RATING:
Target Test Prep GMAT is a great choice for students who are looking to make big improvements to their overall GMAT score. With over 3,000 practice questions (3000+ quantitative and 1000+ verbal) and an experienced team that is dedicated to all facets of GMAT instruction, this is a test prep option that is guaranteed to boost your results on the GMAT.
For years after Target Test Prep first set up shop in 2008, the company only provided lessons for the Quantitative sections of the GMAT. However, they introduced their brand new Verbal content.*
Even before adding verbal content to their instruction, Target Test Prep was well known as one of the best GMAT courses available for increasing your overall GMAT score—their instruction methods, guarantees, and multiple course formats are just a few of the features that have helped them earn that title.
*At the time of writing, this content is in the pre-launch phase, so it doesn’t yet include Reading Comprehension questions and may look different from the official verbal instruction material they’ll eventually offer. This doesn’t mean that the verbal material they have isn’t effective, though, as plenty of students have already reported getting top scores thanks to this new content.
Please note Target Test Prep GMAT is one of our affiliate brands, and as such we receive a small commission at no cost to you if you choose to purchase this prep course. Only use our links if you find this review helpful.
Pros
1. Number of Practice Questions
One of the major factors when it comes to ranking a GMAT prep course is the number of practice questions and practice tests each class provides to its students. Learning happens as much from doing as it does from absorbing information, so having a high number of practice questions available makes a huge impact on your results.
With Target Test Prep, students are provided with over 4,000 practice questions, 1,000 of which are part of their Verbal curriculum. While this isn’t as much as the 5,000+ offered by Kaplan GMAT, it’s still competitive with other GMAT prep study material. Each month, Target Test Prep is adding more questions to their course as build and refine their new verbal content.
2. Instructor-Led Video Solutions
The number of practice questions available from Target Test Prep is high, but the quality of these questions and their explanations is just as impressive: a large portion of Target Test Prep’s questions come equipped with HD instructor-led video solutions to walk you through each problem. Whether you get a question right or wrong, the videos are there to highlight the correct approach, what errors or traps to avoid in certain questions types, and how to maximize your time spent. And with over 1200 instructor-led GMAT quant and verbal HD videos (800+ quant and 400+ verbal videos), everyone is well covered.
Most GMAT Prep courses offer in-depth explanations for right and wrong answers. But with Target Test Prep, you will actually watch the instructor work the problem out by hand, step-by-step, showing that Target Test Prep really goes the extra mile in helping students identify and learn from mistakes.
3. Online Support and Private Tutoring Options
The Target Test Prep website offers a number of resources for students who are looking for a little extra help with choosing the right product, navigating their course, or finding general tips about the GMAT exam process. Their blog, for example, is full of useful supplements to course materials, and there’s a live chat helpline available to students through the site 24/7, which will put you in touch with a Target Test Prep expert in no time.
Further, if you are looking for even more detailed help and personal instruction, you can consider Target Test Prep GMAT Tutoring. Starting at $300/hour, you are able to choose the amount of instruction time that fits your needs. Even when Target Test Prep’s regular course was Quant only, they hired expert tutors with knowledge in all four GMAT sections: Quant, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. Although tutoring options are typically the most expensive test prep route to take, they can be really efficient for learning specific material that’s difficult to learn online.
4. $1 Trial Period
Every student learns differently, and every prep course teaches differently. Even though we have found tons of benefits in all of the top GMAT Prep Courses, there is no one-size-fits-all. That’s why it’s great when courses like Target Test Prep offer students a trial period to see if the format, style, and pace of a course is a good fit for them. Just $1 gets you 5 days of unlimited access to the full Target Test Prep online GMAT course, including a diagnostic exam, lessons, and practice questions that will really help you gauge where you stand when it comes to the test.
5. Specialized Instructors
Target Test Prep is led by a CEO who has himself logged over 10,000 hours of instruction. His passion for the exam, as well as the experience of the entire Target team, translates into the construction of each lesson and video solution in the curriculum.
There are GMAT instructors at Target Test Prep with both Verbal and Quantitative skill sets, though their Quantitative instruction alone has been particularly effective for years. Beyond their videos and lessons, you can also find Target Test Prep instructors providing free tips and tricks through the Target Test Prep blog and YouTube channel, or on various GMAT forums online. It’s clear that these instructors are not only the best in their field, but that they also pour a lot of time and personal effort into making their course a polished and effective product.
6. Higher-Score Guarantee
Let’s face it, preparing for and taking the GMAT can be an expensive decision no matter what company you decide to use for your prep. With that in mind, having your purchase backed by a guarantee can relieve some of the stress of investing in a prep course. Target Test Prep promises that your Quantitative score* will increase after taking their course; if not, they’ll provide you with a full refund. In order to qualify, you must have taken the GMAT at least once previously and completed all instruction modules in your chosen Target Test Prep course.
*Keep in mind that this only applies to test-takers’ Quant scores, since Target Test Prep’s Verbal content is currently in the pre-launch stage. This offer also doesn’t include Target Test Prep’s tutoring package, so in the unlikely event that you use their tutoring service and don’t see a score improvement, the guarantee won’t apply.
7. Price / Cost Structure
At the time of writing, Target Test Prep offers the lowest base price out of any of the top GMAT courses we’ve reviewed: $99 for a month of access. To put that in perspective, most other courses charge $300-$400 for the most basic course features. Target Test Prep also includes more flexible packages that allow you to pay for the exact amount of access you need: $99 each month, $299 for 4 months, or $399 for 6 months.
With these packages, you could be paying only $67 for each month of access to Target Test Prep’s material, and even the most expensive package from Target Test Prep is hundreds less than other courses while still providing top notch features, no matter the pricing plan you choose:
- Score improvement guarantee
- 500+ individual lessons
- 3,000+ practice Quant problems
- 800+ HD GMAT video lessons
- Live support
- Complimentary access to Verbal material (345+ questions)
Choosing the right plan for you will be determined by your availability, when you plan to take the exam, and how much you are willing to pay. We recommend students take at least 3 months to prepare for an exam, and a longer 6-month course plan lets you pick up and drop studying whenever it works for your schedule. The $99/month plan gives you the most flexibility however, letting you pay a fraction of the price of a 6-month or year-long GMAT course while getting you the exact amount of prep that you need.
Cons
1. No Practice Exams
The GMAT can feel long, daunting, and even boring once you finally find yourself in your local testing facility. Because of that, it can be helpful for students to expose themselves to full-length practice tests before the big day arrives. As part of Target Test Prep’s curriculum, students will take official practice GMAT tests designed by the GMAC (who administers the test). However, Target Test Prep does not design their own practice exams for their students, which would be more seamlessly integrated into Target Test Prep’s curriculum. While this isn’t the worst thing, it is noticeable when compared to the number of fully adaptive practice exams offered by courses like The Princeton Review: 10.
It’s important to remember that this is probably because Target originally focused on Quant prep alone, meaning that it wouldn’t make sense to give students a test with all sections even though it only teaches them one. With their new comprehensive verbal material, however, there’s a good chance Target Test Prep will add their own practice exams to their course features in the near future.
2. No Adaptive Material
One of the unique factors of the GMAT’s test structure is that it adapts to your performance, sending harder or easier questions your way as you answer correctly or incorrectly. This is not the case with Target’s lessons or practice problems. Target Test Prep focuses on teaching lessons and providing practice material for users to drill with, but apart from the tips they post on their GMAT blog, their material doesn’t teach users much about the nuances of the test-taking experience.
While not necessarily a dealbreaker, adaptability that mimics the GMAT tends to come standard with other industry leaders. Compared to other options like The Princeton Review GMAT Prep’s fully adaptive video lessons, or Kaplan GMAT Prep’s Test Day Experience (which lets you take a full day for a physical practice exam at a live facility), Target Test Prep doesn’t quite stack up in terms of preparing students for the logistics of the GMAT.
Conclusion
Overall, Target Test Prep GMAT provides students with a unique option to help tackle the GMAT exam. For years, Target Test Prep was known as one of the best options for increasing GMAT scores, and that was when they only offered Quantitative instruction. With their brand new Verbal content, Target Test Prep’s comprehensive GMAT course is quickly becoming one of the most effective all-around options for GMAT students.
Exceptional teaching, plentiful practice problems and explanations, a higher score guarantee, and a $1 trial period all make Target Test Prep GMAT a great choice for students who want to learn the GMAT’s material inside and out.
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For a glimpse at how Target Test Prep stacks up against other top GMAT courses, see our GMAT comparison chart at the link below. Whatever your particular goals might be, our in-depth reviews will help you find the right prep course choice and get on the road to crushing the GMAT!
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Target Test Prep GMAT Prep Course FAQs
How do I qualify for the Score Guarantee?
If your GMAT quant score does not improve after taking a Target Test Prep GMAT course, you are entitled to a full refund. You must have taken the GMAT at least once prior to enrolling in the TTP course and have completed all assigned modules. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee attached to any tutoring hours that you purchase.
Does Target Test Prep have a Mobile App?
While it does not have a dedicated mobile app, TTP GMAT prep course does offer students some exclusive software downloads to help stay organized throughout their studies. Their “Active Review” sheet software helps students take notes and remain organized and on track, while the “Equation Guide” provides an overview of important equations and concepts.
Which is better, Target Test Prep GMAT or Magoosh GMAT?
In our eyes, Target Test Prep GMAT and Magoosh are two of the best options for GMAT prep. Magoosh offers an incredibly polished online platform, so you can learn on-the-go using the Magoosh app on nearly any device with an internet connection. Target Test Prep, on the other hand, comes at less than half of Magoosh’s starting price, and includes thousands more Quant questions.
In the end, we think Magoosh edges out as a more comprehensive and user-friendly course than Target Test Prep, but it’s no landslide: Target Test Prep is still one of the best courses out there, and will likely be the better option for certain students who like its teaching style and unique features. To see an in-depth overview of how these courses stack up, check out their positions on our GMAT course comparison page.
Which is better, Target Test Prep GMAT or The Princeton Review GMAT?
The Princeton Review is one of the oldest brands in GMAT online prep, but older doesn’t mean better. With The Princeton Review GMAT course, students will get a couple of features that aren’t included with Target Test Prep: 10 full length practice GMAT tests, several course format options, and adaptive video lessons. This could be better for some students, but in general, the features from Target Test Prep’s GMAT course outweigh The Princeton Review’s: with Target Test Prep, you’ll get a course with material designed by top-notch instructors for a much lower starting price. In this case, The Princeton Review is still a solid GMAT prep option, but the quality of Target Test Prep’s course features and instruction beats out The Princeton Review’s size and sheer number of features.
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Bryce Welker is an active speaker, blogger, and regular contributor to Forbes, Inc.com, and Business.com where he shares his knowledge to help others boost their careers. Bryce is the founder of more than 20 test prep websites that help students and professionals pass their certification exams.
