Frequently Asked Questions

Lesson Details

• Where do the in-person MCAT lessons take place?

  Dr. Donnelly’s San Diego office is located at 5425 Oberlin Drive, Suite 202, in Sorrento Valley. His comfortable office is fully equipped with all the necessary teaching materials to provide an ideal learning environment for the student.

• Are online MCAT lessons available?

  Yes. Dr. Donnelly offers private online MCAT lessons via Zoom. One-on-one virtual tutoring is an effective and convenient test prep option since no time is wasted getting to and from each lesson, and you can record the lesson for later use. So no matter where you live, the best MCAT tutoring available is just a mouse click away.

• How long does each lesson last and at what times do you teach?

  Students can choose from the following lesson durations: 1-hour lessons, one-and-a-half-hour lessons, or 2-hour lessons. Most students have one or two weekly lessons at their regularly scheduled time slots.

  Private lessons with Dr. Donnelly are available Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM until 7:00 PM.

• Do you set homework at the end of each lesson?

  Yes, homework assignments help reinforce the topics covered during class. This also enables students to practice in between lessons and helps to expedite their progress. Any student serious about significantly improving his or her MCAT score must be willing to put in the additional time and effort required outside of the weekly lessons. The homework exercises will help to guide you in this effort and will noticeably speed up your progress. After all, practice makes perfect!

Tutor's Details

• What are your qualifications and teaching experience?

  Dr. Stuart Donnelly, the founder of DrMCAT, was awarded his Ph.D. in mathematical sciences from Oxford University at the age of 25. With over 20 years of private MCAT® tutoring and teaching experience at all levels and several popular test prep books to his name, Dr. Donnelly is considered by many leading educators to be one of the country’s most experienced and qualified private MCAT tutors.

• What is your teaching philosophy and methodology?

  Over the years, Dr. Donnelly has developed many unique problem-solving techniques that help his students to master even the most difficult MCAT® topics. These proprietary methods (unavailable elsewhere) show students the most efficient approach for dealing with the passage-based questions appearing on each MCAT® exam section.

  Dr. Donnelly’s tutoring methodology focuses on quality over quantity. After the initial meeting, each lesson becomes increasingly individualized as Stuart adapts the curriculum to your particular MCAT® prep needs. Any weaknesses are quickly resolved to solidify your conceptual and methodological foundations. Dr. Donnelly will then focus on the concepts and question types most troubling you.

  Either way, Stuart’s patient step-by-step teaching style will help build confidence in each topic and improve your MCAT® test-taking skills.

• Do you have any testimonials from your previous students?

  Over the two decades, Dr. Stuart Donnelly has helped hundreds of students improve their MCAT® scores significantly and achieve their goal of gaining acceptance to top-tier medical programs. But don’t just take our word for it. Check out our Students’ Testimonials page.

• How do I select the best MCAT tutor?

  When selecting a private MCAT® tutor, focusing on quality rather than just the price is essential. A great tutor should possess excellent academic qualifications, have extensive teaching experience, be dedicated to the career of tutoring, and should have a patient and professional teaching style.

  You would be amazed by how many tutors offer to teach subjects they are not fully qualified to teach. A sub-standard tutor can do more harm than good and destroy your confidence. So, please ensure the tutor has an advanced degree in their chosen field, preferably from a top-tier university. But just because someone is gifted in a particular subject does not mean they can teach. An excellent tutor should also have extensive teaching experience at different levels and be able to explain each concept clearly to the student in several ways.

  Many tutors treat tutoring as a second job done only to help pay the bills or tide them over between their actual careers. Hence, it is not surprising that with so many other distractions, many of these tutors display a lower level of professionalism and focus than one would expect from a dedicated, full-time professional tutor.

  The tutor must help each student to feel comfortable enough to ask questions and make mistakes without feeling self-conscious during the lesson. Hence, the tutor must be patient and pleasant-natured while at the same time encouraging the student to take an active part in each class.

  With his Ph.D. from Oxford University, Dr. Donnelly could have chosen to pursue any career he desired. His love of teaching led Stuart to become a full-time professional tutor. Many leading academics now consider Dr. Donnelly “One of the country’s finest MCAT tutors and test prep specialists.”

New Customers

• How do I schedule my first MCAT lesson with Dr. Donnelly?

  For information availability or to schedule your first lesson, please get in touch with Dr. Donnelly at:
  Phone: 917-568-2473

  Email: dr.stuart.donnelly@gmail.com

  Dr. Donnelly only accepts a limited number of students each year, and his schedule tends to fill up quickly. So, reserving your time slot well in advance is often best to ensure you’re available. Places are reserved on a first-come-first-served basis.

• Is there any obligation to me after trying the initial lesson?

  No. The student is not obligated to take further classes if they do not wish to do so (although I find that most of my new students are very keen to reserve their regular time slot after their initial lesson).

• What should I bring to the initial lesson?

  Since Dr. Donnelly provides all teaching materials needed for the lesson, there is no need to bring anything other than a means of payment (although some students prefer to bring their notebooks).

• What is your hourly rate and what discounted packages are available?

  For information about Dr. Donnelly’s hourly rate or discounted prices for his packages of lessons, please get in touch with Dr. Donnelly at:
  Phone: 917-568-2473

  Email: dr.stuart.donnelly@gmail.com

• What is your cancellation policy?

  Since Dr. Donnelly’s schedule tends to fill up rather quickly and he often has students wait-listed for open time slots, he asks that 24 hours’ notice be given if a student wishes to reschedule or cancel a previously scheduled lesson. So that you know, classes the student withdraws without notice are charged at the usual rate.

• What is your refund policy?

  When a student purchases a discounted package of lessons, Dr. Donnelly makes a commitment to the student to ensure availability within his schedule to accommodate the number of lessons within that package. Since Dr. Donnelly’s expertise is highly source after, he often must turn away other potential new students to fulfill this commitment. For this reason, no refunds are available for unused lessons from a package of lessons. However, in exchange for this reciprocal commitment on the student’s part, each class within the package is Significantly discounted from Dr. Donnelly’s usual rate.

General Tutoring Questions

• By how much can I expect to improve my MCAT score?

  This depends upon several factors, including the frequency and duration of the private lessons taken, the current academic level of the student, and how much time and effort you are willing to put into your studies (and homework assignments). However, if you are ready to work hard, you can rest assured that with Dr. Donnelly’s expert guidance, you will maximize your chances of reaching your target MCAT® score.

• Are intensive MCAT test prep courses available?

  Dr. Donnelly can customize a private intensive MCAT® prep course for students who need to improve their scores quickly. Please keep in mind, however, that Dr. Donnelly’s schedule tends to fill up very quickly; hence, it is highly recommended that you reserve your intensive course as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment.

• Are group classes available?

  Group classes are generally not available since each student has very different needs and learning speeds. Hence, the best way to address this problem is through individual attention which can only be found with private lessons. However, joint classes can be arranged, for example, if two friends at similar levels wish to learn together.

• What are the advantages of one-on-one MCAT lessons?

  One-on-one lessons are the most effective method for students to improve their subject knowledge and significantly increase their MCAT® scores. Many students, who have previously experienced problems in a group setting, tend to flourish under one-to-one tutoring. With private lessons, the student does not have to compete for the teacher’s attention. In the traditional classroom setting, students must often wait while the teacher addresses the needs of the other class members. With private lessons, one can progress at one’s own ideal pace.

  Also, with one-on-one lessons, the tutor will customize the lesson plan around each student’s needs. This helps the student progress much more quickly than in a group environment since the tutor can easily adapt the lesson to concentrate on the individual’s strengths or weaknesses. Many students are often amazed by how quickly they have picked up a new topic when they are free from the distractions of the classroom environment and the associated peer pressure.

  Private lessons also give students the confidence to ask questions when they need more clarification. Many of my students tell me that in the past, they had felt very self-conscious of peer pressure in the classroom setting. This problem is avoided with individual private lessons.