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| All Reviews > Kaplan > Kaplan GRE Prep - In Person Reviews |
I signed up for the in person GRE in person class through Kaplan. They even provide a financial assistance program where if you are approved you will get up to 60% off. I took the once per week class and my instructor was great and extremely helpful. He was always there to answer all my questions and would always with no hesitation look over my practice essays when I asked him to. With the vocabulary for the verbal an app is provided where you can download to your phone and study on the go anytime. Kaplan teaches the best tricks for the quantitative section that will increase your speed and accuracy in answering the questions during the exam. In addition to six practice tests Kaplan also provides a "Test Day Experience" where you go to an actual testing center and take a practice test under the same rules and conditions of a real test. I highly recommend Kaplan as a prep course that will make a difference in maximizing your score. They will definitely guide you but the student must do lots of studying and practice quizzes in order to get a good feel of the actual test. They have thousands of questions you can create quizzes from that were taken from previous official exams.
I do not study well independently, especially for something as onerous as the GRE's. Pete McCormick was an excellent teacher. He taught us the Kaplan Test strategies and ways to apply them to every question. He was extremely knowledgeable and helpful with each section the test had to offer. The only negative thing I have to say is, I wish the course focused a little more on the analytical writing. My test scores improved about 10 points from this course and from independent studies. Without this prep course, I would have not even known how to prepare myself for the GRE. This test was completely new to me. Kaplan did a great job preparing me. Another thing I also liked was all the resources Kaplan provided us with.
Took in-person course with Mike Vanden Brooks twice a week of 2.5 hours each time for all of June. Mike's knowledge of the test and tricks for the GRE were unparalleled; he's been teaching for Kaplan for over 30 years. Mike excelled at reinforcing the basic topics for those with a weaker foundation, and teaching the tiniest intricacies for those with a stronger knowledge base. He combined the in-class instruction with the online and book resources perfectly, and sent extremely thorough reKap emails after every class. Represented the company well, and prepared me for the GRE more than I thought was possible before taking the course.
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 100 Points
Course Kaplan GRE Prep - In Person
Instructor Andrew Kula
Location Los Angeles, CA USA
I took the in-person course, meeting twice weekly in the evenings to prepare for my GRE. The course was really helpful for me, though it still requires a lot of independent study. Kaplan gives you the resources you need - the key is to use them. The best part of the class is the online test banks and recommendations, as well as the test day experience where you get to take your Kaplan timed prep test at the ETS facility, simulating the actual GRE. This was really helpful. USE the online quiz banks, do all your practice tests and you will improve with this course.
Andrew Kula was my instructor and he was phenomenal and dedicated. Highly recommend him if you can get into his class.
I was skeptical about paying for such an expensive course, but I knew taking a prep course was something I needed to do. I am a nervous test taker and my GRE scores are important for programs I am applying to (Master's/Doctorate in Occupational Therapy). The amount of resources and personal attention you receive from Kaplan is well worth the money. The class is tailored to your needs. Although the course is a general prep course, online resources and access to practice tests with feedback was extremely helpful for my individual preparation. You receive 3 textbooks, a pocket reference, a vocabulary phone app, 5 practice tests, and an opportunity to take a practice test in a real GRE setting- unique to the Kaplan course.