In this post, I will be reviewing the MCAT
Flashcards App made by Sprockit Apps (available in the App Store for $2.99), which I tested as a part of my own ongoing MCAT preparation. I will focus on the presentation, content,
and functionalities of this app. Both strengths and weaknesses of this app will
be discussed with respect to user friendliness and practicality.
My first impression of this app is simplicity. From the user interface to the content of the cards
themselves, this app embodies a minimalist style. This is great if you are a
person who likes to get the point without having to deal with fancy settings or
many details for each card. I find myself go through these cards faster and cover more topics than other similar apps I’ve used.
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Some of the user friendly functions include a progress fraction to show your position in the card set. You can flag cards you have trouble with for
later review. I used the options of deleting, editing, or adding a card to customize the content, and
other apps I have used did not have this feature. You also have the option to
choose 1 or more of the 7 subjects (2028
cards total) to review (see the image below). Most of the content
was to the point and useful. However, I didn’t find “root words” helpful in my
preparation, and a few cards had esoteric facts that I didn’t think I needed.
Moving from card to card was fast. Swiping brings up the next card, and tapping flips the card. However,
I found a feature that takes time to get used to. If you are looking at the
answer (back) side of the card and go to the next card, you go to the answer
side of the next card instead of the question side. I must flip the card to the
front before moving on to the next card to see the front side. Other similar apps
I have used will automatically present you with the front side of the next
card. The plus to this feature is that I can practice remembering the terms
from looking at their definitions.
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The content is arranged
alphabetically, with no option of starting where you left off, skipping to
the end, or reviewing them in random order. When more than one subject is
chosen at once, I must finish one subject before moving onto the next. I found
this time consuming to find my place after I close the app, but this is a
problem with most flash card apps. I know that there is an option in the app to
purchase extra features to shuffle the cards, create custom subjects, and
create quizzes. However, I expected these valuable features to already come
with the price of the app.
Overall this is a decent app to use to
supplement your MCAT study. By no means will you rely on this completely, and
it’s not designed to be that. You must have books and practice tests in
addition to this. This app has good features and faults, and it’s your job to
decide if it fits your taste and needs.
About the author of this review:
Ruicong (Jack) Zhong is an undergraduate junior at Columbia University studying Neuroscience and Behavior. He is taking the MCAT September 2014. He immigrated to the US from China, and is hoping to attend medical school after graduation. In his free time, Jack enjoys piano, basketball, and science magazines.