Aside from choosing a business school, deciding how to best prepare for the GMAT can be one of the most challenging choices you’ll make. Deciding whether you should go with an online or in-person prep course, books versus online materials, or if you can just wing it on your own are just a few of the hard choices you’ll have to make.
Knowing which GMAT prep course is the best fit for you can make all the difference in achieving the score you want.
With the number of options out there and the similarities between them, most people aren’t sure where to begin. So that’s where we come in!
In this article, we’ll provide you with an in-depth look at two of the most popular GMAT prep courses on the market today - The Princeton Review and Manhattan Prep.
We’ll explore the pros and cons of each, and we’ll make a detailed side-by-side comparison of what each has to offer and how they stack up against each other. We’ll also give you some recommendations to help you make this critical decision because (as you know) knowledge is power!
Overview of The Princeton Review GMAT
The Princeton Review (TPR) is a major player in the standardized exam prep industry, with materials and prep courses for pretty much every test you can think of. GMAT prep courses from The Princeton Review are comprehensive and high-quality courses that are known for helping test takers reach their full potential.
TPR has four options when it comes to their GMAT prep courses:
- Self-Paced (Fully Online) - Starts at $699
- Fundamentals Course (Online and In-Person) - Starts at $1,299
- GMAT 700+ (Online and In-Person) - Starts at $1,649
- Private Tutoring (Online and In-Person) - Starts at $167/hour
Their Self-Paced course is the value option of the bunch, and it includes 10 practice tests and 83 adaptive drills (which comes out to about 3,000 questions).
The instruction is video-based, with adaptive lessons that give users access to content whenever they need it, based on the prep schedule and selected intensity level.
In addition, Self-Paced users get access to their GMAT explanations and live sessions, which give more in-depth, specific instruction focused on various GMAT topics and skills.
The Fundamentals course is TPR’s next step up from the Self-Paced. This is what they call their “most efficient prep.”
Fundamentals includes 27 hours of live instruction as well as online recordings of lessons that you can watch and re-watch whenever you want. You’ll also get access to 10 full-length adaptive practice tests (just like the real GMAT) and over 61 online drills.
GMAT 700+ is TPR’s most popular course because who wouldn’t want to be guaranteed a 700+ GMAT score? This course promises maximum results in minimum time and claims that a 700+ score will make you a more competitive applicant to the top 25 MBA programs.
This course includes over 47 hours of live instruction and over 4,480 practice questions. In addition to the standard 27 hours of instruction, GMAT 700+ gives you access to 10+ hours of focused instruction on advanced GMAT questions and another 10+ hours of verbal and math instruction.
If drilling questions is your thing, this course will give you over 2,570 total drill questions, so plenty of opportunities to practice your skills.
Private Tutoring is totally personalized, one-on-one instruction focusing on whatever skills and topics you need help on. The hourly rate is very reasonable, starting at $167 per hour, but the minimum hours required for that price is 18. That means you’ll be paying over $3,000 for tutoring.
While private tutoring can be a huge advantage to many test takers, the price tag just isn’t realistic for a lot of people.
Pros of The Princeton Review GMAT
1. Number of Course Options: TPR has good variety when it comes to its course offerings. There’s really something for everyone. Whether you want a totally self-paced, online course or a fully involved private tutoring package, they’ve got you. They also offer the 700+ Course, which is different from what a lot of the competition offers.
2. User Experience and Content: From the moment you log in to TPR’s services, you can see that they offer a high-quality product. The platform is extremely user-friendly, and they’ve put a lot of thought into their courses. The adaptive technology helps to ensure that you’re working efficiently.
TPR’s video lessons are top-notch. They’re interactive and engaging, allowing you to choose how much support you want or need.
Plus, the instructors are exceptional, with plenty of user reviews to back up how great they are.
3. Number of Practice Opportunities: Lots of test-takers will tell you that practice questions are highly beneficial when you’re preparing for the GMAT. There’s really no way to know what the adaptive style will be like without trying it for yourself.
TPR provides you with 10 practice tests. That’s way more than some of their competitors. Plus, the thousands of practice questions and drills give you plenty of opportunities to practice, then practice some more.
4. Access to Help: With most self-paced course options, you’re totally on your own with limited access to support. With TPR, that’s just not the case. Even with their Self-Paced course, you still have the ability to ask questions and get help from expert instructors.
You can attend live explanation sessions or view recordings of live instruction, giving you even more access to tips, tricks, and specific instructions on the topics you struggle with the most.
Plus, you’ll get access to various e-books and other GMAT guides as added bonuses, depending on which course you purchase.
Cons of The Princeton Review GMAT
1. Price: When you compare it to some of the value options out there - like Magoosh GMAT - the price for TPR is just too much for some users. Still, we think the course is an excellent value when you factor in everything that’s included in the cost.
The tutoring packages are expensive when you purchase the minimum amount of hours, even though the hourly rate is very reasonable. That may put tutoring out of reach for some people that may need it.
2. No Dedicated Mobile App: Given TPR’s high quality platform and online materials, it’s surprising that they don’t have a dedicated app for users to take their studying on the go.
Still, you can log in to your account from any device with a web browser, so you’ll be able to get a video lesson in whenever you have some free time.
3. Length of Access: When you enroll in TPR courses, you only get four months of access to their online content and materials. If you’re trying to get started early, that may not be enough time for you to get all your studying done.
Many people begin preparing for the GMAT a year out (or longer), so it’s a little surprising that TPR offers four months of access. Plus, there are other companies out there that offer six months or a year of access, making TPR’s access period lower than their competitors.
Overview of Manhattan Prep GMAT
Manhattan Prep came onto the scene several years ago, and they took a totally different approach than what their competitors had been doing. Instead of focusing solely on content and materials, Manhattan Prep focused on hiring only the best instructors for their courses.
Since then, Manhattan Prep has grown, and they’re now powered by Kaplan, with expanded course offerings and choices that are truly “something for everyone.”
Still, their core values are the same - comprehensive GMAT prep led only by 99th percentile instructors.
Let’s take a look at the course options from Manhattan Prep.
Live Course ($1,599) - Available online or in-person.
- 27 hours of live instruction
- 6 full-length practice GMAT exams
- Interactive video lessons
- One-on-one pre- and post-exam assessments (with instructor)
- 7-hour Foundations of GMAT Math workshop
- GMAT Strategy Guide Set
- Foundations of GMAT Math and GMAT Verbal Guides
- GMAT Advanced Quant eBook
- Manhattan Prep GMAT mobile app
- The Official Guide for GMAT Review
- Test simulation booklet
On-Demand ($999)
- 35+ interactive video lessons
- 6 full-length practice GMAT exams
- 7-hour Foundations of GMAT Math workshop
- GMAT Strategy Guide Set
- Foundations of GMAT Math and GMAT Verbal Guides
- GMAT Advanced Quant eBook
- Manhattan Prep GMAT mobile app
- The Official Guide for GMAT Review
- Test simulation booklet
Bootcamp ($2,599) - Two or three weeks.
- 35 hours of intensive instruction
- 6 full-length practice GMAT exams
- Access to on-demand, interactive video lessons
- Practice GMAT test review with instructor
- Post-exam assessment after taking official GMAT
- 7-hour Foundations of GMAT Math Workshop
- GMAT Strategy Guide Set
- Foundations of GMAT Math and GMAT Verbal Guides
- GMAT Advanced Quant eBook
- Manhattan Prep GMAT mobile app
- The Official Guide for GMAT Review
- Test simulation booklet
Tutoring (Starts at $2,450)
- One-on-one personalized instruction
- Available in 10, 20, or 30 hours packages
Advanced Course ($1,399) - For anyone who already scored at least a 650 on the GMAT.
- 6 full-length practice GMAT exams
- Access to on-demand, interactive video lessons
- GMAT Strategy Guide Set
- Test simulation booklet
- Manhattan Prep GMAT mobile app
- The Official Guide for GMAT Review
- GMAT Official Advanced Questions
- Custom one-on-one pre- and post-exam assessments (with instructor)
- GMAT Navigator practice tracker
Executive Assessment ($1,499) - Prep course designed for the Executive Assessment (EA)
- Six sessions/15 hours of classroom instruction
- Two hours of personalized, one-on-one EA exam prep
- All the Math Strategy Guide
- All the Verbal Strategy Guide
- Integrated Reasoning & Essay Strategy Guide
- Foundations of Math and Foundations of Verbal Guides
- Four official EA practice tests
- 300 official EA practice problems
Pros of Manhattan Prep GMAT
1. Course Options: Manhattan Prep has some of the most comprehensive offerings available among all the GMAT prep companies we know of. They go out of their way to design the courses to meet a variety of needs.
They offer live, self-study, and one-on-one tutoring options. Then, they take their offerings even further with courses designed for people who want to score even higher or people who only have a few weeks until their test date.
Manhattan Prep does a great job of meeting test takers where they’re at so they can get the most out of their prep course.
2. Quality Instructors: Manhattan Prep designed their course from the ground up with top-rated, 99th percentile instructors right from the start. Their philosophy is that better quality instructors produce higher quality scores.
The fact that the instructors not just took and passed the GMAT, but did better than 99% of other test-takers, tells you a lot about the type of people they hire to teach. It takes a lot to even be considered for an instructor position with Manhattan Prep.
The GMAT instructors at Manhattan Prep focus on teaching you the actual math, grammar, and principles that you’ll be tested on, rather than focusing on teaching you tips, tricks, and shortcuts.
They can do that because they’re experts in it, proven by their top-tier score achievements.
3. Mobile App: Manhattan Prep has a dedicated mobile app, so you can truly take your studies on the go. This simple feature makes it perfect for busy college students, working professionals, or anyone who needs to squeeze in a few minutes of GMAT prep anytime they can.
4. Materials and Content: When you enroll in a prep course with Manhattan Prep, they give you access to loads of content and supply you with several supplemental materials. They’ll give you different guides, booklets, and extra workshops to supplement your learning.
Cons of Manhattan Prep GMAT
1. Price: Manhattan Prep promises users a premier experience with instructors that are the best in the world. So, it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that they charge a premium price for their GMAT prep courses.
The On-Demand course starts at $999, and the other options increase in price from there. While the value of what you get for the cost may be worth it, not everyone has the option of paying over $1,000 for their GMAT prep.
2. Length of Access: You’ll get six months of access to Manhattan Prep’s online content when you enroll. While it’s a longer access period than The Princeton Review’s four-month access, it’s still not as long as some of the other companies out there.
If you’re a busy student or professional hoping to do a little bit of studying over a long period of time, a six-month window may not be sufficient.
3. No Guarantees: Unlike TPR and many of its competitors, Manhattan Prep doesn’t offer a score improvement guarantee. For some people, a score improvement guarantee is a necessary offering for the big investment that they make in a GMAT prep course.
The Princeton Review Versus Manhattan Prep GMAT - Which is Better?
So, now that you know all about The Princeton Review and Manhattan Prep, it’s time to consider the question - which one is best for you?
To decide which prep course is a better fit for your needs, it helps to look at each company’s offerings side by side. To make it fair, let’s compare their online, self-paced courses.
The Princeton Review | Manhattan Prep | |
Price | $699 | $999 |
Length of Access | 4-months | 6-months |
Practice Tests | 10 | 6 |
Improvement Guarantee | Yes | No |
Materials | Online only | Online and hard copy |
As you can see, what these two companies offer within their GMAT prep courses are fairly similar. For a little more money, Manhattan Prep provides users with two additional months of access along with their extra supplemental materials.
You’re also paying a premium for their instructors, which adds value to your course package as well.
The Bottom Line
Choosing the right GMAT prep course for you comes down to what your needs are. If you’re looking to really learn the material and have a thorough understanding of the math and grammatical concepts that are being tested, we recommend Manhattan Prep.
If you feel more prepared when you can drill through more questions and practice tests with video lessons to explain how to get to the right answer for each question type, then The Princeton Review may be a better fit for you.
Both companies have options for private tutoring at comparable rates.
The Princeton Review has some of the best adaptive technology we’ve seen in test prep. Their algorithms will adjust the difficulty of your practice questions and drills, just like what you’ll see on the actual GMAT.
Their algorithm ensures that you focus your prep work on the areas where you’re having the most difficulty, helping you work more efficiently through the course.
If your exam date is approaching within the next few weeks, Manhattan Prep has its Bootcamp offering, which is perfect for getting some prep work in when you’re down to the wire. TPR doesn’t have such an offering.
Both companies offer courses for people trying to achieve a top-tier score, with TPR’s GMAT 700+ and Manhattan Prep’s Advanced Course.
So, choosing the right course really comes down to your personal preferences on instructors, learning style, and budget.
The best way to know for sure which is the best for you is to try them out. TPR offers a free 14-day trial, and they back up their product with a satisfaction guarantee. Manhattan Prep offers a free trial class so you can see if their instructors are a good fit for you.
Manhattan Prep also has tons of free workshops and other free GMAT resources on its website.
So, please don’t just take our word for it, give both of these excellent programs a try and see which one you like the best. Good luck on your GMAT journey!
