The Good

Excellent course study materials:

As a Manhattan Prep student, you get a substantial collection of hard-copy study guides and practice materials to work with in and out of class. A set of eight Manhattan Prep strategy guides form the basis of their course curriculum. The course also makes ample use of The Official Guide to the GRE revised General Test, published by ETS, the GRE administrator. You also receive a copy of Manhattan Prep's 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems, a tome containing 1,800 GRE questions, in addition to a comprehensive vocabulary list and helpful content in other areas. While many quality GRE prep companies offer extensive online quiz banks and study guides, Manhattan Prep is a strong option if you appreciate study materials and exercise books you can get your hands on and mark up with your notes. Manhattan Prep also provides you with six online practice exams and various other online practice materials.

Solid variety of courses and online tutoring options:

Manhattan Prep conducts standard full-length GRE prep courses in cities in 11 states. If you prefer an online option, the same course is available in a live online format and an on-demand, self-guided format. Each of these courses provides comprehensive training to prepare you for all aspects of the GRE test. On-site and live online courses are based on a nine-week study schedule including one three-hour class meeting per week, for a total of 27 hours of live instruction. The self-guided course provides on-demand access to 27 hours of video lectures and other online course materials for a period of six months from the date of your purchase. Manhattan Prep also offers a flexible one-on-one online tutoring program, offering the personalized help you need to overcome all your GRE challenges. A flexible hourly tutoring program is available for students who need only a couple hours of extra help to work on specific skill areas. Prepaid tutoring packages are also available, starting at five hours and extending up to 25 hours, which is roughly the length of a full prep course. In-person tutoring is also available, but only in 10 U.S. cities.

Free introductory seminars and trial classes:

Manhattan Prep excels when it comes to providing you the information you need to make an informed consumer decision. The company operates regular information sessions and free GRE instructional events online and in the 11 states in which they offer traditional classroom courses. These events are conducted by actual Manhattan Prep instructors, enabling you to experience firsthand what a Manhattan Prep on-site or online course is actually like. None of the other major GRE prep course companies performs as well as Manhattan Prep in this area.

The Bad

On-site tutoring in only 10 cities:

Although Manhattan Prep offers quality online tutoring options, they fall behind the competition when it comes to in-person tutoring, which they offer in only 10 U.S. cities. While no GRE prep company has in-person tutoring options in every city across the country, companies like Kaplan and The Princeton Review maintain extensive networks of tutors that provide in-person services in most states. If you require in-person tutoring, be sure to check availability in your city before you get too far in your research. All that said, if live online tutoring is an acceptable alternative for you, Manhattan Prep makes a great choice.

No admissions prep options:

Many GRE prep companies offer supplementary services to help you prepare for the graduate admissions process, complete your graduate program applications, and practice your admissions interview skills. Short courses are available from some companies, as are one-on-one consultations. Manhattan Prep does not offer any options in this area. Although this is a rather minor omission as far as GRE preparation goes, if you'd like to get admissions prep services alongside your GRE classes, Manhattan Prep is not the company for you.