How to Compare Prep Courses
During our research on test prep courses, we identified three key criteria for GMAT & GRE students to consider:
- How do I earn the score I need in the shortest amount of time?
- Is it affordable?
- Does it provide an enjoyable learning experience?
Thanks to modern learning technology, students can now achieve the above goals in an efficient and cost-effective way. The Edtech revolution has changed the game by enabling flexibility, personalization not possible in older, in-class-based methods of learning.
Traditionally, to enroll in a course, students had to do so based on availability and proximity to their physical location. This significantly limited their options. Today, however, you can choose from a much larger variety of options, both online and off.
Before making a choice, ask yourself:
Does the company have the technology and means to both accelerate my learning and identify the best methods of problem-solving to help me achieve my desired score?
Tools For Success
Personalization
The first and most important quality a system must have is a personalized and adaptive approach to teaching. The prep course company must realize that each student has their own strengths and weaknesses, and there are many different ways to approach one question.
The study system should take students through the shortest route to answer each question and analyze their own mistakes, so they can highlight which areas need additional attention.
There are a number of companies that manage to create a system capable of teaching students, identifying their strengths and shortcomings, and designing a personalized learning strategy.
For instance, if a student gets a question wrong, the system then provides an explanation. This explanation will match one of the multiple methods identified that most accurately fits how each student solves problems. This is the opposite of how official GMAT books work, as they are incapable of identifying when answers are wrong or right.
Modern User Experience
Second, the system must be clear, organized, intuitive and easy to use. To achieve this, the system must have a modern user interface, a logical learning process and a good combination of quantitative and verbal material.
Since studying can be frustrating at times, a good system will also employ certain elements of gamification and fun to maintain a student’s attention and use it as motivation throughout the studying process. A good system does this by combining animations, stories, jokes etc, directly into its lessons.
Finally, it is important that the system can build a study schedule according to their test date, as well as provide a diverse array of support in the form of live chat, phone, email, Q&A and more.
So, when it comes to choosing a prep course company, it’s essential to recognize the company’s core technology, the process, its previous achievements, and – most importantly – its current value proposition.
