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I started with Target Test Prep about one month before my last chance to take the GRE before round one application deadlines. I had taken a comprehensive in-person course through another company, and was disappointed with my quant results, despite studying every day and taking their additional online math course. I stuck with the company for awhile, but reached a plateau in which my score was not improving on practice tests and quizzes, and I could not understand from their materials what I was doing wrong.
I decided to try out Target Test Prep and knew right away that it was right for me. I needed more than just a focus on strategies for test taking. Target Test Prep's intense coursework and clear explanations of practice problems helped me to increase my quant score 5 points in a month, and made me a viable candidate for top programs. My only regret is that I did not start with them from the beginning!
I have to thank, from the bottom of my heart, TTP for getting accepted into the Msc program I am about to begin. I used TTP for the quant section of the test and it really exceeded my expectations. When I first started studying, I used 3 or 4 different prep sites/books but, as the days went by, I found myself using exclusively TTP. I greaty improved my score even though I had very little time to study, was working around 12hs a day and was VERY rusty in math.
TTP is great whether you're already comfortable with the sujects covered or need to remember/learn the basics. The lessons are very clear and the test questions are great. The tips on how to save time (as everyone knows, time is a MAJOR factor) are VERY helpful. Overall, TTP gives you the chance to easily customize your study plans according to your needs and offers a load of truly great material.
I plan to enroll in a PhD after my Msc and I will DEFINITELY use TTP again.
One more thing: customer service is just awesome. All of your messages and questions are answered super fast and by very, very nice people (hi Jeffrey!). They really work hard to solve any problems you might have and give you the best experience.
Thank you so much, TTP!
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 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.
It was definitely nice having a set time to focus on studying. The instructors were really nice. My score didn't improve a ton from my first practice test to what I actually got on test day but I would say that was due more to situations that occurred the week before the test and not because of the quality of instruction since my scores had been improving pretty steadily until then, including the TDE exam. The biggest thing that the course did for me was help me to reduce my anxiety over taking the test. The course showed me the little tricks that the test makers like to use and tips for overcoming them that I never would have figured out studying on my own.
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I used TargetTestPrep for about one month as I approached my first GRE exam. I used those 30 days to do as many practice problems as possible and learn what I struggled with so I could do a bit of supplemental reading as well. I did probably 40 to 50 problems daily on their website and found their practice problems to be very detail-oriented, which is one of the most challenging things about the GRE quantitative section. Overall, it is a great way to prepare for the course. If you use this resource and do as many problems as possible, you will not encounter any surprises on the test and should be able to succeed. I ended up getting a 167 on the quantitative section and attribute much of that to their program.
Prepping with Kaplan for the GRE was one of the best decisions I made. This was my first time taking the GRE and I was very nervous. I generally do O.K. on standardized test. One great things I noticed about Kaplan is their commitment to student success. The professors REALLY care about your performance in the online class and e-mail after class to see how things are going. The strategies I learned in the class made the questions less challenging or even if I came across a challenging question, I had the tools to break down the question. I really appreciated the positvity from the professors, no matter what my practice scores were or how bad was freaking out as test day got closer. Though I did not do as well as I hoped (due to personal events) I will still use Kaplan in my prep before taking the exam for a second try.
Before taking the Kaplan course, studying for the GRE seemed like an impossible task. With taking the Kaplan course, I was able to stay on task and progress through my studying. There were various resources and I always felt that I had things that I could be doing to improve my score. The positivity of the professors was super helpful, and I also got fast response anytime I had to email them. I felt like they truly cared about how I was doing. You also had opportunities to be involved in class by participating in a public chat and could even have your name called. This made me feel like a part of the class, an active participant. I would recommend this course to anyone who is serious about improving their GRE score. I wish I would have done it the first time I took the GRE. It is worth the time and money.
I did a lot of research when deciding which GRE prep course to take. I decided on Kaplan and am so glad I did. The classes were surprisingly engaging and I actually enjoyed them! They didn't feel like a burden. The teachers were great. It was also nice to have the classes on-demand if there were parts that I wanted to watch again, or missed because of a phone call in the middle (it happens). The full-length practice tests were also really great and I was able to learn a lot from reviewing my answers.
I also really appreciated the in-person practice test. I felt much more comfortable on the day of the test because I knew where I was going, if there was food around (there was) and if there were lockers for my stuff (there were), and felt familiar with the process and the surroundings. (I took my test in Chicago so I don't know if all locations have what mine did.)
The coaching was also extremely helpful for me. It was great to have someone to bounce ideas off of, to talk through specific areas where I had questions, and to guide me through making a study schedule. My coach was also available the whole time through email for any questions I had, not just for the 3 hours specifically stated, which was a big help as well. She even looked through my practice essays and gave me additional feedback beyond what Kaplan's graders sent me.
In all, I had a wonderful experience with Kaplan and I have only positive things to say. I highly recommend Kaplan's course.
I started began with a GRE quant score of 155 and wound up getting a 163 when I took the test. I only used TargetTestPrep materials to study for the math portion of the test, so they were the sole cause behind my success! In particular, the massive amount of problems they have available to solve was key in improving my score. Furthermore, the combination of reading material plus problems created a potent combination that greatly improved my understanding of the quant material. I would certainly recommend this GRE prep course to anybody who feels as though they haven't learned any of this math since high school (which is true). Studying for the math portion of the GRE is no easy task, but my experience with TargetTestPrep made it much easier than it otherwise would be!