How P&Q Readers Rate Their GMAT Test Prep Companies


We saw a slightly better relationship between happiness with the outcome of the score. Manhattan Prep took first place in the happiness ranking, while also, on the aggregate, demonstrating the highest increase in GMAT scores. But Empower, Target Test Prep, and Veritas, the providers that students recommended the most, also made their students happy with the outcome, despite having lower than average score increases.

Overall, respondents were not overly positive on the different companies adequately meeting their individual needs, which makes sense considering the majority of respondents used the self-guided generic platforms or classes. Overall, respondents that used Target Test Prep were much more satisfied in this category than other platforms and gave the company an average of 4.2. Empower (3.92) and Manhattan (3.91) rounded out the top three. At the bottom was The Princeton Review at just 3.5.

Respondents were more confident in the platform’s “deep expertise” in the GMAT. Target Test Prep and Veritas again topped the list with respondents giving each platform an average of 4.5 out of five possible points. Official GMAT followed with a 4.43. And once again, The Princeton Review was at the bottom with just 3.93. Overall, respondents gave all platforms an average score of 4.28.

In terms of making difficult concepts clear, Target Test Prep’s platforms were rated best by respondents with a 4.45. Empower (4.23) and the Economist (4.0) rounded out the top three. This time at the bottom was Kaplan with a 3.47. Overall, the average was relatively low at 3.84.

Author Betsy Massar is the founder and CEO of Master Admissions, a leading MBA admissions consulting firm. P&Q turned to Betsy for her analytical and quant skills for this analysis of the data that was collected by Poet&Quants’ Nathan Allen.

DON’T MISS: EXCLUSIVE STUDY: TEST PREP COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE THE BIGGEST SCORE INCREASE or STUDY HABITS OF GMAT’S TOP 10% SCORERS