Are GMAT prep courses worth it?

You’ve made the decision to study for the GMAT exam before you apply to business school. Now, you’re probably thinking about whether or not you should enroll in a GMAT prep course.

GMAT test prep courses, from the likes of Manhattan Prep, Magoosh, Kaplan Test Prep, and the Princeton Review could help boost your GMAT score—if you commit to studying.

But these GMAT classes come at a cost. Manhattan Prep GMAT courses can cost as much as $2,200, while the Princeton Review charges a $167 hourly rate, according to MBA Insight.

You can also prepare for the GMAT on your own. Using our GMAT Official Guide and other GMAT prep books you can study hard to get a good GMAT score—and many MBA and business master’s students do just this.

Still, there are also benefits to hiring a GMAT tutor.

Benefits of GMAT prep courses

Structure

Perhaps one of the biggest benefits of enrolling in a GMAT prep course is that it gives structure to your studies. 

Rather than deciding what content you’re going to cover, and how you’re going to tackle it, a GMAT prep course (whether it’s live or on-demand) will likely have all of the content already divided up into blocks, so it's a case of working through it. 

Motivation

A GMAT tutor can also provide much-needed motivation, discipline, and accountability as you go through your GMAT prep. 

Once you invest in a prep course, there's a strong chance that you will make a conscious effort to show up to each session, so you can get the most from your money. 

Inside knowledge

Another pro of enrolling in a GMAT course is that you will have the opportunity to learn specific test-taking methods and tricks that you may not learn if you’re studying solo. Of course, your tutor is likely to have plenty of insider knowledge about how to get the best score possible.

List of the best GMAT prep course providers

The benefits of studying solo for the GMAT

Study at your own pace

The main benefit to studying for the exam on your own is that you have much more flexibility to go at your own pace. 

You can use the GMAT Official Guide, for example, to get familiar with the GMAT exam structure—the Verbal, Quantitative, and Data Insights sections—and test yourself with real practice questions from past GMAT exams.

If you’re planning to study while balancing other commitments, studying on your own might be the option for you. That's especially the case if you feel like you can’t commit to studying at a consistent number of hours and the same days/times each week. 

Choose your own study methods

Additionally, studying solo tends to work better for students who prefer less traditional study methods. 

GMAT prep courses are usually highly structured, both in terms of the way that the information is taught and the strategies you adopt. 

So if you struggle with structured learning, you may prefer to prep for the GMAT on your own.

When should you choose a GMAT prep course?

If you’re on the fence about whether or not you should hire a GMAT tutor or enroll in a prep course, it’s a good idea to take a step back and assess a few different areas before making a decision. 

First, think about your preferred learning and studying styles and research how that matches with prep courses. Do the courses seem like they would be a strong match?

Second, be realistic about your schedule, how much time do you have to devote to studying both in class and between sessions? Will you be able to keep up with the pace that most GMAT prep courses move(usually, on the faster side)?

If you’re the type of person who takes things at a slower pace, or if you don’t have the consistency in your schedule that many prep courses require, studying solo might be your best bet. 

Finally, it’s important to also think about this question from a financial lens. If you have the financial means to invest in a reputable and top-rated GMAT prep course, and you think it will help you, by all means, go full steam ahead!  

If you’re interested in having some more structure to your studies, but you can’t quite justify some of the price tags that often come with those courses, it may be to your benefit to explore less costly study options. In this case, seek out free guidance such as via the Inside the GMAT podcast or via webinars from GMAC. 

So are GMAT prep courses worth it?

The vast majority of the best GMAT prep courses will cost you hundreds, possibly even thousands, of dollars. Are they worth it?  

Ultimately, the answer to this question is unique to each and every test-taker. A GMAT prep course is only worth it if you are willing to adopt your tutor’s approaches and put in the time and effort required. 

A good tutor should also take a collaborative approach, establishing what you’ve studied so far, where your strengths and weaknesses lie, and how they can help you achieve your potential—rather than making you slot in with a one-size-fits-all study program.

However if  you are not keen to learn new study or  test-taking strategies, or you refuse to practice in your own time, then no matter how much of a good fit a course is for your schedule or budget, it may be better to wait until you’re ready to fully commit yourself to the endeavor.