan OAT course is designed to help every student ace the OAT so they can join their preferred optometry school. So in the event that you’re not able to pass the exam or get a high score using the prep course, you’ll be able to request a refund.
Alternatively, you can also decide to gain extended access to the study material for up to 3 more months without any charge should you fail to get a high score. This is only possible if you manage to score higher than your baseline but would like to get an even higher score.
Needless to say, Kaplan is confident in their prep course that they’re able to even offer this guarantee.
Final Verdict
With all things considered, the Kaplan OAT prep course is no doubt an impressive course that will help increase your chances of passing the OAT by a huge margin. It’s highly detailed and comprehensive, and it also features a lot of options that will help make preparation and studying a lot easier.
That said, it’s not without its downsides, though they’re nothing major. In particular, their video lessons could definitely use some improvement when it comes to the presentation. While they’re indeed high quality, they’re mostly boring and dry due to the lack of humor or entertainment.
Personally, I believe that a bit of fun can go a long way, and it won’t even take away from the videos’ overall comprehensiveness. Another potential downside is the limited period that students can access Kaplan’s resources. There might be some who’ll need even more time to study, though the availability of live lessons can somehow make up for it.
Lastly, the course might be a bit too expensive for some. Then, you must check our overall top pick OATBooster
However, I believe this is a worthy investment considering you get a higher chance of passing the Oat in return.
FAQs
Is it worth getting the Kaplan OAT course?
Definitely, especially if you’re set on passing the test so you can get accepted to an optometry school of your choice. Since the OAT is a particularly difficult test, you want to get all of the resources you can get your hands on in order to increase your chances of passing.
With the Kaplan OAT course, you’ll get access to expert tutors who will provide you with comprehensive lessons tailored to your needs. Besides, the packages offered by Kaplan are moderately priced, so you don’t have to spend a fortune to avail of any of them.
Are the tests in the course harder than the actual exam?
Yes. It’s worth noting that most of the tests in the prep course are actually harder than the actual exam. It’s designed this way so you can prepare for the exam mentally and get to have a much easier time once the actual exam comes.
That said, there’s no need to worry about getting low scores on the tests given by the Kaplan OAT course. You’ll get to appreciate it on the day of the actual exam.
How does the Kaplan OAT prep course compare to other courses?
As far as I know, the Kaplan prep course offers far more realistic questions compared to the other courses. This means that they’ll come as close to the questions in the actual exams, though generally much harder.
That aside, there are a few key differences between Kaplan OAT and other similar courses when it comes to their pricing, available study materials, and more.
What’s the best monthly package to get for the Kaplan OAT course?
That would depend on your personal needs and budget. Most students find the 3-month package to be the most beneficial as it will be more than enough to provide them with the preparation that they need.
Besides, the 3-month package is just way cheaper compared to its 6-month and 12-month counterparts. If you can afford to pay more and would like to gain more access to Kaplan’s study materials, then feel free to avail of the other packages.
Are there tutoring options for OAT as well?
Yes. Kaplan does offer online tutoring options for students who want to have live tutoring classes with experts in the field. This package will provide you with a handpicked tutor who’s tailored to your specific needs.
With this, you’ll be able to realize your strengths and work on areas that need further improvement as your tutor will guide you throughout the process.
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