GMAT Focus Course Best Promo Code 2024 & Verified Reviews!
Magoosh was founded by two MBA alums from the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley. Our goal is to take the best of traditional teaching and share it with students everywhere online. Everyone should have access to convenient, effective, and enjoyable ways to learn.
Joined: Sep 25, 2016
Purchased Course: Dec 7, 2015
Purchased Course: Dec 7, 2015
College: National Institute of Technology, Calicut, India.
Major: Electrical Engineering
Major: Electrical Engineering
Country: Malaysia
My journey to 730.
September 25, 2016
- Teacher: Mike McGarry and Chris Lele
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 730
Magoosh Premium subscription has been instrumental in my success at the GMAT exam. It offers a wide range of study plans and if you stick to any specific plan as per your needs , then for sure you will achieve your target. Magoosh also provides great video lessons which will not only brush up your fundamental concepts but also help to make the learning swift and simple. The review section and custom practice section allow any student to prepare as per his/her strengths and weaknesses and also enable a learning through feedback. The video explanations available for over 1200 questions is such a great resource that you will not need any other study material to go through. Its great app on appstore/playstore adds to the flexibility of learning at the go and is a must have if you can't access your laptop or pc all the time.
Overall Magoosh GMAT prep is a 5 star for me.
Overall Magoosh GMAT prep is a 5 star for me.
Effective full service GMAT prep product with great value
September 24, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 710 After: 750
I purchased Magoosh to specifically improve my quant score which had been a relative weakness of mine early on in my prep. Magoosh's video lessons were incredibly succinct and practical with a clear focus on test-taking strategy. By contrast, some other learning materials I used (including Manhattan prep and OG books) taught the same mathematical concepts but in a much more theoretical way. Magoosh really teaches you to think like the test-maker and approach questions much more efficiently. The Magoosh question bank was extensive and the quality of the questions were high - I found them to be very similar to the official GMAT questions. The accompanying iPhone applications were also very helpful for prepping on the go. Overall, at $79 (I purchased during the Labour Day sale), I believe there isn't a better prep product out on the market for the price. Magoosh's customer service is also exceptional - all of my emails were addressed within a couple hours and responses were thorough and considerate. I would highly recommend Magoosh to anyone seeking to do their best on the GMAT.
Joined: Jun 16, 2016
Purchased Course: Sep 15, 2016
Purchased Course: Sep 15, 2016
College: Government college of Engineering Amravati
Major: Electrical Engineering
Major: Electrical Engineering
Industry: Highly Diversified Manufac and Service
Country: India
Country: India
Its awesome, especially for video lovers.
September 16, 2016
- Teacher: MIKE AND LELE
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 630 After: N/A
My experience with magoosh has been pretty awesome till now. The way the content is organised and the way in which the videos are embeded with each question is really good.
Few points that i would i like to bring out that others might have missed.
1 They provide you with incentive. For Example , if u have taken gmat and want to improve; magoosh gives 50point improvement gurantee and they mean it. I had a friend who studied hard but could not get that much score and got a refund which he inturn used for another gmat
2 Video explanation are quality explanations. They have put a lot of efforts in to it.
3 If you just want to practise questions, here is the best platform.
Few points that i would i like to bring out that others might have missed.
1 They provide you with incentive. For Example , if u have taken gmat and want to improve; magoosh gives 50point improvement gurantee and they mean it. I had a friend who studied hard but could not get that much score and got a refund which he inturn used for another gmat
2 Video explanation are quality explanations. They have put a lot of efforts in to it.
3 If you just want to practise questions, here is the best platform.
Joined: Sep 13, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 10, 2016
Purchased Course: Aug 10, 2016
College: Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
Major: Law and Social Sciences
Major: Law and Social Sciences
Industry: Trading/Import/Export
Country: China, People's Republic of (PRC)
Country: China, People's Republic of (PRC)
Magoosh Premium Prep- Highly recommend
September 13, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 650
I'm Japanese but now living in China and couldn't attend GMAT prep school in Japan, so chose to take online prep course in English instead and tried Magoosh.
I apply for European schools so don't need 700 level score, but the problem was I had only 1 and half months for preparation as I suddenly decided to apply for MBA. And unlike typical Japanese applicants I was really bad at Math, even don't remember very basic algebra formulas;) So I first used Japanese book for a quick review for the formulas, but except for that I just concentrated on Magoosh practice.
As my major concern was Math, I mainly did Math practice, did all question from Easy to Hard and repeated for incorrect one. Verbal I did 200 questions from Easy to Hard. Just did it for 2weeks, and I took score 650(Q47 V32) for my very first GMAT! (Maybe it's not so high as Harvard applicants, but still enough for me and 650 was exactly the score I wanted -;)
I found that the video explanation for each question was extremely useful. You can take same kind of question and get written explanation with most of iPad App prep course, but the video explanation helped me understand how to solve the question far better than written one.
Also the question quality was very good, it's really similar to real GMAT question, and you can choose question level and study from very basic to really high level. I didn't do Very high level as I didn't have time, but High level was enough High and I felt on the test day that real GMAT question was easier (so that I could finish all question in time).
The course is really well structured and I think it's definitely worth the price. Verbal practice was also good, but I would highly recommend the course for who are not good at Math, as it is really difficult to study by his/herself.
I apply for European schools so don't need 700 level score, but the problem was I had only 1 and half months for preparation as I suddenly decided to apply for MBA. And unlike typical Japanese applicants I was really bad at Math, even don't remember very basic algebra formulas;) So I first used Japanese book for a quick review for the formulas, but except for that I just concentrated on Magoosh practice.
As my major concern was Math, I mainly did Math practice, did all question from Easy to Hard and repeated for incorrect one. Verbal I did 200 questions from Easy to Hard. Just did it for 2weeks, and I took score 650(Q47 V32) for my very first GMAT! (Maybe it's not so high as Harvard applicants, but still enough for me and 650 was exactly the score I wanted -;)
I found that the video explanation for each question was extremely useful. You can take same kind of question and get written explanation with most of iPad App prep course, but the video explanation helped me understand how to solve the question far better than written one.
Also the question quality was very good, it's really similar to real GMAT question, and you can choose question level and study from very basic to really high level. I didn't do Very high level as I didn't have time, but High level was enough High and I felt on the test day that real GMAT question was easier (so that I could finish all question in time).
The course is really well structured and I think it's definitely worth the price. Verbal practice was also good, but I would highly recommend the course for who are not good at Math, as it is really difficult to study by his/herself.
Joined: Sep 2, 2012
Purchased Course: May 31, 2016
Purchased Course: May 31, 2016
College: Vivekananda College
Major: Finance
Major: Finance
Industry: Highly Diversified Manufac and Service
Country: Oman
Country: Oman
Aweseome Prep Course to really bolster the Scores
September 7, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: N/A
To be quite fair signing up for a gmat course is probably the most difficult decision which any person preparing for the gmat can quite honestly face since there are tons of courses which are available in the market (some which are exceedingly good and some which quite honestly do not meet the definition of a true preparatory course)
When I began the search for a gmat course I looked at the following aspects
(1)Test Preparatory companies which provided abundant questions which were similar to the questions which a student will face on the real gmat exam to be adequately prepared
(2)Softwares which had excellent analytics to show the areas of strength and weakness
(3)Softwares which had excellent analytics to sort questions in ascending levels of difficulty -This was particularly important since building confidence is the first key step
(4)Questions accompanied by video lectures -Since the process of comprehending solution posted on forums can be quite overwhelming initially
With all apprehensions weighing on my mind - It was important to turn to a course which addresses the needs and Magoosh most definitely did not let me down
The platform is absolutely perfect and the course quite honestly meet my expectations
Not only is the course THE MOST AFFORDABLE course in the market -the questions available on the platform are of the standard gmat questions ; additional aspects which are addressed on the platform include
(1)Comparing the actual time taken to answer question with the standard time
(2)Flagging questions to ensure you can revisit them at any point in time
To top it off , The Magoosh team is extremely helpful in addressing any needs - You can shoot out an email at any point of time and can expect a response within 24-36 hours
This is a test prep company which caters to the needs of aspiring students - I really saw the benefits of signing up for the course
When I began the search for a gmat course I looked at the following aspects
(1)Test Preparatory companies which provided abundant questions which were similar to the questions which a student will face on the real gmat exam to be adequately prepared
(2)Softwares which had excellent analytics to show the areas of strength and weakness
(3)Softwares which had excellent analytics to sort questions in ascending levels of difficulty -This was particularly important since building confidence is the first key step
(4)Questions accompanied by video lectures -Since the process of comprehending solution posted on forums can be quite overwhelming initially
With all apprehensions weighing on my mind - It was important to turn to a course which addresses the needs and Magoosh most definitely did not let me down
The platform is absolutely perfect and the course quite honestly meet my expectations
Not only is the course THE MOST AFFORDABLE course in the market -the questions available on the platform are of the standard gmat questions ; additional aspects which are addressed on the platform include
(1)Comparing the actual time taken to answer question with the standard time
(2)Flagging questions to ensure you can revisit them at any point in time
To top it off , The Magoosh team is extremely helpful in addressing any needs - You can shoot out an email at any point of time and can expect a response within 24-36 hours
This is a test prep company which caters to the needs of aspiring students - I really saw the benefits of signing up for the course
Joined: Sep 3, 2016
Purchased Course: Jul 13, 2016
Purchased Course: Jul 13, 2016
College: Tufts University
Major: Economics
Major: Economics
Industry: Investment Management
Country: United States
Country: United States
Extremely Helpful! 100 point increase in six weeks
September 3, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 630 After: 730
At first I was skeptical of the Magoosh product, I didn't understand how Magoosh could offer a premium product for a fraction of the price of its competitors. However, after spending several months studying using a range of prep books/resources and only receiving a 630 on my first GMAT attempt, I figured I'd give Magoosh a try. I studied for six weeks using all of Magoosh's video lessons and practice questions. I diligently worked through the program, answering dozens of questions a day. When test day came, I felt quite prepared to conquer the GMAT. During the test, I found myself breezing through the Math and Verbal sections. The GMAT test felt so much easier after using Magoosh! To my surprise, I saw my Math score increase from 42 to a 49 and my Verbal score increase from 35 to 41. I highly recommend Magoosh to anyone taking the GMAT. There is no test prep company that comes close to Magoosh!
Joined: Jul 6, 2016
Purchased Course: Jun 3, 2016
Purchased Course: Jun 3, 2016
College: College of Charleston
Major: Political Science
Major: Political Science
Industry: Consumer Products
Country: United States
Country: United States
From Good to Great
September 2, 2016
- Teacher: Mike McGarry
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 650 After: 740
When I first decided to go for MBA, my biggest concern and fear was the GMAT. I have been out of school for 9 years and hadn't taken a math class in 12. I took the GMAT cold to see how I did and ended up with a 650. Good, but not where I needed to be, especially with Quant.
Due to my crazy work schedule I knew I needed a program that I could work through on my own time. Going to weekly classes wasn't an option. I signed up for the premium Magoosh GMAT prep course in order to access the Math and Verbal sections.
Using the Magoosh 3-month Math study plan, I spent around 20 hours a week for 12 weeks brushing up on math, practicing verbal, and learning test taking strategy. A combination of video lessons, electronic practice questions, and answer explanation videos worked in tandem to stretch the quant side of my brain.
By the end of the summer, I gained 90 points on my overall test score. I made up 5 points in Quant and 4 in Verbal. The questions alone were worth the cost of admission, but the clear explanations and videos by Mike McGarry helped simplify concepts and give me confidence in my own abilities.
If you need a flexible study schedule and have the discipline to enforce it, I would strongly recommend Magoosh. It's a great resource and an excellent value.
Due to my crazy work schedule I knew I needed a program that I could work through on my own time. Going to weekly classes wasn't an option. I signed up for the premium Magoosh GMAT prep course in order to access the Math and Verbal sections.
Using the Magoosh 3-month Math study plan, I spent around 20 hours a week for 12 weeks brushing up on math, practicing verbal, and learning test taking strategy. A combination of video lessons, electronic practice questions, and answer explanation videos worked in tandem to stretch the quant side of my brain.
By the end of the summer, I gained 90 points on my overall test score. I made up 5 points in Quant and 4 in Verbal. The questions alone were worth the cost of admission, but the clear explanations and videos by Mike McGarry helped simplify concepts and give me confidence in my own abilities.
If you need a flexible study schedule and have the discipline to enforce it, I would strongly recommend Magoosh. It's a great resource and an excellent value.
Joined: Aug 25, 2016
Purchased Course: Jul 20, 2016
Purchased Course: Jul 20, 2016
College: Indian Institute of Technology
Major: Civil Engineering
Major: Civil Engineering
Country: India
Great value course; effective for thorough concept building
August 25, 2016
- Teacher: Chris and Mike
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 720
I prepared for both the GMAT and TOEFL together on a very tight timeline (3 weeks). Not having studied the concepts that are tested for almost 8 years, I took a while to get up to speed. The tutorials for both quant and verbal were quite useful. I did manage to plough through almost the entire question bank, but then again, Magoosh's course is all I did (for both).
I ended up with a 720 (49Q, 40V) in GMAT and a 119/120 in TOEFL, both of which are fairly good for the amount of preparation. I believe I could have scored slightly higher on test day (in the 750 ballpark) with the same amount of preparation; given I knew during the exam only the questions that I wasn't doing correctly.
For those looking for more practice, it may be sufficient to go through the official GMAT guides as well as some of the free material on various forums.
I ended up with a 720 (49Q, 40V) in GMAT and a 119/120 in TOEFL, both of which are fairly good for the amount of preparation. I believe I could have scored slightly higher on test day (in the 750 ballpark) with the same amount of preparation; given I knew during the exam only the questions that I wasn't doing correctly.
For those looking for more practice, it may be sufficient to go through the official GMAT guides as well as some of the free material on various forums.
Joined: Jan 7, 2016
Purchased Course: Jan 7, 2016
Purchased Course: Jan 7, 2016
College: Universidad Metropolitana
Major: Management/Business Administration
Major: Management/Business Administration
Industry: Consumer Products
Country: Venezuela
Country: Venezuela
Awesome overall 4.8 STARS (could use MINOR improvements)
August 23, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 670
The platform is incredible, you can learn ALL the GMAT content through the videos. Exercises tend to be a little harder than the actual test, so you are very prepared. Explanations for content and for exercises are very detailed and include a lot of GMAT tips. I used the 6 month study schedule from the Magoosh Blog and followed through most of it. I studied about two hours a day for 6 months and I got a 670 and will be repeating because I'm sure I'm prepared for a better score.
My only comments would be that I would make the platform a little more versatile in terms of filtering to see your progress. Also, in regards to the schedule, I would't recommend the GMAC paper tests, there are many other available resources.
My only comments would be that I would make the platform a little more versatile in terms of filtering to see your progress. Also, in regards to the schedule, I would't recommend the GMAC paper tests, there are many other available resources.
Absolutely amazing!
August 19, 2016
- Teacher: Mike McGarry
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 710 After: 740
Magoosh exceeded my expectations. I had only a month to go before my GMAT and wanted something concise, effective as well as efficient to cover all the topics in Math & Verbal.
I really needed to improve on my verbal score and maintain/improve my math score. Enter the Magoosh Premium Plan and about 30 days later, I was really confident of getting a better score on my GMAT. The amazing support team really helped too with their quick turnaround times and unambiguous responses.
I have already recommended Magoosh to several friends who intend on taking the GMAT soon. Along with offering incredible value-for-money, Magoosh is certainly one of the best GMAT prep resources out there.
A big thank you to the entire Magoosh team!
I really needed to improve on my verbal score and maintain/improve my math score. Enter the Magoosh Premium Plan and about 30 days later, I was really confident of getting a better score on my GMAT. The amazing support team really helped too with their quick turnaround times and unambiguous responses.
I have already recommended Magoosh to several friends who intend on taking the GMAT soon. Along with offering incredible value-for-money, Magoosh is certainly one of the best GMAT prep resources out there.
A big thank you to the entire Magoosh team!
Went from 530 to 700 with Magoosh
August 18, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 700
This Magoosh software is amazing. I personally prefer the self-serve version of studying, and Magoosh allowed me to drill down on specific topics and difficulty when studying. Along with the 20+ hours of quant videos I watched, I would not have improved 170 points without Magoosh. Awesome software.
Joined: Aug 16, 2016
Purchased Course: Jan 12, 2016
Purchased Course: Jan 12, 2016
College: Mumbai University
Major: Engineering
Major: Engineering
Industry: Commercial Banking
Country: India
Country: India
Highly Recommend
August 16, 2016
- Teacher: Mike McGarry
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 700
Apart from the OG, Magoosh was the only reference material I used for Quant and Sentence correction during my 3 months of preparation from scratch. I have been working for 11 years and was miles away from academics. Also, before I started my preparations, I had absolutely zero experience of any CAT, leave aside GMAT. Considering these points, my final score of 700 does speak volumes about the granularity and extensiveness of the Magoosh prep material.
Mike McGarry is possibly the best tutor out there; he makes the whole study process very interesting. Studying longer hours per day was only possible because of his superior teaching skills.
An explanation for each problem in the package was another big plus point. Moreover, for all the OG questions where I was unable to understand the solution, I was able to find Magoosh explanations on YouTube! The quality of explanations was really top notch; it did not leave any room for doubt.
The mobile apps are really good and user friendly; I was able to cover so much reference material while I was on the move. It did make a massive difference.
A special word about Magoosh's support. They truly make you feel special with the detailed and prompt responses. It is simply incredible.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend Magoosh to everyone who want to score well in GMAT. Thank you Magoosh !
Mike McGarry is possibly the best tutor out there; he makes the whole study process very interesting. Studying longer hours per day was only possible because of his superior teaching skills.
An explanation for each problem in the package was another big plus point. Moreover, for all the OG questions where I was unable to understand the solution, I was able to find Magoosh explanations on YouTube! The quality of explanations was really top notch; it did not leave any room for doubt.
The mobile apps are really good and user friendly; I was able to cover so much reference material while I was on the move. It did make a massive difference.
A special word about Magoosh's support. They truly make you feel special with the detailed and prompt responses. It is simply incredible.
In conclusion, I would highly recommend Magoosh to everyone who want to score well in GMAT. Thank you Magoosh !
Joined: Aug 11, 2016
Purchased Course: Oct 14, 2015
Purchased Course: Oct 14, 2015
College: United States Military Academy
Major: Economics
Major: Economics
Industry: Military
Country: United States
Country: United States
560 to 720
August 11, 2016
- Teacher: Mike McGarry
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 720
I actually had Magoosh regular just math and verbal, not premium. But Magoosh practice questions and instructional videos were great. I used Mike?s 3-month plan for Advanced students (http://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/3-month-gmat-study-schedule-for-advanced-students/) and was able to go from a 560 on a practice test to a 720 on my first actual GMAT. I used the plan more as a guide than as a strict plan, and did not do the LSAT part or the Nova Math course. I also tailored it to my weaknesses, which I will discuss further below. Best advice I got, to keep in mind throughout studying and the test is to ?Think like a GMAT test-writer.? I would also highly recommend NOT studying during your application process. GMAT scores are good for 5 years, I would recommend taking the GMAT about a year out from your application process, that way if you don?t get the score you want you still have some time to take it again before adding stress. The GMAT is a monster by itself, the added stress of the application process (essays, interviews, etc.) will keep you from getting your target score.
Here?s the Bottom Line Up Front to my de-brief, read on further if you want more info:
1. Be DELIBERATE in your approach and learn to fail productively (Read ?Talent Code? by Daniel Coyle)
2. The Reading saturation approach is probably best only for non-native English speakers (this relates to point #1)
3. Practice tests are where you make your money and assess weaknesses
4. Do NOT time yourself from the beginning, more learning will occur when you discover answers for YOURSELF than when you watch videos because you gave up at 2 or 3 minutes
5. Don?t be afraid to ?warm-up? on test day
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1. The number one thing I tell people studying for GMAT/GRE is to FOCUS your efforts and be DELIBERATE in your process and approach, both with your overall study plan and with each type of question on the GMAT. The GMAT is a ?beatable? test. It sounds like a simple concept but early on I found myself trying to hit the daily targets of my study plan instead of really learning from my mistakes. I was ?spinning the hamster wheel? so to speak, trying to cross off the daily list of ?16 Magoosh CR, 16 OG SC, 10 OG Quant, etc.) instead of just doing 10 questions and then spending a lot of time dissecting the problems I got wrong and WHY I got them wrong. Use analytics to isolate your weakness/es and target your weakness relentlessly. For me, early on I was told that the quickest route to a good GMAT score is a good Verbal score, and the quickest route to a good Verbal is Sentence Correction. I found after my first practice test with a Verbal of 32 that I needed to focus on Verbal. This also might be why a majority of the Magoosh Verbal lessons are in SC (hint hint). Somewhere Mike said ? 80% of your learning occurs AFTER you do the problem,? and somewhere else I read you learn 4-5 times more by failing at something or doing something wrong than you do by doing it right. (See: http://qz.com/535443/the-best-way-to-understand-math-is-learning-how-to-fail-productively/) This concept really stuck with me and is the big reason I think I was able to see solid improvement. It is better to only do 5 problems and learn them thoroughly so that you will never get them wrong again, than to do 30 problems and not really review them but just get burned out, close the book and go to bed. You didn?t LEARN anything, you merely did 30 more problems and are that much closer to the end of the book. The goal shouldn?t be to finish the OG or finish Magoosh?s study plan, the goal should be to improve your score and the only way to do that is through a deliberate approach. For more information on this I suggest reading ?The Talent Code? by Daniel Coyle.
2. Further on this topic, the study plan I followed said to read ?30 minutes every day? of some source-Economist, Atlantic, WSJ, etc. I found by doing this that when I finally did RC I wasn?t FOCUSED and reading DELIBERATELY, I was just burned out from reading a bunch of other stuff and more or less skimming over it. I think the ?read 30 minutes daily approach? is good for non-native English speakers, to get them saturated with English, but for native English speakers I think it?s important to keep the readings short and sweet. The entire theme of this de-brief is that 20-30 minutes of FOCUSED and DELIBERATE study is better than 2-3 hours of just checking the block and trying to cross of more questions. Not only is it better, but it also saves time and gives you more time to do the things you would rather be doing than studying for the GMAT.
3. Now some stuff about practice tests. I went 560(Veritas)- 620(Manhattan)- 660(GMAT Prep #1)- 690(Veritas)- 710(GMAT Prep#2) and then a 720 on the actual GMAT (I was due for a 10-point increase after going up 60, 40, 30, 20). I also had two more Manhattans in the middle where I basically clicked through math and was just trying to focus on Verbal improvement. I found that Veritas is pretty accurate in their algorithm, GMAT Prep is probably the most accurate, and it gives the best ?Test Day? experience because it all looks the same as far as colors, font, etc. GMAT Prep will give you the best idea of what to expect on the actual test?I would do the first one of these about mid-way through your overall plan, and I would do the last one within the final week before the GMAT, use it as your last practice test. I would use Manhattan for Verbal assessments but for math I think their algorithm is off and it can decrease confidence. I never broke 42 on Manhattan?s math section, and therefore couldn?t break 650 on their overall test, and this was a huge blow to my confidence just a month before the test. Luckily on my first GMAT Prep I got 48 Math (but still 34 Verbal, so realized where I needed to continue focusing). Manhattan?s math section gives you an impossible problem if you get a tough one right; this is not how the actual GMAT is. There?s only about 6-8 very hard problems on the actual GMAT, it doesn?t follow the common idea of ?if you get one right the next one will be even harder.? That is the general idea, but they will throw easier questions in, could be after you got one right, or towards the very end of the test. DO NOT TRY TO OUT-THINK the algorithm on the GMAT or gauge your performance by what questions it is throwing at you. After the test I felt like I bombed it?it is designed to make you feel that way. Everyone feels crushed by it. One of the last math problems I got was incredibly easy and I answered in 15 seconds. Remember, just because a question is easy for YOU does not mean it is ?easy,? and also, they throw easier questions in everywhere. Also, if it looks ?easy,? take a closer look at it, it very well could be a trap! The official GMAT Prep tests can give you a good idea of what to realistically expect for math. Don?t get beat down by Manhattan tests. Plus, by knowing there?s only 6-8 tough math problems on the actual test, you can breeze through the easier ones at around a minute, and then that can give you 3-4 minutes for each of the hard problems. Don?t get too caught up in staying around 2 minutes per problem, some will take longer/shorter than others. Also, a good method is to ?punt for time??if a problem pops up that looks extremely tough, immediately guess and move on. I was too prideful and attempted every math question, and the worst feeling on the GMAT is to invest 3-4 minutes into a problem, realize it?s beyond your level, and find yourself guessing anyway! I would have much rather just made an educated guess in the first 10-20 seconds instead of spend 3-4 minutes and still be guessing. That would have given me more time on further problems that I probably could have gotten right if I didn?t feel pressed for time. I will also get into this more in my next point, but the practice tests early on I would NOT time yourself. I think they can give you a more accurate assessment of your weaknesses if you aren?t racing against a clock. My last Veritas test of 690 (two weeks before test) I doubled the allotted time to see where I was actually weak, and it became a big confidence boost for me. I found that the only questions I went long on were the ones I got wrong anyway. I realized that I should cut my losses on the tough questions and maybe just guess and move on, and it would save time for the questions more in my ballpark.
4. Magoosh advises timing yourself on questions right from the beginning but I highly advise AGAINST this approach. For most of us studying for GMAT/GRE, being 4-5 years removed from an academic setting, we haven?t seen these topics for quite some time. It is extremely difficult to knock the dust off your rules of exponents or multiplying fractions, or grammar rules, if you are racing against a clock as you do it. That is just adding unnecessary stress. It is much better for your learning early on to spend 10 minutes on a problem and figure it out for yourself, instead of give up because you hit 3 minutes and watch the video. You will learn way more if you DISCOVER the answer for yourself. Remember, the goal all along is to learn so you don?t ever make the same mistake twice. You?ll have much better success with this if you spend 10 minutes on a problem instead of give up after 2 minutes and watch the video.
5. Test Day: Mike?s advice was no last second studying?I would highly recommend scheduling an afternoon test, that way you can sleep in and feel rested, get a good lunch in before your test. The method I did is during practice tests I took some in the morning and some in the afternoon, and found I was scoring better/felt better during afternoon tests, so that?s when I scheduled my test. I went against Mike?s advice and did just 5 math and 5 verbal the morning of the test, I thought of it as a ?warm-up? just as I would do for a workout or a big race. He?s right that you aren?t going to learn anything new, but you can get some wrong answers out of the way early that won?t count against your score. If you always warmed up a little before practice tests, then do that on the actual test day. Find whatever method works for YOU and have confidence in your process. Stick with the process and your approach and you?ll crush it, best of luck and any questions don?t hesitate to ask.
Here?s the Bottom Line Up Front to my de-brief, read on further if you want more info:
1. Be DELIBERATE in your approach and learn to fail productively (Read ?Talent Code? by Daniel Coyle)
2. The Reading saturation approach is probably best only for non-native English speakers (this relates to point #1)
3. Practice tests are where you make your money and assess weaknesses
4. Do NOT time yourself from the beginning, more learning will occur when you discover answers for YOURSELF than when you watch videos because you gave up at 2 or 3 minutes
5. Don?t be afraid to ?warm-up? on test day
--------------------------------------------
1. The number one thing I tell people studying for GMAT/GRE is to FOCUS your efforts and be DELIBERATE in your process and approach, both with your overall study plan and with each type of question on the GMAT. The GMAT is a ?beatable? test. It sounds like a simple concept but early on I found myself trying to hit the daily targets of my study plan instead of really learning from my mistakes. I was ?spinning the hamster wheel? so to speak, trying to cross off the daily list of ?16 Magoosh CR, 16 OG SC, 10 OG Quant, etc.) instead of just doing 10 questions and then spending a lot of time dissecting the problems I got wrong and WHY I got them wrong. Use analytics to isolate your weakness/es and target your weakness relentlessly. For me, early on I was told that the quickest route to a good GMAT score is a good Verbal score, and the quickest route to a good Verbal is Sentence Correction. I found after my first practice test with a Verbal of 32 that I needed to focus on Verbal. This also might be why a majority of the Magoosh Verbal lessons are in SC (hint hint). Somewhere Mike said ? 80% of your learning occurs AFTER you do the problem,? and somewhere else I read you learn 4-5 times more by failing at something or doing something wrong than you do by doing it right. (See: http://qz.com/535443/the-best-way-to-understand-math-is-learning-how-to-fail-productively/) This concept really stuck with me and is the big reason I think I was able to see solid improvement. It is better to only do 5 problems and learn them thoroughly so that you will never get them wrong again, than to do 30 problems and not really review them but just get burned out, close the book and go to bed. You didn?t LEARN anything, you merely did 30 more problems and are that much closer to the end of the book. The goal shouldn?t be to finish the OG or finish Magoosh?s study plan, the goal should be to improve your score and the only way to do that is through a deliberate approach. For more information on this I suggest reading ?The Talent Code? by Daniel Coyle.
2. Further on this topic, the study plan I followed said to read ?30 minutes every day? of some source-Economist, Atlantic, WSJ, etc. I found by doing this that when I finally did RC I wasn?t FOCUSED and reading DELIBERATELY, I was just burned out from reading a bunch of other stuff and more or less skimming over it. I think the ?read 30 minutes daily approach? is good for non-native English speakers, to get them saturated with English, but for native English speakers I think it?s important to keep the readings short and sweet. The entire theme of this de-brief is that 20-30 minutes of FOCUSED and DELIBERATE study is better than 2-3 hours of just checking the block and trying to cross of more questions. Not only is it better, but it also saves time and gives you more time to do the things you would rather be doing than studying for the GMAT.
3. Now some stuff about practice tests. I went 560(Veritas)- 620(Manhattan)- 660(GMAT Prep #1)- 690(Veritas)- 710(GMAT Prep#2) and then a 720 on the actual GMAT (I was due for a 10-point increase after going up 60, 40, 30, 20). I also had two more Manhattans in the middle where I basically clicked through math and was just trying to focus on Verbal improvement. I found that Veritas is pretty accurate in their algorithm, GMAT Prep is probably the most accurate, and it gives the best ?Test Day? experience because it all looks the same as far as colors, font, etc. GMAT Prep will give you the best idea of what to expect on the actual test?I would do the first one of these about mid-way through your overall plan, and I would do the last one within the final week before the GMAT, use it as your last practice test. I would use Manhattan for Verbal assessments but for math I think their algorithm is off and it can decrease confidence. I never broke 42 on Manhattan?s math section, and therefore couldn?t break 650 on their overall test, and this was a huge blow to my confidence just a month before the test. Luckily on my first GMAT Prep I got 48 Math (but still 34 Verbal, so realized where I needed to continue focusing). Manhattan?s math section gives you an impossible problem if you get a tough one right; this is not how the actual GMAT is. There?s only about 6-8 very hard problems on the actual GMAT, it doesn?t follow the common idea of ?if you get one right the next one will be even harder.? That is the general idea, but they will throw easier questions in, could be after you got one right, or towards the very end of the test. DO NOT TRY TO OUT-THINK the algorithm on the GMAT or gauge your performance by what questions it is throwing at you. After the test I felt like I bombed it?it is designed to make you feel that way. Everyone feels crushed by it. One of the last math problems I got was incredibly easy and I answered in 15 seconds. Remember, just because a question is easy for YOU does not mean it is ?easy,? and also, they throw easier questions in everywhere. Also, if it looks ?easy,? take a closer look at it, it very well could be a trap! The official GMAT Prep tests can give you a good idea of what to realistically expect for math. Don?t get beat down by Manhattan tests. Plus, by knowing there?s only 6-8 tough math problems on the actual test, you can breeze through the easier ones at around a minute, and then that can give you 3-4 minutes for each of the hard problems. Don?t get too caught up in staying around 2 minutes per problem, some will take longer/shorter than others. Also, a good method is to ?punt for time??if a problem pops up that looks extremely tough, immediately guess and move on. I was too prideful and attempted every math question, and the worst feeling on the GMAT is to invest 3-4 minutes into a problem, realize it?s beyond your level, and find yourself guessing anyway! I would have much rather just made an educated guess in the first 10-20 seconds instead of spend 3-4 minutes and still be guessing. That would have given me more time on further problems that I probably could have gotten right if I didn?t feel pressed for time. I will also get into this more in my next point, but the practice tests early on I would NOT time yourself. I think they can give you a more accurate assessment of your weaknesses if you aren?t racing against a clock. My last Veritas test of 690 (two weeks before test) I doubled the allotted time to see where I was actually weak, and it became a big confidence boost for me. I found that the only questions I went long on were the ones I got wrong anyway. I realized that I should cut my losses on the tough questions and maybe just guess and move on, and it would save time for the questions more in my ballpark.
4. Magoosh advises timing yourself on questions right from the beginning but I highly advise AGAINST this approach. For most of us studying for GMAT/GRE, being 4-5 years removed from an academic setting, we haven?t seen these topics for quite some time. It is extremely difficult to knock the dust off your rules of exponents or multiplying fractions, or grammar rules, if you are racing against a clock as you do it. That is just adding unnecessary stress. It is much better for your learning early on to spend 10 minutes on a problem and figure it out for yourself, instead of give up because you hit 3 minutes and watch the video. You will learn way more if you DISCOVER the answer for yourself. Remember, the goal all along is to learn so you don?t ever make the same mistake twice. You?ll have much better success with this if you spend 10 minutes on a problem instead of give up after 2 minutes and watch the video.
5. Test Day: Mike?s advice was no last second studying?I would highly recommend scheduling an afternoon test, that way you can sleep in and feel rested, get a good lunch in before your test. The method I did is during practice tests I took some in the morning and some in the afternoon, and found I was scoring better/felt better during afternoon tests, so that?s when I scheduled my test. I went against Mike?s advice and did just 5 math and 5 verbal the morning of the test, I thought of it as a ?warm-up? just as I would do for a workout or a big race. He?s right that you aren?t going to learn anything new, but you can get some wrong answers out of the way early that won?t count against your score. If you always warmed up a little before practice tests, then do that on the actual test day. Find whatever method works for YOU and have confidence in your process. Stick with the process and your approach and you?ll crush it, best of luck and any questions don?t hesitate to ask.
Joined: Aug 8, 2016
Purchased Course: Feb 28, 2016
Purchased Course: Feb 28, 2016
College: Duke University
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Industry: Highly Diversified Manufacturing
Country: United States
Country: United States
Great program
August 8, 2016
- Teacher: Mike McGarry
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 760
1)Hands down, Magoosh has *the best* teacher. Mike McGarry, who does ~90% of the GMAT material, is phenomenal. His ability to make concepts extremely approachable is unique. I can't recommend him enough. He regularly posts GMAT prep blog entries for Magoosh... take a lot at his many blog posts for a sample. He's even better inside the Magoosh product. His lessons and question explanations are so concise and simple. Mike has a gift for teaching. Mike's examples are so easy to understand and so intuitive, I never felt dumb for not knowing an answer. I've tried tests from other sites, which were good practice. However, the answer explanations never came close to Mike's, especially on the challenging verbal section. Video explanations for every question, detailed, simple examples... it just doesn't get any better. Other prep companies will have answer explanations that are a sentence or two for each possible answer. Magoosh typically has a 2-4 minute video for each question explaining the reasoning behind a correct answer. Hearing a real person explain the reasoning rather than reading a sometimes-confusing terse one-sentence answer makes all the difference. With Magoosh, you will not get a question wrong and walk away thinking, 'I still don't understand why I got this question wrong'.
I can't emphasize how important this becomes in your studying. Magoosh seems to have a reputation of a very solid product but not one to bump you into the promised 700 - 750+ land. While that may be true in some people's opinions, I don't think there's a better way to get to 700. Regardless of your background and time since last formal schooling, Magoosh will get you to where you want to be in as pain-free a method as possible.
2) Tone / attitude. Magoosh is fun. No, GMAT studying isnt' fun, but Magoosh is. They respond to questions immediately, like same or next day. When I had questions about tests from other vendors, it usually took 3-5 days, went through 2-3 groups within the company, and finally a response was generated that didn't always answer my question. With Magoosh, a response was received immediately and I could reply back with further questions (for instance, 'why can't we just divide by X in step 3 of problem ABC'? - Magoosh replied immediately. Other companies - not so much). They clearly like to inject as much lighthearted fun into a dull process, and it helps liven things up a bit.
I used almost exclusively Magoosh and I managed a 760. I actually bought the massive 10-book Manhattan series and only read an intro chapter in the first book and an intro chapter in the SC book. Outside of Magoosh, I tried a total of 8 CATs from two other companies and did 5 of the GMAT CATs.
Thank you Magoosh for helping me SQUASH the GMAT!
I can't emphasize how important this becomes in your studying. Magoosh seems to have a reputation of a very solid product but not one to bump you into the promised 700 - 750+ land. While that may be true in some people's opinions, I don't think there's a better way to get to 700. Regardless of your background and time since last formal schooling, Magoosh will get you to where you want to be in as pain-free a method as possible.
2) Tone / attitude. Magoosh is fun. No, GMAT studying isnt' fun, but Magoosh is. They respond to questions immediately, like same or next day. When I had questions about tests from other vendors, it usually took 3-5 days, went through 2-3 groups within the company, and finally a response was generated that didn't always answer my question. With Magoosh, a response was received immediately and I could reply back with further questions (for instance, 'why can't we just divide by X in step 3 of problem ABC'? - Magoosh replied immediately. Other companies - not so much). They clearly like to inject as much lighthearted fun into a dull process, and it helps liven things up a bit.
I used almost exclusively Magoosh and I managed a 760. I actually bought the massive 10-book Manhattan series and only read an intro chapter in the first book and an intro chapter in the SC book. Outside of Magoosh, I tried a total of 8 CATs from two other companies and did 5 of the GMAT CATs.
Thank you Magoosh for helping me SQUASH the GMAT!
Joined: Aug 4, 2016
Purchased Course: Jun 17, 2016
Purchased Course: Jun 17, 2016
College: St. Edward's University
Major: Finance
Major: Finance
Industry: Consulting
Country: United States
Country: United States
Great combination of technical lessons, customized practice, and practical advice
August 4, 2016
- Teacher: Mike McGarry
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 680 After: 740
I purchased the Magoosh product after I was disappointed with the product and score received through another tool (GMAT Pill). I listened to a podcast in which the founder of the company was interviewed, and was impressed with the idea of accessible tutors, and upon visiting the Magoosh site I was very pleased to see the variety of study options offered through their product. It was also extremely affordable compared to any of the other test prep options available, while seeming to offer more resources at that price point.
After purchase, the tool gives you several options to work through the program. While you have many ways to work through the program, the blog accompanying the website also provides several options for study schedules depending on your test-taking timeframe. I chose the 1-month timeframe because application season is fast-approaching.
My focus was on the quantitative portion of the test, and I found Mike to be an excellent coach, capable of explaining complicated concepts quickly and never skipping any steps as being "too simple." I found this approach to be the major differentiating factor versus my previous program, which would often skip steps in simplifying problems, as anyone who has not practiced math in several years will likely need to be walked through the basic steps once again.
The study schedules provided also dictates time for use of the practice questions, which I also found helpful. Magoosh's practice question model is the best I have seen, as they give you options for your study regarding the number of questions, difficulty (including an "adaptive" option similar to the GMAT), time limits, and category of question.
Lastly, the product has seamless integration across multiple devices. I used both the iPad video app, the iPad flash cards, and the computer-based model in my review. One shortcoming is that no tools work without an internet connection, but I have found that to be the norm for these products.
After purchase, the tool gives you several options to work through the program. While you have many ways to work through the program, the blog accompanying the website also provides several options for study schedules depending on your test-taking timeframe. I chose the 1-month timeframe because application season is fast-approaching.
My focus was on the quantitative portion of the test, and I found Mike to be an excellent coach, capable of explaining complicated concepts quickly and never skipping any steps as being "too simple." I found this approach to be the major differentiating factor versus my previous program, which would often skip steps in simplifying problems, as anyone who has not practiced math in several years will likely need to be walked through the basic steps once again.
The study schedules provided also dictates time for use of the practice questions, which I also found helpful. Magoosh's practice question model is the best I have seen, as they give you options for your study regarding the number of questions, difficulty (including an "adaptive" option similar to the GMAT), time limits, and category of question.
Lastly, the product has seamless integration across multiple devices. I used both the iPad video app, the iPad flash cards, and the computer-based model in my review. One shortcoming is that no tools work without an internet connection, but I have found that to be the norm for these products.
Joined: May 25, 2016
Purchased Course: Nov 18, 2015
Purchased Course: Nov 18, 2015
College: UFRGS
Major: Business
Major: Business
Industry: Highly Diversified Manufacturing
Country: Brazil
Country: Brazil
Amazing classes, exercises and preparation guides
July 21, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 700
I have no doubt that without Magoosh I wouldn't be able to score above 700!
It helps you schedule your preparation through different "roadmaps" depending on how long you will have to study, so you can start right away! If you need more focus in Verbal or Quantitative, it also helps you by pointing out which section you need to improve.
I'm extremely satisfied with the results, specially with the quantitative section.
100% recommended!
It helps you schedule your preparation through different "roadmaps" depending on how long you will have to study, so you can start right away! If you need more focus in Verbal or Quantitative, it also helps you by pointing out which section you need to improve.
I'm extremely satisfied with the results, specially with the quantitative section.
100% recommended!
Joined: Jul 20, 2016
Purchased Course: Jan 21, 2016
Purchased Course: Jan 21, 2016
College: University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
Major: Computer and Information Sciences
Major: Computer and Information Sciences
Country: United States
All You Need
July 20, 2016
- Teacher: Mike
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 690
This has everything you need to ace the GMAT. The video content is fantastic and super comprehensive and it has plenty of practice questions. The blog is a nice little addition and you can extract the transcripts of the videos if you need. I recommend listening to all the videos at 1.5 speed.
Affordable and Comprehensive
July 18, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: No Math: No
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 690
Quality videos on Quant and Verbal. Really breaks down every concept you need to know - data sufficien you, geometry, probability, etc. Question bank is categorized by level - really helpful. Verbal has really good tips for critical reasoning.
Not to mention the package I purchased was so affordable, compared to other products from Kaplan, Veritas, etc.
So happy I went with Magoosh. Would recommend to everyone for self-study!
Not to mention the package I purchased was so affordable, compared to other products from Kaplan, Veritas, etc.
So happy I went with Magoosh. Would recommend to everyone for self-study!
Joined: Apr 28, 2016
Purchased Course: May 4, 2016
Purchased Course: May 4, 2016
College: University of Texas at Austin
Major: Finance
Major: Finance
Industry: High Technology/Electronics
Country: United States
Country: United States
Magoosh is Best GMAT Prep
July 7, 2016
- Teacher:
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: N/A After: 680
I've previously tried other test prep firms but Magoosh is the best one because of several things:
1) It has alot of videos/questions for Combinations and Probability. Princeton Review has a Math Review book which had a good section on Combinations and Probability too, but Magoosh's section is far more comprehension. Kaplan's Math Review book actually hardly has any Combinations and Probability. Manhattan GMAT has a Number Property book which has good stuff on Combinations and Probability too, but I still feel like Magoosh's section had far more questions.
2) The practice questions are sorted by difficulty level. This was useful to me because the Easy/Medium level questions were more to learn the framework/theory needed to solve the problem, while Hard were challenging. The Very Hard level is actually much harder than the questions on real GMAT, but they are super good practice so you know the max difficulty GMAT level question. Princeton Review's GMAT book also has a difficulty breakdown for questions but Magoosh had so much more questions. Kaplan's 800 GMAT is also more of the harder questions but I still like Magoosh's difficult level questions. In looking for a test prep I found that Magoosh was really the one firm to offer Hard questions needed to improve skill.
3) There is a nice iphone app that works quite well for watching the video lessons. Some other firms have apps too but I've found they don't work as well.
4) The Essay videos are really good because I learned the framework/template which has been very useful for me.
5) The Quant video lessons on Data sufficiency are really good, especially the one about tautological statements.
6) Best value for your money because other self paced GMAT courses are more expensive and don't seem as good, such as Manhattan's self paced one and Optimus GMAT's self paced one.
1) It has alot of videos/questions for Combinations and Probability. Princeton Review has a Math Review book which had a good section on Combinations and Probability too, but Magoosh's section is far more comprehension. Kaplan's Math Review book actually hardly has any Combinations and Probability. Manhattan GMAT has a Number Property book which has good stuff on Combinations and Probability too, but I still feel like Magoosh's section had far more questions.
2) The practice questions are sorted by difficulty level. This was useful to me because the Easy/Medium level questions were more to learn the framework/theory needed to solve the problem, while Hard were challenging. The Very Hard level is actually much harder than the questions on real GMAT, but they are super good practice so you know the max difficulty GMAT level question. Princeton Review's GMAT book also has a difficulty breakdown for questions but Magoosh had so much more questions. Kaplan's 800 GMAT is also more of the harder questions but I still like Magoosh's difficult level questions. In looking for a test prep I found that Magoosh was really the one firm to offer Hard questions needed to improve skill.
3) There is a nice iphone app that works quite well for watching the video lessons. Some other firms have apps too but I've found they don't work as well.
4) The Essay videos are really good because I learned the framework/template which has been very useful for me.
5) The Quant video lessons on Data sufficiency are really good, especially the one about tautological statements.
6) Best value for your money because other self paced GMAT courses are more expensive and don't seem as good, such as Manhattan's self paced one and Optimus GMAT's self paced one.
Clean, user-friendly layout - Easy to digest content
June 29, 2016
- Teacher: N/A
- Recommended for —Verbal: Yes Math: Yes
- GMAT Scores —Before: 710 After: N/A
The lesson content is high quality. I've studied for ~3 months (off other materials) and written the GMAT, yet I still find the content to enhance my conceptual understanding, especially for verbal. The SC concepts are taught in an easy to understand format backed up with solid examples.
The bite size lesson layout is great for when I have 15-30 mins to study vs. hours of dedicated study time in one session. It is an excellent source for those who are starting out or looking to complement his/her existing knowledge such as myself.
The video explanations to problems are gold, as I love seeing the problem being thought through and solved in real time.
The bite size lesson layout is great for when I have 15-30 mins to study vs. hours of dedicated study time in one session. It is an excellent source for those who are starting out or looking to complement his/her existing knowledge such as myself.
The video explanations to problems are gold, as I love seeing the problem being thought through and solved in real time.