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I wouldn't have been able to get through GRE studying without the Kaplan Live Online course. I tried studying on my own with just a book and having a person there to explain the concepts and strategies made a world of a difference and helped improve my test scores. Not only were they able to help with the concepts but my instructor, Jen, was extremely encouraging. Kaplan is always available and willing to answer any question you have. They also offer a TON of resources for you in addition to the live online class such as essay grading and tips, personalized study suggestions, and workshops.
Improvement N/A
Course Kaplan GRE Prep - In Person
Instructor Brian Mitchell
Location Brookfield, WI USA
I knew up front that without some sort of guidance, I would have a difficult time making myself actually sit down and study for the GRE. I also knew that doing well on the GRE was a critical part of getting into grad school (for physical therapy). I took the class before takin the GRE for the first time. After looking at reviews online, I settled on the GRE in person prep class, and I am so happy with that decision. The in person was a good choice for me because it made me focus during the specific time that I was there and made it simple for me to ask question right away and also hear questions that others had. The abundance of practice exams, practice questions in the book, other online resources, and the official test day experience really helped to calm my nerves on test day and go in with confidence! I took the class with Brian Mitchell, and he was outstanding. I thought I would dread going to class over the weeks, but he had a way of making it even fun and engaging. Overall, the class is well worth the money and time!
I was incredibly nervous to take the GRE. My practice scores before Kaplan were average at best, but my final score after the course was MUCH higher than my goal! Having an instructor teach me how to study and how to take the test was the game changer for me. I walked into the test with test taking skills I never would have had without Kaplan. The Test Day Experience and the skilled I learned and reviewed in class helped me to improve my score by more than 10 points in each section! I'm incredibly happy with my score and will definitely recommend this course to my friends who have yet to take the GRE.
I have never been a great standardized test taker. I'm talking completely bombing my SAT's, terrible. Thankfully I was able to go to a college that was test optional. However, I was not so lucky when it came to my Grade school pre reqs. I knew I had to dish out some serious cash to improve my school. After doing a lot of research I settled with Kaplan and I believe it was a right choice.
I loved the in person classes! night classes can often feel like a bore but my instructor kept it light and fun. He never made me feel stupid and definitely raised my testing confidence. I will say that the verbal section was taught better than the quant section but i think that boils down to if you are a math person or not.
I will admit I didn't keep up with the homework like I should have (there is just so much material its almost laughable), but I saw a definite 10 point increase from my first practice test to when I took my official test. I think Kaplan guarantees a ten point increase so they hit the mark with me.
Overall, if you have the money and there is little hope for you to study and succeed on your own, then take this class.
My GRE in person prep course was made worth it to me by my amazing instructor, Deivanai. I was blown away by her teaching skills and commitment to her students. Deivanai always made herself available throughout the week over the phone, email, or in person, and I've remained in communication with her even after my course is over and I continue studying. Deivanai provided homework help/instructional guidance, help with study plans, and general support throughout my GRE process. In addition, she taught the lessons with thoroughness, enthusiasm, and consideration for her students' questions and ideas.
Additionally, on the Kaplan side of things, I really appreciated the wealth of study materials online, specifically the quiz bank and recommended quizzes, which are catered to the student's individual strengths and weaknesses and areas they want to improve on. My only qualm is with the vocab app, which I found difficult to navigate, but there are many other great GRE vocab apps available, or just good ol' flashcards do the trick as well.
Overall, awesome experience and highly recommend!
The Kaplan course prepared me well for the GRE sections. One of the most useful aspects of this course was the breakdown of the practice tests. They would let you know what you needed to really focus on, and in doing that allowed me to target my studying better. The instructors were very helpful at answering questions and stayed after class to work in depth with anyone who had longer questions.
Another thing that Kaplan really helped me with was my confidence. Upon beginning studying for the GRE, I was so nervous even saying the word would make me nauseous. The breakdown that Kaplan did of the units and laying out all of the assignments ahead of time allowed me to schedule my studying in a stress-free way. At the end of the course, I felt very confident in my ability.
One thing that could have been improved was my quantitative instructor. She was very smart and capable, however she could do a lot of math on the spot in her head and it was sometimes difficult to follow her train of thought.
Improvement 20 Points
Course Kaplan GRE Prep - In Person PLUS
Location New York (Midtown Manhattan), NY USA
I decided to take the Kaplan In-Person Plus course because it offered an accelerated course of study within the time frame I needed prior to take the GRE. Here are the pros and cons of the course:
Pros:
The option to take the course in 6 weeks was wonderful, although it meant dedicating all of my free time to either the class or coursework
The instructors were great teachers and engaging. In particular, Rohini went above and beyond to work with her students outside of the classroom and to help with any issues (including quant, even though she taught verbal) and offer support
The online resources are extensive and give you a lot of opportunity for practice
The customer service -- when I initially called, I didn't expect to have someone talk me through the whole process, discuss whether I should take the GRE or GMAT for business school, and then follow up later with an email. Even when I called back later to discuss issues (see below), I always found the customer service representatives willing to go above and beyond.
Cons:
"Plus" course -- the main reason I paid extra for the plus was because I was told I could have access to two extra math courses -- basic and advanced -- and that I would have three coaching sessions. I specifically asked about what would be covered with the tutor and was told we could go over whatever I wanted. First of all, there was no advanced math class in the package, although when I called customer service they signed me up for it for free since I had been told it was included. The "coaching" is discussed separately below. All in all, I did not feel as though I was getting what I was initially offered, and when I called to express my disappointment, was refunded the extra cost of the "Plus" course. I do not think it was worthwhile.
Coaching -- Although my coach was a nice lady, she admitted early on in our Skype session that she mostly taught SAT students and hadn't done anything with the GRE in awhile. I am not sure why I would be matched with someone who was unfamiliar with the test they were supposed to be helping me with. When I asked her specific questions about the test, she needed to look up the answers. I was excited when she offered to give me feedback on the essays from my first practice test, but after six weeks and several reminders from me, I had no feedback, so I called and asked Kaplan for a refund for the Plus course.
Strategy, strategy -- the course is VERY strategy heavy. While I think it is important to learn strategies for test taking, I think learning the actual content is equally, if not more important. After not seeing an improvement in my test scores despite following the course of study, I moved to a different company that focuses more on teaching the actual content, and saw a very quick increase in my score. Strategy clearly is not everything.
Limitation of online resources -- after the completion of the course, it is suggested that you continue to take practice quizzes from the quiz bank. While the quiz bank was initially awesome because of the number of questions, I soon found the explanations for the answers to be limited and quite confusing. When my score plateaued and I felt like I still didn't understand the material, I switched to a company that offered video explanations for every answer, which really helped with my score.
I was very unsure about the whole test prep and bschool application process at the start and really wanted an in-person course. While I appreciated being able to ask questions of the instructors, I am not sure this was the right course for me.
I previously used other materials through the GRE testing company and they only focused on material needed for the test but as much on the strategies to actually take the test. Kaplan was able to supplement my study with online "test me" and "teach me" sections.
You should give yourself more than enough time to get through all the online classes. I would recommend at least a month after the class finishes to review all the study materials you have access to online. After signing up for the class I would try and sign up for the your "real test day" experience because by the time my class had ended there were no dates available for me to take the real life scenario before actually taking the full real test.
I signed up for the GRE prep course as a way of reviewing specific information and for the extra accountability of a teacher. The specific quant and verbal concepts were covered well, exactly as I hoped. However, I did not expect the depth of strategic analysis and break down of test taking strategies. Kaplan knows the GRE (and other tests), it understands how the tests are written and what it is looking for. By breaking that down and giving us simple, albeit not intuitive, strategies Kaplan gave me the ability to greatly improve my score. Rather than going into the test with anxiety, I was confident that I could break apart each question, understand exactly what it was looking for and quickly find the right answer.
I cannot recommend this more! I was hesitant to take a prep course for the GRE, but boy am I glad I did! My diagnostic quant score abysmal (10%) but in the course of the class I improved it over 30 points (into the 60th percentile and above). I didn't believe that was possible. I also, surprisingly, really enjoyed the class itself; somehow, Gail and Jonah made it both accessible and entertaining! Furthermore, they were extremely attentive on an individual level. They checked in with my progress and guided me in the right direction in terms of how to focus my studying. I felt like they truly went above and beyond their "job description." The online resources are similarly incredible. I have a demanding work schedule, and the Quiz Bank offered me the ability to grab a few minutes of studying whenever I had a spare moment. My one concern is the price of the course. Had I not received this prep class as a Christmas present, there was no way I could have taken it. I really hope there are adequate scholarships offered, because it would be shameful if someone was hindered from receiving this level of quality due to economic constraints.