Getting In August 19, 2010, 4:33PM EST

GMAT Test Prep: Changes on the Way

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Story Tools

Cost: $690 for traditional online course

With about 300 to 400 students per month, Knewton offers a variety of online tools to help prepare soon-to-be test takers, says Bradley McIlquham, director of academics at Knewton in New York. In addition to the traditional online course—which includes 36 hours of instruction, for example—the company offers a more targeted way to fill in the gaps in students' knowledge. Instructors pose a question online, then follow up with those who got it wrong, giving them the extra help they need. "We have many online resources, more than you could fit in a backpack," McIlquham says.

Known for its efficiency and convenience, Knewton's offerings "are substantially the same as they have been: an accurate gauge of what students will encounter on test day," he says. Knewton has not announced any new programs or curriculum changes it is implementing in response to the new test.

Bottom Line: Knewton is the perfect choice for people who cannot make it to a physical classroom or who are on a budget because of its exclusively online offerings and low price. Although the school provided students with a sample integrated reasoning question, the company has not yet decided how to handle the upcoming GMAT changes. Since the revised test won't be launched until June 2012, there is still time.

MANHATTAN GMAT

Cost: $1,490 for traditional course; $1,090 for online course; $590 starting price for self-study

Pumping up students' skills, such as their ability to estimate quickly, is at the top of Manhattan GMAT's to-do list as it awaits word from GMAC about specifics of the new section, says Andrew Yang, president of Manhattan GMAT in New York. The company is already gearing up, he says, for the technical changes it will have to make to accommodate the new questions, some of which will require the use of tools such as spreadsheets. "We're bulking up online tools because the new section is hard to work out on paper," Yang says.

Manhattan GMAT, which was acquired by Kaplan last year, hasn't changed the format of its courses, but the company constantly tweaks material to improve content, says Yang. Asking students what they need to succeed, he says, serves the company well. For example, students on the go want convenience, so they can download flashcards to their iPhone.

"We think students want everything—the best class instructors, books, tutoring, online offerings, and iPhone applications," says Yang. "We've been offering the best we can on all platforms."

Manhattan GMAT's in-person and online courses include six computer-adaptive practice tests and the ability to schedule weekly 30-minute phone or online sessions with an instructor, who has scored in the 99th percentile of the GMAT, according to the Manhattan GMAT website. More disciplined students can opt for self-study, which includes recorded class sessions and two private phone sessions with an instructor, in addition to study materials, according to the site.

Bottom Line: Manhattan GMAT is still well-known for the quality of its instructors and materials. A dedication to providing practical content, such as the iPhone applications, helps the company score with test takers. At this point, the company appears ahead of the curve when it comes to preparing for the test changes. One negative: Test takers have to be willing to pay more than they would elsewhere.

MANHATTAN REVIEW

Cost: $850 to $1,550

Tracy Yun, chief executive of Manhattan Review, says the New York company is preparing to devise practice questions for the new GMAT later in 2010. Starting around March 2011, during the math portion of the course, instructors will devote more time to integrated reasoning, she says. "The data will be taken from real world reports," says Yun. "To some extent, students will be able to use common sense to come up with answers."