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Improvement 120 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Lower Manhattan), NY USA
Manhattan Prep knows what they are doing. Their teachers are experienced and will undoubtedly help you improve your score. Beyond some essential strategies for approaching timing and specific question types, the most valuable thing this class will teach you is how to study for the test. The test is overwhelming enough, so for me, having a class that helped me focus my study time and energy was invaluable. My only gripe is that I wish the class was more affordable so as not to disadvantage those who can't dish out ~$1,500 in addition to the cost of actually taking the test. It would also be great if they had a program to sell back the books from the class, assuming they are in good condition.
Improvement 90 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Manhattan), NY USA
This course was a great starting point to getting me kicked off on my GMAT prep. You go through all the content and get familiarized with all the different types of questions, guided by an instructor who knows the best techniques and teaches you how to approach the exam both from a holistic viewpoint (timing, mindset, scoring system, etc) and a sectioned viewpoint (specific question-type techniques).
I found that ultimately, my score only got better the more I practiced on my own and the more practice tests I took. This course was super important in guiding my approach and ensuring I was tackling questions and problems the right way.
Improvement 120 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Manhattan), NY USA
I took a 9-session GMAT prep class with Manhattan Prep in the fall of 2016 and had great success. My instructor was David Mahler and he did a really good job at getting the class involved and fostering discussion around the questions. I took a practice test completely cold before attending the class or reviewing any materials and got a 600. After completing the class I studied independently for another month and then scored a 720. My target score was anything above a 700 so I was very happy with my result. Below is pro/con summary of the Manhattan Prep (MGMAT) class:
Pros:
- Attending class keeps you motivated and focused on studying for the GMAT and provides a structured curriculum
- MGMAT study materials are very good
- The class forces you to take additional practice tests which is very valuable and you can the practice tests at their office in the test environment which is similar to the actual test
- My instructor, David Mahler, was very patient and good at explaining the material and get the class thinking on their own how to solve problems
- The course provides a good homework curriculum outside of class. There is significant homework (if you are serious about studying, around 15 hours a week) but in my book this is a good thing. The homework is typically studying lessons from MGMAT materials and then associated problem sets in the Official Guide.
Cons:
- My only complaint is that I would have liked to focus on more advanced math concepts in class (the homework curriculum and study guides include advanced math concepts, however we did not go that deep in class)
Bottom Line: If you are serious about scoring well on the GMAT and putting in the work, there is no doubt that Manhattan Prep will boost your score. I would 100% recommend to anyone planning on taking the test.
Improvement N/A
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Lower Manhattan), NY USA
I went into Manhattan Prep’s 9 week GMAT course (with teacher David Mahler) completely blind - I had not opened a book prior to the first class and was 6 years removed from my last college course. The class was totally comprehensive - after the 9 weeks, plus a few extra sessions with David to polish off my skills, I was in a great place to take the test. Got a 740 on my first attempt and never have to think about it again!
I highly recommend this course to anybody who could use a bit of structure in their studying. Also David rocks.
Improvement N/A
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Midtown Manhattan), NY USA
I took the Manhattan Prep GMAT prep 9-session class summer with David Mahler in New York City. I did well on my first attempt and even better on my second attempt.
The Manhattan GMAT classes/books helped me improve in those specific areas. Personally, I am a strong quantitative person but not so much on the verbal side. I had many difficulties in sentence correction and critical reasoning before I took the class. I practiced a lot of questions in the section books. The Manhattan Prep online portal is also particularly helpful in terms of taking mock exams.
I strongly recommend anybody who wants to improve greatly on their GMAT scores to take the class.
Improvement 50 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Midtown Manhattan), NY USA
I approached studying for the GMAT pretty seriously. I've never been a great standardized test taker so I had to put in a lot of work just to understand the GMAT. The 9-week course was very helpful for just that. I found the in-class sessions useful for learning exactly how the test should be approached. The instructor focused on strategy rather than content. I stuck to the syllabus closely and went to all but one in-class session. Even after the 9 weeks I still hadn't improved on my practice GMAT scores, in fact my best score was the test I took before the course.
After the course my instructor was willing to continue working with me to identify strengths and weaknesses. I gradually improved on practice tests to the point where I felt comfortable ~10 weeks later to take the test. I scored 50 points above my best practice test.
Everyone learns differently so I won't speak for everyone else but the GMAT definitely takes time to get comfortable with. I learn well in-class because it forces me to keep up with the homework. If you invest in the course, you'd be well off to follow the syllabus and practice practice practice problems!
Lastly, don't freak out if you don't score well on MPrep's IR problems. They are ridiculously hard and best I got on practice test was a 3 and I got a 7 on the actual test. I didn't review IR until week of official test.
Improvement N/A
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Lower Manhattan), NY USA
Started taking this course with no prior prep. David did a great job making sure that everyone in the class (~12-15 people) got the level of attention they deserved. He encouraged students to help each other when going through problems so that he could focus on those who were struggling in order to keep pace. David was always able to answer specific questions via email or before/after class. You could tell that David genuinely cared about how his students were faring.
The course in general is great - there are so many tricks and tips that you learn. It's definitely possible to do this by reading the books, but it helps to have someone there to explain the trickier concepts and make sure your studies are keeping up week-to-week. If I had to do it again, I'd definitely re-take this class with David.
Improvement N/A
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Lower Manhattan), NY USA
Manhattan GMAT is the best decision that I made during my business school application process. In 4 months, I went from a 520 on my first practice test (20% in Quant) to a 710 (76% in Quant) on the actual test. It was my first and only time taking the test. Manhattan GMAT breaks down the content and builds on the material it a way that makes studying manageable and even enjoyable at times. I attended class in person in NYC, which I found very helpful for staying on track. My instructor was top notch and helpful out of class as well. They also provide an NYC testing center to take practice tests in a test day environment, which helped ease test day stress. I benefited the most from the endless online materials and instructional videos. I am convinced that if you go to class, do the homework, and take the practice tests, that Manhattan GMAT is all you need to get a great score on the GMAT. Totally worth it.
Improvement 90 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Lower Manhattan), NY USA
Boy am I glad I signed up to take this course. Without a doubt, Manhattan GMAT is the best in the biz. Yea, it's pricey, but for a reason. Their instructors and curriculum are bar none the best. The best parts of the courses are the extremely detailed syllabus which was really helpful for me to review after the course along with a list of more challenging questions to tackle for those looking for an even higher score (700+). In addition, the material on their website is phenomenal. You get a whole suite of study materials including printable flashcards, workshops, "Archer" which keeps track of the problems you attempt in the Official GMAT Guide, and more! My only comment is that the practice tests seemed to be a little too difficult - I scored about 50 points lower on them than other practice tests I took, but then again I guess making it harder helped me get a great score on the actual test.
My instructor Dave Mahler, was excellent at keeping the class on track and was able to answer a myriad of questions I threw at him.
I highly recommend these guys if you're a high scorer looking to get into the top 20 b-schools!
Improvement 120 Points
Course Manhattan Prep Manhattan GMAT 9-Session In-Person Prep Course
Instructor David Mahler
Location New York (Manhattan), NY USA
I chose to use a prep course because I only had one shot at the GMAT before applying R1. I needed the rigor of a study schedule and accountability of classes (and money!) to force me to study.
My instructor was engaging and had been with MGMAT for awhile meaning he was excellent at addressing questions and leveraging different thought processes in the class to help us all learn. Example - I have a strong quant background (engineer) and he would call on me to answer a question when he knew I didn't have the right answer. This forced me to think through my process out-loud and learn where I went wrong.
Verbal prep helped me significantly with Reading Comprehension - my weakest area. I needed to speed up and the structure of how to read and answer questions was invaluable.
The online tools were probably the most helpful for me. Being able to track specific types of questions I was getting right and wrong along with time was key in my final week of self-guided study before the test.