Wednesday, September 11th
2024 GMAT Test Prep Course Reviews
Magoosh
- "Math+IR" plan at $219
- "Premium" Plan at $249
- "Premium+admissions" at $289
- Score guarantees offered
- "Ask an expert" chat support
- 1 year access across plans
- Pause plans at any time
A play on an old Persian word for wisdom (magush), Magoosh's test prep service was founded in 2009, and got its start as a GMAT prep provider in the then-novel field of platform-based test prep. Since then, they've expanded their offerings significantly, but still offer some high-quality, very reasonably priced GMAT prep. Here's what that looks like.
The best budget provider on our list
Magoosh's GMAT test prep plans offer some of the best value on the market. They offer 3 different plans for you to choose from:
- Magoosh's base Math + IR plan costs $219 for one year's access, and includes 175 video lessons on math and IR content, 720 practice questions with explanations, a +3 math score guarantee, and expert chat support.
- Magoosh's Premium plan costs just $249 for one year of access (a great deal compared to competitors), and will get you over 340 video lessons in every GMAT subject area, 1,300 practice questions, two diagnostic tests, an up to 70 point guarantee, access to expert chat support, an online whiteboard that mimics the GMAT's official plan, a score predictor, and the ability to pause/resume your plan at any time.
- Magoosh's Premium + admission plan includes everything in the Premium plan, but adds a year's access to admissions counseling, which includes comprehensive coverage of the MBA application process, insider advice on brand building and resume creation, 30 MBA application videos, the ability to pause your plan for 1 year, and access to an "MBA expert" via chat.
Well rounded and a great value
While Magoosh's offerings are certainly not as dense as competitors (especially as they only offer two practice tests), and Magoosh does not offer the kind of intensive live-online or tutored courses of other major test prep rivals, they more than make up for it with their very reasonable price and high quality materials. In addition, Magoosh's score guarantee is all-in-all reasonable. Magoosh guarantees a 70-point increase if your original score was at 630 or below, a 50-point increase if you scored between 640-690, and a 10 point increase if you scored 700 or more. To qualify for Magoosh's guarantee, you must have emailed a valid score to Magoosh, so keep that in mind before buying their course.
Test explanations and chat support
Where some budget services leave their customers out in the cold in the face of difficult or confusing preparatory materials, we appreciate that Magoosh supports their customers with both video and text question explanations for difficult GMAT problems. They also provide chat support for any of their questions (or if you're simply in need of some extra help). The GMAT is designed to be difficult, and having some kind of extracurricular support - even through the medium of text-chat - can be critical for the comprehension of difficult questions. Though not as robust as the live office hours offered by competitors, Magoosh's ideal mix of price-to-support is both reasonable and welcome. In short, we think that the amount of support Magoosh offers for their comparatively low cost is overall an excellent deal.
A good deal for a good service
Not only does Magoosh receive high marks across major aggregate review sites for their test prep, but they are also well regarded on major GMAT study discussion boards, which are often pickier when it comes to test prep. In general, we find that Magoosh's offerings lie at the optimal meeting point between price and quality, earning them the best ranking on our list for a budget GMAT test-prep provider. In short, if you need some reasonably priced self-led GMAT test prep without the strict assignments and commitments of the more intensive services out there, then Magoosh is your best bet.
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The 9 Best GMAT Test Prep Courses
What's the Best GMAT Test Prep Online?
The question is a critical one, because choosing the right study schedule and test prep materials can make-or-break your plans for a good GMAT score, and - subsequently - admittance into a prestigious (or even standard) MBA school. In fact, 9 out of 10 new MBA enrollments are made using a GMAT score, and it's accepted by more than 7,000 programs around the world.
Although it is still widely used, keep in mind that some MBA programs utilized the pandemic to phase out their standardized testing requirements. If you're focusing on one particular school, it might be wise to check their requirements. If they likely still use the GMAT, the materials you'll find here will go a long way towards simplifying your test prep decision making process.
GMAT Test Prep Course FAQ
Continued from above...
The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is meant to assess an applicant's general suitability for graduate study, particularly in regards to business and MBA performance. The GMAT distinguishes itself from the more generalized GRE insofar as its quantitative reasoning assessments are much more in-depth, and it de-emphasizes verbal reasoning assessment.
The GMAT consists of four sections: an Analytical Writing Assignment (AWA) that lasts 30 minutes, a multiple choice Integrated Reasoning (IR) section that consists of 12 questions and lasts 30 minutes, a Quantitative section of 31 questions that lasts 62 minutes, and a Verbal section of 36 questions that lasts 65 minutes. In short the test is extensive, and as such it will pay dividends to make some common sense preparations and study plans beforehand.
In spite of what some of the advertisements might say, there is no magic bullet to an improved GMAT score. While some highly rated test prep materials can certainly help, they are only one half of the equation, the other half being a realistic assessment of your needs, your timeframe, and the work needed to reach your goals. As you search for some appropriate GMAT prep that fits your budget and timeframe, it is important to take a deep breath and remember that - as long as you put in the work - you will in all likelihood improve your score.
In any case, as you start preparing for the GMAT gauntlet, here are some tips we've found for you to keep in mind:
- Time: How much time do you have available for GMAT test preparation? Do you have time for a class? One-on-one tutoring? Or would a self-paced study program work best? If you're honest with yourself about how much time you will devote to test preparation, you'll be more likely to succeed.
- Cost: Preparing for the GMAT can be expensive. While personalized programs can give you tailored focus on areas of need, they also come with a higher price tag. Self-paced programs can offer a more rounded approach at a lower fee.
- Know your schedule: Many companies on our list offer intensive (and expensive) GMAT study plans in the form of live-online and tutored test prep. While potentially an excellent resource, your success therein is likely dependent on whether you are able to dedicate the needed time to take advantage of the live-online format. If you are studying on the side or are just plain busy, consider avoiding the classroom format, and shopping for a mixture of self-led test prep and free resources.
- Score guarantees: Many services offer score guarantees in the form of improvement promises or score minimums. While potentially reassuring, keep in mind that there are often requirements and caveats around the guarantee. Often, test prep companies will ask for pre-established baseline scores and the completion of all course materials before you can take advantage of such guarantees.
Searching for test preparation materials is often - let's be frank - a terrible experience. The field of GMAT test prep hosts an entire industry sustained by the dangling of higher-test scores in front of often financially-insecure graduates behind huge costs. Even so, there are good companies out there offering reasonably priced and well-supported GMAT materials. Here at Top Consumer Reviews, we've done the legwork to help you find them. So, while searching for GMAT test prep is certainly not fun, we're certain that our curated list of high-quality and well-rounded test prep will help make the process a whole lot easier.
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