Manhattan Prep GRE Course Review (2023) – Is It Worth It? 

Scoring high on the GRE requires putting in a lot of time and effort for your studies. For many students, this will include taking a GRE prep course. In one of our previous posts, we reviewed the best GRE prep courses, and since then we’ve taken a deep dive into each of our top picks. 

This post will cover the Manhattan Prep GRE Prep Course, our choice for the best online GRE course for live classes.  

Below, we’ll outline the different course options, price points, the ideal student for each course, pros and cons, our professional recommendation, and FAQs.

We present this review from our first-hand experience purchasing and using the Manhattan Prep GRE platform for several weeks. Unlike other websites that produce reviews with no first-hand experience using the test prep product.

Manhattan Prep GRE Prep Course Overview

Manhattan Prep offers a variety of GRE prep options. From live courses for MBA students to on-demand learning paths, students can find the right fit for their schedule, budget, and goals.

The resources included with Manhattan Prep’s GRE courses are great. They even include a hard copy of The 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems, as well as The Official Guide to the GRE.

The online resources are offered through Manhattan Prep’s GRE Interact platform, which will be discussed in detail in the course options.

To cover the basics, GRE Interact has full-length practice tests, video lessons, a mobile app, vocab review sheets, and more. Check out our in-depth review of each course offering in the following sections.

Manhattan Prep GRE Prep Course Options

Manhattan Prep offers four different options for GRE prep courses. The prices range from $299 for one-month access to the on-demand prep program to $6750 for 30 hours of individual online tutoring. Below, we'll review the four options for Manhattan Prep's GRE courses.

Option 1: GRE for MBA Course 

The first option is the GRE for MBA Course. This is a great choice for students pursuing an MBA who may not go down the traditional GMAT route. In fact, this was our choice for the Best GRE prep for not only Business Students but for anyone looking for a GRE live course with top notch instructors.

At the time of this review, the starting price of the GRE for MBA course begins at $1599.

The course consists of 9 zoom sessions, each lasting three hours - for a total of 27 hours of structured live instructions. There are lots of different options for the days and times, so students can study at their preferred time. In addition, 10-15 hours of homework is assigned between the live class sessions.

The goal of this GRE prep course is to review all core components of the GRE, while also going through more advanced math topics that aren’t covered in a standard course. This is great for business students who are aiming for a higher quantitative score to be competitive for their MBA program.

In addition, students who enroll in the GRE for MBA course will have access to Manhattan Prep’s GRE Interact program with all of the online resources as well as the following books:

• GRE Math Strategies, 5th Edition
• GRE Verbal Strategies, 5th Edition 
• 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems, 3rd Edition 
• The Official Guide to the GRE General Test, 3rd Edition

While the name might suggest that the ideal student for this option is someone applying to an MBA program, we found the content on this live course applicable to the broader demographic of GRE preppers.

One thing we liked the most about Manhattan Prep's GRE for MBA course was how knowledgeable and engaging the live class instructors were. Looking at the profile of instructors who teach this course, they've all attained graduate degrees from top programs, and have earned GRE scores in the top 1%. 

This was in contrast to many other close competitors of Manhattan Prep GRE, where instructors with qualifications of Manhattan Prep's caliber are not found on the website. 

We also liked that the class size was kept small at under 23 students. The classes are also pretty interactive as the instructor allows students to unmute themselves when asking questions and also gives people a chance to participate by speaking up.

Finally, as with any live class course, students who choose the GRE for MBA Course should be ready to fit this 9-week regimented prep program into their schedule.

Option 2: Private Tutoring  

For those who want more individualized attention, Manhattan Prep’s one-on-one online tutoring might be a good choice. This can be purchased as packages of 10, 20, and 30 hours on the website or customized packages can be purchased over the phone. 

At the time of this review, the starting price of Manhattan Prep's GRE private tutoring begins at $2450 for a 10-hour package. 

The great thing about this option is that students might just want a couple of tutoring sessions to supplement their online course, or they can choose the larger tutoring packages to get all their preparation done in this setting.

And just like in their GRE for MBA live course, tutoring sessions are led by Manhattan Prep instructors who scored in the 99th percentile on the GRE, so you can feel confident you’re getting the highest quality study sessions that are customized for your skill level.

In addition, if you purchase the 10-hour package (or a higher package) you will gain access to all the Manhattan Prep online resources, video lessons, and study materials. This includes a hard copy of the Manhattan Prep GRE books.

Option 3: GRE Interact 

At the core of Manhattan Prep's GRE prep is their online platform, GRE Interact. This course is included with a purchase of their GRE for MBA course or their private GRE tutoring packages.

Students can gain direct access to the GRE Interact course for 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months, depending on the price they are willing to pay.

At the time of this review, the starting price of Manhattan Prep's GRE Interact course begins at $299 for 1 month of access, and goes up to $499 for 6 months of access. These price points are very competitive with self-paced GRE courses from Manhattan Prep's close competitors such as The Princeton Review GRE and Target Test Prep GRE. 

However, one nice thing is that students can sign up for the 7-day free trial, with no credit card or any obligation required.

While the free trial is limited, it still includes 15 level one math lessons, a diagnostic exam, access to the study app, and the GRE vocab list.

With each subscription option, students have access to the following content:

• 76 interactive, adaptive video lesson modules split into three levels with increasing difficulty
• Thousands of concept review type drills related to a particular topic in the lesson module
• About 600 GRE-like practice questions with detailed video answer explanations
• 6 full-length GRE practice tests that are all adaptive and include an experimental section

Most of the lesson modules contain three subsections. Where the first subsection, called Learn It, will contain a series of bite-sized videos lessons that teach you a key concept. 

The videos here usually have one or more on-camera instructors and incorporate animations and comedic skits from the instructors which make them highly engaging.

The second subsection, called Drill It, is a review section where you can attempt hundreds of short drills that help reinforce your understanding of the key concepts taught in the module. The number of drills in this section are infinite.

And finally, is the Prove It subsection, where you will attempt a set of about 10 practice questions that are related to the topic in the module. But unlike the Drill It subsection, these questions are formatted similarly to real GRE questions. 

We also liked that instead of following a traditional approach of delivering lessons - where the same learning material is provided to everyone - Manhattan Prep integrates a diagnostic quiz in most of their lesson modules.

Depending on how you perform on this quiz, the platform suggests which lessons you should focus on or skip. As a result, your learning experience is personalized to your strengths and weaknesses. Allowing you to complete the self-paced GRE program efficiently.

Overall, the GRE Interact is ideal for students who are looking for a flexible, self-paced GRE prep option. This is also the most affordable GRE prep option offered by Manhattan Prep.

Option 4: Foundations of GRE Math

The final GRE prep option offered by Manhattan Prep is the Foundations of GRE Math workshop. This includes six hours of instruction from Manhattan Prep’s GRE experts. 

Students will also get a copy of the 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems and The Official Guide to the GRE. In addition, students can access the six full-length practice tests and the AfterMath™ syllabus.

The Foundations of GRE Math workshop is only available at select times. Currently, there are no upcoming sessions on the website, but keep checking back for new schedules.

Pros and Cons of Manhattan Prep GRE Prep

Pros of Manhattan Prep’s GRE Courses

When it comes to test prep, Manhattan Prep is one of the premiere leaders in the industry. After reviewing all the options available, we came up with our favorite features that give Manhattan Prep a competitive edge.

1. 6 full-length, computer-adaptive GRE practice tests
   • As mentioned earlier, all Manhattan Prep's instructor-led GRE prep packages come with full access to the GRE Interact course, which includes six full-length online practice tests. We found that these practice tests mimic the real GRE very well as they are both section-adaptive and contain an experimental Quant or Verbal Reasoning section
2. Class recordings
   • For live class options, like the GRE for MBA course, Manhattan Prep offers class recordings that are available to watch any time. This is great for students who miss one session or if they just want to review the material again on their own
3. Homework between sessions
   • With the GRE for MBA live course, students are assigned 10-15 hours of homework, meaning the studying doesn’t end when the class is over
4. Hard copy of excellent GRE prep books
   • Many students prefer studying online, but sometimes you just want to have a hard copy of your prep book. Manhattan Prep is the only GRE prep provider we've come across that gives students not only their proprietary GRE prep books but also the Official Guide to the GRE book
5. Top notch GRE instructors
   
   • Manhattan Prep GRE boasts the most elite GRE instructors on the market, all of whom have achieved top 1% GRE scores. From our first-hand experience attending their live GRE for MBA course, we can say for sure that their instructors are not only very knowledgeable about the GRE but are very skilled at engaging a live class. 

Cons of Manhattan Prep’s GRE Courses

Even though there are tons of great features included in the Manhattan Prep GRE courses, there are a couple of things we don’t like about the offerings. Below, we outline the cons of Manhattan Prep GRE prep courses.

1. High cost for instructor-led GRE prep
   • While GRE Interact is affordable, the GRE for MBA course, private tutoring, and Foundations of Math are quite pricey
2. No score guarantees
   • Unlike some of its competitors, Manhattan Prep doesn't offer a money-back score increase guarantee. This might make students hesitate, at least before spending money on the most expensive options
3. Limited student support on self-paced course
   • While Manhattan prep provides free live online support by way of their GRE Prep Hour sessions, these are only offered twice a month. Compared to some other GRE prep courses like Magoosh GRE with on-demand instructor support via email or Kaplan GRE with one-hour live office hour sessions held three times a week. In addition, scoring of the Analytical Writing essay is lacking. 

Should You Buy the Manhattan Prep GRE Prep Course? 

Depending on your specific study habits, preferences, and time constraints, one of the Manhattan Prep GRE courses will work for you. Specifically, for students who are committed to earning their MBA, the GRE for MBA course is something very different from other GRE prep programs.

Overall, we highly recommend the 6-month access of GRE Interact for self-studiers and the GRE for MBA Course for those looking for live support by way of small group GRE live classes. 

FAQs About Manhattan Prep's GRE Prep Courses

To close out our review, we wanted to answer some of the top questions about Manhattan Prep’s GRE courses. From quality to pricing, we’ll make sure you have the facts before you sign up for one of these courses.

Is Manhattan Prep good for the GRE?

Manhattan Prep is a leader in GRE preparation, making it a good option for students. One major advantage to using Manhattan Prep is the highly experienced instructors. While some competitors only require instructors to score in the 90th percentile on the GRE, Manhattan Prep recruits professionals in the 99th percentile.

Is Manhattan Prep worth it for GRE?

The short answer is, it depends. For students who are determined to get into one of the top MBA programs and are overwhelmed by studying on their own, the GRE for MBA course is worth the cost. Interact is definitely worth the cost based on the available resources.  However, when it comes to the one-on-one tutoring packages, we understand that the cost might be too high.

But considering the quality of the GRE instructors on the platform, their pricing structure for GRE tutoring is competitive. 

Is Manhattan Prep GRE free?

The structured GRE prep courses offered by Manhattan Prep are not free. However, there are some free trial GRE classes available. In addition, some resources on the site are free, including a full-length GRE practice test, study tips, and online GRE forums.

How much does Manhattan Prep GRE cost?

GRE Interact starts at $299 for 1-month access, $399 for three months, and $499 for six months of premium access, which is closely comparable to other competing GRE prep providers. 

The GRE for the MBA course starts at $1599, while the private tutoring packages start at $2450 for 10 hours. Finally, the Foundations of Math isn't currently scheduled and a price is not listed on the Manhattan Prep website. Therefore, we suggest checking the site regularly for updates on upcoming workshops.

Is Kaplan or Manhattan Prep better for GRE?

In December 2009, Manhattan Prep was acquired by Kaplan, Inc, which is why you will see “Powered by Kaplan” on the Manhattan Prep GRE website. When we reviewed options by Kaplan, we found that the website functionality was glitchy, and therefore we prefer Manhattan Prep.