How to prepare and when to take it

I’ve decided I’m taking the MCAT this summer but I’m between two dates and I still haven’t decided who I’m going to study with (Kaplan or Princenton). I’ve heard good and bad things about both reviews and I’ve also heard good things about NextStep. Which one do you guys recommend or like what mix could I do and why? I’m definitely taking a prep course too. When it comes to the registration dates I’m between choosing the last day before the semester starts vs the first week of the semester? Which one should I do and why?

Last day before semester starts. The whole point of doing the MCAT during the summer is to avoid having to balance school and MCAT. One extra week won’t really make that much of a difference but having nothing on your plate vs. the first week of school will.

Which program you use is probably going to be a matter of personal preference/what’s in the area (for example Kaplan was infinitely more popular than anything else in Providence), but I definitely wouldn’t plan on mixing and matching, it won’t make sense cost wise. If cost isn’t an issue, get a private tutor either from one of the big dogs (Kaplan/PR), a company like MedSchoolTutors, or a reputable private tutoring agency in your area.