Magoosh vs. MGMAT if you're good at self-studying?

Hey Mike!

Thank you very much for your detailed response! I actually was referring to the MGMAT in-person course. Is there a benefit to someone who can study alone taking a course like MGMAT?

Hey Rich!

1. Shooting for 730, but would obviously like to do much better.
2. June or July for my first test, with a month later if I'm not happy with the first.
3. R1 this fall.

I'm going to take a CAT soon. I have forgotten the majority of GMAT level math, but it's coming back pretty quickly and will soon be representative of what I feel are my natural abilities.

Dear macaronittoni,

I'm happy to respond.

First of all, for this question, I think someone who works at MGMAT would be best qualified to answer. I will share my impressions.

The folks who teach MGMAT courses are not only seriously brilliant people but also wonderful teachers. I have no doubt that the great majority of students in those classes have a positive experience. I know some of those people: they're great!

The only possible downside is the cost. Let's say the whole book set is $200 (US). Let's say the in-person class is ($1200). I don't know the exact prices: these are rough approximations. I think if you pay for the class, you get the books. For someone who is not good at studying, the class would be invaluable, and the books by themselves would not work for that person. By contrast, if you are good at studying on your own, you will get a lot out of just the books: they are loaded with information. You definitely would get more out of the class, but how much more? And would that be worth the $1000 difference? You see, for a poor self-study student, the value added from book to class is immense, but for a good self-study student who already gets a lot from just the books, the value added in moving to the class is less. Really, only you would be able to estimate, as a general rule, what percent of challenging material can you get on your own and for what percent do you need a teacher's insight and perspective? Is that difference worth $1000? Only you can decide this.

Of course, it complicates the matter that, if I understand correctly, you could buy both the entire MGMAT book set and the entire Magoosh package for less than half the cost of the in-person MGMAT class. Given that Magoosh has pedagogy not only in the video lessons but also in the individual question explanations, that's easily a hundred hours of instruction in the Magoosh vault. I think that's more hours than you get in a MGMAT class (27 hours?), not that hours alone is necessarily the best comparison of teaching value. In fact, pedagogical value is hard to quantify and compare.

My friend, you may well want the input of a MGMAT person on this. I'm going to say: you have a lot of information. Do NOT look for anyone else to make up your mind for you. Gather the information you need, and then make a powerful decision about what you are going to do. Don't make a decision simply with your head: make a decision that resonates with the your core of your being. i believe that's how all important decisions should be made. Some day you will be a manager, and it will be your job to make hard decisions. Start practicing that now.

Does all this make sense?
Mike

I haven't bought Manhattan's course, but I have used their study guides and I was also subscribed to Magoosh.
All Manhattan guides are great, but I feel Magoosh subscription is one notch better because it offers video lessons and in case you fail to understand something, you drop them emails too with your doubts. They are very helpful. It is good value for money. Manhattan's foundation book is great to brush up your core fundamentals- something that will be very useful for integer properties and exponents topics- one of the frequently tested topics on the gmat.

that said, if you wish to not spend on either of these resources- you can also check gmatclub's theory book, it's free and covers everything. https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-math-bo ... 30609.html

I haven't bought Manhattan's course, but I have used their study guides and I was also subscribed to Magoosh.
All Manhattan guides are great, but I feel Magoosh subscription is one notch better because it offers video lessons and in case you fail to understand something, you drop them emails too with your doubts. They are very helpful. It is good value for money. Manhattan's foundation book is great to brush up your core fundamentals- something that will be very useful for integer properties and exponents topics- one of the frequently tested topics on the gmat.

that said, if you wish to not spend on either of these resources- you can also check gmatclub's theory book, it's free and covers everything. https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-math-bo ... 30609.html

you should start with mgmat books for quant and for sc.

To drastically oversimplify: it comes down to learning by reading vs. learning by watching videos.

Manhattan is vastly superior regarding written materials, but Magoosh has a better library of videos.

Personally, I don't learn well by watching videos. They are easy to watch, of course, because they require little to no effort, but the learning feels too passive, and my retention is lower. Thus, I prefer to read and learn at my own pace, instead of having to learn at the the (often too slow) pace of GMAT video instructors. Fast readers can usually learn faster when reading than when watching videos, in my opinion.

The best way to learn is from an actual person, of course, which is where a classroom course / private tutoring would come in.

You might not need to actually take the MGMAT class--I would just start by simply buying the GMAT library (Kindle format is great for portability), which are the main books Manhattan uses for the class anyway. Remember that there are a lot of independent, private GMAT tutors out there (like me) who can give you boutique, customized lessons for the price of a MGMAT class, or less.

I've the MGMAT books with me and have tried the Magoosh online course as well. Honestly, I loved the videos than the books Its so much easier to learn. But if you prefer a bookish approach, then MGMAT would be the better option! All the best

magoosh is simply awesome especially in consideration with cost & quality.

If you prefer In-person class than MGMAT is good but if you study online and self study only then Magoosh is best option with economic price