GMAT Club

Jonathan Schneider Reviews

Company: Manhattan Prep

Jonathan has taught the ins and outs of the GMAT to over 1,000 MBA applicants. He regularly receives emails from students saying that they achieved a 700+ score and were admitted to their first-choice school.

Jonathan first took the GMAT in 2007, scoring a 780. He joined Manhattan Prep later that year. Since then, he has regularly taught both the 9-week class and the Boot Camp, tutored private students, written company curriculum (both Quant and Verbal), and generally been involved with every aspect of the company's work with students. In 2010, he began to train new Instructors, a role that allowed him to "teach the teacher." He now serves as the Manager of Instructor Development, screening Instructor candidates and training them to become the best possible classroom teachers. Jonathan came from a liberal arts background, earning honors for a creative writing thesis in Spanish at Amherst College, a thesis that he illustrated with his hand-pulled expressionist woodcuts. Jonathan aims to make his classes a laboratory for learning, where students learn not just the content of the GMAT but how to think critically about all aspects of the exam. As a student in Jonathan's class, expect to be both challenged and supported as you push yourself to think better, faster. Outside of his role at Manhattan Prep, Jonathan still maintains an art studio. His other loves include literature, baseball, and world travel. 

5.0 /5 Average Rating
Based on 29 reviews
July 27, 2015
jchoudh

Joined: Jan 11, 2015

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Self-reported Score:
710 Q48 V39

Jonathan Schneider is truly an amazing teacher. The 9-week 3-hour course helped me overcome so many of my fears of the GMAT. I took the GMAT once and received a 710 - quite a bump from my first practice score of 580.

Jonathan was always helpful in analyzing my strengths and weaknesses and in teaching the material. I loved how the class not only taught content but also frameworks/methodologies for thinking through the test.

From the class alone, my weaknesses in Data Sufficiency and Word Problems were very quickly strengthened. I ended up getting a 51 in Data Sufficiency (via the comprehensive score report) - which was much better than my expectations. In verbal, I was able to close the gap on my weaknesses in Sentence Correction through the class & follow on work.

This class in addition to the Manhattan Prep material is second to none. Jonathan has I highly recommended it to any serious GMAT taker

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March 11, 2015
enjayyy

Joined: Mar 11, 2015

Posts: 1

Kudos: 0

I completed the 9-course prep class and then studied independently for 3 months. I needed the prep course because as I am still in college I didn't exactly understand what the GMAT was testing. If you're someone who needs structure or needs a study partner, its highly recommendable to take the course, otherwise I 100% recommend purchasing the books. I know I wouldn't of scored a 700 on my GMAT without them. I recommend learning the ins and outs of every one of their workbooks including the foundations. After you thoroughly understand the concepts, go through the official GMAT review books testing yourself with time constraints and referencing the Manhattan GMAT review books while reviewing problems. Everyday make sure to allocate time to not only quant but all aspects of the verbal because the verbal is something where practice makes perfect since its not as conceptual. For quant make sure to recognize where you can use the Manhattan GMAT shortcuts because they will save you a lot of time on game day.

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December 21, 2014
Anonymous

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Manhattan GMAT is excellent for those seeking a comprehensive course that will push your score to its full potential. My first practice test was disastrous. Manhattan GMAT's classes helped me to shake out all of the dusty old cobwebs known as jr. high math and implement strategic test taking techniques / easy tricks to earn extra points. As a result, my score improved over 200 points (760 on actual exam).

I knew I wanted to be in the over 700 club, an ambitious goal given my first practice test. My teacher was not only knowledgeable, but an encouraging. It takes an enormous amount of work, patience, and stamina, but with Manhattan GMAT's help it is definitely possible!

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October 13, 2014
Anonymous

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Kudos: 0

I took Manhattan GMAT because I'd heard primarily through word of mouth that it is the best GMAT course out there, and I was definitely satisfied with both the course and my resulting GMAT score (740). The course was laid out very well, and I felt like I always knew exactly how and what to study. There was more material to work with and study than I could process, which I thought was a good thing. I was fortunate enough to achieve my target score on my first attempt, and I honestly do not think I would have been able to do that without the structure and the materials that came along with the Manhattan GMAT Course. Also, Jonathan was a great instructor. He was very insightful and had an answer to every question asked throughout the 9 week course. Most importantly, he was very engaging and approachable. I would definitely recommend this course.

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October 11, 2014
Anonymous

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Manhattan GMAT is the company to sign up with if you're aiming for a 700+ score. I signed up for the in-person class option and had Jonathan as an instructor (who I would highly recommend). The course does a fantastic job keeping you on pace and provides many insightful pointers to help maximize your likelihood of success on test day (many of which you won't find using just the books). Jonathan in particular did a great job helping keep the class engaged with what most would consider pretty dry subject matter. The practice tests are also extremely helpful given the structure of the test will be new for most. I definitely felt like it was worth the cost and that it had a positive impact on my score (scored 740).

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October 09, 2014
Anonymous

Posts: 2

Kudos: 6

Self-reported Score:

I took the 9-week class on Wednesday nights which Jonathan Schneider taught. The entire class felt like they clicked with him right away. He is the kind of instructor who gets it. He doesn't go too slow or too fast. He just teaches at a perfect pace.

In my study group of 3, we started with 550-600 in our diagnostic test. Throughout the class, we all made progress and got around 650. All three of us kept getting 630-670 until the end of the class.

Jonathan recommended we took our tests 3-4 weeks after the end of the class, which we did. As expected, we got 660-680. Unsatisfied with those scores, we kept working, and signed up for the test a month later. All three of us had full-time jobs so that was a big commitment. We sent our breakdown and practice test assessments to Jonathan who gave each of us a detailed path to success. I believe this is really where he added a ton of value. He specifically told us what to work on and what not to work on. This made our lives a lot easier. A week later, 2 of us got our first 700+ on a practice, the third one got a 690.

We kept going, refining our weak spots, and finally took our tests 7-8 weeks after the end of the class. We got 710, 720 and 730 respectively, which we were happy with.

The takeaway is Jonathan is an extremely competent in-class instructor who spends time answering questions after hours (almost 24/7) and will be as good as it gets in class. But most importantly, he will spend the time to sit down and reflect on a study plan and give you a detailed strategy as to what you need to tackle to get a great score.

The three of us took the test twice, but we all felt like we would have gotten an even better score had we taken it a third time. It was just a matter of time until we got a 750+.

Jonathan set us up so we would succeed slowly but surely. We didn’t see it for weeks (and some nights we felt pretty desperate) but in the end it all worked out, and this is all thanks to him. Then again, it happened to the three of us, and the only two things we had in common were busy lives and Jonathan Schneider. It’s no coincidence. Jonathan Schneider is the man.

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March 11, 2014
Shoot2Skor

Joined: Mar 11, 2014

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

Jon was a terrific instructor and the Manhattan GMAT platform was extremely helpful in my test preparation! The online, time practice tests are a great resource to get as many reps as you need.

Consider pros/cons of small/large classes. Popular class times are good, but large classes can move slowly due to student questions of varying levels.

Overall, it was a terrific experience. Very nurturing environment and Jon gave terrific guidance along the way. I missed several classes and was able to make them up at other times at my convenience. Finally, the set of preparation books were comprehensive and, together with the course syllabus, provided a structured test preparation schedule.

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August 18, 2013
cgiugale

Joined: Aug 18, 2013

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

My score improved 80 points with Manhattan GMAT! My instructor, Jonathan Schneider, was clear and thoughtful during every instruction. He spent extra time before, during, and after class helping me with specific questions I had and was always able to give me concrete, actionable take-aways so that what I learned for one problem I was able to easily apply to other problems. I never felt like I was wasting time during class. Jonathan struck the perfect balance between allowing us enough time to figure out problems on our own, giving us direct instruction and tips, and providing us with multiple ways to think about a problem. In this way concepts were always sticky and problems were memorable. The class gave me the necessary tools and strategies to study efficiently and effectively on my own. The homework was organized, purposeful, and manageable. The online explanations and extra resources were also great. I highly and unreservedly recommend this course and instructor!

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August 12, 2013
Anonymous

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

The GMAT was the one thing that was hanging over my head and I had a limited amount of time to study and get it over with in time for first round application due dates which are all approaching in the next 2 months. On top of that, I've never been a fan of standardized tests. I'm not a natural test-taker, and I'm one of those people who has to prepare/study a lot for these things.

I moved to New York on May 4th and then started the course on May 6th. I ended up having to travel a lot in June for work, so I missed 2 classes. I spent all of June trying to catch up/stay on track with the coursework. Balancing work, travel, and preparing for the GMAT was rough, but Manhattan GMAT really makes things easier - specifically because of their high quality content, strategy guides, and instructors.

Manhattan GMAT sets its self apart:

1) Strong quantitative preparation - strategy guides are extensive and detailed.

2) Very thorough verbal - strategy guides re-teach grammar that I don't ever remember learning - very very helpful.

2) Foundations of Math and Verbal books: although it was a pain to start from the very beginning and go through these textbook-like guides, this was a really important part of my preparation. These guides were essential in my journey to a achieving a high score.

3) The course keeps you on track - the teachers are very engaging. Jonathan Schneider is an especially gifted instructor. He has great study techniques that he shared with us in the end. He also has a knack for articulating strategies for both math and verbal - he is an extremely talented and smart teacher who really takes a strong interest in his students. He makes the possibility of a high GMAT score very achievable for everyone who is willing to put in the study hours and work.

4) In my opinion, if you can get through the whole syllabus, and stay intellectually honest with yourself in terms of really reading all the strategy guides/doing the problem sets/practicing/completing practice tests etc - I think Manhattan GMAT over prepares you for the test!

5) The online CAT exams were crucial. Manhattan GMAT really recreates the test experience. They also provide post-practice test metrics and stats that help you figure out where to focus your preparation. You can evaluate your strengths and weak areas in a clear and efficient way. The tests are hard, and really push you to work hard to surpass your previous scores! Between my first couple practice tests and the actual test, I improved my score by 140 points (which I truly thought was impossible before).

With Manhattan GMAT's help, I was able to score in the 99th percentile range for verbal - which greatly boosted my score. I am above a 700 - which is what I originally set out to achieve.

I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT MANHATTAN GMAT.

Enough said.

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April 10, 2013
apagoulatos

Joined: Apr 10, 2013

Posts: 0

Kudos: 0

The best thing I did in preparing for the GMAT was to take the Manhattan GMAT 9 week prep course. The curriculum was outstanding and paced all of the material well. The strategies and tactics outlined by the study guides, class exercises and instructor were extremely helpful.

Jonathan Schneider was my instructor. Jonathan was not only knowledgeable about all of the topics but also taught them in such a way that made the concepts and theories easy to grasp. When a certain concept was not clicking for a student, Jonathan was able to creatively present the material in a different way to ensure the student grasped the concept. Jonathan was also extremely personable and approachable. Furthermore, Jonathan's teaching style is such that he not only is able to teach the material well, but teaches his students how to best continue to study after the completion of the course. In my opinion, it is that skill that will ultimately determine a student's success on the GMAT. I could not have scored my goal score without Jonathan's instruction. I would highly recommend him as an instructor!

Take the class! You won't regret it.

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