Best GMAT online course - why examPAL is not menionted?

Question

Hi everyone, 
 I just started preparing for the GMAT test. I bought the Kaplan books but seems that it's not enough to be very efficient and aim for high scores (700+).
After performing some online research I found this website and the useful overview "Best GMAT Courses - Overview, Reviews, and Prices". However, there is a course that seems very interesting but is never mentioned: examPAL. Their teaching approach intrigued me and there are excellent reviews on TrustPilot. Why is it not included in your review? Is it reliable or not?
I already looked for material on your website but there are few comments about it.

Thank you in advance,
Vittorio

Raxit85 · Answer

Hi,

Rather than relying absolutely on reviews of any website, including GC, it'd be better to have free trial of the courses (as most of the courses are providing free trial). Remember One size does not fit all. All the best for GMAT preparation.

Russ19 · Answer

Hi

Could you please talk about a bit of examPAL's teaching method that you have found special? Which part is better in the platform quant or verbal?

Seeing a trial session can help to make a better decision than depending on reviews.

AndrewN · Answer

Good question, Vittorio. I am guessing that there is probably some sort of agreement between GMAT Club and the businesses listed in the Marketplace for those online courses to appear. Maybe the examPAL proprietor(s) simply did not wish to be listed there, considering that exposure through the site in other manners would drive business as well. As others have suggested above, perhaps you should try a free trial through the website and sign up if you like it and the price suits your needs.

Regarding Kaplan, the general opinion among tutors is that the business is more of a "breadcrumb" company, its guides designed to lay out one crumb at a time so that you follow the trail right to the point at which you sign up for a (much more expensive) course. Although Kaplan might be fine for tests such as the ASVAB, a basic military entrance examination, I would not place too much emphasis on its materials beyond that level. Learn what you can from the guides you have, and then move on and see if you can apply any techniques to  official  questions published by GMAC™.

Good luck with your studies, however you go about them.

- Andrew

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Vittorio,

Since it sounds like you're just beginning your studies, then it would be a good idea to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test; you can take 2 for free at www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). If you want to do a little studying first, so that you can familiarize yourself with the basic content and question types, then that's okay - but you shouldn't wait too long to take that initial CAT. That score will give us a good sense of your natural strengths and weaknesses and will help provide a basis for comparison as you continue to study. A FULL CAT takes about 3.5 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take it in one sitting. Once you have those scores, you should report back here and we can come up with a study plan.

I'd like to know a bit more about your timeline and goals:
1) What is your exact goal score?
2) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

vmonferrino · Answer

Thank you all for the answers.
Raxit85 - My plan was actually to initially filter through reviews coming up with 2-3 interesting courses and then testing with free trials.
sjuniv32 - There is a short pitch (1'30") on their website, it seems they leverage their studying paths using the "PALgorithm", AI engine that understands how you think (?) and adapts the way each problem is solved for the best fit with you. It is very promising, I just wanted to know if it's just marketing or there is something real behind. Anyway, I am going to test it today/tomorrow.
MentorTutoring - thank you, it totally makes sense to me.
EMPOWERgmatRichC - I tried a full test 2 weeks ago and scored 550 (Q38, V27) and IR:7. My preparation was 0, and I tried with time constraints... Maybe not the best choice, I didn't manage the time strategically and I had to answer randomly to the final questions. I am not scared by the quant part, I am an engineer and I am pretty comfortable with mathematics. In these two weeks, I studied using Kaplan online workshops to learn some strategies and test them on specific quizzes. Surely I have to improve the V part, especially CR.
My goal is 720 and I would like to take it at the end of August. B-schools I am more interested in are HEC and IESE. Regarding the application, I am very flexible, surely the 1st or 2nd round for Sep 2021 or Jan 2022. However, I am young, I can postpone till Sep 2022. It really depends on the score I will get and if I manage all the application processes according to my other duties.

Looking forward to becoming a GMAT assassin, then

Vittorio

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Vittorio,

A 550 is a solid initial CAT score (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 550 most years) - and you appear to have given yourself plenty of time to study - which is good. Raising a 550 to the point that you can consistently score 720+ will likely require at least 3 months of consistent, guided study - and you'll have to make significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Thankfully, the GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

Since you know some of the Schools that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement.

There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

Most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at our website (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them, then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.

1) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

vmonferrino · Answer

Hi Rich,
 glad to hear that is a solid beginning. Thank you for the info, I will surely check them trying to take advantage.
For now, I have been testing GMATWhiz (don't like it) and examPAL (seems very interesting, however much more focused on Quant than Verbal, unfortunately). I will then try e-Gmat and, as you suggest, empowerGMAT. Max the end of this week I want to be sure about the platform I am going to use.

1) It depends. It ranges from 10-15hrs, depending on the weeks (accordingly to work and other stuff). Surely it will not be flat for the coming months.

Vittorio

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Vittorio,

Training to score at a high level on the GMAT is a big task - and it requires that you learn a certain amount of content (re: math formulas, grammar rules, etc.) and Tactics - and hone a variety of test-taking skills. The good news is that most of the work is actually fairly straight-forward and much of it can be broken down into small pieces. That having been said, you have to maintain a certain amount of consistency in your studies and stay focused on learning efficient ways to approach the overall Exam. One of the interesting aspects of the GMAT is that most questions can be solved in more than one way, so just because you know how to correctly answer a question doesn't necessarily mean that you're approaching that question efficiently - and by extension, you might be carrying inefficient thinking into other questions.

To reiterate a prior point: you've given yourself plenty of time to study - which is good (and should greatly increase your chances of hitting your Score Goal). After working through the Free Trial, if you have any questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly at any time.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

DavidTutorexamPAL · Answer

Hey Vittorio, We are no longer active on this forum as we found that our students are better served by continuous 24/7 support within the context of our program than by sporadic, infrequent forum-based contact. The end result is both more efficient and more professional. Please feel free to try our 7-day free trial at www.exampal.com and be in touch with us on our internal chat if you have any additional questions. Best of luck! David

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