GMAT Focus Course Best Promo Code 2024 & Verified Reviews!
EMPOWERgmat is a subscription-based Test Preparation service for the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), created by GMAT experts Rich Cohen and Max Peterson. The service trains clients in easy-to-use tactics to answer GMAT Test questions in the most efficient ways possible, without restricting clients to a set period of study time. The EMPOWERgmat program helps clients to succeed by offering a competitively priced monthly subscription plan that may be cancelled with one click.
Joined: Sep 27, 2016
Purchased Course: Oct 3, 2016
Purchased Course: Oct 3, 2016
Industry: Computers/Software
Country: United States
Country: United States
Best for tactics
January 4, 2017
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 710
I recently took my GMAT and got a 710(Q49, V38). I did not have a lot of preparation time and I was looking around to see the best bang for the buck in terms of preparation. I am happy I went with EmpowerGMAT. There are a couple of things I really liked about these guys. When it comes to GMAT TACTICS these guys are the BEST. If you are keen on learning your math(formula statistics) or verbal fundamentals(grammar, tense etc) there are a lot of OTHER online and offline resources. But when it comes to test taking strategies and help drilling them EmpowerGMAT is the best in my opinion. The lessons are fairly bite sized and is engaging, and you dont get bored unlike other online study material. I did pick up a couple of books including the Manhattan series and Powerprep series, but felt that those did not add much value. If you are looking for a score jump.. have less time or dont have much interest/money to spend for prep classes I would say definitely go with EMPOWER.
Joined: Sep 12, 2016
Purchased Course: Oct 7, 2016
Purchased Course: Oct 7, 2016
Major: Management/Business Administration
Industry: Diversified Financial Svcs/Insurance
Country: United States
Country: United States
Scoring a 700 for a PhD
December 7, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 580 After: 700
Background
GMAT Score: 700, Q46, V40, AWA 5.0, IR 6
Nationality: American
Undergrad Degree: Business Admin, regional school 10,000+ students
Graduate Degree: MBA, regional school 15,000+ students
Profession: Auditor/CPA
Materials Used: 2017 Official Guide, 4 Official GMAT prep tests
My GMAT Experience
I have taken the GMAT twice. My first test experience was in 2012. I scored a 580 after studying for maybe 20 hours with a generic GMAT test prep book (I?m not sure what company produced it). I was aiming for anything over a 500 so I could gain admission to my local university?s MBA program. My goal was to get a graduate degree and become a CPA. I was not aiming to attend a top business school.
Fast forward to September 2016, I started studying for the GMAT so that I could apply to PhD programs for Fall 2017 admission. I took an official GMAT practice test before I started studying and scored a 610 (Q40, V34), I began studying on my own, thinking I could power through the GMAT using the same strategy I used for the CPA exam: complete thousands of practice questions. After two weeks of this I realized this strategy would not get me to a 700+ score.
Next, I signed up for the beatthegmat.com?s 60-day study guide. I worked through all of the Quant days, then I took another official practice test. I scored a 630 (Q43, V34) and saw my Quant score increase by 3 points. I knew I needed a better method of studying. Specifically, I wanted a GMAT prep course that would teach me the strategy needed to beat the GMAT.
I read hundreds of reviews, forum posts, and anything that I thought would help me find what I was looking for in a GMAT prep course. A major deterrent to the big name GMAT prep courses was the cost. I was not willing to hand over the kind of money these courses demanded because the results I saw from reviewers did not convince me the courses would take me to the 700+ level.
Then, I saw one review of the EMPOWERgmat course. It was the first review that I read that offered a glimpse of what I wanted in my GMAT prep course, test strategy. I read through more reviews and visited the website. I was sold on two major points: 1. The number of reviews with 700+ scores, and 2. The price.
I signed up for EMPOWERgmat?s course on October 7th and had already scheduled my GMAT exam for November 19th. I got to work immediately watching videos and working through the problems in the 2017 Official Guide, even though I had already worked through all of the Quant practice problems.
I devoted an hour before work and 3-4 hours after work on the weekdays and 4-8 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday. I completed all of the EMPOWERgmat required videos in the order contained in the 1-month study guide. My only deviation from the study guide was the practice exams. I took a total of 4 practice exams and did not work through the AWA essay or Integrated Reasoning on any of the exams. I did this because it was hard for me to devote 4 hours straight to a practice exam and I was more concerned with working through the practice problems and videos.
I took my third official practice exam and scored a 650 (Q45, V34). I took my fourth official practice exam and scored a 680 (Q43, V40) two weeks before my exam date. I did not take the 5th and 6th recommended exams because I wanted to devote more time to the practice problems and videos.
Test Day
I sat for my exam on Saturday, November 19th at 8:00am. I took all of Rich?s advice on test day except for winking at a test center employee, that?s only because I can?t pull off a convincing wink without looking creepy. I chewed cinnamon gum, took both of my breaks, did push-ups, ate a protein bar, and drank Gatorade. I even took a 5 second pause during the Verbal section when I felt I was losing focus.
Overall, I felt absolutely prepared for everything I saw on the exam. Even without practicing the AWA and IR sections, I felt prepared for these sections.
In the Quant and Verbal section, I used Test It, Test the Answers, and Triage. Honestly, I did not see a question that I had not prepared for. EMPOWERgmat gave me the edge I needed on test day.
The time between the end of the Verbal section and the reveal of my score was the most painful part of the test. Once I saw the 700 on the screen, I felt an immense wave of relief and elation. I walked out of the test center knowing that I could have not achieved my score without EMPOWERgmat.
Summary of the EMPOWERgmat Course
Pros
? Self-paced
? Cost ? I only paid $188 for two months
? Quant Material ? Teaches strategy first and math second, teaches the best way to answer questions, teaches you how to identify what is being asked, covers important and not so important questions, videos for every question in the official guides, Rich demonstrates enthusiasm in every video and he wants you to succeed, I looked forward to the Quant videos
? Verbal Material ? Teaches you how to identify the question, teaches you how to identify wrong answers, teaches you how to read the RC and CR passages, teaches you how to spot sentence correction errors, videos for every question in the official guides
Cons
? One section of videos did not load correctly for me (this has since been fixed)
? The Verbal practice questions at the introduction of new sections used a timer. This caused me to focus on the clock and not on learning how to use what I had just learned in Max?s videos.
? The methods for tackling RC and CR questions slowed me down and did not work well for me (I mastered SC questions, though)
Conclusion
I would recommend EMPOWERgmat to anyone that is serious about achieving a high score on the GMAT. It helped me achieve the GMAT score I needed to be taken seriously by PhD admissions committees.
GMAT Score: 700, Q46, V40, AWA 5.0, IR 6
Nationality: American
Undergrad Degree: Business Admin, regional school 10,000+ students
Graduate Degree: MBA, regional school 15,000+ students
Profession: Auditor/CPA
Materials Used: 2017 Official Guide, 4 Official GMAT prep tests
My GMAT Experience
I have taken the GMAT twice. My first test experience was in 2012. I scored a 580 after studying for maybe 20 hours with a generic GMAT test prep book (I?m not sure what company produced it). I was aiming for anything over a 500 so I could gain admission to my local university?s MBA program. My goal was to get a graduate degree and become a CPA. I was not aiming to attend a top business school.
Fast forward to September 2016, I started studying for the GMAT so that I could apply to PhD programs for Fall 2017 admission. I took an official GMAT practice test before I started studying and scored a 610 (Q40, V34), I began studying on my own, thinking I could power through the GMAT using the same strategy I used for the CPA exam: complete thousands of practice questions. After two weeks of this I realized this strategy would not get me to a 700+ score.
Next, I signed up for the beatthegmat.com?s 60-day study guide. I worked through all of the Quant days, then I took another official practice test. I scored a 630 (Q43, V34) and saw my Quant score increase by 3 points. I knew I needed a better method of studying. Specifically, I wanted a GMAT prep course that would teach me the strategy needed to beat the GMAT.
I read hundreds of reviews, forum posts, and anything that I thought would help me find what I was looking for in a GMAT prep course. A major deterrent to the big name GMAT prep courses was the cost. I was not willing to hand over the kind of money these courses demanded because the results I saw from reviewers did not convince me the courses would take me to the 700+ level.
Then, I saw one review of the EMPOWERgmat course. It was the first review that I read that offered a glimpse of what I wanted in my GMAT prep course, test strategy. I read through more reviews and visited the website. I was sold on two major points: 1. The number of reviews with 700+ scores, and 2. The price.
I signed up for EMPOWERgmat?s course on October 7th and had already scheduled my GMAT exam for November 19th. I got to work immediately watching videos and working through the problems in the 2017 Official Guide, even though I had already worked through all of the Quant practice problems.
I devoted an hour before work and 3-4 hours after work on the weekdays and 4-8 hours a day on Saturday and Sunday. I completed all of the EMPOWERgmat required videos in the order contained in the 1-month study guide. My only deviation from the study guide was the practice exams. I took a total of 4 practice exams and did not work through the AWA essay or Integrated Reasoning on any of the exams. I did this because it was hard for me to devote 4 hours straight to a practice exam and I was more concerned with working through the practice problems and videos.
I took my third official practice exam and scored a 650 (Q45, V34). I took my fourth official practice exam and scored a 680 (Q43, V40) two weeks before my exam date. I did not take the 5th and 6th recommended exams because I wanted to devote more time to the practice problems and videos.
Test Day
I sat for my exam on Saturday, November 19th at 8:00am. I took all of Rich?s advice on test day except for winking at a test center employee, that?s only because I can?t pull off a convincing wink without looking creepy. I chewed cinnamon gum, took both of my breaks, did push-ups, ate a protein bar, and drank Gatorade. I even took a 5 second pause during the Verbal section when I felt I was losing focus.
Overall, I felt absolutely prepared for everything I saw on the exam. Even without practicing the AWA and IR sections, I felt prepared for these sections.
In the Quant and Verbal section, I used Test It, Test the Answers, and Triage. Honestly, I did not see a question that I had not prepared for. EMPOWERgmat gave me the edge I needed on test day.
The time between the end of the Verbal section and the reveal of my score was the most painful part of the test. Once I saw the 700 on the screen, I felt an immense wave of relief and elation. I walked out of the test center knowing that I could have not achieved my score without EMPOWERgmat.
Summary of the EMPOWERgmat Course
Pros
? Self-paced
? Cost ? I only paid $188 for two months
? Quant Material ? Teaches strategy first and math second, teaches the best way to answer questions, teaches you how to identify what is being asked, covers important and not so important questions, videos for every question in the official guides, Rich demonstrates enthusiasm in every video and he wants you to succeed, I looked forward to the Quant videos
? Verbal Material ? Teaches you how to identify the question, teaches you how to identify wrong answers, teaches you how to read the RC and CR passages, teaches you how to spot sentence correction errors, videos for every question in the official guides
Cons
? One section of videos did not load correctly for me (this has since been fixed)
? The Verbal practice questions at the introduction of new sections used a timer. This caused me to focus on the clock and not on learning how to use what I had just learned in Max?s videos.
? The methods for tackling RC and CR questions slowed me down and did not work well for me (I mastered SC questions, though)
Conclusion
I would recommend EMPOWERgmat to anyone that is serious about achieving a high score on the GMAT. It helped me achieve the GMAT score I needed to be taken seriously by PhD admissions committees.
Joined: Jan 19, 2016
Purchased Course: Nov 7, 2016
Purchased Course: Nov 7, 2016
College: UC Berkeley
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Industry: Energy/Extractive Minerals
Country: United States
Country: United States
Amazing GMAT class for any test takers!
December 4, 2016
- Teacher: Rich
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 710 After: 730
The EMPOWERgmat class is amazing! It focuses more on strategy and approach than plain concept. This is great for someone like me who already has a solid score before the retake. I think the foundations/ theoretical concepts cover in the course is just enough for you to perform well on the exam without giving you too much of a headache that you become discouraged and don't want to study anymore.
I have taken other prep courses before (Magoosh, eGMAT, Manhattan) and I have to say that this course is the best one in enabling me to achieve my 730 (Q49 V41). In addition, EMPOWERgmat also offers a MBA application adivs0ry service that I didn't get to take advantage of (already accepted to INSEAD).
I have taken other prep courses before (Magoosh, eGMAT, Manhattan) and I have to say that this course is the best one in enabling me to achieve my 730 (Q49 V41). In addition, EMPOWERgmat also offers a MBA application adivs0ry service that I didn't get to take advantage of (already accepted to INSEAD).
Joined: Nov 16, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 19, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 19, 2016
College: Sri Jayachamarajendra College of Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Industry: Other Manufacturing
Country: India
Country: India
A review of EMPOWERgmat and other musings..
November 16, 2016
- Teacher: Rich and Max
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 640 After: 720
Before you proceed to read my review of EMPOWERgmat (EG), I think you should know that I am a bit of a perfectionist. For me to give anything a perfect rating, the product/service should be absolutely flawless, be able to tick every single item on my checklist AND probably have some additional noteworthy benefits (yes, I'm fun at parties). Therefore, kindly exercise discretion.
The good:
1. Tone
An informal tone of instruction is used throughout. It?s conversational and feels like you?re listening to a real person and not a robot with a gun to its head. It's important that the tone doesn't bore you as you're likely going to be viewing these videos for several hours at a stretch.
2. Test-oriented approach
The course is full of strategies such as taking the best guess, solving problems by plugging the answer choices in etc. It does not overly emphasize theoretical/conceptual learning. While this keeps the preparation process light, it is a double-edged sword as I'll explain later.
3. Podcasts / pep-talks
Anecdotal and motivational podcasts by Rich (one of the instructors) are scattered throughout the course. They address issues such as mindset during the journey, confidence on test-day etc. I found these to be quite helpful, and again, they make the whole experience a little more personal.
4. Pricing
I did more than my fair share of research before choosing EG and I can safely conclude that it is one of the most reasonably priced courses available. The price of the flagship 3-month course includes that of all 6 Official GMAC CATs. However, you could also choose to pay just for the course. This is not an option on many other online courses that are available.
5. Score guarantees/policies*
I'm glad that I didn't have to use it, but, they offer a 60-pt score improvement guarantee for non-first time test-takers with scores up to 650. This is among the best in the market. They even offer one hour of professional admissions counseling (worth 250$) for free, to those who improve their score by 60 pts or more. Overall, their policies are not only lucrative, but also fair.
The bad:
1. Not much emphasis on theoretical understanding
This is the other edge of the sword. There are no ?concept-videos? and the material does not delve into theory such as properties, special cases etc.
While this approach might be sufficient for some, others looking for better understanding at a conceptual level might find it lacking. This is especially true when it comes to DS, as at higher levels, it tests the thoroughness of your understanding of the most basic concepts. There?s no doubt that most of these questions can be answered by good ol? methods such as plugging-in numerical values, trial and error etc., (methods emphasized by EG) but, these approaches are not foolproof and especially so if you don?t know what kind of values to use for testing. I found that my theoretical knowledge bailed me out in many such cases. But hey, that?s just me.
2. Not many options for customization
It?s been designed almost as a one-size-fits-all programme. You could probably ask for assistance in designing a schedule or something. However, it?s not something that I tried.
Other things to be noted:
-I would not advocate blindly following the course to achieve your target score. You might have to modify it according to your needs. For example: Although EG advocates taking tests at uniform time intervals, I took most of my practice tests after I was done with the course, as I felt the latter approach would be more effective.
-EG reflects teaching methodologies used in the U.S. You might have been taught some of these things differently.
-I found Rich?s explanations (Quant) to be more lucid than those of Max (Verbal). Hence, the discrepancy in the ratings.
Other things that really worked for me:
-I was consistent in my preparation. It is worth noting that the intensity of my preparation was augmented by the fact that at the time I was (and in fact, still am) jobless. Help.
-I took full-length mocks and I took them seriously. In total, I took about 7-full length mocks. I bombed on one of the tests because I was really nervous and didn?t manage my time well. The experience actually helped me avoid that scenario on test-day.
-I booked the test ONLY once I felt completely ready. This meant that since I hit my target score on my last mock, I booked the next available slot, which was in about 3 days. If your situation allows for something like this, I would totally recommend it.
-I supplemented EG with other study material. This not only allowed me to fill those ?theory gaps? that I was talking about, but also helped me lower my cost of preparation considerably. In addition to the course, I only bought one Official GMAC test pack. I was able to squeeze out 5 CATs from that and the free Test Prep software. For the other CATs, I used Manhattan and Veritas. GMATclub also has some amazing tests. I should also mention that some of E-GMAT?s free stuff is simply top notch.
-And finally, I maintained a detailed error-log throughout my prep. The postmortem of each of my practice CATs was as thorough as possibly could be. I don?t think I can stress on the importance of this enough. You can use the error log that comes with this course or one that you get off the internet, but DO IT. Record every question you get wrong and also the action that you need to take to avoid repeating it. You HAVE to identify your weak areas, consciously work on improving them and then take the next test. Unless you?re doing that, you?re wasting your practice tests.
Anyways, I?m done with my rant. Hope this helps and Godspeed!
*at the time of my purchase
The good:
1. Tone
An informal tone of instruction is used throughout. It?s conversational and feels like you?re listening to a real person and not a robot with a gun to its head. It's important that the tone doesn't bore you as you're likely going to be viewing these videos for several hours at a stretch.
2. Test-oriented approach
The course is full of strategies such as taking the best guess, solving problems by plugging the answer choices in etc. It does not overly emphasize theoretical/conceptual learning. While this keeps the preparation process light, it is a double-edged sword as I'll explain later.
3. Podcasts / pep-talks
Anecdotal and motivational podcasts by Rich (one of the instructors) are scattered throughout the course. They address issues such as mindset during the journey, confidence on test-day etc. I found these to be quite helpful, and again, they make the whole experience a little more personal.
4. Pricing
I did more than my fair share of research before choosing EG and I can safely conclude that it is one of the most reasonably priced courses available. The price of the flagship 3-month course includes that of all 6 Official GMAC CATs. However, you could also choose to pay just for the course. This is not an option on many other online courses that are available.
5. Score guarantees/policies*
I'm glad that I didn't have to use it, but, they offer a 60-pt score improvement guarantee for non-first time test-takers with scores up to 650. This is among the best in the market. They even offer one hour of professional admissions counseling (worth 250$) for free, to those who improve their score by 60 pts or more. Overall, their policies are not only lucrative, but also fair.
The bad:
1. Not much emphasis on theoretical understanding
This is the other edge of the sword. There are no ?concept-videos? and the material does not delve into theory such as properties, special cases etc.
While this approach might be sufficient for some, others looking for better understanding at a conceptual level might find it lacking. This is especially true when it comes to DS, as at higher levels, it tests the thoroughness of your understanding of the most basic concepts. There?s no doubt that most of these questions can be answered by good ol? methods such as plugging-in numerical values, trial and error etc., (methods emphasized by EG) but, these approaches are not foolproof and especially so if you don?t know what kind of values to use for testing. I found that my theoretical knowledge bailed me out in many such cases. But hey, that?s just me.
2. Not many options for customization
It?s been designed almost as a one-size-fits-all programme. You could probably ask for assistance in designing a schedule or something. However, it?s not something that I tried.
Other things to be noted:
-I would not advocate blindly following the course to achieve your target score. You might have to modify it according to your needs. For example: Although EG advocates taking tests at uniform time intervals, I took most of my practice tests after I was done with the course, as I felt the latter approach would be more effective.
-EG reflects teaching methodologies used in the U.S. You might have been taught some of these things differently.
-I found Rich?s explanations (Quant) to be more lucid than those of Max (Verbal). Hence, the discrepancy in the ratings.
Other things that really worked for me:
-I was consistent in my preparation. It is worth noting that the intensity of my preparation was augmented by the fact that at the time I was (and in fact, still am) jobless. Help.
-I took full-length mocks and I took them seriously. In total, I took about 7-full length mocks. I bombed on one of the tests because I was really nervous and didn?t manage my time well. The experience actually helped me avoid that scenario on test-day.
-I booked the test ONLY once I felt completely ready. This meant that since I hit my target score on my last mock, I booked the next available slot, which was in about 3 days. If your situation allows for something like this, I would totally recommend it.
-I supplemented EG with other study material. This not only allowed me to fill those ?theory gaps? that I was talking about, but also helped me lower my cost of preparation considerably. In addition to the course, I only bought one Official GMAC test pack. I was able to squeeze out 5 CATs from that and the free Test Prep software. For the other CATs, I used Manhattan and Veritas. GMATclub also has some amazing tests. I should also mention that some of E-GMAT?s free stuff is simply top notch.
-And finally, I maintained a detailed error-log throughout my prep. The postmortem of each of my practice CATs was as thorough as possibly could be. I don?t think I can stress on the importance of this enough. You can use the error log that comes with this course or one that you get off the internet, but DO IT. Record every question you get wrong and also the action that you need to take to avoid repeating it. You HAVE to identify your weak areas, consciously work on improving them and then take the next test. Unless you?re doing that, you?re wasting your practice tests.
Anyways, I?m done with my rant. Hope this helps and Godspeed!
*at the time of my purchase
Joined: Nov 14, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 1, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 1, 2016
College: University of Oklahoma
Major: Finance
Major: Finance
Country: United States
EMPOWER provided invaluable support
November 14, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 740
So I bought EMPOWERgmat's On Demand course after a google search led me to their site. I really did not do a lot of research into various options beforehand but I knew I had seen prices for prep courses that were WAY above theirs and they seemed to have good stats so I jumped right in.
Before the course I had done no GMAT preparation. I tested in the 99th percentile on both the ACT and SAT before college. I have a finance degree but am honestly not any sort of quantitative whiz. In fact, as you'll see, it is a weak point of mine. I followed the course exactly as they suggested, except for taking my first official GMAT after 9 weeks of study time. My first "cold" practice test score was a 630 (38Q, 38V). My first official GMAT score was a 710 (47Q, 40V, 8 IR, 6 AWA) and three weeks later my second official score was a 740 (48Q, 45V, 7IR, 6 AWA).
The course is set up to work with the Official Guide, and I truly feel like that is the best way to do it. While other sources of questions can be very helpful, they are, by definition, not official. By becoming flawless at the official questions I think you can get a very high score because you get a good sense of how the test writers think. That said, I would like to point on my only real CONS of the course: The lower number of practice questions, and the lack of "hard" (700+) questions. As many people are aware I'm sure, the first half of the OG questions are pretty much softballs. There are some harder questions towards the end but to really see a wide breadth of questions and be prepared for everything you may need more practice questions.
See, in my opinion, there is a good case for both sides of the argument regarding practice questions. On one side, a person could argue that by really breaking down each OG question and understanding the core concept frontwards and backwards then you don't NEED hundreds more practice questions. This is the approach EMPOWER takes, and I agree somewhat. However, personally I needed a bit more to feel truly prepared, especially on the Quant side. The other side of this argument is that by seeing many questions you will be prepared for the various ways the GMAC can phrase questions. I mean, it's a standardized test. There are only so many concepts. BUT they can get VERY crafty in the ways they test these concepts (Ridiculous geometry DS questions just testing that a triangle as 180 degrees anyone?) In the end, I can only say that where you fall in this debate is going to be particular to your specific situation and personality. While it may be a small con, it should not inherently be a reason you choose not to take the course.
The way Max and Rich (the video commentators) break down questions is great. They take a very common-sense approach that I think is helpful for a large number of people. The quant videos really teach you to not get bogged down in the technicality and theory of some of the questions and to instead think of them in a simple, approachable way. I believe there is merit to understanding the underlying theory TO A POINT, but on test day if something isn't clicking it is SO nice to be able to approach problems from various sides. Also, the verbal videos are interesting to watch as well. They break down all the types of questions and give some great insight on how to narrow down choices. Honestly realizing that in most cases all 4 of the wrong answers are GLARINGLY wrong on the verbal side is why I was able to score 99th percentile. Max helped me to approach it this way.
Also of note is the attention paid to strategy, timing, triage, and mistake evaluation within the course. This is truly what sets apart the good test takers from the elite ones. The course's approach is to NAIL all of the easy questions, that way when you are presented with a crazy 700+ level question that you know is either A) going to take a long time to finish, or B) something you know you will probably get wrong you can DUMP IT. This is a huge weight lifted off your shoulders and a tremendous help to time management as well.
Lastly, my advisor (Brian) was a tremendous help to my success. He talked me off the ledge a few times, kept me focused, and was a calm voice of reason in the crazy tempest that is test prepping. If the course's other advisors are half as good as him then they are in a great place.
In conclusion, I give EMPOWER a resounding "yes" recommendation and urge everyone to give them a try. Their approach is a bit different than the Manhattan and Veritas type companies out there and I truly believe they are onto something. My score and many others like me is a testament to that.
Before the course I had done no GMAT preparation. I tested in the 99th percentile on both the ACT and SAT before college. I have a finance degree but am honestly not any sort of quantitative whiz. In fact, as you'll see, it is a weak point of mine. I followed the course exactly as they suggested, except for taking my first official GMAT after 9 weeks of study time. My first "cold" practice test score was a 630 (38Q, 38V). My first official GMAT score was a 710 (47Q, 40V, 8 IR, 6 AWA) and three weeks later my second official score was a 740 (48Q, 45V, 7IR, 6 AWA).
The course is set up to work with the Official Guide, and I truly feel like that is the best way to do it. While other sources of questions can be very helpful, they are, by definition, not official. By becoming flawless at the official questions I think you can get a very high score because you get a good sense of how the test writers think. That said, I would like to point on my only real CONS of the course: The lower number of practice questions, and the lack of "hard" (700+) questions. As many people are aware I'm sure, the first half of the OG questions are pretty much softballs. There are some harder questions towards the end but to really see a wide breadth of questions and be prepared for everything you may need more practice questions.
See, in my opinion, there is a good case for both sides of the argument regarding practice questions. On one side, a person could argue that by really breaking down each OG question and understanding the core concept frontwards and backwards then you don't NEED hundreds more practice questions. This is the approach EMPOWER takes, and I agree somewhat. However, personally I needed a bit more to feel truly prepared, especially on the Quant side. The other side of this argument is that by seeing many questions you will be prepared for the various ways the GMAC can phrase questions. I mean, it's a standardized test. There are only so many concepts. BUT they can get VERY crafty in the ways they test these concepts (Ridiculous geometry DS questions just testing that a triangle as 180 degrees anyone?) In the end, I can only say that where you fall in this debate is going to be particular to your specific situation and personality. While it may be a small con, it should not inherently be a reason you choose not to take the course.
The way Max and Rich (the video commentators) break down questions is great. They take a very common-sense approach that I think is helpful for a large number of people. The quant videos really teach you to not get bogged down in the technicality and theory of some of the questions and to instead think of them in a simple, approachable way. I believe there is merit to understanding the underlying theory TO A POINT, but on test day if something isn't clicking it is SO nice to be able to approach problems from various sides. Also, the verbal videos are interesting to watch as well. They break down all the types of questions and give some great insight on how to narrow down choices. Honestly realizing that in most cases all 4 of the wrong answers are GLARINGLY wrong on the verbal side is why I was able to score 99th percentile. Max helped me to approach it this way.
Also of note is the attention paid to strategy, timing, triage, and mistake evaluation within the course. This is truly what sets apart the good test takers from the elite ones. The course's approach is to NAIL all of the easy questions, that way when you are presented with a crazy 700+ level question that you know is either A) going to take a long time to finish, or B) something you know you will probably get wrong you can DUMP IT. This is a huge weight lifted off your shoulders and a tremendous help to time management as well.
Lastly, my advisor (Brian) was a tremendous help to my success. He talked me off the ledge a few times, kept me focused, and was a calm voice of reason in the crazy tempest that is test prepping. If the course's other advisors are half as good as him then they are in a great place.
In conclusion, I give EMPOWER a resounding "yes" recommendation and urge everyone to give them a try. Their approach is a bit different than the Manhattan and Veritas type companies out there and I truly believe they are onto something. My score and many others like me is a testament to that.
Joined: Nov 14, 2016
Purchased Course: Sep 22, 2016
Purchased Course: Sep 22, 2016
Country: United States
Incredible quant content
November 14, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 740
After reading through several 700+ debriefs, I noticed the use of online platforms as a common trend. I isolated three companies as contenders: EMPOWER, e-GMAT, and Magoosh. EMPOWER caught my eye because during practice I had often noticed Rich?s solutions as unique. Many of the experts on GMAT Club tend to provide solutions that are crisp, precise, and efficient. However, most rely on relatively arcane mathematical principles that, in my opinion, are dangerous to rely on in the test day environment. Rich?s solutions, in contrast, focused on identifying the underlying patterns upon which individual questions were structured. Quite frankly, I chose EMPOWER because it seemed to offer an approach that significantly contrasted with my approach at the time.
As I progressed through Rich?s lessons I was surprised by the comparative lack of specific content: ?But if I don?t know both formulas for three-overlapping-sets problems how can I make sure I get it right??? However, I took the leap of faith and obediently incorporated every single strategy into my prep. Boom. Q47. In about three weeks using EMPOWER I had roughly doubled my incremental progress. Unfortunately my test day came slightly too soon. I am convinced that if I had another week or two using EMPOWER, I could have hit Q50. EMPOWER is powerful because it first teaches you that the GMAT is not a math test. Then it teaches you how to ruthlessly exploit that fact.
Furthermore, EMPOWER?s support team is almost as valuable as the content itself (you?re my boy Brian). My basic questions were answered in hours with paragraphs of specific, relevant information that I could tell were personally written. The same goes for Rich, the founder, who took the time to personally answer several of my questions. As I continued with my studies it became apparent that the EMPOWER team was genuinely interested in my personal success. If you are studying alone like I was, and you are tired about venting to your friends and family about GMAT stuff, then this support structure will become very valuable.
5/5 stars. Do it.
As I progressed through Rich?s lessons I was surprised by the comparative lack of specific content: ?But if I don?t know both formulas for three-overlapping-sets problems how can I make sure I get it right??? However, I took the leap of faith and obediently incorporated every single strategy into my prep. Boom. Q47. In about three weeks using EMPOWER I had roughly doubled my incremental progress. Unfortunately my test day came slightly too soon. I am convinced that if I had another week or two using EMPOWER, I could have hit Q50. EMPOWER is powerful because it first teaches you that the GMAT is not a math test. Then it teaches you how to ruthlessly exploit that fact.
Furthermore, EMPOWER?s support team is almost as valuable as the content itself (you?re my boy Brian). My basic questions were answered in hours with paragraphs of specific, relevant information that I could tell were personally written. The same goes for Rich, the founder, who took the time to personally answer several of my questions. As I continued with my studies it became apparent that the EMPOWER team was genuinely interested in my personal success. If you are studying alone like I was, and you are tired about venting to your friends and family about GMAT stuff, then this support structure will become very valuable.
5/5 stars. Do it.
Joined: Oct 21, 2014
Purchased Course: Oct 5, 2016
Purchased Course: Oct 5, 2016
Major: Psychology
Industry: Advertising/Marketing
Country: United States
Country: United States
This course was a game changer!
November 11, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 660 After: 720
Before I started the EMPOWERgmat course, I thought I'd hit my ceiling with my 660 score. I'd studied for my first attempt for six months using another self-paced program that was math-intensive and explained every little math concept that could possible show up on the exam. While I believe that program was a great math refresher, it didn't necessarily help me attain all of the skills I needed to solve GMAT quant questions quickly and efficiently. That's where EMPOWERgmat came in! After my first attempt, I took a couple of months off from studying then signed up for EMPOWERgmat and scheduled my second attempt at the exam for exactly one month later. I knew immediately that Rich's videos were exactly what I needed to improve my quant score. I learned so many math shortcuts throughout the course and learned to recognize GMAT quant and verbal patterns because the course uses OFFICIAL GMAT MATERIAL every step of the way. This is absolutely crucial and is missing from most other prep courses.
While I was already strong in verbal, using Max's methods I was able to increase my verbal score by a few points, which had a huge impact on my overall score. Again, using official content is critical to pattern recognition throughout the exam.
After one month with EMPOWERgmat, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw 720 (47Q, 42V) come up on the screen of my official exam. I highly recommend this course for anyone who tried studying either on her/his own or through another course and didn't achieve the results she/he wanted. Rich and Max are surprisingly motivating and definitely know what they're talking about.
While I was already strong in verbal, using Max's methods I was able to increase my verbal score by a few points, which had a huge impact on my overall score. Again, using official content is critical to pattern recognition throughout the exam.
After one month with EMPOWERgmat, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw 720 (47Q, 42V) come up on the screen of my official exam. I highly recommend this course for anyone who tried studying either on her/his own or through another course and didn't achieve the results she/he wanted. Rich and Max are surprisingly motivating and definitely know what they're talking about.
Joined: Jan 17, 2015
Purchased Course: Jun 25, 2016
Purchased Course: Jun 25, 2016
College: University of Pittsburgh
Major: Management/Business Administration
Major: Management/Business Administration
Industry: Consulting
Country: United States
Country: United States
From 670 to 710: How EMPOWERgmat equipped me with the strategy and confidence to beat the GMAT
November 8, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 670 After: 710
In late June of 2016, I started the EMPOWERgmat full plan after scoring a 670 Q44/V38 in July 2015. In my first round with the GMAT, I self-studied with some hand-me-down Manhattan Prep strategy guides and the 13th Ed Official Guide. It was a decent foundation, but I lacked the finer points (e.g. timing and triage) required to hit my goal score (>700).
After reading many positive reviews about EMPOWERgmat?s course, particularly its TEST IT, TEST THE ANSWER, and TRIAGE tactics, I decided to enroll. At $349 for 3 months with GMAT Prep Exam Packs 1 and 2 ($100 value) included, it was a steal. Regardless of which prep material I chose, I would have purchased the exam packs, so that made EMPOWERgmat?s course $249 for 3 months in my opinion. Even better.
I spent 87 days and ~200 hours on prep (I tracked everything). The course allowed me to understand how the exam worked and how to train/practice/instill the right habits to succeed on test day. The biggest difference that I noticed on test day was the absence of anxiety/pressure to answer every question correctly. If I spent too much time on a question, I triaged it. I came across a multi-shape geometry question and ditched it immediately. I applied Test It at least a dozen times. On Verbal, I knew how to read each CR answer with intense skepticism. It was much easier to eliminate answers after watching Max's videos. I felt so prepared and confident.
Thank you Rich, Max, and the rest of the EMPOWERgmat staff for putting together this material. I am applying to business schools in 2017 for Fall 2018 matriculation. I am happy to know that the GMAT aspect of my profile is done.
After reading many positive reviews about EMPOWERgmat?s course, particularly its TEST IT, TEST THE ANSWER, and TRIAGE tactics, I decided to enroll. At $349 for 3 months with GMAT Prep Exam Packs 1 and 2 ($100 value) included, it was a steal. Regardless of which prep material I chose, I would have purchased the exam packs, so that made EMPOWERgmat?s course $249 for 3 months in my opinion. Even better.
I spent 87 days and ~200 hours on prep (I tracked everything). The course allowed me to understand how the exam worked and how to train/practice/instill the right habits to succeed on test day. The biggest difference that I noticed on test day was the absence of anxiety/pressure to answer every question correctly. If I spent too much time on a question, I triaged it. I came across a multi-shape geometry question and ditched it immediately. I applied Test It at least a dozen times. On Verbal, I knew how to read each CR answer with intense skepticism. It was much easier to eliminate answers after watching Max's videos. I felt so prepared and confident.
Thank you Rich, Max, and the rest of the EMPOWERgmat staff for putting together this material. I am applying to business schools in 2017 for Fall 2018 matriculation. I am happy to know that the GMAT aspect of my profile is done.
Joined: Oct 31, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 8, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 8, 2016
Major: Management/Business Administration
Country: Canada
EMPOWERgmat provides the best value and the most effective study program
October 31, 2016
- Teacher: Rich and Max
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 720
EMPOWERgmat was a phenomenal study tool that I credit with being able to achieve my target score of 720. I had originally scored 580 on my first practice exam and then spent the next month studying with the Manhattan books. However, a month later when I took another practice exam my score wasn't even above 650. Recognizing I needed a new study strategy, I searched for a different alternative and was advised to try out EMPOWERgmat. I found that the video style (which is similar to Khan Academy) allowed me to move quickly through my areas of strength and focus more on my areas of weakness. Rich's solutions also showed you how to solve the question in the quickest way - not the standard "algebraic" solution, etc. As I already had most of the basic quant/verbal content down, EMPOWERgmat's focus on the STRATEGY of how to attack exam questions was exactly what I needed to boost my score. The challenge for me was timing and how to get through questions quickly. EMPOWERgmat gave me the tools I needed to be successful. With only 3 weeks of using EMPOWERgmat, I boosted my practice score up to a 740. On test day, I came out with a 720, which was still in my target range. EMPOWERgmat gave me the tricks and confidence I needed to be successful, while also providing the material in an engaging format. The team was very responsive if I ever had questions or requests and the course was very reasonably priced. I can't recommend it enough!
Learning the right method.
October 26, 2016
- Teacher: Rich &
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 760
First of all, let me introduce myself: I am a 21 year old, Italian student of Economics and Finance at Bocconi University, located in Milan. I have scored 8/9 on the IELTS, but in no way did I feel confident about the verbal section of the GMAT before starting the course taught by EMPOWERgmat, as I am not a native English speaker. This alone should be a testament to the effectiveness of EMPOWERgmat.
Before signing up for the course, I had taken a CAT and scored 550. Six weeks later, on my official test day, I scored 760 (49,45). What I believe sets EMPOWERgmat apart is the fact that it's a course focusing on the method and mindset to beat the GMAT, rather than just giving you math or grammar knowledge. Anybody could do that, but few can teach a way to treat the test like a true challenge and give practical tips to overcome any kind of obstacle that may come in your way. The GMAT is a standardised test, and EMPOWERgmat will help you interiorise all its features so that when it's finally game day there will be no surprises.
Clearly, the course doesn't "only" give such practical tips. In fact, from the get-go, you can shape your studying program and decide its duration based on your necessities. There will be lessons refreshing some basic math and geometry concepts that you probably haven't seen since high school as well as crucial lectures for non-native speakers on how to crush the verbal. Throughout all these learning experiences the teachers will always try to make you deeply understand the forma-mentis you need to have in approaching this test, and I believe that this mindset will be useful also for future challenges!
I am truly glad I gave this course a shot, and I strongly recommend you do too.
Before signing up for the course, I had taken a CAT and scored 550. Six weeks later, on my official test day, I scored 760 (49,45). What I believe sets EMPOWERgmat apart is the fact that it's a course focusing on the method and mindset to beat the GMAT, rather than just giving you math or grammar knowledge. Anybody could do that, but few can teach a way to treat the test like a true challenge and give practical tips to overcome any kind of obstacle that may come in your way. The GMAT is a standardised test, and EMPOWERgmat will help you interiorise all its features so that when it's finally game day there will be no surprises.
Clearly, the course doesn't "only" give such practical tips. In fact, from the get-go, you can shape your studying program and decide its duration based on your necessities. There will be lessons refreshing some basic math and geometry concepts that you probably haven't seen since high school as well as crucial lectures for non-native speakers on how to crush the verbal. Throughout all these learning experiences the teachers will always try to make you deeply understand the forma-mentis you need to have in approaching this test, and I believe that this mindset will be useful also for future challenges!
I am truly glad I gave this course a shot, and I strongly recommend you do too.
Joined: Oct 9, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 9, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 9, 2016
College: Wellesley College
Country: England
Wish I had found EMPOWERgmat sooner!
October 9, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 640 After: 710
After taking a three year hiatus from my Manhattan GMAT course, i did not want to spend a lot of money on another course and signed up with Magoosh, while Magoosh was good, when I finally took the GMAT, I got a 640. Determined to do better, I signed up with EMPOWERgmat, and I made the right decision. They do a fantastic job teaching GMAT test-taking STRATEGY in addition to the concepts. I only used the score booster program as I had a limited time to study and had already done some previous test prep. I saw my score quickly improve practice test, after practice test, and ultimately finished with a 710! Stacy was particularly helpful and responded quickly to any concerns or questions I had. I could not recommend this program more!
EmpowerGMAT is the only thing that worked for me
September 30, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 600 After: 710
My GMAT journey has been crazy long - 8 years. After spending a few weeks on Khan Academy covering all the math I'd scoffed at in K-12, I stumbled upon EmpowerGMAT. Wow.
Quant + General advice: Rich?s enthusiasm is infectious. All of the seemingly crazy stuff Rich says simply works. I live in the middle of nowhere, far, far from the US, and I found a way to get myself a Costco pack of Trident Cinnamon gum. I even winked at some creepy rando at the testing center (who then followed me halfway home but that?s not for here). Purposely guessed on 3 questions because they were too hard. Also, the fact that Rich and Max?s voices didn?t put me to sleep is huge. They really make you want to annihilate the GMAT. For some reason, MGMAT and Magoosh made the GMAT look like the Lannister clan on Captagon. Ain?t nobody got time for that!
Verbal: People often have a hard time improving Reading Comprehension. I used to skim the passages because I jus t don?t care enough about algae (or my $250 fee, time, ?effort?). DON?T SKIM. ?Empower reading? is totally a thing. Max's strategies for killing CR and SC are also on point.
Both sections are a work of art - watch the videos, do the drills, take the quizzes. It just works. Rinse and repeat (you always pick up something new from the videos). EmpowerGMAT uses real GMAT questions from the OGs ? this is rare ? and absolutely destroys them. Confidence is such a huge part of the GMAT experience and these guys will instill ?rational confidence? in you. You will feel confident because you know how GMAT questions are written, why they?re written a certain way, and what you can do to eviscerate each question. They even teach you how to make educated guesses.
Beautiful lifesaver. Worth so much more than $99.
Quant + General advice: Rich?s enthusiasm is infectious. All of the seemingly crazy stuff Rich says simply works. I live in the middle of nowhere, far, far from the US, and I found a way to get myself a Costco pack of Trident Cinnamon gum. I even winked at some creepy rando at the testing center (who then followed me halfway home but that?s not for here). Purposely guessed on 3 questions because they were too hard. Also, the fact that Rich and Max?s voices didn?t put me to sleep is huge. They really make you want to annihilate the GMAT. For some reason, MGMAT and Magoosh made the GMAT look like the Lannister clan on Captagon. Ain?t nobody got time for that!
Verbal: People often have a hard time improving Reading Comprehension. I used to skim the passages because I jus t don?t care enough about algae (or my $250 fee, time, ?effort?). DON?T SKIM. ?Empower reading? is totally a thing. Max's strategies for killing CR and SC are also on point.
Both sections are a work of art - watch the videos, do the drills, take the quizzes. It just works. Rinse and repeat (you always pick up something new from the videos). EmpowerGMAT uses real GMAT questions from the OGs ? this is rare ? and absolutely destroys them. Confidence is such a huge part of the GMAT experience and these guys will instill ?rational confidence? in you. You will feel confident because you know how GMAT questions are written, why they?re written a certain way, and what you can do to eviscerate each question. They even teach you how to make educated guesses.
Beautiful lifesaver. Worth so much more than $99.
Joined: Sep 15, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 1, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 1, 2016
College: School of Business, Economics and Law at Uni of Gothenburg
Major: Finance
Major: Finance
Country: Sweden
From 680 to 740 in 30 days with EmpowerGMAT
September 15, 2016
- Teacher: Max, Rich
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 740
Summary of my background:
20-year old Swedish third-year BSc student with a major in finance.
No relevant work experience except for the occasional part-time bank job.
Final GMAT-score: 740(Q49V42) IR8, AWA 4.5
Approx 120-130 total hours of studying during a 2-month period.
During mid-June this summer I decided to take the GMAT in late August. I started to work through questions in the OG and thought I did quite well, so I set my target score at 730. After studying 3-4 weeks I started doing prep tests. My first three prep tests were 2 MGMAT and 1 Veritas, my scores were 670, 650 and 650 (with Q44-47 and V32-36). After studying for 1? more weeks I did my first official prep test and ended up with a 680 (Q48V35).
At this point I started getting frustrated with my inability to break the 700-barrier and getting closer to my 730-target. I had approx. 5 weeks until my actual exam and I had no strategy on how to tackle the harder questions, which often ended up with me trying to get to the answer for 4 minutes and then just pick an answer in pure frustration.
So, with exactly 31 days left until the exam, I started looking for a quick way to boost my score beyond the 700-barrier. The offers from the big companies like MGMAT and Kaplan didn?t excite me at all, just seemed to be a lot of literature for a lot of money and so I kept on looking. Finally, I found EmpowerGMAT and bought a one-month subscription for 99$. This is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made.
At first I was skeptical, Max and Rich (the tutors at Empower) claimed they had shortcuts and methods for all type of questions and that I would be able to improve my score just by applying their methods. This couldn?t be true, could it?
The EmpowerGMAT course offers what they call Empower tactics for all categories, and when these tactics are applied in the right way they are crazy effective. I worked through the majority of verbal videos and some of the quant videos during 2 weeks of intense studying (20h/week) and on the first prep test immediately afterwards I scored 730 (Q50V39). I couldn?t believe it, a 50 score improvement in 2 weeks just by applying the Empower tactics in the right way.
I worked through the rest of the course in about one week and scored 730 (Q49V40) and 720 (Q48V40) on my two remaining official tests (bought 2 additional).
I cannot emphasize enough how much EmpowerGMAT?s structured way of solving the questions helped me to improve from the 650-680 range into 730 level and beyond. I used the Empower tactics on all kinds of questions, but I really would like to make a special case for the SC and CR tactics. If you?re struggling with SC and/or CR, I would 110 % recommend you take the Empower course. I went from guessing in mid-level SC questions to actually have a structured method of beating awkward 700+ SC with a reasonable amount of effort. And after applying the Empower CR tactics, the CR questions was no longer a match.
The course includes a lot of different material. Besides from videos that show how to address and attack all kinds of problems, there?s also videos and podcasts dedicated to explaining how the test works, what mistakes other test-takers do, how to prepare for test day as well as critical dos and don?ts.
Three days before the exam I decided to not study at all, and instead I went listened to the Empower podcasts, where they talk about everything from what mindset you should have to what to eat during test day.
The day before and the morning of test day, I did exactly everything Empower taught me to (except for the gum-chewing part, didn?t really want to take the risk of being caught). I arrived at the test center, did all the security procedures, and went in for the exam. AWA and IR felt good. I got a little stressed out mid-quant and messed up some questions, but I took a short break (20 seconds), followed all the steps that Rich taught me during the last 20 questions and went out with the feeling that I did okay. During the verbal I could actually hear Max?s voice telling me how to address each single question and most of the questions felt like child?s play.
I actually couldn?t breathe when I saw the 740 on my screen. Even though my target was 730, I don?t think I ever really believed that it was possible to go beyond 710-720. I went out, got my score report and when I got home I wrote to the empower administration and thanked them.
740 would not have been possible without the help of EmpowerGMAT.
20-year old Swedish third-year BSc student with a major in finance.
No relevant work experience except for the occasional part-time bank job.
Final GMAT-score: 740(Q49V42) IR8, AWA 4.5
Approx 120-130 total hours of studying during a 2-month period.
During mid-June this summer I decided to take the GMAT in late August. I started to work through questions in the OG and thought I did quite well, so I set my target score at 730. After studying 3-4 weeks I started doing prep tests. My first three prep tests were 2 MGMAT and 1 Veritas, my scores were 670, 650 and 650 (with Q44-47 and V32-36). After studying for 1? more weeks I did my first official prep test and ended up with a 680 (Q48V35).
At this point I started getting frustrated with my inability to break the 700-barrier and getting closer to my 730-target. I had approx. 5 weeks until my actual exam and I had no strategy on how to tackle the harder questions, which often ended up with me trying to get to the answer for 4 minutes and then just pick an answer in pure frustration.
So, with exactly 31 days left until the exam, I started looking for a quick way to boost my score beyond the 700-barrier. The offers from the big companies like MGMAT and Kaplan didn?t excite me at all, just seemed to be a lot of literature for a lot of money and so I kept on looking. Finally, I found EmpowerGMAT and bought a one-month subscription for 99$. This is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made.
At first I was skeptical, Max and Rich (the tutors at Empower) claimed they had shortcuts and methods for all type of questions and that I would be able to improve my score just by applying their methods. This couldn?t be true, could it?
The EmpowerGMAT course offers what they call Empower tactics for all categories, and when these tactics are applied in the right way they are crazy effective. I worked through the majority of verbal videos and some of the quant videos during 2 weeks of intense studying (20h/week) and on the first prep test immediately afterwards I scored 730 (Q50V39). I couldn?t believe it, a 50 score improvement in 2 weeks just by applying the Empower tactics in the right way.
I worked through the rest of the course in about one week and scored 730 (Q49V40) and 720 (Q48V40) on my two remaining official tests (bought 2 additional).
I cannot emphasize enough how much EmpowerGMAT?s structured way of solving the questions helped me to improve from the 650-680 range into 730 level and beyond. I used the Empower tactics on all kinds of questions, but I really would like to make a special case for the SC and CR tactics. If you?re struggling with SC and/or CR, I would 110 % recommend you take the Empower course. I went from guessing in mid-level SC questions to actually have a structured method of beating awkward 700+ SC with a reasonable amount of effort. And after applying the Empower CR tactics, the CR questions was no longer a match.
The course includes a lot of different material. Besides from videos that show how to address and attack all kinds of problems, there?s also videos and podcasts dedicated to explaining how the test works, what mistakes other test-takers do, how to prepare for test day as well as critical dos and don?ts.
Three days before the exam I decided to not study at all, and instead I went listened to the Empower podcasts, where they talk about everything from what mindset you should have to what to eat during test day.
The day before and the morning of test day, I did exactly everything Empower taught me to (except for the gum-chewing part, didn?t really want to take the risk of being caught). I arrived at the test center, did all the security procedures, and went in for the exam. AWA and IR felt good. I got a little stressed out mid-quant and messed up some questions, but I took a short break (20 seconds), followed all the steps that Rich taught me during the last 20 questions and went out with the feeling that I did okay. During the verbal I could actually hear Max?s voice telling me how to address each single question and most of the questions felt like child?s play.
I actually couldn?t breathe when I saw the 740 on my screen. Even though my target was 730, I don?t think I ever really believed that it was possible to go beyond 710-720. I went out, got my score report and when I got home I wrote to the empower administration and thanked them.
740 would not have been possible without the help of EmpowerGMAT.
Joined: Sep 2, 2012
Purchased Course: Nov 9, 2015
Purchased Course: Nov 9, 2015
College: Vivekananda College
Major: Finance
Major: Finance
Industry: Highly Diversified Manufac and Service
Country: Oman
Country: Oman
EmpowerGMAT Truly Rocks as a test preparatory course
September 7, 2016
- Teacher: Rich Cohen
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
The criteria which any test preparatory course should ideally meet should basically address following needs
(1)Provide students with plethora of questions to ensure student is adequately prepared to solve all the tough questions which he will encounter on the exam
(2)Have analytics to show areas of strengths and weakness
(3)Provide explanations to questions in a lucid manner to ensure easy comprehension
(4)Address the aspect of affordability
In all the aspects I quite frankly believe EMPOWERGMAT truly stands out as a fantastic course for preparing for the gmat exam
Not only does the course address all the aspects mentioned above - It truly stands out as a top quality course since you never feel overwhelmed/bogged down by the content
The video explanations which accompany the questions help you stay sharp and focused
Moreover the course provides an explanation for every problem in the Official guide and it is compatible with whichever version of the OG you are using (OG 13 onwards)
The Test preparatory software also teaches the students how to make educated guesses which is an important aspect since it may not be possible to solve all the problems in available time limit in the GMAT Exam
I am truly impressed with all the features include the billing (You basically pay for the time you require the course) - Empowergmat offers a free 24 trial period and you can reach out to the staff any time you want to address all your concerns
Do sign up for the course if you are serious on boosting the score
(1)Provide students with plethora of questions to ensure student is adequately prepared to solve all the tough questions which he will encounter on the exam
(2)Have analytics to show areas of strengths and weakness
(3)Provide explanations to questions in a lucid manner to ensure easy comprehension
(4)Address the aspect of affordability
In all the aspects I quite frankly believe EMPOWERGMAT truly stands out as a fantastic course for preparing for the gmat exam
Not only does the course address all the aspects mentioned above - It truly stands out as a top quality course since you never feel overwhelmed/bogged down by the content
The video explanations which accompany the questions help you stay sharp and focused
Moreover the course provides an explanation for every problem in the Official guide and it is compatible with whichever version of the OG you are using (OG 13 onwards)
The Test preparatory software also teaches the students how to make educated guesses which is an important aspect since it may not be possible to solve all the problems in available time limit in the GMAT Exam
I am truly impressed with all the features include the billing (You basically pay for the time you require the course) - Empowergmat offers a free 24 trial period and you can reach out to the staff any time you want to address all your concerns
Do sign up for the course if you are serious on boosting the score
Thank you!! 720 (Q51, V35)
August 30, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
I like that the online course is structured around official problems. While other courses offer only general content for GMAT, this course offers not only great content but also useful tactics and strategies. The CR method and tips for reading comprehension really help me focus on the important parts in the questions. Getting the gist of any passage is really the key. Rich will show you how to do that. For quant, the foundation of this course is solid. I would recommend anyone starting the GMAT journey to take this course. Don't wait until you have wasted official problems. You will not regret joining this course. By the way, unlike customer support at OP, the customer support (Stacey Wilson) at Empower is very caring and helpful.
Joined: Aug 29, 2016
Purchased Course: Jul 21, 2016
Purchased Course: Jul 21, 2016
Country: United States
EMPOWERgmat took me from 680 to 730 :)
August 30, 2016
- Teacher: Rich and Brian
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 730
After self-prep with the Manhattan book series, I was pretty excited to get a 680 on my first try. But ultimately I knew I needed to break 700 to be considered competitive for a top 20 b-school. I loved EMPOWERgmat because it did just that. I spent one month with the course, self paced and online. The videos and test tricks for success were all geared towards thinking like a test maker and being a strategic test taker. With the mindset and approach they offered, the test actually became less scary and more like a fun puzzle to solve (call me a nerd but it's true!).
I think it's a great value for the content they provide. Lot's of supplemental guides, resources, and support. And their team really cares about your success. Doesn't feel like a big prep company trying to just make money. I appreciated how personal and passionate they are the success of their students.
So if you are self-motivated and ready to take your score to the next level, DEFINITELY give it a shot!
I think it's a great value for the content they provide. Lot's of supplemental guides, resources, and support. And their team really cares about your success. Doesn't feel like a big prep company trying to just make money. I appreciated how personal and passionate they are the success of their students.
So if you are self-motivated and ready to take your score to the next level, DEFINITELY give it a shot!
Joined: Aug 5, 2016
Purchased Course: Jun 30, 2016
Purchased Course: Jun 30, 2016
College: Auburn University
Major: Management/Business Administration
Major: Management/Business Administration
Country: United States
EMPOWERgmat Real Deal! 700-740
August 5, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 700 After: 740
I wanted to say a few words about EMPOWERgmat as it played a huge role in my 740!
First of all, I had originally used a competitor's large volume set to get a lot of basics down in quant and verbal. These certainly helped but required a lot of focus and commitment. Not everyone wants to lock themselves in a room and read to themselves for 100 hours!
Enter EMPOWERgmat. When I was done with my books, I felt like I needed a little more help-- a guiding voice. I took advantage of a promotion that included the free official GMAT Prep CAT packs and knew that, if the course wasn't for me, I had those in my pocket. But, by going through EG's videos and tutorials, especially subjects like "Triage" and the "CR Box", my "inner test voice" was transformed. No longer was I just reading questions and talking to myself for 2 minutes. I had an internal plan for each question. EMPOWER taught me what questions to ask myself when reading and evaluating a problem.
To summarize, I highly recommend EMPOWERgmat!
P.S. They autobill your CC for convenience, and I actually forgot to cancel my subscription after already taking the test. Emailed their customer service about it, and they responded within hours that I would be refunded. Very helpful.
First of all, I had originally used a competitor's large volume set to get a lot of basics down in quant and verbal. These certainly helped but required a lot of focus and commitment. Not everyone wants to lock themselves in a room and read to themselves for 100 hours!
Enter EMPOWERgmat. When I was done with my books, I felt like I needed a little more help-- a guiding voice. I took advantage of a promotion that included the free official GMAT Prep CAT packs and knew that, if the course wasn't for me, I had those in my pocket. But, by going through EG's videos and tutorials, especially subjects like "Triage" and the "CR Box", my "inner test voice" was transformed. No longer was I just reading questions and talking to myself for 2 minutes. I had an internal plan for each question. EMPOWER taught me what questions to ask myself when reading and evaluating a problem.
To summarize, I highly recommend EMPOWERgmat!
P.S. They autobill your CC for convenience, and I actually forgot to cancel my subscription after already taking the test. Emailed their customer service about it, and they responded within hours that I would be refunded. Very helpful.
Joined: Aug 3, 2016
Purchased Course: Feb 15, 2016
Purchased Course: Feb 15, 2016
College: Punjab University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Country: United Kingdom
A Humble score but great support
August 3, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 640
I highly recommend Empower for their generosity and support.
My story is a bit harsh and no iam not a 700er. But i exactly knew what i want and how iam going to go about it.
Disgracefully iam a 3 time GMAT appearee, if it is a word.
But yes all the 2 times i scored very dismal and had to take it 3 times.
All i can say about empower is that, odds were stacked against me, i had already missed so many deadlines and scholarship deadlines and my third chance was the last.
But never in the course of ups and downs Empower let me down. They always were there to help me out and give encouragement.
I improved to a degree of 80 points and scored 640. I never wanted a 700, cz i believed in my profile and strong story telling. I just had to get myself into a list of probables and then my experience will take it from there.
The same happened, i applied in 2 schools Imperial and CASS. Got through both of them and scored a scholarship in one of them.
I thanks entire Empower team for the support and love they have given me.
I definitely recommend for Empower and their methods are accurate and can be practiced and honed.
Thanks
Umang
My story is a bit harsh and no iam not a 700er. But i exactly knew what i want and how iam going to go about it.
Disgracefully iam a 3 time GMAT appearee, if it is a word.
But yes all the 2 times i scored very dismal and had to take it 3 times.
All i can say about empower is that, odds were stacked against me, i had already missed so many deadlines and scholarship deadlines and my third chance was the last.
But never in the course of ups and downs Empower let me down. They always were there to help me out and give encouragement.
I improved to a degree of 80 points and scored 640. I never wanted a 700, cz i believed in my profile and strong story telling. I just had to get myself into a list of probables and then my experience will take it from there.
The same happened, i applied in 2 schools Imperial and CASS. Got through both of them and scored a scholarship in one of them.
I thanks entire Empower team for the support and love they have given me.
I definitely recommend for Empower and their methods are accurate and can be practiced and honed.
Thanks
Umang
Joined: Aug 1, 2016
Purchased Course: Oct 13, 2015
Purchased Course: Oct 13, 2015
College: UoD
Major: Economics
Major: Economics
Industry: Advertising/Marketing
Country: Canada
Country: Canada
EmpowerGMAT - The course you should prep with!
August 1, 2016
- Teacher: Rich Cohen
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 640 After: 650
Before I start with my review, I should provide some background. I dived into GMAT prep without really understanding what kind of animal GMAT is and I mainly just prepared with set of Manhattan GMAT books, thinking that studying up from books would be enough. My target score was what everyone wants, a 700. I first attempted GMAT in March 2015, with nearly disastrous consequences: Q 37, V38, IR:2, AWA: 5.5. Total 620.
As you can see, my primary weakness was quant. TBH, I suck at quant. Dejected after the result, I decided to go for an online course. Another popular course had a special going on and was relatively cheaper after going through various reviews, I signed up for the said test prep. I was primarily focused on quant and barely even touched verbal during my prep second time around. I attempted the GMAT again in October 2015 and got the following result: Total 640, V42, Q35, IR4, AWA 6. While my score went up by 20 points, my quant actually WENT DOWN by 2 points while my verbal shot up 4 points ? and I hadn?t even touched verbal!
After preparing for nearly 6 months, I was toroughly dejected and ready to give up on the GMAT but I decided to give it one final shot and started looking for courses again. Because I wanted to send in my applications before the deadlines, that meant I only had a month to prepare and attempt my GMAT again. I signed up with EmpowerGMAT and I?m glad I did. The strategies and tips that Rich teaches helped me be more confident during the test. Rich?s tips on triaging questions are spot on and by triaging questions, I was able to finish the test in time and without panicking through it. Having EmpowerGMAT by your side is like having your personal coach beside you; they teach, coach, motivate, strategize and root for you. Unlike other courses which focus primarily on theoretical and conceptual understanding of GMAT content, EmpowerGMAT teaches you the things you need to know to beat the exam. Like another reviewer has mentioned, after preparing with Empower you almost feel like Neo in The Matrix ? you?re ready for the things you know and ready to swiftly put away things you don?t.
While theoretical and deep conceptual understanding is great if you are writing a thesis, for the GMAT you need to be prepared with strategies to tackle the exam and this is exactly what EmpowerGMAT teaches you. Nothing more, nothing less, no BS ? just what you need to know to beat this exam, grab a great score and move on to applications and move on with your life.
In the end, my score after EmpowerGMAT isn?t particularly spectacular, but it is my highest yet:
Total 650
Quant: 40
Verbal: 40
IR: 5
AWA 6.0
? an improvement of only 10 points. BUT, my quantitative jumped by 5 POINTS from my previous attempt! In a month, my quant jumped 5 points and I got the highest IR and total score I have ever gotten. I must mention that I primarily prepared quant with Empower and barely touched verbal ? and the 2-point drop in my verbal score from my previous attempt was caused not by Empower but rather by fatigue and sciatica from a disc bulge that distracted me during the verbal part of the exam. If not for the verbal drop ? I?m pretty sure I?d have scored 670-680.
My only regret is that I could prepare with Empower only for a month. I wish I had spent more time preparing with Empower instead of wasting numerous months with other test prep methods. Had I prepared with Empower for 3 months for so, I probably could've gotten the 700 I desired. Nevertheless, my score after EmpowerGMAT combined with my applications got me into IE, ESADE and SDA Bocconi.
In the end, if you wish to be a scholar of the GMAT, you can choose whichever course you like. But if you want to beat the GMAT, grab a great score and move on to admission applications ? EmpowerGMAT is the course to go for.
As you can see, my primary weakness was quant. TBH, I suck at quant. Dejected after the result, I decided to go for an online course. Another popular course had a special going on and was relatively cheaper after going through various reviews, I signed up for the said test prep. I was primarily focused on quant and barely even touched verbal during my prep second time around. I attempted the GMAT again in October 2015 and got the following result: Total 640, V42, Q35, IR4, AWA 6. While my score went up by 20 points, my quant actually WENT DOWN by 2 points while my verbal shot up 4 points ? and I hadn?t even touched verbal!
After preparing for nearly 6 months, I was toroughly dejected and ready to give up on the GMAT but I decided to give it one final shot and started looking for courses again. Because I wanted to send in my applications before the deadlines, that meant I only had a month to prepare and attempt my GMAT again. I signed up with EmpowerGMAT and I?m glad I did. The strategies and tips that Rich teaches helped me be more confident during the test. Rich?s tips on triaging questions are spot on and by triaging questions, I was able to finish the test in time and without panicking through it. Having EmpowerGMAT by your side is like having your personal coach beside you; they teach, coach, motivate, strategize and root for you. Unlike other courses which focus primarily on theoretical and conceptual understanding of GMAT content, EmpowerGMAT teaches you the things you need to know to beat the exam. Like another reviewer has mentioned, after preparing with Empower you almost feel like Neo in The Matrix ? you?re ready for the things you know and ready to swiftly put away things you don?t.
While theoretical and deep conceptual understanding is great if you are writing a thesis, for the GMAT you need to be prepared with strategies to tackle the exam and this is exactly what EmpowerGMAT teaches you. Nothing more, nothing less, no BS ? just what you need to know to beat this exam, grab a great score and move on to applications and move on with your life.
In the end, my score after EmpowerGMAT isn?t particularly spectacular, but it is my highest yet:
Total 650
Quant: 40
Verbal: 40
IR: 5
AWA 6.0
? an improvement of only 10 points. BUT, my quantitative jumped by 5 POINTS from my previous attempt! In a month, my quant jumped 5 points and I got the highest IR and total score I have ever gotten. I must mention that I primarily prepared quant with Empower and barely touched verbal ? and the 2-point drop in my verbal score from my previous attempt was caused not by Empower but rather by fatigue and sciatica from a disc bulge that distracted me during the verbal part of the exam. If not for the verbal drop ? I?m pretty sure I?d have scored 670-680.
My only regret is that I could prepare with Empower only for a month. I wish I had spent more time preparing with Empower instead of wasting numerous months with other test prep methods. Had I prepared with Empower for 3 months for so, I probably could've gotten the 700 I desired. Nevertheless, my score after EmpowerGMAT combined with my applications got me into IE, ESADE and SDA Bocconi.
In the end, if you wish to be a scholar of the GMAT, you can choose whichever course you like. But if you want to beat the GMAT, grab a great score and move on to admission applications ? EmpowerGMAT is the course to go for.
Joined: Jul 4, 2015
Purchased Course: Dec 20, 2015
Purchased Course: Dec 20, 2015
College: Vanderbilt University - Owen Graduate School of Management
Country: Vietnam
Verbal Booster course actuall rocked! 4 points improved on Verbal!
July 23, 2016
- Teacher: Rich and Max
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: 680 After: 710
I decided to give EmpowerGmat ago after failing to reach 700 target after 3 tests, with the goal of getting V35-36 at least ( I got V31 the in the 3th test). I used the Verbal Booster course because I have no problem in Quant; however, the course does include some lessons and tips about how to maximize your Quant score.
This course is actually for those who want to take the test in a short time. I completed it within 1 month, and then took the test and got 710, with Verbal score of V35. Here are some of my reviews:
- Tips and podcasts from Rich and Brian: There are many tips in the course. I just did some of them, and found all useful. I chewed gums during the test (if you do so, remember to follow his tip about how to avoid being caught) and saw that I could concentrate even in the end of Verbal section. In previous tests, I used Red Bull with the hope to stay alert at the end of the test, but it turned out that the drink harmed me. Brian (the supporter via email) recommended that I get rid of it. I followed all advice and they worked like a charm. Also, Rich told learners to wink at someone at the test center to gain the confidence and get refreshed. At first, I thought this tip is somewhat ridiculous, but after I tried to imagine the situation in my mind, I realized it actually worked. During the test days, although I did not actually do so, imagining how I am cool when winking at the female proctor really boosted my confidence. This course also includes many podcasts, and listening to them also helped me understand how the GMAT test works and have an appropriate strategy.
- SC: I used to follow the meaning-based approach of E-Gmat when working with SC questions. It is really good, but it took me a lot of time for each question (1m30s-40s on average). EMPOWERGmat?s approach is to split and eliminate 2-3 choices using grammar, and then use the meaning or grammar to get to the final choice. Some grammar errors are so easy to be spotted, but I had not known before (for example: there must be a comma ?,? before ?which?). I combined the approach of both E=Gmat and EMPOWERGmat and thus was able to decrease significantly the time for each SC question (1m15s or even less). The accuracy rate did not decrease, and I had much more time for CR and RC.
- CR and RC: I did not really focus on CR and RC lessons in EMPOWERGmat?s course. The reason was that I did not have many problems in finding the correct answers, but because of time constraint, I had not performed well on both parts. After I decreased time in SC questions, I had more to allocate to CR and RC, and all went fine.
- Course?s price: if you want to take the test in 1 month and do not want to spend a lot of money on prep courses, this Booster course is what you need. Just finish it within 1 month, and the price for 1-month-subscription cannot be beaten.
- Some Cons: It is not economical for those who study for a long time because they have to pay for subscription each month. Also, grammar lessons about SC mostly provide tips for spotting the error. If you are still weak in basic grammar such as sentence structure, tenses, etc. you should go to Manhattan or E-Gmat.
P/s: After getting V35 and 710 overall in the 4th test in Jan 2016, I continued to take the test in March and got 760 (V42). Although I did not extend EMPOWERGmat subscription, I think what I had learned in 1 month did help a lot in the 5th test.
This course is actually for those who want to take the test in a short time. I completed it within 1 month, and then took the test and got 710, with Verbal score of V35. Here are some of my reviews:
- Tips and podcasts from Rich and Brian: There are many tips in the course. I just did some of them, and found all useful. I chewed gums during the test (if you do so, remember to follow his tip about how to avoid being caught) and saw that I could concentrate even in the end of Verbal section. In previous tests, I used Red Bull with the hope to stay alert at the end of the test, but it turned out that the drink harmed me. Brian (the supporter via email) recommended that I get rid of it. I followed all advice and they worked like a charm. Also, Rich told learners to wink at someone at the test center to gain the confidence and get refreshed. At first, I thought this tip is somewhat ridiculous, but after I tried to imagine the situation in my mind, I realized it actually worked. During the test days, although I did not actually do so, imagining how I am cool when winking at the female proctor really boosted my confidence. This course also includes many podcasts, and listening to them also helped me understand how the GMAT test works and have an appropriate strategy.
- SC: I used to follow the meaning-based approach of E-Gmat when working with SC questions. It is really good, but it took me a lot of time for each question (1m30s-40s on average). EMPOWERGmat?s approach is to split and eliminate 2-3 choices using grammar, and then use the meaning or grammar to get to the final choice. Some grammar errors are so easy to be spotted, but I had not known before (for example: there must be a comma ?,? before ?which?). I combined the approach of both E=Gmat and EMPOWERGmat and thus was able to decrease significantly the time for each SC question (1m15s or even less). The accuracy rate did not decrease, and I had much more time for CR and RC.
- CR and RC: I did not really focus on CR and RC lessons in EMPOWERGmat?s course. The reason was that I did not have many problems in finding the correct answers, but because of time constraint, I had not performed well on both parts. After I decreased time in SC questions, I had more to allocate to CR and RC, and all went fine.
- Course?s price: if you want to take the test in 1 month and do not want to spend a lot of money on prep courses, this Booster course is what you need. Just finish it within 1 month, and the price for 1-month-subscription cannot be beaten.
- Some Cons: It is not economical for those who study for a long time because they have to pay for subscription each month. Also, grammar lessons about SC mostly provide tips for spotting the error. If you are still weak in basic grammar such as sentence structure, tenses, etc. you should go to Manhattan or E-Gmat.
P/s: After getting V35 and 710 overall in the 4th test in Jan 2016, I continued to take the test in March and got 760 (V42). Although I did not extend EMPOWERGmat subscription, I think what I had learned in 1 month did help a lot in the 5th test.