Manhattan Prep

I took a GMAT course with Ceilidh Erickson this past fall (Sept-​Nov).
Initially I felt the course was pricey, but in retrospect, it was worth it. In terms of course material, you are given a very comprehensive review of all relevant concepts, divided into volumes for each subject that make focusing on a particular area easier; this much is to be expected given the price and reputation. What I found impressive in the layout of the materials was the way it was presented — even the tone that is used in the books. Core concepts and strategies are effectively drilled in a positive and encouraging way, and there is an emphasis on overall test taking technique that is extremely relevant to a test like the GMAT. Included is also a breadth of material outside the subject areas (GMAT roadmap, business school advice, outside 1-​on-​1 tutoring session, to name a few) that gives you a really good preview of what to expect in the application process.
Ceilidh’s instruction and style was excellent. She is exceedingly positive and likable, and her techniques are effective at keeping the class engaged. This was no small feat considering I took a class from 6:30 — 9:30 on a weekday, a timeslot when, after a long day’s work, it was quite difficult to get excited to study. Even in the group setting, where students are always going to be at different levels on different topics, I never felt like we didn’t touch a particular topic enough or spent too much time on one (of course students in a class setting need to individually tailor their own study plans).
In the end, there’s no miracle course, and I always believe in these types of programs, you get what you put in. I certainly buckled down and put in a lot of hours, and kept up with the assigned work (for the most part). Even so, I can say that I wouldn’t have been able to achieve my score improvement without Ceilidh and the Manhattan prep course. I recommend both to anyone looking to dive into the GMAT or improve his/​her score.

Studying for the GMAT was one of the hardest/​worst things I’ve ever made myself do (hyperbole much?) but I think it probably would have been harder without Manhattan GMAT. I took a class and if I had to do it over, I’d probably go with private tutoring. Compared to the rest of my class, I needed more help on the quant and much less help on the verbal, and because half of each class was devoted to verbal, it sort of felt like wasted time; I wish I’d gone with tutoring (since it’s not like the class was that much cheaper) to have had more one-​on-​one, tailored instruction That being said, I followed the curriculum religiously and did all the extra worksheets and materials as I prepared. I took the test 4 months after starting the class and my score went up 80 points from my diagnostic. i think all the materials they give you can be very overwhelming but if you’re able to keep up with the syllabus, and really put in the time, you’ll see the results. I appreciate that if you’re not happy with your score they let you retake the class basically for the price of the textbooks, and I liked that I was able to have a few one-​on-​one phone calls with my teacher to go over various practice tests. I’d definitely recommend MGMAT as a prep company, but I’d suggest you think carefully over whether a class or private tutoring is better for you.

Two years ago, I took a Kaplan course and I did fairly well on the GMAT. I was pretty content, but I wanted to see if I could do any higher, so last summer, I took a class with MGMAT with Gregg Lachow. More on him in a minute. But long story short, with MGMAT, my score fell more than 100 points. I then took a break for a few months and then returned and studied all on my own using my Kaplan material, and my score on my third try was the highest of the three. Do with that what you will.
The actual class is $ 1600 for 9 weekly sessions. Pro tip — if you know someone who works there, they can give you 50% off. You get a lot of homework, which I did and reviewed each week religiously, so you must plan accordingly. Seriously, I have never worked harder before in my life. On the syllabus, there are «easier» questions and «harder» questions, and I recommend doing both sets each week, in addition to the regular questions. I also recommend beginning to study before you take the class. They provide hundreds of flashcards with questions on them; you won’t have time to do this while in class so go through them before class starts. You may find them helpful.
You are given 6 practice tests, and once you finish those, the website regurgitates the questions so you have access to 6 more tests, but with a lot of questions that you will have already seen. So once I began the second set of tests, I felt that my scores weren’t very precise; I was more so being tested on taking MGMAT’s tests than on the GMAT itself. Also, the syllabus doesn’t account for all of the 6 tests, so you may want to adjust it based on when you want to take your real test.
There are several flaws. First, I found several math typos in their books and online material (that I confirmed with teachers). Numbers left out, wrong calculations, etc. This is bad enough when you are dealing with math, but when I emailed them to let them know about this, they not only did not care, but also did not fix them. Second, they only reveal to you after you’ve done poorly that you could have had a post-​class assessment. And only if you reach out to your teacher once you do poorly will you find out about the post-​exam assessment. This should be known to students from the get-​go. Third, in class you do 2 – 3 questions a topic, but this is not nearly enough. I thought class time could have been used much more efficiently to cover more types of questions. Fourth, they offer a room in which you could take your practice tests, but this room is adjacent to a classroom with a very thin wall in between. With earplugs, you can clearly hear the teacher next door, which is very disruptive. And don’t bother nicely asking the teacher to please lower her voice. Fifth, my PEA instructor, Chris Peckover, who I had a session with in mid December, created unrealistic expectations for me; he wanted me to take my GMAT again two weeks into January, even though I told him I was going away for a week in December — how this made any sense to him, I can’t tell ya. He fully chose to ignore that I was going to be going away and that it wasn’t going be enough time. Good thing I didn’t follow his plan and waited a few more weeks… Sixth and last, while Gregg is very nice and funny, he could be a much stronger teacher. Also, once he found out that English is my third language, he kept making implications that I had a lot of grammar to learn when, in fact, I knew my grammar better than the entire class…
I really wanted to give MGMAT a higher rating — this is my score and money, after all — but it just wasn’t the fine-​tuned experience I was expecting.

The GMAT prep course here is expensive and time consuming, but well worth the results. I had Josh as my instructor and he was patient with the more challenging topics and prioritized those to avoid wasting students’ time on the easier material. The textbooks are extremely thorough and provide lots of practice problems/​qs.
If you can afford it, I’d definitely recommend taking the class.

I did 8 tutoring hours with Dan Bernstein and it increased my score by 1xx points (I won’t tell you exactly how many; I’m not that much of a braggart.) I’d been out of school more than 5 years and owned a million GMAT books but couldn’t figure out how to tackle them with any semblance of organization. I had less than 6 weeks until my test and was in a state of utter panic because I couldn’t do any math in a reasonable amount of time.
Basically, the man is a wizard. Well, maybe not a wizard, but just a really patient, approachable math teacher who’s capable of helping anyone circumvent a pathological math freeze-​up. He’s also a pretty cool dude.
And of course, the Manhattan GMAT materials are the best out there. I wasted way too much time with a Kaplan book. Don’t do that.

Ii think it’s overrated or maybe it really depends on instructors. I see a lots of good reviews about couple of instructors.
have to ratings: .5 stars for books and tools and 2 – 3 stars for the course.
I took in-​person course with Ceilidh Erickson last year.
First of it she was bit nervous when she taught, maybe she was new instructor at that point, I’m sure she is definitely knowledgeable. Secondly, the class was boring, even though I was motivated, couldn’t wait to leave sooner.
If you never studied GMAT before, mgmat is not a good choice. I felt I needed to prepare a bit before I went to took the class.

I had two things going against me when I started the GMAT process: 1) I had been out of school for about 5 years, and 2) I am a terrible standardized test taker. I figured if I was going to have a shot at getting into a top tier school, I would need a lot of help.
I signed up for a 9-​week, classroom-​based course for David Mahler. He was a fantastic teacher. In class, he not only shows you how to do a problem, he explains why other methods are bad or less efficient. In addition to the his incredible lecture method, he helps prepare you for studying outside the classroom. Face it, the course is only 9-​weeks — you are going to have quite a bit of prep to do, after the course ends. Having a instructor that will help you build a game plan to test day is invaluable.
One of the competitive advantages of Manhattan is their OG Archer software program. Basically, it is an online program where you answer problems from the GMAC books. The software categorizes all the problems by type and difficulty and it times you as you answer problem, so that after a while you build up a big enough data set to see your performance analytics. You can sort your results by type, time, etc. and the software even creates scatter plots of your performance. In the end, you have a tremendous tool to help you quickly identify the areas where you need to spend the most study time.
While I missed my target score by 10 points, I improved 160 points from beginning to end and was accepted into my #1 school. Now that I am accepted to a top tier program, I don’t care that I missed my target. Thanks David, thanks Manhattan.

I took an in-​person course with Jonathan last year and — seriously — it is the best thing I could have done to prep for the GMAT. I heartily agree with the other reviewers in my opinion of Manhattan GMAT — they really focused on understanding the material and the test itself, in order to produce the best scores. I thought Jonathan was a fantastic teacher as well — he really took time to help his students and seemed to genuinely care and want success for us. He’s whip-​smart and knows the test inside and out, and he made each concept easy to understand.
The class itself is a lot of work — don’t come in thinking someone’s going to do the studying/​planning for you. There’s a substantial amount of homework each week (about 2 – 3 hours per night if you space it out) and honestly, don’t bother taking the class if you’re not prepared to buckle down. There were a few people in my class who came in un-​prepared each week and I just didn’t get it — it’s just a waste of your money to do that.
I took the GMAT three weeks after my course ended, and in the interim I used Manhattan GMAT’s resources to review and refresh (they have an iPhone app with digital flashcards which I found really helpful for studying on the go). All that said, I ended up with a 99^th-​percentile score.
The GMAT can seem like a huge obstacle in the beginning, and even with the help of a prep class it’s a lot of work — but it is doable. Manhattan GMAT was a huge help throughout the process for me, and I’d highly recommend them.

When I signed up to take the GMAT I enrolled in a Kaplan online course and went through and did all the class sessions and homework. But by test day, I had only improved about 30 – 40 points. Needless to say, I did not feel nearly prepared enough to take the GMAT. So I pushed my test date back by 4 months and enrolled in a 9 week in-​classroom MGMAT course.
The course was great. My teacher, Gregg, knew how to teach the GMAT in a way that helped us to actually understand the material, rather than just glossing over the fundamentals. The strategy guides were very instructive and really taught me how to do the problems rather than just tips and shortcuts. It was presented in an easy-​to-​understand manner and I felt like I was making real progress. The class sessions were also very helpful. They helped to cement what I was learning through my homework, and I learned additional strategies and time management techniques. I feel like the Kaplan course was good for the basics, but the MGMAT course really helped to solidify the concepts and take my problem solving abilities to the next level. The online resources were also pretty useful, especially the practice tests. They seem to be fairly representative of the actual test, and my practice test scores were very close to what I actually scored, which ended up being about 110+ points higher than where I was when I started studying.
I would definitely recommend this course for anyone looking to see a huge bump in their score. Even if you can’t attend a live class, the full set of books is definitely a score improvement guarantee. I definitely think that MGMAT was a huge factor in me being able to get a 700+ score.

Fantastic training and materials, great staff. Tommy was entertaining and engaging during every session — makes for a great training program overall. Everyone in my class had nothing but positives to say.

Without a doubt the best GMAT prep available in Manhattan. I took a great class with Dave last fall. The materials they provide are super helpful, there are plenty of resources at your disposal, and the location is definitely convenient. A word to the wise, check to see how many students will be enrolled in the class you’re thinking of taking. If you can, try to enroll in a class with fewer students, so you get more personalized attention. Highly recommend.

I have to throw this down. I took the GMAT course with Gregg Lachow. Without a doubt, one of the best teachers I’ve had in a long time. Witty, dry humored, intelligent, and most of all excited and animated in front of the class, Gregg delivered week after week. The course is set up to keep you awake, engaged and learning.
Gregg delivered to all levels of the class, explained difficult concepts with ease and turned the abstract into simple and meaningful stories and analogies.
He is great on math, stellar on readying/​verbal, and spot on with writing. What I also really liked were Gregg’s tips at the end of each class about how to get into business school.
GREGG AND MANHATTAN GMAT ARE BOSS. IF YOU WANT TO CRUSH THE GMAT, DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME ANYWHERE ELSE.

I took the in-​person class over the summer. My instructor was very experienced and it showed. Not only did he teach the material but he also tried to honed in individuals’ pitfalls.
Tons of resources are available on their on-​line student center. They have practice exams along with analytics to point ur your week points. They also provide on-​line class recordings that you can watch even after your in-​person classes are over.
Even with the Manhattan GMAT, the journey will still not be easy but you’ll definitely have the tools and resources you need to get there.

I took an in-​person course with Gregg Lachow — I’ll echo the other reviewers — you are getting the best GMAT prep course on the market, and Gregg was an experienced and animated teacher.
To its credit, Manhattan GMAT is smart *and* strategic — it doesn’t teach shortcuts but helps you home in on your strengths and weaknesses. And then gives you plenty of additional resources to improve your weak areas. I was getting pretty pathetic scores on my practice tests — and even on the first GMAT I took *right after* I finished Manhattan GMAT. But my second GMAT, exactly a month later, was 700+.
Bottom line: put in the work during the course + work with Manhattan GMAT’s resources on your weaknesses after the course is over = you should reach the score you want.

I took the 9-​week GMAT course about a year ago and it was surprisingly enjoyable. My teacher was Gregg Lachow, who was very smart, down-​to-​earth, flexible and just very well-​rounded. I believe I wrote on my review to them that I wished that he had been one of my college professors!
Apart from the teacher, every interaction I had with MGMAT employees was professional and helpful, whether it was calling for more information or even emailing them. I liked my class so much that I organized a group class at my company and worked with Evyn Williams, who was fantastic.
The 9-​week course included a TON of books, from the official GMAT guide to ones by Manhattan GMAT. It also included access to a variety of testing tools on the website. I used these quite frequently and felt that they were easy-​to-​use and helped me track my progress.
In all, the price is pretty steep but I luckily got my money back for helping to organize the corporate class. I still think it’s worth it for the great customer service, amount of materials they give you, and the quality of the teaching.

It has been my experience that there are very few services from which one comes away feeling as though they probably underpaid, especially a service as expensive as this however, I must say that this is one of those rare service providers.
The instructors are as advertised: smart, knowledgeable, helpful, accessible, friendly, and (to the extent possible) fun. The instructors are the core of the service and the company must know this because they must pay well, and otherwise treat their workers well, because they attract and retain such high caliber people who are also really into their jobs.
What I noticed about the instructors is that despite the fact that they are ridiculously good at the test they can teach the concepts to both advanced learners and people who are particularly clueless on a topic. They have a lot of patience and want to you to ask them the tough questions.
They are also great at motivating you and understanding the stress that you’re under as you study for this test. One time I was in class and I felt that the I knew the subject matter pretty well and I was clearly not paying attention. The instructor found me at the break and persuaded me to pay attention in a very subtle way.
Beyond the strength of the instructors, the prep materials are a key asset of the experience. They do a great job of breaking down the concepts from a content standpoint and building your base of knowledge while also tying that content knowledge directly to real GMAT practice problems. There are a ton of practice questions as well, which is important.
There are also tons of extra services that people tend not to take advantage of such as the office hours.
What I found to be a real gem was that if after taking the class you take the real test and don’t do as well as you would have liked, the company gives you a free phone session with one of their best instructors to help you get on track.
Furthermore, if you decide you want to retake the class they only charge you $ 300 which is essentially just the cost of the materials; that’s a pretty good deal.
All in all, I was very satisfied with my experience. I wish that Manhattan GMAT could apply its management techniques to other industries as well. This is a very uniquely well run business.

I highly recommend this test prep company. The teachers are extremely energetic, intelligent and helpful. The techniques work and the classes are very interactive and intense. Their online tools are awesome– they track everything and synthesize all the information for you. They also have test simulation rooms where you can take practice tests. The company is just phenomenal.
The only cons: the elevators in the building are so incredibly slow/​broken so you need to arrive about 15 minutes early. Also, the first few classes were in a classroom that had some air conditioning issues that produced loud noises. Not the most conducive to learning. Eventually though, we were moved upstairs to the 12^th floor where the AC worked and the classrooms were nice and clean.
I have recommended this company for every single one of my friends who are thinking about taking the GMAT.

This place is great. Its worth the money if you are willing to do the work.
The teachers are great, they really know what they are talking about.
The best thing about it is the online component. I took 1 practice test a week leading up to my exam and ended up with very prepared and the score I got on the actual test was the same as my average on my last few practice tests.

Pros:
–Online tools that include a recording of each class (if you take the 9 week course)
–Great teachers
–Free 30 minute tutor each week
–Tutors and teachers do not watch the clock. They will help as much as they can.
–Great if you need some extra help studying. For me, I would simply not read this material if I were not in this class.
Cons:
–Expensive
Thank you Unilocal for this find. I am in the process of taking their 9 week class. I HATE taking tests and annoying math problems. BUT– this class is very helpful. Their books are great and their online tools are fantastic.
I will update my review once I finish the class.

I have two ratings for MGMAT:
3 stars for private tutoring
5 stars for the study materials
I signed up for private tutoring because it accommodated my busy schedule. If you purchase a package of 5 or more sessions, you also get all the study guides and access to the online resources, including prerecorded classes.
I was very disappointed with my tutor because he wasn’t prepared for our sessions. I often had to remind him of what we had last covered. At $ 200 an hour, I expected him to lead the tutoring sessions. I signed up for tutoring because I was afraid that I wouldn’t be disciplined enough to complete the online course, but in the end, my perseverance paid off. Actually, most of my friends w/​mba’s told me I would probably be successful studying on my own. However, I insisted on getting a tutor because it had been almost a decade since my last math class.
Tutoring isn’t for everyone, and if you haven’t had one before, I suggest you sign up for one session before committing to a package. I was lucky that they refunded my unused hours but I’m not sure that this is a common practice. Student support was very accommodating but it took numerous phone calls for them to respond to my concerns.
In the end, I had over a 100pt gain and «beat the gmat,» broke 700. It was due to my perseverance and those great study guides. I studied over a 4 month period and took the test twice. In reality, I had about 2 months of quality studying.
I’ve heard mixed reviews of the live classes, but I think it all comes down to one’s learning style. I suggest taking a free class at the different prep companies to see which one best meets your needs.
has great reviews on the different prep companies and materials.
Happy studying!