PrepScholar GRE Review
Intro
PrepScholar is a test prep company founded in 2013, and one of the first companies to bring customized learning to the test prep field. Those who go on to be PrepScholar’s teachers make up the top one percent of GRE scorers, PhDs, and MBAs from some of the top graduate schools.
While researching the ins and outs of standardized exams, we found -- when it comes to selecting test prep courses - most students have three criteria: 1. Higher Scores in minimal Learning Time 2. Price 3. Enjoyable Process. Our reviews will examine each prep course in accordance to how well it delivers on these three criteria.
How does PrepScholar meet the criteria?
Higher score in less time
PrepScholar was one of the first companies (along with examPAL) to realize that every student is different, and you can’t design a singular cookiecutter GRE course for everybody. As a result, PrepScholar created a machine learning algorithms that customizes the learning process according to student’s strengths and weaknesses.
So how does it work? The system first studies student’s strengths and weaknesses, based on 60 diagnostic questions that determine the student’s starting point. PrepScholar then uses its machine algorithms to build a custom course for students.
Another plus worth mentioning is the ‘PrepScholar guided Study Plan’. After finishing the diagnostic part, the system asks you to set the hours in which you will commit to studying throughout the week. Then, factoring in your answer and the GRE test date, the system tells you exactly what you need to do, what are the lessons you need to complete and for what you should be ready next week.
This assists students in maintaining a steady study routine and helps them better focus on what they need to prepare for.
However, most of PrepScholar’s lessons contain written explanations and few interactive videos — this may be less comfortable for students who benefit best from verbal explanations to understand what they are learning.
Price & Plans
PrepScholar is priced between $197-$398. If students want to test out PrepScholar, they can receive a five-day free trial with access to all the system’s materials.
The most popular plan offered by PrepScholar is its one-year access plan, which costs $197 and includes 150+ hours of interactive lessons and strategies, personalized onboarding, email reminders, 300+ hours of skill-based mini-lessons for the newest GRE, 1,500+ GRE questions, 2 official GRE full-length practice exams and four one-on-one essay grading and individual feedback sessions. The lifetime access plan costs $398.
An enjoyable learning process
PrepScholar gives you the option to access your GRE program online wherever, whenever, you like. The PrepScholar system is quite intuitive and its interface is user-friendly and simple-to-navigate, which makes for a more enjoyable prep experience.
Extras
- In its plans, PrepScholar offers a ‘Score Guarantee.’ If students don’t improve their score by 7+ points, PrepScholar will provide a full refund
- Free GRE math workshop
- Grad school admission guides
- Unique learning algorithms
- One year or a lifetime access
- No live lessons
- No tutoring options
- Few video lessons
- Must give a credit card to receive the five-day free trial
