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Improvement 130 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor Dan Bartz
Location Chicago-N. LaSalle, IL USA
I was very nervous going into my GMAT studying - not knowing if I had the ability to score very well and not knowing if I could even get back into intense studying after being out of college for five years. After scoring a 570 on the initial practice test, I knew I had my work cut out for me, but Manhattan GMAT was such a helpful program. My in-class instructor, Dan Bartz, was so knowledgeable about all of the topics we covered. He was so great at teaching us what we needed to know to be able to do well on the GMAT, and he also did a great job preparing us mentally for the test. He was very good at engaging everyone in the classroom, and I often times was surprised when class was over, as it seemed time had flown by! The materials provided by Manhattan were also fantastic. All of the books explained each subject area so thoroughly, but in an easy-to-understand, not-too-technical manner. The online materials were just as helpful, as well. What I also really appreciated was the post-exam assessment I had with Haakon Brown (a long discussion following my first attempt at the official GMAT). Having an MGMAT instructor break down my weak and strong areas and provide me with a study plan for my next attempt at the test was great, but what I found most helpful was the way Haakon was able to help me get in the proper mental state - since I found the GMAT to be such a psychological grind (both while studying and while actually taking the test), it really gave me the confidence I needed! I ultimately scored a 700 on my second attempt at the GMAT, and I know I would not have come close to that without having taken Manhattan's GMAT review course, and I can't thank the company - and the instructors who helped me - enough!
Improvement 140 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Chong
Location Washington, DC USA
I started the MGMAT 9-session course in September 2013 and took the exam in August 2014. To be frank, I didn't really start studying until ~July 2014. The punch-line is this: you MUST do the homework. While I will say I benefited from the class, I did myself a huge disservice to not put in the hours WHILE I was taking the class. That said, the MGMAT books and web system are so strong that I was able to refresh much of what was taught in the class, and advance beyond. Wait until you're in a position to truly dedicate several months, then take the course, and plan on taking the exam a few weeks later. Good luck.
Improvement 100 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor Abby Berry
Location Philadelphia, PA USA
MGMAT instructors are properly vetted (99%ile) and prepped, the course has been developed and refined over years and years, and the amount of resources are so vast they're simply unusable. The course is expensive, but will doubtless help you to organize your study habits and provide you the resources to effectively target your weaknesses. I came in with strong test content knowledge, but I was impressed with how logically and comprehensively the necessary concepts were taught. As with anything, you'll take out of this class what you put into it - but with MGMAT, there's no ceiling to how much you can put in. From homework, to class sessions, to practice tests, each problem you do provides a data point for attacking your weaknesses. If you're willing to do the work, you can't be disappointed with the resources MGMAT puts at your disposal.
Improvement 130 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Location Boston (Back Bay), MA USA
Josh was both personable and smart, as well as a good instructor. The course covered all the necessary content, as well as timing, guessing, and study strategies. I made sure to work the entire quant foundations before the first class, and about half the verbal foundations (my verbal was high so I was not as worried).
Throughout the course I kept up with the syllabus, although I had to balance a full-time job. I did all of the problems after each class, and recorder all my answers for OG problems in the archer, which has been rebranded the GMAT Navigator.
I didn't stray from the syllabus and took the CATs as instructed:
MGMAT CAT 1: 630 (Q37, V38) before session 1
MGMAT CAT 2: 700 (Q45, V40, IR 3.8) before session 6
MGMAT CAT 3: 680 (Q46, V37, IR 3.1) before session 8
On my first MGMAT CAT I was correctly answering 700 level problems, but I was spending 3-5 minutes, so I left about 9 problems unanswered. Alongside learning how to solve problems efficiently, the course drilled timing and guessing strategies, and I reinforced those in my homework and self-study sessions. Every problem was done timed (and this was the answer than I plugged into the Navigator), but then I would continue to work towards the right solution, and in the end I would compare my solution to the Manhattan solution to look for mistakes or inefficient techniques.
After the course, I worked all the quant problems in OG13, the 2nd edition quant supplement, and all the problems in OG12 that were removed from OG13. And then I did all the problems in OG13 again, although I ran into my deadline (T-minus 1 week) and stopped working problems at this point.
I followed the recommended study plan and these were my post-course results:
MGMAT CAT 4: 730 (Q45, V45, IR 3.8) 2.5 weeks before GMAT
GMATPrep CAT 1: 750 (Q49, V42, IR 8) 1.5 weeks before GMAT
Leading up to my first official GMAT score:
GMAT 773 (Q49, V48, IR 8)
The Manhattan course provided an excellent structure to my studying, and I believe the Manhattan CATs are "harder" in a way that is very useful. The problems Manhattan wrote were not any trickier than official problems, but they often required more steps, or more calculations. This forced me to learn to solve problems efficiently; I was constantly timing my problems and practicing guessing or choice-elimination strategies.
Improvement 120 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor Pedro Ledesma
Location Washington, DC USA
I had not taken a standardized test in ten years, nor had I really done any quantitative work since my freshman year of college. My first practice GMAT reflected that; I didn't finish the quantitative portion at all and scored a 640 overall. By the end of the Manhattan GMAT class, I was scoring mid to high 700s on my practice tests, and scored a 760 the second time I took the actual test. I had a rough week the first time I took the test, just a few days after the end of the class) and was not satisfied with my score, so I retook it after studying the class materials for another month, focusing in on my weak points. It is a very comprehensive, well-structured, and effective program. If you need a thorough review, take this class, do the recommended homework assignments, and use the practice tests to identify specific types of problems where you are weak.
Improvement 90 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor Abby Berry
Location Philadelphia, PA USA
I would absolutely recommend the Manhattan GMAT course to anyone considering taking the GMAT. I took the 9-week course on UPenn's campus with instructor Abby Berry. Manhattan GMAT provides you with access to more resources than you could ever need to help you prepare for the test (books, practice exams, one-on-one instructor office hours, and their own set of detailed solutions to old GMAT questions). Not only that, the in-class sessions teach amazing test-taking tips and strategies that ultimately helped me score in the 99th percentile on the GMAT. Manhattan GMAT is truly the way to go if you want to score above 700.
Improvement 110 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor Kim Cabot
Location San Francisco, CA USA
I took Manhattan GMAT's in person complete course and had a great experience. Kim, my teacher, was awesome - she was passionate about the subject and was excellent at both explaining the concepts needed for the exam and presenting strategies for dealing with difficult problems. The course materials were great as well – the practice exams were a good simulation of the real thing, the homework was helpful in learning/reviewing the necessary concepts, and the extra problems excellent at providing additional practice. Overall my score improved 110 points from the first diagnostic test that I took, and I ended up scoring in the 99th percentile on the real test.
Improvement N/A
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Location Los Angeles, CA USA
I had GMAT study books sitting on my bookshelf for two years before I finally bit the bullet and signed up for a prep class to keep me motivated and hold me accountable. I carefully vetted my options and chose MGMAT based on the quirky attitude of the program and its focus on perfecting GMAT instruction. I went to an introduction at the New York office but didn't enroll until I was living and working in Los Angeles. I found a course offered at Pepperdine University in the evenings after work. The facility was gorgeous, and I was in a class with just two other students.
My instructor, Chris Peckover, was funny, engaging, and brilliant. I always enjoyed class even after a full day of work. I did the assignments, tuned in during class, and studied a bit for a few weeks after the course concluded. MGMAT provided the flexibility I needed to make-up classes and review material in a variety of formats outside of class.
With MGMAT techniques, the first (and hopefully last) time I took the real exam, I scored a 750 with perfect writing and integrated reasoning scores!
Improvement 120 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor Jonathan Schneider
Location New York (Manhattan), NY USA
I enrolled in the 10 week evening prep course knowing that I would find it nearly impossible to dedicate the time required to do well on the GMAT without some kind of driving force. Manhattan GMAT was the perfect solution. Our teacher, Jonathan Schneider, was knowledgeable, approachable and incredibly engaging. The in-course syllabus set the groundwork for success, and the post-course practice delivered the results I needed. Overall, my score increased 120 points from the diagnostic
Manhattan GMAT properly stresses the most important and most difficult aspects of the exam without neglecting the "little things" than can mean the difference between a 690 and 700. The practice exams are also great, and, while harder than the actual test (in my opinion), allow you to get a feel for what test day will feel like
Improvement 90 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Lower Manhattan), NY USA
Boy am I glad I signed up to take this course. Without a doubt, Manhattan GMAT is the best in the biz. Yea, it's pricey, but for a reason. Their instructors and curriculum are bar none the best. The best parts of the courses are the extremely detailed syllabus which was really helpful for me to review after the course along with a list of more challenging questions to tackle for those looking for an even higher score (700+). In addition, the material on their website is phenomenal. You get a whole suite of study materials including printable flashcards, workshops, "Archer" which keeps track of the problems you attempt in the Official GMAT Guide, and more! My only comment is that the practice tests seemed to be a little too difficult - I scored about 50 points lower on them than other practice tests I took, but then again I guess making it harder helped me get a great score on the actual test.
My instructor Dave Mahler, was excellent at keeping the class on track and was able to answer a myriad of questions I threw at him.
I highly recommend these guys if you're a high scorer looking to get into the top 20 b-schools!