Best GMAT Prep Course in 2024
Updated November 18, 2023
1. Magoosh
Magoosh is one of the top-rated GMAT prep courses because it offers different price points and a seven-day free trial.
The Math & IR prep course offers 175 video lessons and 720 GMAT practice questions as well as a study schedule, priced at $219.
The Premium prep course has 340 video lessons and 1,300 practice questions, as well as the study schedule. There are also two diagnostic tests in this package, which help with the score improvement guarantee of at least 50 or more.
There is a guided study program in this package that includes four hours of tutoring and one-to-one video chats, and this package costs $249.
While this is an excellent choice for those who are working on a budget, there are fewer lessons than in some other packages and only two full-length tests available, which might not provide as much depth for some students.
2. Kaplan
Kaplan has encompassed Manhattan Prep in their GMAT prep courses, which means that there are more options for students who want to study in different ways.
The Self-Paced course, costing $999, is completely online and comes with several different GMAT guides, a seven-hour math workshop, and a test simulation booklet. This is the most popular option, because there are more than 35 lessons and 500+ GMAT sample questions.
While there is a mobile app and resources that have been created to work alongside the GMAT Official Guide, it is more costly than some of the other options and the subscription only lasts for six months.
3. The Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is one of the most expensive options for study, but the cost does cover an extensive amount of tuition and practice materials, even if you choose the cheapest option.
The Self-Paced course costs $799. It is completely online and is aimed at those who want to study at their own pace, but it still includes an hour with GMAT experts, adaptive drills, practice exams and a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
The mid-priced option is the GMAT Fundamentals course, which costs $1,399. It is efficient, with 27 hours of live instruction and customized online lesson plans. Alongside the GMAT explanation sessions, you can get additional LiveOnline time with instructors and the same satisfaction guarantee.
The top tier prep course offered by The Princeton Review is GMAT 700+ which is priced at $1,999.
This is an intensive experience that includes 47 hours of general instruction as well as four hours in one-to-one sessions and 10 hours of focused instruction.
There is focus on math and verbal questions in 10 hours of explanation sessions.
One of the best things about this course is that with 4,480 practice questions, completion of the course guarantees a score of at least 700.
The Princeton Review course is costly, but you do get a lot for your money.
4. PrepScholar
The PrepScholar GMAT course prides itself on only using tutors who have completed the GMAT and scored in the 99th percentile, which means that the tuition is really good.
There are several options for study. The cheapest costs $69 for two months and includes drills and practice questions, called the Resource Pool Online GMAT Prep.
The Self-Guided Online GMAT Prep costs $139 for three months. This includes a diagnostic assessment, 750 practice questions with detailed answer explanations, and both strategy and skill lessons too.
The Completely Customized Online GMAT Prep costs $259 for four months and alongside practice questions, strategy lessons and skill lessons, it also has a study plan that is designed specifically for each student – which leads to the guarantee. If you don’t improve your score by 60 points, you’ll get your money back.
While the diagnostic assessment tool is a great addition to the prep course, this is relatively expensive for such a short subscription period, so it might not be suitable for someone that needs a little bit more time to prepare.
5. VeritasPrep
This is a course that offers a live classroom experience – interactive lessons with other students and the instructors.
There are 36 hours of live classroom tuition over six weeks in the Live Class option, which costs $1,450. The on-demand Self Study option costs just $699 and allows students to make the most of their study time according to their own needs.
Those who want a more personalized experience can also take on private tutoring, which costs $2,650.
The Veritas Prep score guarantee promises an improvement of at least 50 points, and the interactive nature of the classroom lessons offer an interesting way to learn.
However, the live experience means that your pace is dictated by the performance of the other students, so you cannot skip ahead.
What Is the GMAT?
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is an assessment that is used globally for admission to graduate management or business schools.
The computer-adaptive test is well known for being difficult, but the results are used to decide whether a student has the right analytic skills to be able to cope with the rigors of the course, so preparation is key.
There are things that you can do to help yourself get the best score possible, including:
- Find a good prep course
- Create a study plan early
- Know and understand the test sections
- Pick the materials that are most suitable
- Identify your weaknesses
- Plan to improve those weaknesses
- Learn how to improve timings
- Consider the best location to take the test (one that’s free from distractions)
- Ensure your well-being – performance can depend heavily on being well-fed, hydrated and rested
- Consider taking a couple of days off work to practice for the test
The GMAT exam was developed and is currently administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). The GMAC was founded in 1953, and the test itself was first administered in 1954, and more than 200,000 candidates take the GMAT every year.
In fact, nine out of 10 new MBA enrolments are made using the GMAT score, so it is a really important part of the process for admissions.
What Is a GMAT Prep Course?
GMAT prep courses have been designed to help students to improve their scores, giving them a better chance of getting admission to the MBA or graduate management course.
There are many gmat prep options available to help students, and they teach the style and content of questions as well as the best way to answer them.
The courses are about helping students develop strategies for getting the best score, building familiarity with the structure of the test and the timings.
When you are looking for a GMAT prep test course, there are a few things to consider – and these are the things that make a course worth the cost:
- Good results for past students
- In-depth curriculum and course materials
- A combination of online classes and practice tests
- Flexible scheduling and adaptable formats
- Personalized instructions
- Online – self-paced or classroom-based
What Type of Questions Are on the GMAT Prep Course?
All of the GMAT is about analytical and problem-solving thinking; but the test itself is split into four distinct sections. The student can choose what order they complete the test in.
The Quantitative and Verbal sections of the GMAT are used to form the total score that is used during the application process.
Quantitative
This is the numerical analysis section.
There are 31 questions in this part that must be answered in 62 minutes, and there are two different types of question that are involved:
- 13 to 14 Data Sufficiency questions – These are logic statements that are built around numerical problems.
- 17 to 18 Problem Solving questions – These are essentially math problems, with multiple choice answers that are specific value answers or algebraic expressions.
Verbal
There are 36 questions in the verbal section, and these need to be answered in 65 minutes. The questions in this section are separated into three different types of question:
- 12 to 14 Reading Comprehension questions – A passage of text is presented and you will need to answer three to four questions on it using comprehension and analysis skills.
- Nine to 10 Critical Reasoning questions – These are logic questions, where you will be given an argument or a series of statements and you will need to either find the assumption, evaluate the strength of the argument, process the conclusion or resolve a discrepancy.
- 12 to 13 Sentence Correction questions – There are long sentences presented, and you will need to choose the best way to correct the sentence from the multiple options given.
Integrated Reasoning
The integrated reasoning section is constructed with 12 multi-part problems in total. You will have 30 minutes to complete these questions that are split into three sections.
- Three Multi-Source Reasoning questions – These are questions where you will be given a lot of information and you will need to decide what information will help you answer the questions.
- Three to four Graphic Interpretation questions – a graph will be provided, and you will need to work out what it shows and fill in some blanks from the drop-down menus.
- Three to four Two-Part Analysis questions – In these questions, there will be two separate questions and you need to choose the answer from the multiple-choice options that are provided that answers both questions at the same time.
Analytical Writing Assessment
This is the ‘essay’ section of the assessment, and there is only one question in this section, which you will have 30 minutes to complete.
You will be presented with an argument – similar to the ones in the reading comprehension section.
To answer this question, you need to provide a critique of the presented argument; it is not about your opinion on the argument, but how well the author presents their evidence and reasoning.
1. Alpha Ltd. sold 1,500 units of their top product, a face cream for $9 each, to a luxury retail business, and they sold 750 units of the same product to another retailer for $6 each.
If the cost of producing each unit of the product was $7, what was the company's profit or loss on the sale of 2,250 units?
a) $250 profit
b) $2,250 profit
c) No Profit or Loss
d) $250 loss
e) $2,250 loss
1. There are several different ways that me and Trevor have caused trouble in the last few days, but this was my favorite.
Which is the correct way that this sentence should be written?
a) Me, and Trevor
b) Me and Trevor
c) Trevor and I
d) Trevor, and me
e) Trevor and me
GMAT Preparation – How to Pass the Test in 2024
Step 1. Create a Study Plan Early
If you are planning an MBA, you need to study.
This isn’t the sort of test you will want to go into without preparation, because your score will have a huge impact on the possibility of you getting onto the course you want.
Get a study plan created early and be realistic about the amount of time that you can spend studying too.
You don’t want to overwhelm yourself, so try and create a schedule that considers your other activities like work or school.
Step 2. Know and Understand the Test Sections
Get to know what you are expecting to face in the assessment itself.
The more you know about the type of questions, the content and the time limits, the better – and be sure that you are ready to face each different type of question with a specific, reliable strategy that you can turn to when you are under pressure.
Step 3. Pick the Materials That Are Most Suitable
The best prep courses will offer a combination of revision and practice materials that are suitable for you – and this is important.
Not all people learn in the same way, and you will already know the ways that work best for you from your other studies.
If you work best under your own steam, then you will look for a self-paced program. If you need specific, one-to-one tuition, you will want to look for a private tutor.
Step 4. Identify Weaknesses
Taking a practice GMAT test has several benefits, and one of the most important is understanding yourself and your weaknesses.
Take a practice test, or try some questions from each section, and check your results.
It will show you where your weaknesses are (areas where you have struggled or found something more difficult).
It is completely normal to find something more challenging in this type of test where there are so many different types of question – but you can help yourself.
Step 5. Plan to Improve Those Weaknesses
Once you know where your weaknesses lie, you can put specific revision into your GMAT prep planning.
If you know that your quantitative skills need a bit more work, then you can focus on brushing up on basic math.
Remember that although you will be expected to complete math problems in the quantitative section of the assessment, the knowledge that you need is the stuff that you were taught in school – so simply basic operations, ratios, percentages and balancing algebraic equations.
Step 6. Learn How to Improve Timings
The GMAT is a timed test, which means that you need to work fast to get the score that you need.
As an adaptive test, the difficulty of the GMAT questions will change according to your performance.
You cannot go back in the assessment to change your answers, which means you need to answer the questions in front of you as quickly and efficiently as possible – and this comes with practice.
The best way to do this is to put yourself under pressure when you are doing GMAT example questions so that you get used to focusing and concentrating enough to be able to do so when you are facing the real test.
Step 7. Consider the Best Location to Take the Test
Some people take the GMAT at a specific test center, but if you are taking it at home, you will want to make sure you are in the best location.
You need to have excellent internet access that is both fast and reliable, and a computer or laptop with an up-to-date browser that is capable of running the test software.
This needs to be set up somewhere that you are not likely to be disturbed by other people – let them know you are taking the test so you can have some privacy.
You will also want to be sure that your mobile phone is switched off, and any notifications on your computer are disabled so that there are no distractions.
Step 8. Be Well-Fed, Hydrated and Rested
Healthy people perform better. It is well-known that lack of sleep and inadequate nutrition have a detrimental impact on your performance, so you can help your brain work most efficiently as you are preparing.
Aim for at least six to eight hours of sleep a night and eat nutritious food.
Don’t skip meals and remember to hydrate well, too – you can make a difference to your own ability by making the most of your natural talents.
Step 9. Consider Taking a Couple of Days off Work to Practice
Other responsibilities can sometimes take over when you are in preparation mode, and even the most robust scheduling can be affected by things out of your control – so when you are preparing and practicing, you might want to consider taking some real time off to focus.
Whether it is time off school, college or work, getting your head in the game for a couple of days might give you the edge when it comes to the real thing.
The GMAT test is used as an admission test for MBA and graduate management courses around the world. It is designed to test the analytical abilities of candidates in different areas.
The GMAT test is designed to be hard, and the passing score that you will need to get access to the MBA or other course that you want to get into might be high. To pass the GMAT, practice and preparation are needed.
You can prepare for the GMAT test online using GMAT prep courses. There are other resources such as GMAT example questions, GMAT study guides and tips that can be found in places like MBA.com, as well as the Official GMAT website.
The GMAT test was created by the Graduate Management Admissions Council to assess candidates for the skills and aptitudes in analysis that are needed for students who want to study for an MBA or another graduate management position.
The score for the GMAT test is a combination of the scores on the Quantitative and Verbal sections, and a good score is somewhere between 700 and 740.
A score of more than 740 is considered excellent, so you should be aiming for that when you are learning.
According to The Princeton Review, the average GMAT score is 565.
You can retake the GMAT test if you do not get the score that you are looking for – up to a maximum of five times in a 12-month period.
This includes both taking the GMAT online and in person. There is a limit of eight times in total over a lifetime, however.
Preparing for the GMAT needs some intensive practice and revision.
A GMAT prep course might be the best option for you if you need some structure to your revision plans and practice, but there are other resources available if that works better for you, like GMAT study guides and example GMAT test questions.
A GMAT prep course might seem like an expense, but when the course comes with score guarantees and flexible, accessible lessons, it can well be worth it.
Investing in your future by paying for a prep course might be the best way to ensure that you get the right score in the GMAT.
The cost of a GMAT prep course can range from a couple of hundred dollars to thousands – and the only way to gauge whether it is worth it is to see what the benefit could be for you.
Some of the pricier courses have score guarantees, or they offer one-to-one tuition from instructors who have not only taken the test but scored exceptionally highly.
As the GMAT test is considered to be a real challenge, preparation is the best way to ensure that you will score highly enough to be considered for the MBA or graduate management that you want to be on.
GMAT preparation is one of the best ways to give yourself the best chance.
The GMAT test is timed, and each section has a separate time limit, as below:
- Quantitative: 31 questions to be answered in 62 minutes
- Verbal: 36 questions to be answered in 65 minutes
- Integrated Reasoning: 12 questions in 30 minutes
- Analytical Writing Assessment: One essay question in 30 minutes
The best GMAT preparation course is the one that matches your budget and provides the instruction, practice tests and preparation materials that will help you achieve the best score.
Working out which one that is depends on your personal situation, and it is worth researching the options to find the right one for you.
Final Thoughts
The Graduate Management Admissions Test is designed to be particularly hard, as it was created to ensure that the candidates who want to be on the MBA or graduate management course have the right analytical skills to be successful.
One of the key considerations that you need to keep in mind when you are taking the test is that you must be prepared.
Choosing the right GMAT prep course could be the difference between a failing score and the exceptional score that will get you picked for your perfect MBA course.
Study hard and prepare well – and best of luck when you are taking the GMAT.
