Fantastic! Manhattan GMAT gets an '800!'

I could not have been happier with my experience with Manhattan GMAT! Not only because of the outcome -- I scored a 740 (49Q/42V) -- but also because of the experience. Manhattan GMAT made studying for the GMAT far less painful than I thought it could be. Definitely worth the price premium. Manhattan GMAT's core strengths are the quality of its instructors, curriculum & content, and resources.

(I) Instructors: Probably Manhattan GMATs greatest asset. I worked with 3 instructors in person (2 taught my course, 1 was my tutor). I also had limited exposure to an additional 4 instructors (online advanced workshops). I can't say enough good things about each and every one of them. The teachers all utilize the same curriculum, of course. But rather than the instructors having to adjust their personality to the course, they can adjust the course to their personality. Perhaps it is because the instructors are encouraged to make the class their own that the classes are so effective and engaging. For example, two of my instructors could not have been more different: one was extremely energetic and informal, encouraging people to shout out answers to his questions; the other was quiet and more formal, asking that we raise our hands with questions/answers. And yet I learned just as much from one as the other! I suspect that, because each instructor was able to stay true to his own personality, each was as effective as possible.
What also struck me about the instructors was their passion - both for teaching and for their students' success. They were willing to go the extra mile for their students. Finally, the typical 'generic' adjectives apply to the instructors - smart, personable, well-spoken, creative, able to think on their feet, etc.

(II) Curriculum and content: they know the ins & outs of the GMAT better than gmac itself! Well, that's an exaggeration, but you get my point. MGMAT's question banks are completely on-target and mimic the real GMAT questions extremely well. Moreover, after completing the course, I was not only prepared to take the GMAT, but I was also a more educated person. (e.g. I now use the words "less" and "fewer" correctly).

(III) Resources: The books themselves are great, and they are only the tip of the iceberg. My favorites: additional question banks. OG Stopwatch (such a simple concept, and yet such a useful tool). I was also extremely impressed with MGMAT's online platform - the virtual workshops were far more engaging than I thought they would be (what's great is that they staff 2 instructors to 1 online session: one teaches while the other answers questions).
I will say, the sheer quantity of resources started to feel overwhelming at times. No matter how much I prepped, there was always more available for me to do. Listen to the instructors - go for quality over quantity.

---------------------------------

*Note that I took Manhattan GMAT's boot camp. The boot camp is the same curriculum as the regular course, but is on a condensed timeline - it meets every weekday for two weeks and has two instructors that tag-team teach it. I chose the boot camp because it was the only option that met the needs of my schedule. After the boot camp, I spent a number of weeks self-studying, with a few supplemental private tutoring sessions.

If you're taking the boot camp, here is what I would recommend:
-Before the class begins, brush up on your fundamentals of math and get familiar with the exam/materials. The class is a whirlwind two-weeks. Spend that time learning the MGMAT material, not re-learning how to do long division or reading about what a computer adaptive test is.
-When you register for the course, you will be scheduled to take practice exams each weekend. Though that's what the instructors recommend, you are not required to take the exams on this schedule - do what's right for you.

---------------------------------

Good luck!