Is EmpowerGMAT real or fraud (or something)?

Question

As I shared in my earlier post, I am retaking GRE. Thus, I was looking for some support because of what I shared in my earlier post about what happened to me.

Anyway, I read about EmpowerGMAT here somewhere, and I got from EmpowerGMAT to its sister website for GRE - Empower Test Prep. They had put an excellent course description for GRE. They also have a score improvement guarantee. I also liked the courses by Target Test Prep, Magoosh, and more, but the main draw for Empower Test Prep was they offered 3 official paid GRE mock tests in their subscription. Thus, I purchased their GRE subscription.

They also claim to provide 4 official mock tests for the GMAT on their GMAT website. Thus, this can be applicable to anyone looking to buy their GMAT package.

The thing is that after purchasing their GRE subscription, they gave me 3 voucher codes for the GRE mock tests. However, none of these 3 codes are working on the ETS website. I tried to reach out to them on multiple platforms, but they do not seem to be active anywhere. Thus, I am getting very worried and concerned.

Thus, I am reaching out to you here. Has anyone got any experience with either EmpowerGMAT or Empower Test Prep? I saw a few posts from these people on this forum, but these posts were quite some time back. They seem to be inactive both here and on the GRE forum (unless I am not putting in the right keywords).

Can someone please tell me whether I was frauded or something? Or everything is alright, and this company is legit?

I so much hope that I had purchased a course from either Target Test Prep or Magoosh. These courses are really good. However, I went with these folks just for their claim about providing three GRE official paid mock tests in their subscription, and now I do not have those mocks, and I am really worried.

bb · Answer

Hi. I’m surprised you have not heard back. I don’t think they are a fraud and they are fairly active on GMAT Club. At least one of their experts is…. But it’s definitely very alarming if things are not working and you’re not able to get any support.

Hoping EMPOWERgmatRichC will reach out to you.

You can also try their email which is [email protected]

PS. They do not have their own tests and the only prep material tests they offer are the official GMAT or I guess GRE practice tests… however, I don’t know anything about their GRE course 😇

Posted from my mobile device

Averdoc · Answer

Thank you bb for your reply. A few mins after your reply someone replied to me on their Intercom chat. Thus, I guess someone is here looking. They told me they are checking with ETS about why the codes are not working or something?

Actually, I had messaged them on Intercom 4 or 5 days back about their score improvement guarantee - no reply. 
I sent them my score report as they asked for their score improvement guarantee 2 days back - again no reply. 
I made purchase yesterday, they gave me codes today, and the codes are not working - I message on Intercom - and it shows no activity
I found them on Twitter and Facebook - and they seem inactive there

Thus, I got really worried. Thanks for your help bb. After your reply, they replied to me. Someone from their team told me that their customer service lead has been down with a bad flu for a few days now.

Also, I agree with you, their main caveat is that they offer these official mock tests for both GMAT (and GRE). I won't say a bad thing about their course, and yes their course is good (at least I saw for GRE). However, their course is not comparable to Target Test Prep or Magoosh.

I had taken a 5 days trial for the GMAT course of Target Test Prep, and OMG I loved it. Their support was also lightning fast. Their questions were so good that I had to ask their support if they were using official GMAT questions. I said that I do not mind them doing so, but it would affect my official mock test's score. However, they promptly replied that they create their own original questions, and that's cool. Also, I totally loved the way they teach everything one step at a time. I had to take my GMAT very soon after I enrolled for the free trial, so I could not continue with the course.

I have heard good things about Magoosh, but I have never experienced Magoosh first hand as much I did with Target Test Prep.

Thus, if not for these official mock tests provided by Empower Test Prep (EmpowerGMAT), I would have gone for Target Test Prep or Magoosh (sorry, no offense to Empower Test Prep). Thus, when the main thing that you claim does not work, it feels a bit bad for the purchaser!

Anyway, thanks once again for your help bb!

bb · Answer

Glad your issue is in the path of being resolved. I can totally understand the frustration.

PS. What is the error you’re getting with the GRE codes? Does it say they have been redeemed or does it say they’re not valid?

Sometimes people put them into the wrong field at least for the GMAT. They put them into the discount field instead of going and activating the product so just wanted make sure it was clear how to use them. I do t l ow about GRE 😂

Posted from my mobile device

Averdoc · Answer

Oh, yes, that's so me.

At times I think that the technology is against me or something

So, I checked again. I am following the process that they have shown with screenshots in their website. Thus, I am entering the code in the voucher/discount code field. The error that I get after submitting the code is - voucher/promotional code not applied. That's it - no other information! Also, I had received 30 USD voucher from ETS to book GRE, and I had entered that code in the same field. That had worked for me. I had purchased the official GMAT mocks directly from GMAC, but I did get a discount code from GMAC for these mocks because I had booked a GMAT slot. However, that discount code was auto-applied at the checkout, so fortunately I was saved that time.

bb · Answer

Hm… that is an interesting strategy how they have done it.

For the GMAT, you don’t enter it for the voucher in the purchase process, instead, you go to the test and activate the product, so it’s technically an activation code, and not a discount code but it sounds like you’re following the process and they have instructions so you must be doing it right

Posted from my mobile device

Averdoc · Answer

Oh, the GMAT activation seems more sound because these entering voucher codes thing do create problems at times. I will just hope for some resolution.

Posted from my mobile device

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Averdoc,

It sounds as though someone from the Support Team has reached out to you, so all of this should be resolved soon. The most direct way to reach out to us (so that multiple people will have the chance to see your message) is through email. Going forward, you can also feel free to contact me directly (at [email protected]).

Rich

Businessconquerer · Answer

Averdoc I know how you feel. Just give this article a read, may be you will get a new perspective that can reshape your MBA Conquest. https://gmatclub.com/forum/beginner-to- ... l#p2313182

Averdoc · Answer

Thank you, Rich. Your support did finally resolve this for me. All is good now, and now I am giving my best to my GRE prep. I just heard your podcast with respect to GRE verbal on your course, and I found that motivating for my preparation. Thanks for that!

Averdoc · Answer

Thank you for sharing the article. I read the article, and it makes sense. For now, I will stick with GRE for this admissions cycle. However, whenever I recoil back to the GMAT, I will revert back to this article to get a new perspective on pivoting on my GMAT prep!

Is EmpowerGMAT real or fraud (or something)?

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