Applicants preparing for the GRE have a lot of options – from self-study using books and practice tests, to in-person courses, to private tutoring. Today I’m reviewing one test prep option: Magoosh’s online GRE prep course.
What is it?
It’s a comprehensive, flexible online GRE prep course, which includes videos, general information, test prep strategy, substantial banks of practice questions, and full sample exams. There are also resources to help you study, such as flashcards for math and vocabulary.
How does it work?
You can move through the resources at your own pace (helpfully, Magoosh also supplies recommended study schedules, depending on how much time you have until your test date). I started by watching the introductory videos, which provide an overview of what the GRE tests and are a good introduction to test-taking strategy. The video guides for each section of the exam are also clear and helpful, providing a concise overview of concepts you may have forgotten while focusing on the logic that governs the test.
Then there are the practice questions: hundreds of sample questions for the verbal and math sections. You can customize your practice (setting the length of your session, the difficulty of the questions, etc), and you can review your practice questions to learn from what you got wrong. You can also take full-length practice exams.
Who is it right for?
This is a strong, comprehensive GRE prep course that has the advantage of flexibility: you can access the flashcards and practice questions from anywhere, so if you have a few minutes and your phone, you can fit in some study time. The course provides guidance and strategy, and the Magoosh team responds quickly to inquiries (when I messaged their helpdesk, I received a reply within a few hours; they say they normally respond within a day). But working through a self-paced online course does require a certain amount of motivation – if you know that you’re the type of person who needs the structured environment of a classroom (or a one-on-one tutoring interaction), then you might want to look elsewhere.
Overall?
I think this is an impressive resource. It’s flexible, well-thought-out, easy to use, and provides both a wealth of study materials and the support to use them effectively.
By Dr. Rebecca Blustein, Accepted consultant since 2008, former Student Affairs Officer at UCLA’s Scholarship Resource Center. Dr. Blustein, who earned her Ph.D. at UCLA, has helped hundreds of applicants get accepted to top MS, MA, and Ph.D. programs. She’s also an expert on grad school funding and scholarships. Want Rebecca to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!
Related Resources:
• 5 Killer GRE Prep Tips [on-demand webinar]
• More Business Schools Accepting GRE than Ever Before
• Where to Find Good GRE Practice Questions
