MCAT Score: 97th Percentile Overall (Scored Above the 90th Percentile in Every Section)
Pre-med GPA: 3.70
Undergraduate Studies: Biochemistry Major
Medical Education: Applying/Interviewing for MD programs; Currently Receiving Secondaries from Top Schools such as Dartmouth and Georgetown
Special Expertise: Practice Question Writer and Editor for MCAT Self Prep and Testing Solutions; Award Winning Chemistry Teaching Assistant; Scored 99th Percentile on the Chemistry/Physics Section
In-person Availability: Although most of Garrett’s sessions are conducted online via video call, he is currently available to meet with students on-campus at BYU.
More About Garrett
Hey! I’m Garrett and I am incredibly excited to help you on your way to killing the MCAT! I am currently in the middle of the 2018 medical school application cycle and am already hearing some great news from some top schools such as Dartmouth and Georgetown! As a member of two really large extended families, the oldest of 38 younger cousins, I have always been surrounded by younger children. This has inspired me to one day enter the field of pediatrics. I hope to devote my life to helping make sure all the little guys out there stay healthy and happy.
I have multiple years of teaching experience and have loved every second of it. In fact, if I hadn’t decided to go into medicine I would most likely have entered the field of teaching. As a student myself, I know the value of a good teacher. When I teach, I try to be everything that I look for in a good teacher. Part of that is applying the material to each individual student. After all, we are all different and we all learn in different ways. I enjoy spending time to get to know my students so I can understand how they best learn and apply the material to their lives.
I started my MCAT journey about a year ago with the Founder and CEO of MCAT Self Prep, Andrew George, as my personal tutor and mentor. And as with many pre-med students, I realized that certain areas of my medical school application weren’t quite as stellar as I would have liked. For me, the problem was my GPA. Although not terrible, my 3.70 GPA definitely didn’t have the “wow factor” that I desired. Due to this, I knew I needed to get an incredible MCAT score to keep my application competitive. I followed the MCAT Self Prep eCourse religiously and put in the effort required to understand the MCAT both forwards and backwards. The result? An incredibly competitive score come test day (Click here to see me open my MCAT score for the first time)! If you are looking for a stellar MCAT score and want to study with someone who knows the test like the back of their hand, then come study with me. I’m confident we can work together to get you the score you want!
Although I absolutely love tutoring, I still manage to make time for a couple hobbies on the side. I am an avid runner who is always looking for a good race. I’ve spent the last few years doing lots of trail running including competing in a couple ultra marathons. I recently decided to shorten the distance a bit and try my hand at a regular marathon with the hope of qualifying for Boston. When I’m not running you will probably either find me with my nose in a book or with Nike’s on my feet pretending I know what I’m doing on a basketball court.
Again, I am really excited to begin tutoring with you. I understand the process of studying for the MCAT can be an incredibly overwhelming experience, and I promise to go out of my way to make sure we change that stressful feeling into one of confidence. I will help you develop your own individualized study plan so that you can stay on top of the test and get the score you want! Feel free to reach out to me with any questions or to request a free 10-minute phone consultation using the contact form below. I look forward to hearing from you!
Best wishes,
Garrett Bourne
Student Testimonials
Kennedy found Garrett to be especially available and very knowledgeable. Here is what she has to say about her experience tutoring with Garrett: “Garrett definitely made a difference in my experience as a student. Without giving the answers away he would prompt my train of thought in the correct direction to think through my own problems. It was a rare occasion when he would need to refer to outside resources for the knowledge necessary to answer my questions. When seeking help his help, it was obvious to me that he had prepared beforehand. Not only were his chemistry and teaching skills superior, but he was very personable and was always willing to try and describe things in multiples ways without any annoyance or hurriedness, as I have had other tutors do in the past. He was also friendly and created an air of relaxation and focus, even when I may have been stressed or distracted. Lastly, he would take time out of his busy schedule to reply to emails or even meet in person to resolve any problems. When compared to past and present tutors, Garrett definitely made more of an effort and therefore had a greater effect on my learning.”
Brady found that as a tutor Garrett was always prepared with the expertise and materials to enhance his learning. Hear what he has to say about this experience: “Garrett was a tremendous help to me as a tutor. I came into it unprepared, and Garrett helped me climb the learning curve. He was extremely willing to accommodate my schedule, often meeting with me outside of his regular hours. These meetings were vital to my learning difficult thermodynamic, equilibrium, acid-base, and descriptive chemistry concepts that weren’t covered fully elsewhere. During our sessions, Garrett demonstrated good tutoring skills by solving problems together, giving me hints rather than telling me the answer right away. I felt that Garrett had extremely good mastery over some extremely difficult material, and his retention of the material especially impressed me. Garrett worked very hard to prepare in ways that helped me create an overarching framework for the concepts that we learned and helped me understand how they connected in greater detail. Garrett went above and beyond as my tutor, and I am very grateful to have had Garrett for a tutor when it was critical to have someone help me get from where I was to where I needed to be.”
Ashley found that Garrett truly pushed her to do her very best. Here is what she has to say: “Garrett was an effective tutor for me because he always had 3 or 4 ways of explaining a concept if I was not understanding it the first time. He was really good at making sure I actually understood the steps and concepts he was talking me through. If I nodded my head and said I understood the question and what he had taught me he would say, “okay, explain it to me then, and show me how to solve it.” This was incredibly effective because it forced me to actually master the reasoning behind questions, not just learn how to solve one particular question that I would never see again. Another thing he did that was specifically helpful for me was breaking down challenging problems into the simple concepts that I already knew. He helped me tackle problems step by step instead of getting intimidated by the seemingly impossible scenarios given. Garrett, unlike many other tutors I had, cared that I truly knew what I was doing. He wanted me to understand and appreciate the material I was learning so that I could apply it later as well.”
Hear Mike explain how Garrett’s tutoring with Garrett helped him break the curve and get close to a perfect score: “Garrett tutored me in a chemistry class and he was able to simplify concepts that I found difficult. He gave me the tools I needed to understand the material rather than just put me through a process of fact memorization and regurgitation. He taught me skills that I could apply in different scenarios. This applicable knowledge helped me so much more in the class and it was apparent to me that many of my classmates had missed out on that aspect in class and had not sought out additional help as I had with Garrett. The class average on the test covering the material that Garrett tutored me in was the lowest in that semester, but I got a near perfect score. I did not just do well personally, but I excelled beyond my classmates thanks to Garrett’s tutoring. He never made me feel dumb for not knowing certain things and he was extremely approachable which, in my experience, is not always the case with tutors or teaching assistants. He recognized that I had the capability to succeed in a subject matter that I know little about and helped me recognize that too.”
Graham has this to say regarding his experience tutoring with Garrett: “Garrett is a good teacher because he searches to truly understand the concepts that he is teaching. Whenever I asked him question he was either already prepared with the answer or he would quickly learn and give me the full answer rather than a half answer.. This helped me learn because I was always confident I was receiving the correct answer and never had any gaps in my understanding. His knowledge and preparation helps his students to succeed.”
How is the MCAT Self Prep Tutoring Program different from other MCAT tutoring services?
MCAT Self Prep offers the best prep for the best price:
Best Prep: MCAT Self Prep only hires tutors that scored in the 95th percentile or higher on the new MCAT with most of our tutors having scores in the 100th percentile. While many prep companies are willing to hire anyone who did somewhat decent on the exam, MCAT Self Prep holds to its high standard of excellence. And unlike other tutoring companies, you can view each of our elite tutors’ bios in which you can view testimonials from their past and current students. Because we are so confident that you will have the best experience, we stand behind our Money-Back Guarantee.
Best Price: Our prices cannot be beat. We are so confident that you won’t find a lower price that we have a Lowest-Price Guarantee. If you can find a tutoring package with a lower price, we will match it! While most MCAT prep packages out there cost thousands upon thousands of dollars, we are committed to giving you the best possible price with tutoring sessions starting at just $49.99 each!
What is a typical tutoring session like?
Unlike other tutoring services, the MCAT Self Prep tutoring service is focused on providing you with 100-percent individualized tutoring focused on helping you overcome your weaknesses to achieve a top MCAT score. Our tutors never reuse lesson plans, and will focus all of their attention on your unique needs. In order to accomplish this, your tutor will provide you with the following for each tutoring session:
- 30-minutes offline expertise. During this time, your tutor will look over the questions in your study portal (a Google Doc shared between you and your tutor) and input explanations, photos, articles, and even videos. This way, you won’t need to take notes during the session, and will have countless references to study from after the session.
- 30-minutes online expertise. During this time, you and your tutor will meet via video call in order to discuss and adjust your study plan, help you understand the questions you input into the study portal, and teach you the key strategies you need to boost your MCAT score.
This video will also provide you with a visual overview of what to expect:
I need help with the CARS section. Can your tutor help me with that?
All of our tutors are qualified to tutor for every section of the MCAT, including the CARS section. In fact, MCAT Self Prep’s elite tutoring team is under contract to professionally write CARS practice problems for Testing Solutions, and all of our tutors scored above the 95th percentile on the CARS section. For this reason, our elite tutors understand the CARS section inside and out, and can help you develop the skills and confidence you need to tackle this challenging section.
How often will I meet with my tutor? How does scheduling a session work?
The great thing about our program is that it offers you the flexibility to study at your own pace and on your own schedule. You do not need to meet with your tutor at the same time every week for a set number of weeks. After each session, you will be able to choose any available tutoring slot from your tutor’s online calendar, whether that slot is two months from now or two days from now. You choose the time that works for you! This gives you extreme flexibility.
Is there any way to meet in person with my tutor?
Most of our tutoring sessions are conducted online, and our students find this to be just as effective, if not more effective, than meeting in person. The online study-portal shared between the tutor and the student allows your tutor to prepare detailed explanations to all of your questions. You can continue to access and refer back to these detailed explanations after your tutoring session is over. Also, the online, interactive white board allows both the tutor and the student to draw out their thoughts when necessary. Last of all, students really enjoy the fact that they can visit with their tutor without having to ever leave their apartment!
Some of our tutors are available for in-person tutoring, however, and you may discuss the details of this with your tutor. None of our tutors are required to meet in person with their students and even if you are currently meeting in person with your tutor, you are not guaranteed to receive all of your tutoring sessions in person. Our tutors are often applying to medical schools or currently attending medical school and may need to relocate or travel at any given time.
How do I start meeting with a tutor?
To start meeting with your tutor, simply choose your desired tutoring package below and submit your secure online payment. Upon receipt of your payment, we will send you a link to your tutor’s calendar and you will be able to schedule your first session immediately.
What materials will I receive as part of this tutoring program?
The MCAT Self Prep tutoring program is not a prep course, but rather a premier private tutoring program that supports students in their unique situation. For this reason, you will not receive any prep books, practice problems, or materials when you sign up for a tutoring package.
The only exception to this is that students who sign up for a 5-session package or larger with our Head Tutor, Andrew George, will receive exclusive access to over 500 CARS practice problems from Testing Solutions. See Andrew’s tutoring profile for more details.
Can I try before I buy?
There are two ways for you to experience the MCAT Self Prep tutoring program without making a full commitment to a larger tutoring package:
(1) Free 10-minute Phone Consultation. You will be allowed to have a free 10-minute phone consultation with one of our elite tutors. During this time you can ask any and all questions you have regarding the tutoring program. After gaining an understanding of your unique needs and situation, your tutor will be able to help you know how the tutoring program will work for you and help you achieve a top MCAT score.
(2) Our Money-Back Guarantee. Every tutoring package is backed by Our Money-Back Guarantee, which allows you to get a full refund for all remaining tutoring sessions anytime before your third session. Click here for more details.
Can I defer my payment or pay in increments over time?
Yes! Using PayPal Credit, you can postpone your payment for up to 6 months without paying any interest, and you can even spread out monthly payments over a period of up to three years! Getting approved is extremely easy (if you have a credit card or some sort of credit history) and only takes a few seconds. To use PayPal Credit, first apply for PayPal Credit, then instead of selecting “Proceed to Checkout” when making your purchase, simply click on the button that says, “PayPal Credit.” Click here for more information and FAQs on this payment option.
I am a low-income student and am worried about being able to afford private tutoring. Will I be able to afford this?
Here at MCAT Self Prep, we believe in making MCAT Prep affordable for all students. This is why we’ve created our free MCAT Prep Course, the only free MCAT prep course of its kind. Some students may need more help than our free course offers, but still don’t have the money to afford private MCAT tutoring. If you are worried about paying for a private tutoring package due to dire financial circumstances, we will be able to work out an option that works for you. Please keep in mind the following:
- MCAT Self Prep offers the best price around. Kaplan charges $266 an hour to work with a tutor that barely scored in the 90th percentile. All our tutors scored above the 97th percentile and sessions start at just $49.99!
- PayPal Credit makes it possible for you to spread out your payment over time. Using PayPal Credit, you can postpone your payment for up to 6 months without paying any interest, and you can even spread out monthly payments over a period of up to three years! Getting approved is extremely easy and only takes a few seconds.
- We care. If you are in true financial need, please speak with one of our tutors, and we will figure out something that will work for you. We are committed to making a high MCAT score possible for everyone no matter their financial situation.
When do I need to pay for the program?
You will need to purchase your desired tutoring package before your first session. If you are unsatisfied for any reason before your third session, feel free to take advantage of our Money-Back Guarantee.
What if I end up needing more sessions? Can I upgrade to a bigger package?
Of course! You can upgrade at any time. For instance, let’s say you purchase a ten-session package at a price of $74.99 per session, and after completing 5 sessions you realize that you want more tutoring sessions. At this point, you can upgrade to the 20-session package. If the 20-session package has a rate of $64.99, we would apply that to the remaining 15 sessions, saving you $10 on each of the next five sessions!
And let’s say you only want a few more sessions. You can purchase additional sessions at the same price per session as the original package that you purchased. For instance, let’s say you purchased a 5-session package at $84.99 per session, and you end up needing one extra session. Once you’ve used your five sessions, you could simply make an additional purchase of one session for $84.99.
Garrett Bourne: Tutoring Packages
$99.99 – $1,999.60