Top 7 Best GRE Prep Courses of 2017
Choosing the right Graduate Record Examination (GRE) prep course is a very important decision that will help you score higher on the GRE and get into the graduate school of your dreams.
You will be spending many hours studying, so it’s crucial to find the study materials that best fit your learning style and background.
So here’s the good news – we have personally researched and reviewed every major GRE prep course on the market to make things easier for you! The comparison chart below will help you figure out which one is best for you.
Please note that several of the links included below are affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, I may earn a referral commission if you purchase one of the courses below. Please understand that I recommend these courses because I confidently believe they will help you succeed on your GRE exam, not because of the small commission. Only use the links if you have been helped by my review!
Magoosh GRE (Rank: #1)
OVERALL RATING:
Intuitive Interface: Magoosh has a very user-friendly online platform. From the dashboard students can view progress charts, recommended lessons based on completed practice questions, and gain quick access to key course features. The course structure is easy to follow too; you can watch video lessons, take customizable practice quizzes, and review GRE course material all from the well-organized dashboard.
Price: The Magoosh GRE program is unmatched when it comes to providing quality study material at a discounted price. For just $99 (using this Coupon Code), students have 6 months of access to more than 200 video lessons, 1,000 practice questions, and up to 3 practice exams. With competitors charging hundreds of dollars more, this course is definitely a bargain!
Quality Instruction: Their test prep experts have extensive backgrounds in tutoring and GRE subject matter. Each practice problem is accompanied by both written and video explanations to ensure the concepts are fully and clearly explained.
Customer Support: Magoosh has a reputation for being prompt and thorough in all responses to students’ questions. A built-in help tab appears whenever students are logged in, making it easy to submit questions immediately as soon as they come up, rather than having to stop what you are doing and going to a different part of the site to send an email or a message.
Kaplan GRE (Rank: #2)
OVERALL RATING:
Practice Material: Kaplan offers a lot of practice material, which can help you better recognize GRE question types and improve your test taking ability. Their quiz bank of more than 5,000 GRE practice questions allows you to take customized quizzes and filter which GRE areas you want to focus and improve on. 7 full-length practice exams give you ample opportunity to practice your strategies and prepare yourself for the exam.
Higher Score Guarantee: Kaplan is confident in their products and will give students an opportunity to retake the course or get a refund if their score does not improve. Make sure you are aware of the conditions of the guarantee, one of which is establishing a baseline GRE score before beginning the course.
Flashcard App: The course comes with a flashcard app (for both iOS and Android devices), which can be great for studying on the go. You will have access to 500 flashcards that include vocabulary words, synonyms, definitions, and sample sentences. Quiz yourself, track your own progress, and see performance statistics right from your smartphone.
Official Test Day Experience: Unique to Kaplan is the ability to take a practice GRE test in an actual Prometric testing facility. This can truly give you the edge you need to pass by giving you the familiarity and confidence you need to succeed.
Expensive Tutoring Options: Although private tutoring is never cheap, if you add tutoring onto a course or choose any of the three tutoring packages, your prep course costs will quickly exceed $1,000, and add up to more than $2,000 if you go with the private tutoring packages of 15, 25 or 35 hours.
GraduateX GRE (Rank: #3)
OVERALL RATING:
Video by Expert Instructors: You get amazing video content from GraduateX, as its instructors go through the lessons with amazing patience and clarity to give you the best possible experience. The visuals are perfectly synced with the audio, making for an online classroom session that mimics an in-person class.
Mobile Option: If you need to study on the run, this is the perfect option for you. The mobile applications have a number of great features, and you’re going to get the same access to content that a number of higher-priced companies offer.
Visual Experience: You’re going to get the best of what the web has to offer with this product, as the visual layout of the course is amazing. GraduateX does a great job in presenting information in a simple manner, but still using advanced design tools to give you exactly what you need to ace the test.
Simplicity: There aren’t any amazing features for this product. You’re not going to get a lot of practice exams, no direct tutoring, no score guarantee, and it’s somewhat lacking in terms of additional content.
The Economist GRE (Rank: #4)
OVERALL RATING:
Communicate with Real Tutors: Some test prep courses charge huge additional fees for that service, but the Economist GRE program has time messaging with real tutors built into each of its plans. Messaging with tutors is done through their in-app messaging system, and this ability to reach out and contact a real live human is definitely a selling point for this GRE prep program. On top of messaging with tutors, you’ll get up to 6 live one-on-one video tutoring sessions.
Practice Material:The Economist GRE prep course offers up to 6 full-length tests, depending upon the plan that you choose. The course also offers 5,000 practice questions and uses adaptive learning technology to help you focus on areas where you may struggle. This personalized learning system is one of the best out there, and the more you use it – the more personalized it becomes.
Mobile Friendly: You’ll be able to study on the go with The Economists mobile/tablet friendly interface. It’s a great option for someone that’s always on the move and only has 20 minutes for a quick study session. Just know not all features are available on mobile – like taking practice exams.
New to Market: The Economist is the new kid on the block in the GRE test prep space. They’ve managed to create a solid all-around course with a variety of features, but it’s not as seamless of an experience of some of the higher rated courses above. I recommend the Premium plan for most students and the Ultimate plan for someone that will need more tutoring help.
Target Test Prep GRE (Rank: #5)
OVERALL RATING:
30+ Hours of HD Video by Expert Instructors: You will watch and learn from the masters when you sign up for this course. More than 800 video solutions cover all you ever wanted to know about the mathematical operations and strategies you will need to master in order to crush the quantitative section of the GRE. You can check out a selection of free videos and webinars on their website.
Live Tutoring Options: If you need additional, live help while studying you can connect with a personal tutor via Skype or WebEx. Pay for an hour or two individually, or choose a bundled option if you think you could use 10-20 hours of additional personalized tutoring.
Money-back Guarantee and $1 Trial: You can’t go wrong with a risk-free trial (for only $1), and Target Test Prep offers both a limited 5-day trial and your money back if you are not satisfied with the course. If your GRE quant score does not go up after you take Target Test Prep’s course, you can apply for a full refund.
Only Covers Quantitative Section of GRE: Target Test Prep is a great option for those looking to boost their quantitative scores, but as of now, there is no equivalent review course available for the Verbal sections of the GRE, although private tutors are available to help you with those sections at your request.
Princeton Review GRE (Rank: #6)
OVERALL RATING:
Practice Tests: With 8 full-length adaptive practice tests, The Princeton Review provides more simulated practice than any of the other self-paced GRE prep courses. After each test, students receive feedback and a one-on-one review of the test with their instructor to identify those sections on the GRE that could benefit from more focused study.
Course Guarantees: The Princeton Review offers a set of three different guarantees: the Readiness Guarantee, the Satisfaction Guarantee, and the Money Back-Guarantee. Don’t feel ready to take the test at the end of a course? Repeat the same course or take a refresher course. Not satisfied with your result? Continue to work with The Princeton Review for up to a year. Score didn’t improve? Ask for a refund.
Essay Feedback: The Princeton Review is the only self-paced GRE course we reviewed that offers feedback on your practice essays. You can submit your essays through the LiveGrader tool, and one of their experts will score your essay and provide you with constructive suggestions for improving your essays.
No Quiz Bank: Several competitors have question banks that allow you to create quizzes and focus on specific areas by filtering questions. The Princeton Review has numerous full-length exams (including one free practice test) that can help you identify areas of weakness, as well as more than 3,500 practice questions, but there is no question bank for quizzes to test yourself between full-length practice exams.
TAKE ME TO PRINCETON REVIEW GRE
Manhattan Prep GRE (Rank: #7)
OVERALL RATING:
Comprehensive Course: Manhattan Prep’s course gives students a number of in-depth materials to study for each area of the exam. Access to more than 27 hours of video lessons, strategy guide books for each area of the exam, the Official Guide to the GRE book, and 6 practice exams make this a well-rounded course with an impressive amount of practice material.
Downloadable Video Lessons: Manhattan Prep gives students the ability to study virtually anywhere. Their on-demand video lectures can be streamed live or downloaded to your computer or iPad so that you can study on the go, even if you are in an area without internet access. The high definition videos are easy to follow and taught by expert instructors.
Quality Practice Tests: In addition to in-depth lessons and study material, Manhattan provides 6 quality practice tests. They are known for practice questions that are very close to those featured on the actual GRE exam, and some students report that the practice tests are more challenging than the actual test. Each practice test includes a detailed score report and breaks down your performance on areas of the exam.
No Pass or Money Back Guarantee: Manhattan Prep clearly states on their website that all payments are nonrefundable and the company does not provide refunds to students for any reason.
Best GRE Prep Courses and Books of 2017
| GRE Courses | Best For… | Discounted Price |
| Magoosh GRE | Flexibility, Ease of Use | $149 |
| Kaplan GRE | Best Overall | $629 |
| GraduateX GRE | Overall Value | $231 |
| The Economist GRE | One-on-One Video Tutoring, Live Chat | $299 |
| Target Test Prep | Comprehensive Materials | $279 |
| The Princeton Review GRE | Online Prep Courses | $449 |
| Manhattan Prep GRE | Practice Test Provider | $549 |
| TestMasters | One-On-One Tutoring | $950 |
| PowerScore | Admissions Prep Services | $995 |
| Barron’s GRE | Low Cost/Budget Option | $99 |
| MLIC | Test Score Guarantee | $1495 |
Best GRE Prep Courses
Written by: Crush The GRE
5 / 5 stars
Thanks for the review, how do you determine your rankings?
Makosan,
To determine our ratings we consult with successful GRE test takers, teachers, aggregate data from around the web, and compare the specific benefits and features of each course as well as testing them out ourselves when we can. We try to do as thorough of reviews as possible and remain unbaised. The goal is to lead exam takers to the review courses that best suit their needs.
-Team Crush The GRE
How does the score increase work for Kaplan it seems like a good deal?
Rilan,
Great question. You have to submit a baseline score to Kaplan before using their course materials. You then would submit your test score to them if it did not increase or you were unsatisfied with your results. If your score doesn’t increase they will give you a full refund or allow you to retake again with their review materials. It’s a killer deal because unless you succeed you don’t really pay for the course. Additional details are on their site when you buy. Let us know if you have any other questions!
-Team Crush The GRE