Personalized MCAT Prep - 1 Source Prep

Q: What is the Efficient Prep Promise?

Each meeting is tracked on a “billable minutes basis.” This means our students are only charged for efficient prep time — time spent on true MCAT tutoring. Nobody deserves to pay for small talk, scheduling, or breaks. Our promise: You’ll never be charged for more than 95% of a meeting with us.

Q: What happens if I purchase too many hours?

Many tutoring companies depend on students purchasing too many hours. Afterall, what’s better than revenue without the associated expenses? At 1SM, that’s not how we roll. You have options if you’ve purchased too many hours: 1) Convert your tutoring hours to credits toward other 1SM services Say you purchased a 40-hour plan for $5,100 and finished your test prep with 4.9 hours remaining. We would calculate your hourly rate by subtracting the cost of UWorld ($209) and then dividing the total by the 40 hours: $(5,100 – 209)/40 = $122.28/hr (we always round in the student’s favor). Then, we multiply that hourly rate by the remaining hours: $122.28/hr x 4.9hrs = $599.15. We add this amount to the $400 credit toward additional services included in the original plan. The net total of $999.15 is available to the student for admissions advising, medical student coaching, or Step 1/Step 2 prep later in their career. 2) Receive a 75% refund on unused time Due to processing, administrative fees, and the hourly-rate discount for larger packages, we can’t offer a 100% refund on unused time. Nevertheless, you can always get 75% back, no strings attached.

Q: What happens if I purchase too few hours?

If you purchase fewer hours than you need, you can add more time at the hourly rate of your updated cumulative hour total. For example, if you purchase the 30-hour plan for $4,200 and later decide you want 10 more hours, we’ll bill you at the hourly rate of the 40-hour plan. Here’s how we’d calculate it: $5,100 (40-hr plan price)/40hrs = $127.5/hr x 10 hrs = $1,275. While your overall cost would have been lower if you’d purchased 40 hours up front, this is a better deal than if we were to pretend we’d never met (total savings = $525). As far as we know, we’re the only company in our industry with this policy.

Q: How do you schedule meetings?

After you sign up, you’ll receive a message from your tutor within 24 hours with their email address and cell phone number. You can use either means to reach out to schedule meetings as frequently as you’d like, provided it works with your tutor’s schedule. Most students will have 2 standing meetings in the calendar each week; however, we know life happens and schedules change, and we’re happy to communicate with you on a weekly basis to modify meeting days and times as needed.

Q: What if I have to reschedule a meeting?

Life happens, and sometimes you have to reschedule. We get it. That’s why we offer as much flexibility as possible. Our rescheduling policy is as follows: • Rescheduling >48 hrs in advance: We’ll never penalize you for rescheduling more than 48 hours in advance. Period, end of story. • Rescheduling <48 hrs in advance: All students start with 1 free last-minute cancellation/reschedule per 10 hours purchased, and an additional last-minute cancellation credit if your tutor needs to cancel or reschedule at the last minute. After students have used all of these credits, they will be billed for 30 minutes of tutoring for meetings rescheduled 24-48 hours prior to the meeting start time, and 60 minutes of tutoring for meetings rescheduled <24 hours prior to the meeting start time. Note: We hate billing for things we didn’t actually do, but our tutors are busy people, too, and need compensation for time-wasted.

Cookie-cutter MCAT prep not cutting it? Maximize your score with ultra-personalized tutoring.

Off-script 1-on-1 tutoring tailored to your unique learning style, pain points, & schedule - all from experienced tutors who just happen to be 525+ scorers.

516.1 Average Student Score

14.2 Average Score Increase

526.4 Average Tutor Score

Succeeding on the MCAT requires systematic, personalized prep & intense focus on your most challenging areas.

One-size-fits-all prep isn’t going to cut it. Here’s why:

Learning breakthroughs require off-script tutoring

Tutors that scored at even the 95th percentile don’t typically have the fluency to go off-script to explain concepts in the way that works best for you. Our 525+ scoring experts are fluent in MCAT concepts and know how to make them click.

Your undergraduate study techniques won't work on the MCAT

Your undergraduate study techniques are optimized for prep that lasts a couple weeks at most. While undergraduate tests are oriented toward memorization, the MCAT is a test of your ability to think critically. Cramming won’t work. Efficiency is the name of the game. Our experts can help you develop the study strategies you need to optimize your prep for the marathon that is the MCAT.

There are too many prep materials available from too many sources

Videos, workbooks & question banks, oh my! Figuring out how to wade through the sea of MCAT prep materials is a full-time job in itself, and you only have so much time to study. Our experts put together a personalized plan based on your strengths & weaknesses to ensure you’re getting the most out of your time before your test.

You have unique strengths & weaknesses

Each students grasps different concepts with varying speed and difficulty. Books and videos are created once for many people, which means you could be wasting precious time on concepts you’ve already mastered. Our experts can help you quickly identify & address pain points while exploiting the strengths you already have.

You have a unique learning style

Do you learn better visually (with illustrations, animation & diagrams)? Or are you more of an auditory learner? With cookie-cutter programs, you’re at the mercy of how the content was created. At 1SM, we tailor your lessons to your learning style to ensure you have the best chance at grasping the concepts.

You have a unique timeline

Some students have 16 weeks before their test dates. Others have 6. Your unique timeline requires a unique study plan tailored to your needs.

We created 1 Source Medicine because we're tired of sub-par, cookie-cutter MCAT prep.

1-on-1 MCAT prep is an investment — it shouldn't leave you hanging. We created 1 Source Medicine because we hated seeing med school hopefuls leave points on the table due to tutors who couldn't teach effectively. Learning breakthroughs require subject-matter fluency. With hyper-personalized 1-on-1 tutoring from the top 0.1% of MCAT scorers, we strive to optimize your MCAT prep and maximize your score. You can rest easy knowing you did everything you could to smash your goals.

We only hire experienced teachers who are 99.9th percentile scorers

Our tutors are true MCAT experts who can go off-script on key concepts. This allows us to focus on your trouble areas until they start to click. No one-size-fits-all programs, here!

You'll start with a free 30-minute consultation to customize a study plan based on your strengths & weaknesses. Your tutoring sessions will be focused on your questions, not our agenda.

Maximize your return on investment with better services & lower costs

Our prices are roughly 70% of industry leaders' and our tutors are the best in the business.

We offer an Efficient Prep Promise

We only charge for time spent on actual MCAT-related tutoring — not pleasantries, gossip, breaks, or scheduling. You'll never be charged for more than 95% of a meeting with us!

HOW IT WORKS

Our 3-Step Process for MCAT Success

Step 1 - Complimentary MCAT Consultation
Step 2 - Prep Personalization
Step 3 - Efficient Prep With the Experts

In your free 30-minute consultation, we’ll explore how you learn best, get to know your academic history, and chat about your MCAT goals. From there, we’ll walk you through our prep process and share studying & test-taking recommendations tailored to your needs whether you choose to work with us or not.

There are many ways to prepare for the MCAT. We specialize in designing solutions to meet your problems, rather than forcing your problems to conform to one-size-fits-all solutions. Your first session with your tutor is focused on discovery & planning. We’ll dig deeper into how you learn, then design a unique prep plan to meet your needs. The best part? This time doesn’t count against your bucket of hours.

1 Source Medicine tutors are the best in the industry. We only hire 99.9th percentile scorers (525+) and constantly review tutor performance to ensure our exceptional scorers are also exceptional teachers. This level of expertise enables us to offer the highest degree of personalization in the industry and empowers you with precise, elegant answers to your most pressing questions — on the fly. Our students are only charged for efficient prep time. Nobody deserves to be charged for small talk or time spent taking breaks and pulling up questions. Each meeting is tracked on a “billable minutes basis.” Only time spent on true MCAT prep will be deducted from your purchase.

You're pre-med. We know you have questions.

REVIEWS

Our Students Speak for Us

Perfect 5.0 on Google Reviews

Read Reviews on Google

          
   Ali Mashadi 
 2024-05-29
 
 
  I had Riley as my tutor and he was amazing!
  
 
       
   Janan Zeng 
 2024-03-24
 
 
  I had the pleasure of working with Landon and Joey from Source 1. Both of them attentively listened to my concerns regarding the application process and MCAT exam. They provided personalized assistance, helping me develop a tailored plan to address these challenges. I would highly recommend Source 1 to any student in need of one-on-one tutoring and support.
  
 
       
   Haley M 
 2024-02-22
 
 
  I recently aced the MCAT with a 99th percentile score, thanks to 1Source! Their personalized approach really suited my goal of a 520+ score. The personal advice and targeted strategies I received from my tutor were instrumental in my success. I loved that they have no preset curriculum plan, and instead allow you to work at the pace and with the resources that you find the most comfortable. Their pricing is fair and provides the best value for money that I could find, especially if you’re already planning on buying a UWorld subscription. If you're serious about MCAT success, they’re the way to go!
  
 
       
   Rushie Tyagi 
 2023-10-13
 
 
  I had a very positive experience! Everyone is very supportive. Joe is always there to help. I had Tristen as my tutors. He is amazing and explains concepts in way that are easy to understand and helps in every way possible!
  
 
       
   Ashley Ekpo 
 2023-09-07
 
 
  I’ve really enjoyed working with 1SM and Neelam was absolutely amazing!!! She helped structure my study plan and basically taught me an entire subject I hadn’t taken the prereq in! Her approach really ensured I studied effectively while still enjoying my life. The owner has excellent communication and a commitment to customer satisfaction. I highly recommend Neelam and all of the 1SM staff.
  
 
       
   Anisha Sood 
 2023-08-28
 
 
  They helped me so so so much!!!!! Definitely recommend to anyone who is looking for 1-1 help. Worth your time, money, and effort for sure!
  
 
       
   Sheeva Baghalian 
 2023-06-25
 
 
  I had the pleasure of working with Landon for my MCAT tutoring and he was one of the most dedicated and hard working tutors I have ever worked with! He was always motivating, kind, and patient and really explored all the avenues possible to ensure my understanding of topics I was struggling with. His methods, full length exam schedules, and passage approaches/strategies gave me a whole new perspective when studying and definitely contributed to my improvements! Not only is Landon an incredible tutor but he also became a dedicated mentor and friend and was always there for whatever I needed (MCAT related or not!). His personality and dedication made this process easier and more enjoyable which uplifted me a ton during prep.
In addition, Joe was always willing to accommodate my needs, ensure my success with the exam, and always there to listen/give advice. He is the kindest, most honest person I have ever met and he is genuinely dedicated to each and every one of his students' success.
I am grateful to have found 1SM and been able to experience their tutoring!
  
 
       
   Maryam K 
 2023-06-09
 
 
  As someone who tried traditional MCAT prep companies, 1source has been the been a game changer. Joe has given 100% clear transparency on how you will be billed and truly works with his clients to accommodate all their needs. You have access to a variety of tutors who coach you on AAMC logic and providing test taking strategies to improve. Neelam has been amazing with CARS and I saw improvement after our first 2 sessions. The company also gives access to a variety of guides that helped me structure my studying without wasting time. I can honestly vouch for the 1source program and highly recommend to anyone looking for MCAT prep!!!
  
 
       
   Ariel Kovner 
 2023-06-05
 
 
  This was an amazing experience! It helped me tremendously in my efforts to studying and preparing for the MCAT. Joe is an extremely personable and kind guy and works very hard to help personalize a plan that works best for you. I did the 40hour plan and had an amazing and smart and patient tutor named Divya. She was the absolute best! We would meet 2 times a week for about an hour and a half to two hours. We started off going over content reviews and diving through it all. I loved every moment of it because studying one concept would take me all day to do and when I got online to get tutored with Divya, it took her maybe 30 mins to explain and teach me when it took me 8+ hours to do it alone and didn’t even truly understand it by myself. After content review we switched to practice with Anki and UWorld and practice exams. We would then meet online to review my work and or work through some of it together. I loved when we would go through it together because she could see all my mistakes as it happened and would help guide me towards the correction direction. She was very flexible and very accommodating throughout the entire experience. I am very grateful for her and all the time we spent together studying. I highly recommend this program and Divya as a tutor in general. For those who know me, they know that I am not an easy student and I have my quirks to say the least - and Divya excelled at tutoring me which is no easy feat. That being said I am truly grateful for one source medicine as they helped me schedule and organize my MCAT studying plans to the utmost detail and helped me find an amazing tutor to guide me throughout the entire experience. Additionally they also have personal statement help included with the package which is amazing. I am working with an editor now to help me perfect my personal statement and it is really helpful! In the end, I want to thank Joe for everything he has done to help me and for helping set up this program! I also want to give a huge shoutout and thanks to my amazing tutor Divya as I am short for words to express how grateful you were to me during the process. Thank you so much! I highly appreciate everything you all have done for me. If you are thinking about signing up I highly recommend it as I found it very helpful!
  
 
  
  Load more
 
 
   Google rating score: 5.0 of 5, based on 29 reviews

Don't take their word for it, see for yourself!

Schedule Your Free MCAT Consultation

GET ANSWERS

Frequently Asked Questions

How many hours should I purchase?

Most of our students meet with their tutors roughly twice per week. Each meeting averages about 90 minutes. In the context of our Efficient Prep billing method, this means you should plan for ~2.5 hours per week. But we’re flexible! If you’re more self-sufficient or you’d like to save some money, you can plan for 3 meetings every 2 weeks. We’ve also seen students succeed on 1 and even <1 meeting per week.

Every student is different. Message us in the chat or schedule a free consultation, and we’ll help you figure out your optimum number of hours prior to purchasing.

What is the Efficient Prep Promise?

Each meeting is tracked on a “billable minutes basis.” This means our students are only charged for efficient prep time — time spent on true MCAT tutoring. Nobody deserves to pay for small talk, scheduling, or breaks. Our promise: You’ll never be charged for more than 95% of a meeting with us.

What happens if I purchase too many hours?

Many tutoring companies depend on students purchasing too many hours. Afterall, what’s better than revenue without the associated expenses? At 1SM, that’s not how we roll. You have options if you’ve purchased too many hours:

1) Convert your tutoring hours to credits toward other 1SM services
Say you purchased a 40-hour plan for $5,100 and finished your test prep with 4.9 hours remaining. We would calculate your hourly rate by subtracting the cost of UWorld ($209) and then dividing the total by the 40 hours: $(5,100 – 209)/40 = $122.28/hr (we always round in the student’s favor). Then, we multiply that hourly rate by the remaining hours: $122.28/hr x 4.9hrs = $599.15. We add this amount to the $400 credit toward additional services included in the original plan. The net total of $999.15 is available to the student for admissions advising, medical student coaching, or Step 1/Step 2 prep later in their career.

2) Receive a 75% refund on unused time
Due to processing, administrative fees, and the hourly-rate discount for larger packages, we can’t offer a 100% refund on unused time. Nevertheless, you can always get 75% back, no strings attached.

What happens if I purchase too few hours?

If you purchase fewer hours than you need, you can add more time at the hourly rate of your updated cumulative hour total.

For example, if you purchase the 30-hour plan for $4,200 and later decide you want 10 more hours, we’ll bill you at the hourly rate of the 40-hour plan. Here’s how we’d calculate it: $5,100 (40-hr plan price)/40hrs = $127.5/hr x 10 hrs = $1,275. While your overall cost would have been lower if you’d purchased 40 hours up front, this is a better deal than if we were to pretend we’d never met (total savings = $525).

As far as we know, we’re the only company in our industry with this policy.

How do you schedule meetings?

After you sign up, you’ll receive a message from your tutor within 24 hours with their email address and cell phone number. You can use either means to reach out to schedule meetings as frequently as you’d like, provided it works with your tutor’s schedule. Most students will have 2 standing meetings in the calendar each week; however, we know life happens and schedules change, and we’re happy to communicate with you on a weekly basis to modify meeting days and times as needed.

What if I have to reschedule a meeting?

Life happens, and sometimes you have to reschedule. We get it. That’s why we offer as much flexibility as possible. Our rescheduling policy is as follows:

• Rescheduling >48 hrs in advance:
We’ll never penalize you for rescheduling more than 48 hours in advance. Period, end of story.

• Rescheduling <48 hrs in advance:
All students start with 1 free last-minute cancellation/reschedule per 10 hours purchased, and an additional last-minute cancellation credit if your tutor needs to cancel or reschedule at the last minute. After students have used all of these credits, they will be billed for 30 minutes of tutoring for meetings rescheduled 24-48 hours prior to the meeting start time, and 60 minutes of tutoring for meetings rescheduled <24 hours prior to the meeting start time. Note: We hate billing for things we didn’t actually do, but our tutors are busy people, too, and need compensation for time-wasted.

How frequently do I meet with my tutor?

Most of our students meet with their tutors 2 times per week. If you want a more hands-on approach or if you’re nearing your test date, we recommend 2-3 meetings per week. If you’re operating on a tighter budget or prefer an as-needed advising/Q&A relationship, you can purchase a plan and reach out to your tutor via email or text message as questions arise. Our goal is to adapt to your needs — not the other way around.

Can you guarantee I'll get the score I want?

No, we can’t. And we’re leery of companies that say they can.

Each student is unique, and there are many factors outside our control that determine a student’s performance on the MCAT. For that reason, it’s our opinion that specific score guarantees — with all the requisite asterisks — are disingenuous. We prefer to channel our resources into making 1SM services of the highest possible quality. We only guarantee that which is completely within our control. Our goal is to empower you with all the tools you need to carry yourself over the finish line.

What if I already have a UWorld subscription?

We’re NOT going to make you pay for UWorld twice. When you check out, there’s an option to select whether you already have UWorld access. If you accidentally opt-in, just let us know and we’ll refund you the appropriate amount.

What is the average 1SM student MCAT score?

As of January 1, 2023, our average student score is 516.1. We will update this data again if we see a substantial change or on January 1, 2024 — whichever comes first.

This does NOT mean every student we’ve worked with has scored a 516+. Averages are averages, and while most of our students see significant improvement, there will always be circumstances in which an individual doesn’t get the score they’re capable of.

What happens if I don't get the score I hoped for?

The vast majority of 1SM students see expected, significant score improvements, but we’ve certainly had outliers on both ends of the spectrum — the excessively awesome and confusingly underwhelming.

For example, one retaker jumped from 482 to 519 (wild, we know). On the flip side, a small contingency of students underperformed on the official exam compared to their final AAMC full-length exams. Testing anxiety, poorly simulated testing conditions, and plain bad luck can negatively impact test takers. We’re constantly implementing additional measures to minimize their effects on our students, but we all have to tip our caps to the chaos of entropy at some point.