GMAT Test Prep: A User's Guide

(page 3 of 5)

"I hate to say it, but Knewton has rendered every other test prep company totally obsolete," writes Greg Rorke, former CEO of Kaplan, in a statement issued by Knewton. "By going online, Knewton can deliver the industry's very best teachers anywhere, anytime. And Knewton's adaptive learning engine personalizes your experience in a way that old-school test prep can't."

Student Daniel Young's score improved 100 points after taking the Knewton course. He writes in an e-mail that the top-notch staff and the study materials were helpful, but students have to do their part as well. "As helpful as the classes and Web site material are, if I didn't put in the time of two-plus hours of studying each night, my score probably wouldn't have improved as dramatically," writes Young.

Modern technology is nice and all, but Young admits that sometimes it's nice to be in a classroom, face-to-face with an instructor. Knewton is still a baby in the test prep world, so it's hard to tell how successful its program is at helping students improve their GMAT scores.

Bottom Line: Knewton, with its all-online format, is convenient for just about anyone and might be a particularly good solution for those who travel often or like to spend many hours online. By eliminating costs, such as rent and supplies for classrooms, and the travel costs you'd have to spend to get to the class, Knewton is also one of the most affordable options available.

MANHATTAN GMAT

Known for its intensive vetting of instructors, Manhattan GMAT was founded by Zeke Vanderhoek, a former Teach for America participant. The company rejects four out of five instructors but has very little turnover. There are 82 instructors in total, and they go through more than 100 hours of training before teaching a class. They are paid the highest salary in the industry, says Andrew Yang, CEO of Manhattan GMAT.

The organization prides itself on being an authority with a singular mission compared with its competitors, many of whom offer test prep for a variety of standardized tests. "We're experts at the GMAT, and it's the focus of the entire organization," says Yang. Students who choose Manhattan GMAT can sign up for a traditional nine-week course that is now available in 15 different locations, a live online course with two lecturers, private tutoring, Manhattan GMAT books, or a guided self-study course. Prices range from $200 for the books and materials to $1,490 for the traditional course.

Manhattan GMAT recently responded to GMAC's update of the official guide to the GMAT by including several hundred new problems and material to reflect the changes in its study guides. In addition, many companies—including McKinsey, Goldman Sachs (GS), Google (GOOG), and Bank of America (BAC)—turn to Manhattan GMAT to provide test-prep services for employees who are applying to B-schools. As more business schools begin accepting the GRE, Manhattan GMAT is working on a curriculum to address this other test.

Some students are satisfied with the program, even before completing it. "The Manhattan GMAT books are great: very clear, well written, and have a series of practice questions at the end of each section to test your knowledge," writes Emma Roberts, a student in Scotland who is taking the online Manhattan GMAT course, in an e-mail. "The teachers (there are two—both American) are excellent. I felt immediately more confident after the first lessons. They give you so many resources in addition to the classes and the books."

Business Exchange

Track and share business topics across the Web.