Manhattan Prep GRE Prep Course Review 2023: My Honest Test…
Our Rating
Highlights
The Manhattan GRE prep program is a near-perfect course. You’ll have access to a thorough bank of resources, instructors with 99th percentile scores, and books that will make you confident on exam day.
Course Effectiveness
Manhattan Prep’s GRE course program is definitely a top-rank prep course. Aside from its comprehensive materials, you’ll have access to high-quality free online resources.
Price
Some of the courses are priced at a relatively steeper level but you get more than your money’s worth.
Ease of Use
Manhattan Prep’s online platform has a great overall user experience. Some users, however, mentioned that the graphics aren’t as great and the test score analysis isn’t as accurate.
Student Reviews
Manhattan GRE garners a wide following of positive reviews and success stories with only minuscule low satisfaction rates.
Although Manhattan GRE is an excellent course program to enroll in, it still has a few drawbacks that we’ll tackle in this review.
About Manhattan Prep and Their GRE Prep Course
“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn
Studying and hard work are definitely key skills to take with you, but learning from the right course materials are just as essential to achieving a top GRE score.
Manhattan Prep GRE is a comprehensive course plan with flexible options and in-depth resources. You’ll hardly need abundant resources to help you study for the GRE, to be honest.
The prep course service was started in the year 2000 by Zeke Vanderhoek. He believed great education comes from students being able to learn from better teachers.
This allowed him to assemble a team of qualified teachers ranking in the 99th percentile. 20 years later, Manhattan Prep has grown to a world-leading prep course that focuses on helping students through the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, SAT, and EA.
How good is the Manhattan GRE prep, you ask? You’ll know more in this Manhattan GRE prep review.
What Makes This Prep Course Unique?
Manhattan Prep 5 lb. Book
The Manhattan Prep 5 lb. book is a solid GRE course material that can help you prepare well for both the Math and Verbal sections of the exam.
Going through the Math sections are so good you won’t need to spend another minute trying to look for other resources for practice on Math. It’s not perfect, however. It could use additional difficulty levels for the questions listed.
As for the Verbal section, I’d give it a fair rating. Since the test questions were written by the Manhattan Prep staff, inconsistencies are evident in the Verbal section. You might want to find extra review material for reading comprehension.
Flexible and Versatile Course Options
Manhattan Prep GRE offers many options, allowing students to choose a plan that suits them best. The complete course comes with either live online or in-person options.
You’ll also be able to choose a GRE for MBA course and Just Math course for personalized and high-focus courses.
Lastly, you’ll have the Interact for GRE course – a self-paced course that uses adaptive video lessons to help a student learn.
Free Online Resources
Here’s a list of all the “free stuff” Manhattan Prep offers its students:
- GRE Vocabulary Flashcards
- Manhattan Prep GRE Mobile App
- Full-length Test to gauge your baseline score
- Study plan guides
- Attend a live class for free
- You can try the first 15 lessons of Interact GRE
Not only do you get to do a trial run of the course, but you also have access to review materials you can use while on the go.
Curriculum Overview & Effectiveness
Manhattan Prep’s flexible course options are one of the best features of the program. We’ll dive into each one with more depth in this section.
There are currently 4 course options to choose from in the Manhattan Prep GRE program:
- Interact for GRE (self-paced)
- Complete course (live online or in-person)
- GRE for MBA
- Just Math course
Interact for GRE
Course overview:
The Interact for GRE course option follows a self-paced learning approach. I don’t normally recommend self-paced courses but in Manhattan Prep’s case, it’s worth it.
Interact for GRE covers both Math and Verbal sections, both of which have three lessons that increase in difficulty as you progress. After every lesson, you’ll need to take a full-length practice test to proceed to the next lesson.
The Manhattan Prep GRE interact review lessons have three components: Learn it, Drill it, and Prove it.
What makes all this great is being able to work at your own pace while still having diverse access to resources and study materials that can help you prepare for the exam effectively.
You can also opt for the 1-month access, 3-month access, or 6-month access for this self-paced course option.
Choose Interact for GRE if:
This course is specifically designed for busy individuals who have extracurricular activities and need a course where they can manage their own time and pace.
Complete Course (live online or in-person)
Course overview:
Manhattan Prep’s Complete course has a ton of resources and course material to give you the best tools and help you achieve success in the GRE.
Source: Manhattan Prep
Source: Manhattan Prep
Manhattan Prep’s complete course option is taught by top-ranked 99th percentile instructors who also offer a personalized experience to help you succeed in the GRE.
You’ll have access to 6 full-length practice tests, an online app & syllabus, and on-demand class recordings you can choose to view anytime.
With the flexibility of choosing between live online or in-person, Manhattan Prep gives you an edge to get a higher score in the GRE. Watch this video (1) so you’ll know what I’m talking about.
Choose Complete Course if:
You want to maximize your GRE score improvement or want the most comprehensive review for the GRE.
GRE for MBA
Course Overview:
The GRE for MBA course is designed to provide its students a more personalized and focused approach for MBA applicants.
You’ll go through the core GRE Verbal and Quant topics at a faster pace, and this will also include a bonus session that focuses on advanced Quant topics.
The instructors in the GRE for MBA course are also specifically tailored to meet the needs of an MBA applicant so you can expect the highest caliber of instruction.
Choose GRE for MBA if:
This course is for any aspiring MBA student looking for a unique and focused approach of the MBA program.
Just Math Course
Course Overview:
The Just Math course aims to help you score high or even higher on the Quant section.
Aside from the superb instruction you get from a GRE Math expert, you’re also provided with over 2,300 practice questions and 52 video interactive lessons to help you learn effectively.
The topics covered in the Just Math Course include:
- Algebra
- Fractions, Decimals, and Percentages
- Geometry
- Number Properties
- Word Problems
- Quantitative Comparisons & Data Interpretation
Choose Just Math Course if:
You want better instruction and guidance to improve your Quant score or you simply need more help on Math subject areas.
Course Pricing Options:
GRE Complete Course: $1,999
Interact for GRE Course:
GRE for MBA Course: $1,399
Just Math Course: $699
Tutoring Packages:
Source: Manhattan Prep
Manhattan Prep’s prices range from mid-to-high tier price packages similar to Kaplan or Princeton Review’s. Manhattan Prep’s instructors; however, are outstanding and well worth the books, video lessons, and practice questions you that come with them.
If you’re short on time and need a crash course on Math fundamentals, Manhattan Prep offers its Foundation of GRE Math Workshop (2) where you’ll receive proper instruction to help you master the concepts of GRE Math in the shortest time possible.
Here’s what you’ll receive in this workshop:
Platform’s Ease of Use
Manhattan Prep’s platform makes the selection process easy for its users, and the lessons are well-structured and engaging, especially for the self-paced course option.
The downside to the platform is the test score analysis section, which wasn’t as realistic, according to some users. The graphics could also use a slight improvement in the overall design.
Compared to Magoosh’s intuitive platform and easy-to-read test score analysis, Manhattan Prep is a step behind.
Is Manhattan Prep a Reputable Online GRE Prep Course? (Not a Scam)
Manhattan Prep has been providing its prep course services to students for 20 years now. It has garnered a considerable number of success stories, testimonials, and reviews that leave little doubt of its legitimacy.
One proof of this is Marcia who shared how she balanced motherhood with the GRE with the support she received from her instructors. The video below is of Maria sharing her experience with this prep course.
Reviews and Real Unbiased Text and Video Testimonials:
Most reviews for Manhattan Prep highlight how the course has made a profound impact on their students.
— Audrey (trustpilot.com)
— Maeva Recchia (trustpilot.com)
Final Verdict & Recommendation
I give Manhattan Prep a total score of 4.25/5.
Overall, it’s an excellent choice for the GRE review. In regards to the test questions, Manhattan Prep GRE vs real GRE, some questions are harder but most are more or less at par with the actual GRE.
Manhattan Prep’s flexible and varied course options cater to a wide range of students, whether they’re looking to study on their own or with the guidance of reliable instructors.
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- https://www.manhattanprep.com/gre/prep/complete-course/
- https://www.manhattanprep.com/gre/prep/workshops/foundations-of-gre-math/
