When I first commenced my GMAT studying, I was extremely nervous. Everyone warned me not to worry and that I would earn a stellar score. I purchase the GMAC Official Guide and devoted about twenty hours to reviewing the prep book and familiarizing myself with the questions and GMAT test format. I then proceeded to download the two free sample GMATs available from mba.com and when I saw my score, I knew I had a lot more studying to go.

I then proceeded to research GMAT prep courses and was evaluating whether to sign on with Princeton Review or Kaplan. Not only did Kaplan offer me a higher score guarantee, but the availability of courses and supplemental materials heavily outweighed those offered by Princement Review. Further, the cost of the GMAT prep course being offered by Kaplan was affordable and pretty much paid for itself. It gives you study materials, encouragement, support, and a study schedule to follow to ensure success.

Once I signed up for the course, I recieved my copy of the Official Guide, Kaplan's review materials, and access to a plethora of online resources, all of which were fundamental in my GMAT success. I was concerned about taking an online prep course, but once I saw the ease, effectiveness, and friendliness of my instructor, I knew I made the right choice.

My instructor, Conrad McCalalad was simply AMAZING. Not only did he teach me the ropes of the GMAT but he also taught me how to adapt my thinking to reflect that of high GMAT scorers. He taught me several ways to eliminate answers and prevent myself from making careless mistakes that could make the difference between a 700 and 760 score. My instructor always took the time to ensure that we were understanding the concepts and we even got two hours of private tutoring which were so valuable. The private tutoring allowed my instructor to narrow in on my mistakes and make specific recommendations to me for improving my score.

The online and print resources Kaplan provides its students are also very helpful; these were really what made my raise and achieve my target GMAT score. I was able to create practice quizzes and test my skills on both the verbal and quantitative sections; If I knew of a specific weakness I had, I focused my sample quizzes on theses areas. I had nearly eight practice GMATs, and all of which I could take at an actual Pearson testing site. This experience was once again, very, very, very valuable. I was able to practice for the real test and get an idea of the stamina I would need to build. I took all of my practice tests at the Pearson testing site and I was able to get a feel of the testing environment and familiarize myself with the notepad and testing procedures. They say "practice makes perfect" and I truly believe that all of the practice opportunities Kaplan provided me with really did lead to my top GMAT score.

If it hadn't been for my Kaplan prep course and my simple AMAZING instructor Conrad, I know I wouldn't have gotten my desired GMAT score. I'm very thankful and appreciative to Conrad and Kaplan and I recommend this course and instructor for anyone who wants to see results, earn a top GMAT score, and get into their desired MBA program.

2 Key Elements made this class even..enjoyable for me.

1. Kaplan has developed very smart strategies to help conquer different types of questions in the Math and Verbal section. I felt a lot more prepared at test day, knowing that Kaplan's strategies would help me through. I definitely recommend taking this course for the smart strategies they can teach you.

2. The instructor. My instructor Adi was so pumped about teaching us, that his positivity helped carry me through the 3 hour weekly sessions. Adi was a very patient, understanding teacher, which made it easier for us to understand the material.

All in all, the Kaplan Advanced Course was a great experience that I would recommend to those seeking a class that focuses on the more advanced questions.