Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating The Princeton Review’s marketing of its MCAT prep courses, which promised students a “515+” score or “+15 points” score increase—claims that may overstate the performance most students can realistically achieve.
Reported Issues
The Princeton Review advertised:
“Score a 515+ on the MCAT or add 15 points depending on your starting score. Guaranteed or your money back.”
A competitor challenge before NAD’s Fast-Track SWIFT program asserted that these claims conveyed far more than a refund policy—they suggested that a substantial proportion of students would actually achieve a 15-point jump or a 515+ score.
NAD agreed, finding that:
- The guarantee amounted to an affirmative performance claim, not merely a refund policy;
- The record contained no evidence showing that typical students could reasonably expect such results; and
- TPR should discontinue the claims.
Why Consumers Should Be Concerned
Students and parents often choose premium MCAT courses based on specific, quantified score-increase promises. If The Princeton Review lacked the data to substantiate these claims, consumers may have been misled into paying thousands of dollars for a course that could not reasonably deliver the advertised results.
This may violate:
- State UDAP statutes, which prohibit misleading or unsubstantiated performance claims
- False-advertising laws
- Implied-warranty and unjust-enrichment theories where consumers overpaid based on inflated promises
Signs You May Be Affected
- Paid for a Princeton Review MCAT course since 2021
- Enrolled because of the “515+” or “+15 points” guarantee
- Did not achieve those results despite completing the program
- Were denied a refund or were unaware that the guarantee functioned primarily as a refund policy rather than a promise of actual score improvement
- Feel the advertising overstated likely performance outcomes
If these issues apply, fill out the form below or contact [email protected] or (202) 470-3520.