Structured Approach Leads To Fantastic Results

I had written the GMAT twice and both times, I had come up short in the Verbal section. I considered myself fairly good at English and was reluctant to seek help or spend money on a prep course. However, when planning my third take, I decided to check out the free videos from different companies, just so to have a good pool of resources at my disposal. My biggest needs from a verbal prep point of view, were to change my approach and be regimented, as I needed to write the exam in 2 months' time. I tried video lessons offered by e-gmat, Magoosh and GMAT Pill. I was very happily surprised by the style of tutoring on the e-gmat video. Hesitant though I was, after exchanging a few e-mails with Rajat, one of the founders of e-gmat, and attending a free webinar hosted by him, I gave in to the idea of purchasing the Verbal Live Prep Course. Along with the course, I also got access to GMAT CLUB Tests, which I used extensively for Quant, and 800 score tests, which I did not use at all.

The e-gmat verbal Live Prep Course is divided into sections - CR, RC and SC. Each section is further divided into modules covering a specific concept. The concept/lessons in each module are video/slide lessons with a voice over, and can last up to 30 minutes. There are intermittent quizzes in between as well to gauge your progress. On weekends, 'live sessions' or classes are conducted by an e-gmat expert on an interactive webinar. A schedule is already given in advance which details all the modules that need to be completed before attending the live session.

The first thing that I realized while studying on the e-gmat course was that the Verbal section is not a test of English skills; it is majorly a test of logic and understanding the importance of clear and concise communication. The course builds on this foundation in a very structured manner.

I used the CR and SC section the most as RC was never an issue for me. The live sessions are a very good place to clear any lingering doubts while refreshing and consolidating the concepts learned. A very good feature of the course is the Live Workshop - which simulates a test like environment and tries to pin point areas where more focus is needed.
I completed the course, or rather portions of the course (since I did not touch RC) in about 1.5 months. Since the subscription is valid for 6 months, I used the course for revisions during the last 2 weeks of my prep. By the time I was done, I was able to implement the 'pre-thinking' and 'meaning' frame work on CR and SC questions quite easily.

I think the course really helped me 'un-learn' my old approach and learn a new way to tackle the Verbal section. I was able to get my score up from 35 to 42 and all credit must go to e-gmat. I have even incorporated some of the concepts in my day to day work as well while writing emails, and conversing with people, as colloquial English is 'error ridden' and does not necessarily follow the rules of the language.

I chose the course not because I am a 'non-native' but because I really liked the step by step structured approach that e-gmat offered. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to do well on the Verbal section of the GMAT.