Comparison of GMAT Prep Courses
In the competitive world of business schools, admissions officers rely heavily on GMAT test scores as an indication of how well prospective students will do in school, so it's important to get them up as high as you can. While GMAT prep courses often cost quite a hefty chunk of change, most students see their test scores go up after taking one of the classes.
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Class Offerings
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Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions has three different options for GMAT prep courses: Live classroom courses that are taught by highly-experienced teachers, online classes and on-demand classes that allow students to access video instruction whenever they want. In addition to these options, they also have one-on-one tutors available. Princeton Review offers private tutoring, small group tutoring, classroom courses and online courses. Veritas Prep has classroom courses, online courses and private tutoring options. Knewton is an all-online test prep company that offers both live and on-demand courses that can be taken from anywhere.
Costs
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As of July 2010 the price for the on-site classroom course and the online course at Kaplan started at $1,449 payable in three installments. The classroom course at Veritas Prep began at $1,600 and the online course was $850. The online prep course at Princeton Review was $599 and the seven-week classroom course was $1,249, making it the most affordable of the three. Knewton offers its students one of the lowest prices at $690 per class; additionally, it periodically offers promotions for $100 off the tuition price.
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Locations
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Of the three, Kaplan has the most locations for students wishing to take the classroom course; it has 160 centers nationwide. Princeton Review has over one hundred centers in the United States and Canada. Veritas Prep has locations in 90 cities worldwide and in 31 states in the U.S. Since Knewton is an all-online test prep service, they have no on-site classroom locations.
Length of Classes
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Kaplan's nine-week classroom course offers 22 hours of instruction. Princeton Review's classroom course is seven weeks long and offers its students 21 hours. Veritas Prep gives the most amount of instructional time out of all three options: Students receive over 40 hours of instruction and 15 practice tests, and there is an option for a 36-hour class that takes place over two weekends. Knewton's class is 40 hours and is taken at your own pace. Once the class is paid for, students have access to the online instructional videos for one year.
Guarantees
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Kaplan students who do not see their GMAT scores go up are eligible for a refund. Princeton Review offers a full refund to students who do not see their scores improve after taking the class, and students who are not happy with their performance on the GMAT can utilize a year of free instruction to try to improve their scores. If students are dissatisfied with their GMAT scores after taking classes through Veritas Prep, they can take the course again for free. Knewton guarantees that if your score doesn't improve by at least 50 points, you don't have to pay.
Extras
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As a bonus through Kaplan, students can take a practice exam in the room where they will be taking the actual GMAT exam. Kaplan also offers a separate advanced class for students who score above 600 on their pre-test. According to the Princeton Review website, the average size of its classroom courses is six students, which is the smallest in comparison. Because the Knewton program is all online, it offers students interactive and adaptive software that tailors classes to each student's needs.
Other Considerations
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Both Kaplan and Princeton Review have been criticized as being "one-size-fits-all" test prep companies. Because both companies offer test prep services for everything from GMAT to LSAT to the SATs, they don't specialize in any one area. But the success rates of students and length of time in the industry indicate that the instruction works for many of their customers. Because of its lengthy courses, Veritas Prep is good for students who need a lot of instructional time. The course begins with the basics and builds from there, so it's tailored to students who are going into the GMAT with very little knowledge of the test. Launched in December of 2008, Knewton is a relatively new face in the industry so more time may need to elapse before its success rate is proven.
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References
Resources
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