Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course Reviews

I had an outstanding experience with Manhattan Prep in getting ready for the GMAT. I took the full nine week class with Sergio Frisoli, who was not only an excellent instructor in the classroom but also went above and beyond by making himself available outside of class via phone or email. Although I had not been in a classroom in several years and the idea of a three hour weekly session seemed daunting, the way Sergio ran the class was so engaging that I never really noticed the time going by. He mentioned at the beginning of the nine weeks that he had been a teacher prior to going to business school, and his experience clearly showed.

While Manhattan has a set curriculum the instructors follow, Sergio (and, I would imagine, other instructors) don't just stick to a script; they always make time to answer questions and customize each session to fit what the students need. This flexibility made my experience that much better and had a huge influence on my score.

Speaking of scores...I started the course "cold" with a baseline score in the low 600s. I sat for the exam twice and ended up with a score over 700, which was my target. Getting the nearly-100 point improvement was great, of course, and is ultimately why people take prep classes in the first place.

But when I think of Manhattan, I will most remember my experience after the first time I took the exam and I did not do very well. Even though class had been done for several weeks, I reached out to Sergio and he responded immediately with several really helpful pointers about what to do in the couple weeks before I took the exam again. I even got an unsolicited email from him the night before the test, just wishing me good luck. While I haven't used another prep service so can't say this with 100 percent certainty, I highly doubt you'll be able to find a better, more personalized experience than the one you get from Manhattan.

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I had a great experience in my group GMAT class. Very effective for covering the fundamentals of the material tested on the GMAT, and our instructor Sage made the classroom a fun, collaborative environment. I would highly recommend the course as a thorough introduction to the material on the test. In addition, the course materials are extremely comprehensive and aided my further study significantly. The online practice tests to which you get access are invaluable in preparing. I also found the GMAT Navigator incredibly helpful. This product offers Manhattan GMAT explanations to Official Guide questions, often with explanatory videos. This helps make self study feel like a lesson with an instructor.

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The course was delivered efficiently through the Blackboard portal with an interactive website to get all the material for preparation. Paul was a calm and efficient instructor who knew exactly how to pace the lessons. The course is expensive but it is well worth the price as it will provide the advantage on test day over other people who did not have the specific instructions from certified instructors to take the exam. The GMAT interact service is essential to success. Also, homeworks assigned were adequate for practice. Highly recommend Manhattan for GMAT prep. Books are comprehensive, and the tutoring was personalized, insightful, and data-driven . Reached my target score in record time and will look forward to applying.

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I debated between doing and online or in-person course for the GMAT. I never regretted going for the in person option. The extra personalized attention you get the in-person course made the money for the course worth it. I found the post course assessment and study plan that Keith put together particularly helpful. I also did an hour of private tutoring to help me revise my study plan after taking the test and not reaching my target score. Keith was also always happy to answer questions via email, which made me feel like I was continuing to benefit from the in-person course even when I wasn't physically in class.

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My experience with Manhattan Prep went above and beyond my expectations. Having self studied for the GMAT prior to taking the class, I was pleasantly surprised by the level of expertise and skill all of the instructors had and was so happy to have such seasoned GMAT takers teaching me the most helpful tips and tricks for taking the test. I took the course with Christine Defenbaugh - she is an incredible teacher whose explanations are clear and understandable. She is very nice, very smart, and helps you identify target areas to ensure you get the score you are striving for. You've got to put in the work, but they provide you with the tools, tricks, and guidance to help support you through your studies. After scoring 70+ higher on my second test, Manhattan Prep is definitely the way to go.

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I'd highly recommend Manhattan Prep, and specifically Marcus Hedahl as an instructor. I improved over 100 points from the 600's into the 700's from the beginning of the course to test day in a little less than three months.

Manhattan Prep has the GMAT down to a science, without a question. (Not to mention, the customer service is incredibly professional, responsive, and all-around very helpful). Specifically, Marcus knows the exam backwards and forwards, and has tips, tricks, and invaluable insights into how to approach the exam, which I imagine are unparalleled among other prep companies. He also makes each class fun, lively, and engaging, which makes a real difference with a 3 hour class after a full workday. He's patient with everyone in the class, and has really great advice on how to approach various question types, common mistakes, study habits, and generally anything at all related to the test. I really can't speak highly enough of Marcus.

I would recommend focusing less on strategy books and more on practice problems, but as far as prep companies to use, Manhattan Prep is undoubtedly the way to go.

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I purchased the Manhattan Prep strategy guides in April 2015, but it was difficult for me to structure my time to incorporate serious prep. This past January, I made the decision to enroll in a 9-session Manhattan Prep class in Santa Monica. I committed to doing the homework each week, so I'd be prepared for Ben's engaging class discussions. I scored a 620 on my first practice CAT exam. Thanks to the Manhattan Prep platform and Ben's tips and tricks, I was able to get a 750 (first try) on the official GMAT. I would highly recommend both Manhattan Prep and Ben Ku for anyone struggling to structure their study time effectively.

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I had a fabulous experience in Isaac's class. I was very crammed on timing (class ending 9/11; test on 9/16; application due 9/21) and Isaac was super helpful in answering my questions after class to make sure that I had the best possible plan in place for achieving those goals.

I also really appreciated the studying tips that he gave us in addition to the basic material. For example, we would start classes by reviewing what we had learned in our studying over the past week and would end class by writing down our big takeaways from that class. Isaac also encouraged us to do this in our own studying sessions at home, all of which had the effect of constantly reinforcing what we were learning.

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I really enjoyed this class with Avi. He's very engaging in the classroom, and teaches a lot of tricks on how to solve math problems in creative and efficient ways. He also helped me mentally prepare for the GMAT, so that when I walked into the testing room, I was the calmest person there. Verbal is not stressed in the class, but Avi requires that students watch the online tutorials before coming to class, so that he can focus his class time on extra tips one couldn't get in those online videos. However, this class only works if you're willing to put in the effort and study on your own

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I did the 9-session prep course and had an amazing experience with Sage and Ryan. The lessons are well structured, teachers are extremely smart, and are available for you (even outside the classroom). The classes are big enough so that there is strong group cohesion but small enough so that you can interact with everyone on a regular basis.
Plus, the tools and resources available to students are very helpful. Especially the software to take practice tests / questions, it helps practice and assimilate each topic addressed during the courses, it is very straightforward to use and actually very similar to the official test, which I guess takes away the element of surprise on D-day.

It's all well thought out and you have the option to take evening / weekend classes to accommodate around professional commitments.
I would highly recommend the 9-course program as it is structured to keep you focused and provides all the tools for you to succeed.

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