Kaplan GMAT Test Prep Various Cities Various States Review

College entrance tests can sometimes present a serious challenge for prospective students and this is especially true for those who have been out of school for a long period of time. Study guides of all types exist and there are also some on- line courses that students can register for and use as a means to sharpen up skills and prepare for the exam. But for some, these self- study methods are not enough and they leave too many open questions that cannot be answered. For those who want to enroll in business school, a live, in- person course might be just the answer. And one possible course to enroll in is the Kaplan GMAT Course, a classroom study course.

What is Included:

Kaplan's classroom study course includes nine classroom study sessions, beginning with a diagnostic test that takes 2.5 hours to complete. The purpose of this test is to determine where students stand in their general aptitude and where their skill level would place them if they took an actual test. This diagnostic test consumes the entire first class meeting. The remaining classes are the same 2.5 hours in length and they alternate back and forth between math and verbal sections.

Besides the classroom sessions, Kaplan students also receive access to the Kaplan on- line web site. Here, students can access their diagnostic test; participate in on- line workshops in specific areas in order to improve knowledge and skill level; take full- length practice tests; access practice questions similar to those on the actual GMAT; and even learn how to eliminate test taking stress.

Kaplan backs up its claim that it helps students get better scores with its "High Score Guarantee". This is a money back guarantee that will refund your money if your actual GMAT score doesn't improve over your baseline (diagnostic) score. This guarantee is valid as long as students attend all of the scheduled classes (or schedule a make- up if one is missed), perform all of the required homework assignments each week, and take all of the required practice tests. As an additional guarantee, Kaplan also allows students to sit through another nine- week class session at no extra charge if, after taking the course once, they don't feel they are ready to take the actual test.
 
Education Commentary:

When it comes to college entrance exams, proper study is critical if a student wants to achieve a high score and test prep classroom courses are a good place to turn for maximum involvement and guidance. I have taken the GMAT test myself and I know how important it is to properly prepare for a long day at the testing center. Before I took the GMAT, I utilized a study guide and several on- line web sites to help me improve my skills. Today, I am an instructor for Kaplan and I have been teaching the GMAT course for several years.  

What sets classroom study apart from the other means of test prep study is, of course, the live interaction from an actual person. With these classes, students who feel they need more help with preparation can get the answers to tough questions. They can also benefit from the explanations given from a live teacher. Books and on- line courses are good and they are certainly better than no test prep at all. But they cannot compare to the knowledge gained from taking an actual classroom course. This is definitely the case on the GMAT because there are several areas of this test that cannot always be understood through other means.
 
Among the different sections of the GMAT, I have found that my students are the most interested in learning how to tackle the data sufficiency part of the test. Data sufficiency is unique to the GMAT and it is completely mathematical and/or rational in scope. It presents specific challenges to students and it is usually the area where most students receive their lowest grade on the diagnostic test. Once the course is complete, most students come away with a much better understanding of data sufficiency. Some still cannot grasp the idea completely but even these students come away knowing new ways to approach these problems in order to at least narrow down the choices and improve the chances for finding the correct answer.

This brings me to the next important point to make about the Kaplan GMAT Course that many do not realize: Kaplan isn't a course focused solely on basic skills- it is really a course on learning test taking strategies. If you are thinking about entering Business school than it is assumed that you already know basic skills like the rules of grammar and punctuation, geometric principles, the basics of algebra, and sufficient ability to understand written material. In these classroom courses, basic knowledge is only briefly mentioned. The bulk of the course is spent covering the different methods that can be used to solve problems accurately and in the shortest amount of time because when it comes down to it, what really matters is the score you get on test day. If, for example, using a "picking numbers" strategy results in finding correct answers in shorter time than working through a problem algebraically, then it makes sense to use the picking numbers strategy (one of several taught in the classroom). No one cares if a student has the ability to work through algebra problems with prowess. All that matters is the bottom- line score and students need to discover which shortcut methods work for them. If general knowledge is lacking, there are plenty of on- line workshops for students to access for personal improvement. The class time is spent mostly talking about test- taking strategy, not test content.

Bottom Line: