6 Best GRE Prep Courses That You Should Consider In 2024 (2024)

It can be hurtful when you cannot get into a graduate school of your choice despite good conduct. If you feel that your GRE score is the one thing that is stopping you, then this article is for you because I have reviewed all the best GRE prep courses that are available.

I did not randomly list them down but religiously took each of the best GRE prep courses personally. In fact, I am glad that I made the most out of the best GRE prep courses.

Obviously, I checked my learning after taking the best GRE prep courses, and I swear the results surprised me. Being a person who struggled with study schedules, the best GRE prep courses helped me with study materials, customized tutoring, and offered practical study tips.

Since the best GRE prep courses have a lot of similar features, I ensured to use all the features in the best GRE prep courses so that I can find the differences from one another.

After that, I decided to write down my reviews of the best GRE prep courses so that you can get an idea of how each of the GRE prep courses is and choose the best GRE prep course.

In this article, you will find everything about the best GRE prep courses, what to expect in the best GRE prep courses, the top five best GRE prep courses, and their benefits.

Towards the end, I also answer the ultimate verdict – “Which is the best GRE prep course?

What is a GRE Prep Course?

Spending sleepless nights, running through every chapter, attending online webinars, and if you are still struggling SO HARD to get that perfect score to get into the dream graduate school of your choice? That’s when you know you should be taking a GRE prep course.

GRE prep courses are nothing but standardized course settings that are well-structured and carefully curated for students so that it reduces the burden of studying too much all at once.

The best part about GRE prep courses is that they can make a world of difference from an average studying schedule laid down by a student because of its promising minimum test score and the number of question banks they offer to practice with added tips to keep up with the learning.

A student can get the utmost benefit out of a GRE prep course with accelerated training levels, personally tailored studying modules, and effective study advice throughout the course period.

Even if you are worried about not setting a goal or sticking to a plan, GRE prep courses have got your back with their exclusive study plan packages, which allow a student to study efficiently.

All GRE prep courses come in a particular format so that you do not get misguided during preparations for the biggest test of your life, that is, the GRE test. Assuring, right?

I mean, there is no reason to not take a GRE prep course except for the pricing, maybe, but you are getting multiple benefits that will help you to get through the most stressful exam ever!

What to Expect in a GRE Prep Course?

Although most people rush into taking GRE prep courses when their GRE exam is around the corner, they often forget to look at certain criteria when choosing the right GRE prep course.

For instance, you do not walk into the theater and watch a random movie; instead, you’d look out for what’s the best and decide to choose the movie before entering the theater.

Similarly, you have to understand that if the GRE prep course that you are choosing complies with specific aspects I will be listed below. It will tell you if a GRE prep course is worth it or not in a matter of seconds so that you do not get fooled by their false advertising:

1. Resourceful study materials

No matter how much you pay for the best GRE prep courses, it would be helpful if you were getting something valuable in return. Obviously, apart from the tutoring aspect, something to get going with the GRE preparation. Yes, you guessed it right. HELPFUL STUDY MATERIALS!

Study materials are insanely effective and help in keeping up with the GRE prep course training because usually, it is recommended to revise after every tutoring session.

With the provided study materials, you can recall all the learnings from the GRE prep course. Hence, ensure that you are provided with study materials, physical or digital, in some way.

2. Instructors’ quality

You do not want to get thought by an elementary school teacher, do you?

Only an experienced instructor who scored excellently in their GRE is expected to tutor a GRE prep course. Is that a rule? Maybe.

Only if you know that an instructor has excelled in their exam will you be confident in taking lessons and study advice from them.

Hence, I’d recommend researching the instructors’ quality in the GRE prep course that you are finalizing because you might pay for a GRE prep course and receive poor teaching.

3. Additional benefits

At the end of the day, you are paying for the best GRE prep course, so you are immune to expecting extra benefits from the GRE prep course that you have signed up with. The benefits from a GRE prep course do not have to be extravagant, but who wouldn’t like bonus features?

Instead of sticking to a standard protocol, additional benefits like live tutoring, personalized teaching, and a good amount of practice tests. Even free trials and refund policies can be counted so that you can get the taste of GRE prep courses without risking your money.

4. Ultimate budget

It is standard advice that you should not limit your budget on something if it helps you in return in the future, but you cannot throw your money on an overpriced program.

You have to do the math on the budget factor with other GRE prep courses because usually, low-priced GRE prep courses offer the ultimate benefit. Ensure that the GRE prep courses you have chosen do justice to their pricing; if not, it is better to drop it down and look for another.

If you are too worried about a GRE prep course’s budget, you can take a free trial and explore the variety of features that they offer so that you can decide if it is worth the pricing or not.

Who Should Take the GRE Prep Course?

There is no denial in the fact that the best GRE prep courses are openly available for everyone. I mean, there are no tests that a student has to qualify if they want to take a GRE prep course.

Although most students get lost in thinking if they really need a GRE prep course, only a few students actually opt for a GRE prep course since the other folk is still battling with confusion.

A GRE prep course is recommended to:

Basically, a GRE prep course is something that can speed up the study preparations for the GRE exam while ensuring quality tutoring and effective study materials. It’s a win-win situation.

If you have spent several months already and are short of time to prepare for the GRE, choosing one of the best GRE prep courses could be a recommended option. In my case, IT WORKED!

List of 6 Best GRE Prep Courses (Updated 2024)

To be honest, it was challenging to check through all the “best GRE prep courses”, but the good news is that you do not have to spend several hours doing the same since I got you covered.

From my research, I got the BEST GRE PREP COURSES considering several factors like pricing, features, extra benefits, and some pros & cons of each best GRE prep course.

I can assure you that the best GRE prep courses that I am listing will help in transforming your preparations into an ultimate goal-achieving study schedule. I am a living testimony to it.

Without further ado, let me dive into the list so that you can make up your decision quickly:

1. Magoosh GRE Prep

Price: $129-$149

Duration: 1 month – 6 month

Session: Self-paced (Online and Live)

Overview: Magoosh is one of the best GRE prep courses that provide valuable tutoring, and it is visible from the benefits that they offer like flashcards, progress tracking, video instructions, and even essay grading. Additionally, you get a course demo that shows a glimpse of what a typical course in Magoosh looks like. Impressive, right? You are also provided with a free trial so that you can explore Magoosh all you want without paying for their subscription.

Pros:

• Guaranteed minimum score.
• Availability of a free trial option.
• Excellent customer service.
• Email support is available.
• Helpful study materials.
• Affordable pricing.

Cons:

• Essay evaluation in premium tutoring only.
• Limited practice questions in Magoosh.

2. Kaplan Test Prep GRE

Price: $449-$1199

Duration: 6 months

Session: Live online, On-demand, and In-person classes

Overview: Kaplan Test Prep is yet another exciting GRE prep course where you are given three resourceful workbooks with a handy pocket reference. The study approach is different, and the instructors in Kaplan are of high quality only, so there is a guarantee you will be getting professional guidance and teaching. Additionally, the study plans are personally tailored.

Pros:

• A higher number of practice questions.
• You get practical live classes in Kaplan.
• Incredible study plans are provided.
• Instructor’s email support is available.
• Clear video instructions.
• Physical study materials.

Cons:

• Expensive tutoring.

3. Princeton Review

Price: $499 (discounted as $399)

Duration: 4 months

Session: Self-paced (Online and Live) and In-person

Overview: Princeton Review made it to the top list for genuine reasons like the provision of additional practice questions, guaranteed 162+ GRE score, and excellent course curriculum. The GRE prep course stands out in overall features and offers various benefits with top-notch video lessons and usage of advanced technology in smoothing the teaching process.

Pros:

• Personalized teaching.
• Additional practice questions.
• Excellent instructors’ quality.
• Well-structured video lessons.
• Guaranteed GRE score.
• A free trial is available.

Cons:

• Princeton Review is expensive.
• There is no study plan.

4. Manhattan Prep

Price: $299-$499

Duration: 1 month – 6 months

Session: Self-paced (Online and Live) and In-person

Overview: Manhattan Prep is known for its personalized tutoring. It has excellent comprehensive study materials that the students can make use of. With 27 hours of live instructions, you are deeply immersed in learning strategies and well-tutored in various sections. Manhattan Prep will be the perfect catch for you if you seek more customizable learning.

Pros:

• Flexible teaching.
• A free trial is available.
• Effective study materials.
• Customizable learning experience.
• Wide range of course selection.

Cons:

• No money-back guarantee.
• No minimum score guarantee.

5. Achievable

Price: $199

Duration: 12 months

Session: Self-paced only (Online)

Overview: Achievable is an excellent choice. You are getting a whopping 9000+ questions to practice with added benefits like adequate study plans and effective teaching. I would say that Achievable ticks all the boxes since it is affordable and valuable at the same time.

Pros:

• Unlimited practice questions.
• One-year access to GRE course.
• Advanced study plan with customization.
• Instant essay grading is also available.

Cons:

• No live classes in Achievable.
• No score-predictor is available.

6. PrepScholar GRE

Price: $38-$345

Duration: 1 Year – Unlimited

Session: Self-paced (Online Interactive Lessons)

Overview: PrepScholar was launched as an SAT prep course, but since then, they have added courses for multiple tests, including GRE. They offer 100% online materials to help students prepare at their own pace. Their algorithm optimizes your study plan in a much better way so you can get the most out of the resources. Unlike other courses on this list, GRE gives you access to its course materials for a year or a lifetime. So you will have no shortage of time to prepare for the exam.

Pros:

• 150+ hours of interactive strategies and lessons
• Over 1500 GRE questions across different skill lessons
• Two official GRE full-length practice tests
• 7+ points increase money back guarantee
• Unlimited access to the course
• Individual progress tracker

Cons:

• Not many practice tests are available
• Video lessons are not engaging as other courses

Benefits of Taking the GRE Prep Courses:

Although you might have learned about the features that all the best GRE prep courses offer, you are less likely to know how it can ultimately help better your GRE preparations.

Let me quickly share my experience of taking some of the best GRE prep courses so that you get an idea of how beneficial GRE prep courses really are.

Related Read:

• Best SAT Prep Courses
• Best LSAT Prep Courses

Final Verdict – Which Is The Best GRE Prep Course In 2024?

Taking GRE prep courses is the best decision I have made in terms of learning. I mean, I did not know that a preparatory course would drastically change my results.

After religiously taking all the best GRE prep courses, I can safely say that Magoosh is the best GRE prep course out there because of several factors, including efficient teaching with a proper study plan, guaranteed minimum score, and valuable study materials.

I mean, the learning style in Magoosh was unique and well-catered. I agree that there were limited practice questions, but the study approach excelled and compensated for the questions.

Princeton Review and Kaplan Test Prep were good GRE prep courses, but they did not step up to Magoosh’s level. Princeton Review was excellent in instructive video lessons, though.

Kaplan Test Prep was the only GRE prep course that provided physical study materials with handy pocket references, which was great. Lastly, Manhattan Prep and Achievable were competitive, but Achievable stood out in terms of practice questions.

I mean, more than 9000 questions are available in Achievable. Can you believe it?

Therefore, I would conclude by stating that the best GRE prep course must offer certain features by default, so you have to ensure that you are getting the most benefit at appropriate pricing.

Most GRE prep courses offer a free trial. Try it out and start prepping immediately!