Jack Westin - Frequently Asked Questions (2024)

I only teach the strategy portion of the exam—not the content portion. The MCAT is a critical thinking exam. Content makes up roughly 30% of the exam while critical thinking accounts for around 70%.

While knowing content is necessary to succeed, without a proper method of approaching passages, you will not be efficient and most likely not finish the exam on time. Every section of this exam has passages to read and corresponding questions. I teach passage-based deduction. This means how to analyze an MCAT passage the way AAMC (the MCAT developers) want you to. You will learn how to finish the exam on time, without sacrificing accuracy. You will also learn to control your frustration and anxiety. Overall, the exam will become simpler and more do-able.

I provide students with six lectures each with corresponding homework (roughly 5-9 mandatory passages). Lectures are where you learn, step-by-step, specific strategies to understand CARS. The homework passages are from AAMC CARS Question Packs Volume 1 and 2. I cover all of these passages in workshops using the strategies you have learned throughout the lectures.

Each lecture and homework must be done every two weeks. You can do them in as little as 5 days from each other, but I recommend closer to 7-8 days. That means you must finish the course by 12 weeks (6 lectures X 2 weeks per lecture). I have this deadline, so that my students remain accountable. I want them to understand MCAT CARS ASAP. Two weeks per lecture is more than enough time to really get this. Once they finish the course properly, they will acquire the skills necessary to succeed on the entire MCAT. If they fall behind the two-week deadlines per lecture, they will fall behind with the course.

I do not plan to help you for as long as you like. That is not how this course works. I plan to help you finish this course and truly understand CARS as soon as possible. Once this has happened, my job is done. Now if you work hard and try to finish all of the lectures/homework within the time allotted but still have issues, I will continue to help you at no charge and provide access to the course, offer one on one sessions, phone calls, email check ins, etc. until I know you are ready.

This is entirely within my discretion. I am fair about this. I want my students to do well and nothing makes me happier than to see students work hard to accomplish their goals. But extra time is not necessary for most students who really try.

I'm sure you are thinking about possibly taking the course later so that you have access to me in case you need it. I do not recommend this, take the class as soon as you can within a year. Students who take the course closer to their exam date tend to stress a little more. They don't feel as comfortable making mistakes (you absolutely need to in order to grow and learn).

Upon completion of the course, you will confidently know what to do with this section of the exam. Independence is a very important aspect of the course and my philosophy as an instructor. I will not be there on test day. You have to take the exam on your own and you have to figure it out. You will easily figure out your mistakes if you complete the course.

Alumni students are free to always contact me for general questions, support, etc.

The only time students will need to pay to extend the course is if they did not work hard to complete a lecture and homework every two weeks. You will not need to use this option if you work hard during the course. I monitor all of your work (when you watched lectures, which live sessions you attended, which workshops you watched, which daily passages you completed and when, etc). I know the difference between someone who "gets it" and someone who has no idea what they are doing. It's a very clear line. Those who are working hard and still don't "get it" will never have to pay more to finally "get it"—that's my commitment to all of my students, provided that they are working hard.

If you finish the course successfully you will know what to do until exam day. You'll only get more proficient with time (like any skill you have ever acquired, mastery comes with time and practice). You will know how to identify and resolve your own mistakes, how to read every type of passage, how to find the right ideas from the passages, how to find the main idea, how to answer every single question type, and how to approach the science sections — all without needing my help. You will undoubtedly mature in your ability to rationalize information quickly.

Enroll in the class as soon as possible, up to a year in advance to ensure that you will be ready to take the exam (especially if you believe this section will be your most challenging section on the exam). At minimum you'll need four weeks, but it's advisable to be closer to 12 weeks (3 months).

The best time to take the course is right before you start studying for the MCAT or 2-3 months before you start studying. It's wise to finish the course and acquire the skills before you even start the sciences.

However, I do have many students who enroll while they study for the exam and that is perfectly fine as well. What I'm going to teach you is a skill. It's just like driving a car or typing on your computer. The more time you give yourself to practice this skill, the better you will be at it.

Yes. What I teach will directly apply to all other sections of the exam. Since the other sections are also heavily reading based, all strategies you learn for CARS are transferable to the other sections. I also dedicate several sessions to the sciences and discuss how to apply these skills to all other sections.

Although my course is classified as a CARS course, my goal is to teach you how to approach the entire exam. Once you complete the course, you will have mastered a set of critical-thinking skills necessary to score high in all four sections.

The course is structured in a way that allows students to finish each lecture and homework within a two-week window. That means if a student is struggling, they can spend up to two weeks working on the strategies learned within that lecture and finish the homework. Additionally, I hold office hours after each live session in case anyone needs further clarification.

My teaching style accommodates all learning needs. I have all kinds of students with different characteristics in my class each month: science-oriented, first time studying, retaking after two attempts, ESL, learning disabilities, non-traditional, etc. I go at a pace that is just right for every student. Everything I teach is really easy to understand, but I still repeat myself over and over again throughout the course (until, as many of my students tell me, my voice is your head on test day).

The hardest part about retaking the MCAT is overcoming the discouragement a student feels after receiving an unsatisfactory score the first time. Students may have major deficits in reading or test-taking ability that will need to be strengthened considerably prior to a re-take. This is why students invest in my course. They are prepared to change their previous habits and to challenge themselves to see the exam differently.

I like to show students exactly how to approach the exam in a very concrete, step-by-step manner that anyone can follow. However, in order to benefit from my instruction, students must be willing to accept change and break bad habits. By doing so, students not only become more proficient in the skills necessary to do well but will become smarter, more objective test-takers for future examinations they will take throughout their academic career.

Do not sign up unless you have at least three weeks before your exam date. I will not be able to help you at a level I am satisfied with if you do sign up. You will start understanding the true methodologies within the first lecture, but to implement them will require practice and a little bit of time.

I highly suggest that you postpone your exam if you think your MCAT score is not where you want it to be 2-3 weeks prior to your exam date. Take this exam seriously and commit yourself to the approach I have organized and you will undoubtedly change your ability to rationalize new information.

That being said, if you choose to sign up, I do believe you can fundamentally change how you approach the CARS section by attending and participating in a portion of the sessions. I have had success with students who used the course for as little as 2 weeks, but it is dependent on the student's abilities.

Although you have seen the AAMC material before, you really haven't. Not in the way I want you to. You will notice that the way I go through questions is completely different than what you did. The passages and even the answers will seem familiar (you may even remember some of the answer choices), but you won't be able to pick answers out of the blue. You'll need to actually explain to me why you picked it. No memorization on earth can help you with that.

On the contrary, looking over the AAMC material beforehand is a benefit because you will really believe what I have to show you. There have been many students who re-used the material after a second or even third attempt with no problem (as long as you apply what we have to show you).

The live sessions are geared towards giving students support and feedback. All live sessions are recorded in case you cannot attend. You can watch them at any time during your course.

I have 2-4 live sessions each week, where the live session schedule varies each week to accommodate all students in the course. They can occur on any weeknight at 7 or 8 PM EST or on weekends at 12, 7 or 8 PM EST. For example, I could have one live session on Monday at 7 PM EST, Thursday at 8 PM EST, Saturday at 12 PM EST, and Sunday at 7 PM EST. Or on another week I could have Tuesday at 7 PM EST, Wednesday at 8 PM EST, Friday at 7 PM EST, and Sunday at 12 PM EST.

I have been teaching only the MCAT Verbal / CARS section for over 10 years. In this time, I completed thousands of hours of teaching time and I have taught thousands of students. Through this experience, I have learned how to best guide students into understanding basic principles and reinforcing the foundations necessary to think like a top-scorer.

In addition to this, I also studied for this exam when I was a pre-medical student. I understand first-hand how difficult and daunting this exam can be. My number one goal is to show you how simple the MCAT really is and to show you common pitfalls the MCAT presents. I believe this will help improve your confidence and your overall score on the exam.

Yes, click on the “About” tab at the top of your screen and find “Reviews.” On this page, you will see video testimonials from my prior and current students.

You may also find reviews from my students on SDN (StudentDoctor.net), the most popular pre-medical website. I have no control or access to what my students write on this site. I cannot edit or delete the reviews since it's run by a non-profit organization—not me.

I cannot guarantee that you will improve, because your success is dependent on many factors. Will you actually follow my strategies? Will you work hard? Will you stay focused on test day?

If you do well after the course, it's because you did well. If you don't do well after this course, it's because you did not do well. I will show you what this exam wants and how to do it, but your execution and performance is in your hands. Under timed conditions, this exam becomes a different animal and preparation is the key to your success.

For many students, my approach is a game-changer. Before they sign up, they have no idea what the exam truly wants. I can guarantee that you will understand how to get every AAMC CARS question right through a step-by-step approach. You will learn exactly how to read and exactly how to answer even the most difficult questions.

If this is something that you find valuable, then this course is worth your investment. I will show you what it takes to score 129+. This course will make you smarter, more logical, and a better critical thinker. You just have to be willing to work hard, make mistakes, learn from them, and be consistent with the methods I will teach you.

I post new trial session times weekly on our main page. You may check our page again to find the next session schedule.

If you cannot find a suitable trial session time, please reach out to me so we can schedule a meeting to walk you through the structure of the course and how I teach CARS using critical thinking fundamentals.

I don't teach students one on one as it is not the most efficient way to learn CARS. Students need at least 30 hours of teaching time/reinforcement to master CARS. The course provides all the resources and teaching in a structured manner that is far superior to one on one lessons. Acquiring the skills necessary to tackle the MCAT cannot be taught in one or two lessons or within a week. It takes at least 4 weeks.

The course includes many live, interactive sessions (each session is 2-3 hours) with me where I will give you personalized feedback. If I notice a student in my class is having difficulty with the lessons and I see that they are working hard, I will offer to meet with them individually at no charge to pinpoint the issue. This is not going to be necessary if you commit yourself to exactly what I say, but I really want to make sure students do not fall behind.

Also, having a group of like-minded peers who have the same goals is a very fun and encouraging way to learn. You get to hear other students' questions and how other students think.

Yes, students may elect to pay the tuition through 10 weekly installments of $145. Students pay $145 at the time of enrollment and then pay $145 weekly every week for 9 weeks until tuition is paid in full. These charges are done automatically every week. Students receive an email receipt for every successful installment payment.

Students who elect to pay via installment planning are responsible for the entire tuition regardless of course participation.

If you would like to choose installment planning, please click on the course you would like to enroll in and select the "Installment Payment" option.

We do not offer any kinds of refunds for the course. Students who enroll at any point are committing to the full payment of the course and its completion. All sales are final, regardless of the amount of time spent on the course.

If you do not perform to a level you are satisfied with, please email me and I can help you understand what went wrong and how to proceed. I am willing to help you until you are completely done with this exam. As long as you don't give up on yourself, I will always be your coach and mentor. This means I will extend your course, provide one on one support (at no charge), or create a more specific study strategy depending on what I believe will be most beneficial. I'm here to help hard working students succeed.

Typically, three weeks prior to the official start date. However, classes fill up over a month in advance as we approach MCAT season. I recommend enrolling early to ensure a spot. Due to the live nature of the course, we limit the amount of students I teach at any one time.

Please look for the "Course Status" section of the course you're interested in. If the status is "OPEN" there are still spots available. If the status is "FULL" the course has been filled to capacity.

We created our own custom classroom using the most advanced technologies found on the market today. We are always striving to improve the digital experience for our students. The course will load seamlessly on your browser with a click of a button, without the need of a download.

You should have no problem entering the live classroom. You may use your microphone to speak or simply type your questions in the live chat. You can use any device that connects to the internet (desktop, laptop, iPhone, or iPad).

The only materials you need to buy before the course begins are the AAMC MCAT CARS Question Packs Volume 1 and 2. They can be bought via AAMCs website for a total of $30 ($15 each). I will assign all of the passages in these two volumes throughout the course in a unique order that is going to help you better understand the exam.

I recommend that you also purchase AAMC Sample Test, Practice Exam 1, Practice Exam 2, Practice Exam 3, and Practice Exam 4, but those are not necessary to complete the course. You can start doing the AAMC exams once you finish Lecture 5 or anytime after you finish the course.

To all of my future students: regardless of when you enroll, I recommend that you (1.) read everyday and (2.) notecard vocabulary words you do not know.

When you read everyday, try to read for at least an hour. Two hours is ideal, but I realize that you may not have this luxury given your hectic schedule. If you can read for 1-2 hours daily for two years before taking my course, you will find the entire exam easier.

When it comes to what you should read, I recommend changing it up every week or two. I don't consider textbooks or scientific research articles reading material. Reading material can include a novel you find interesting or anything written at a college level. Make sure it's not so dense where you don't understand a thing it's saying, but it should be on the challenging side.

Some of my recommendations:

- 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene (anything by Robert Greene)
- Game of Thrones books
- The Economist Magazine
- The Atlantic Journal
- ALDaily.com (essays and opinions section)