Thursday, April 17th
2025 GRE Test Prep Company Reviews
The Princeton Review
- "GRE 10+ points” for $699
- "GRE Fundamentals” for $1,099
- "GRE 162+” for $2,099
- "GRE 165+ Tutoring” for $159 per hour
The Princeton Review is toe-to-toe with the biggest as far as sheer size of the company: if you've ever googled GRE, or gone to the test prep section of a bookstore, then you've seen The Princeton Review. So without further ado, let's see how this major test prep supplier compares.
Wide range of high-priced plans
The Princeton Review offers a wide variety of GRE study plans to choose from.
- The Princeton Review's self-study GRE 10+ points plan costs $699, and will earn you access to their self-led GRE prep materials. Interestingly, the "GRE 10+ points” plan comes in increments of 30/60/90 days depending on your study schedule, and costs $699 no matter your chosen timeframe. At that price, you'll receive 30 hours of required video lessons, 470 drills, 8 practice tests, live-online math sessions, "adaptive drills” to assist in comprehension, and an interactive score report.
- The GRE Fundamentals plan is a live-online course that includes 24 hours of class time, 180 total hours of instruction (recorded videos), 470 online drills and 3,500 practice questions, 8 "adaptive” practice exams and interactive score reports, and a "higher score guarantee”. Essentially, it amounts to the "GRE 10+ points” class with live instruction and more practice questions.
- The Princeton Review's most premium plan, GRE 162+, costs $2,099 and includes a "162+ or money back” guarantee, 45 hours of live-online instruction, 8 practice tests, and 4,500 practice questions, in addition to The Princeton Review's Quantitative and Verbal test prep manuals.
- Finally, The Princeton Review's GRE 165+ Tutoring costs $159 per hour, and includes a custom tutoring plan, personalized tutor matching, and a 165+ score guarantee.
A very poor website
The Princeton Review's website is terribly designed. It is filled with deceptive nudges (such as framing their highest price plan as their mid-price plan), an overwhelming interface (that makes it hard to see what you are actually buying beneath all the pop-ups and buzzwords), an aggravating countdown timer with a fake, continually-renewed deal that follows you throughout the whole website, and an eye-watering color palette (pink on yellow... ugh). In short, The Princeton Review's website seems designed to be overwhelming, to rush you into a purchase with a series of ever-changing "deals” that aren't really deals, and to generally prevent easy comprehension or comparison of their product. Visiting The Princeton Review's website feels like a street vendor blocking your way and forcing you to buy from them; as such, we generally recommend that you don't.
Mixed customer reviews
The Princeton Review is infamous on GRE-dedicated study boards due to the difficulty of completing every module in order to qualify for the score guarantee (not to mention the fact that you need to establish an official baseline GRE score as well). That being said, The Princeton Review does have good reviews on aggregate review sites, but often large companies have the capital to manage their reputation on such sites. In any case, even as The Princeton Review's Score guarantee seems competitive, it will come back to bite you if you do not complete the (somewhat arbitrary) verifications they set.
Average materials, high price, an aggravating experience
There's no question that The Princeton Review has a large quantity of materials in each of their plans. But with their generally high prices, their horrendous user interface, and their poor reputation, we think that you'll generally be better off with their competitors on our list - who offer similar live-online and self-led classes with more robust materials at cheaper prices. That being said, in spite of their many annoyances, The Princeton Review's GRE prep materials are still worth your consideration if you are comparing strictly among companies providing live-online classes.
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The 10 Best GRE Test Prep Companies
What's the Best GRE Prep Service Online?
It's a critical question, because if you're headed to graduate school, then the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is an infamous hurdle that you'll have to deal with one way or another. The GRE test plays a significant role in the admissions process for many graduate programs. It serves as a standardized measure that allows universities to assess applicants' academic readiness and potential to succeed in advanced studies.
For institutions, the GRE provides an objective tool to differentiate among applicants, especially when faced with a large pool of candidates. It helps in predicting how well students might perform in their initial year of graduate school, offering insight into their cognitive abilities and analytical thinking. Moreover, the GRE can assist in awarding merit-based scholarships, helping to allocate financial aid to deserving students.
GRE Test Prep Company FAQ
Continued from above...
The GRE consists of three key components: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. These components collectively evaluate an applicant's cognitive abilities, communication skills, and analytical prowess. Such a comprehensive assessment is crucial in identifying candidates who possess the skills necessary for advanced academic work. By incorporating both quantitative and qualitative aspects, the GRE offers a well-rounded perspective on an applicant's intellectual capabilities, and offers a common benchmark for comparing candidates from various academic backgrounds and cultures.
Many institutions allocate scholarships to outstanding students as a way to incentivize excellence and attract top talent. GRE scores can play a pivotal role in awarding these scholarships, as they offer a quantifiable measure of an applicant's potential contribution to the academic community. High GRE scores can bolster an applicant's eligibility for financial assistance, making higher education more accessible to deserving individuals.
As it stands, the GRE continues to play a pivotal role in many graduate school admissions. With that in mind, the following factors can help you evaluate GRE preparation plans to achieve the highest score possible:
- Cost: Paying for GRE test prep services can range from affordable to very expensive. Personalized instruction and tutoring can focus on specific problem areas that you've identified, but this tailored approach may cost more than you want to spend. Self-paced learning systems are more affordable, but are more generalized and rely on your dedication to study on your own.
- Score guarantees: Many GRE test prep companies offer score guarantees but place significant caveats around actually getting a refund through that guarantee. Usually it will include restrictions around setting a baseline score (you have to have already taken an official GRE or a proctored facsimile), and completion of all course materials (which is sometimes made artificially difficult). In short, be sure to read the fine print.
- Time: Be honest with yourself about how much time you have to study. Many students start out by purchasing pricey test-prep packages, and then find themselves overwhelmed with the amount of work. Take stock of your schedule, and choose a mixture of free resources, self-lead test-prep, or time-intensive live-online/tutored classes accordingly.
Top Consumer Reviews has done the preliminary research for you, so if you're going to be taking the GRE, and are overwhelmed by the high price and bold claims of most test-prep options, don't worry. We've found the best, most highly rated, and most economical GRE test prep options for your consideration. Before you begin studying, take a moment to browse our curated list, and find the GRE prep that best suits your budget and your needs.
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