Are you interested in going to grad school? If so, then you know you’ll have to study for the GRE test. While it may sound daunting, it can be much less so if you enroll in a GRE prep program. There are a few different options offered by big test prep companies.
In this review, we will discuss two of the main GRE courses that students take to prepare for the GRE. Kaplan and Magoosh both have similar offerings, but which one is better? In our opinion, one of these test prep options takes the edge.
If you are trying to decide on Magoosh or Kaplan, then check out our guide.
Kaplan vs Magoosh GRE Prep Course - Key Differences
The main difference between Magoosh and Kaplan GRE tests is that Magoosh offers a +5 point guarantee, while Kaplan only +1 point increase. Magoosh is an online learning platform that provides 1200 practice questions, while Kaplan offers over 5000 questions.
Magoosh offers two primary plans - a last-minute and an extended option. On the other hand, Kaplan is another academic tutorial company that provides a Self-Guided Course and Self-Guided Course Plus option.
Both options offer access for 6 months with your purchase.
Magoosh’s last-minute plan offers students 1-month of access to all the course material. If you need additional study time, then you can sign up for the extended prep course option.
It allows students access for 6 months to all of the course material. The 6-month access pass is best for students who have more time to study.
With six months of access, you will get all of the Kaplan material needed to increase your score. You will have access to all of the course materials online, but the latter offers additional test-taking score boosters.
Kaplan
- Offers a tutoring program
- Includes offline learning resources
- Provides more than 5000 practice questions
- Good customer support
- More expensive than other platforms
- No free trial
Magoosh
- Comes with a 7-day free trial
- Comes with unique score predictor
- Impressive interface design
- Guarantees a +5 point result increase
- No live streaming option
Things To Consider
Pricing
The price might be one of the most significant deciding factors for many students. Let’s face it, college students are broke, and they don’t have a ton of money to spend on test prep courses. We think Magoosh takes the win in this category.
Magoosh offers one of the best prices out of all the test prep companies we have reviewed. You can get access to their full online course for a fraction of the cost of Kaplan’s GRE prep course. Kaplan offers many different course options, however.
Plans
When it comes to plans, Kaplan might have the edge if you are willing to pay top-dollar for it. Kaplan has more course options than Magoosh. In our opinion, online self-paced GRE prep is the best choice.
Magoosh only has an online, self-paced option. Kaplan, on the other hand, has live online, in-person, and online self-guided GRE courses. Kaplan certainly has more options to choose from, but they cost a lot more.
Kaplan also has a live online option that offers students once a week classes for 7 weeks. These courses are instructor-led and require students to complete homework assignments between classes. This option is ideal for people who want some accountability in their GRE study plans.
Kaplan has an in-person program for students who want to experience a real classroom setting. This option is best for students who perform well in a classroom setting, which they must attend every week. It is similar to the live course, but it requires students to participate in a center for classes.
Study Materials
This is where you’ll find the meat of the GRE prep courses. It is essential to consider what you are getting with each prep course. Kaplan has more GRE resources than Magoosh, but you will pay a lot for those materials.
The Magoosh GRE course comes with access to 1,200 practice questions, 3 practice tests, and hours of video lessons. We liked the extra resources that Magoosh included in their plans.
You will have access to a study plan, a vocabulary building tool, vocab and math flashcards, and a helpful GRE blog. I find it hard to stay on schedule sometimes, so the study schedules were accommodating for me. The free GRE resources are included in the premium plan.
When comparing Kaplan to Magoosh, Kaplan has a large bank of significantly more practice questions. The number of questions might be important to some students who need extra help. They give you access to their bank of 5,000 practice questions. Their practice problems bank includes 5,000 actual GRE practice questions, one of the best ways to study for the GRE.
The practice tests Kaplan offers are similar to Magoosh’s, except they offer a few more. Kaplan offers 7 practice tests in their self-paced GRE course. We don’t think it is worth spending the extra money since you can find additional practice exams online. Both GRE prep programs offer a range of GRE questions and practice tests for students.
If you wish to learn which GRE practice tests we highly recommend, check out this blog post.
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.”
- Colin Powell, Statesman
Analytical Writing Help
Magoosh and Kaplan offer analytical writing practice questions [1], which can be useful for students who have not written an essay in a while. Kaplan provides a service that will grade your essay writing practice questions and get feedback from GRE experts. Kaplan allows you to submit up to 2 essays at once and receive and score and feedback within a few days.
Magoosh offers a self-paced verbal and analytical writing course, which helps the math experts out there. It focuses primarily on writing and verbal section practice questions. Magoosh does not offer graded essay support.
Score Guarantee
Both Kaplan and Magoosh offer a score guarantee. If you find you don’t score higher on your GRE test, both companies promise your money back. Magoosh and Kaplan have a different approach to the GRE score increase, however.
Magoosh offers a +5 score money-back guarantee. You must submit a copy of your first GRE score report taken within the last 5 years to be eligible. You also have to complete the entire course, including all video lessons, practice questions, full-length practice tests, and use all of their resources.
Kaplan offers a different kind of promise. If your score increases just by 1 point, then you will not be eligible for the guarantee. You must also complete all GRE practice questions, full-length practice tests, and video lessons to be eligible. We think Magoosh takes the edge in this category since they want to ensure you increase your GRE score by about 5 points.
Refund Policy
Magoosh takes the cake in this category since they offer a no strings attached refund policy. You can sign up for the Magoosh course for a free tryout of 7 days. If you are not satisfied with your purchase, you have 7 days to get a full refund with no questions asked.
This money-back guarantee is the best in the business. The good news is, you don’t have to give a reason for why you want to quit the program.
Kaplan does not offer any return policies for their GRE prep course. Once you sign up, you are locked in for the full duration. We recommend finishing the full course if you sign up and spend the money.
Learning Experience
Overall, both GRE prep courses offer special incentives. We evaluated the learning experience of each based on how it felt to take the course. The self-paced options are generally the best way to go, in our opinion. They are normally the cheapest and offer plenty of practice questions and full-length practice tests.
Our learning experience with Magoosh was slightly better. We think the Magoosh GRE offers more for the money than Kaplan GRE course.
Magoosh has a great, interactive interface that allows students an opportunity to watch in-depth video explanations that are not over-produced. We liked how you could track your progress using the score predictor algorithm.
Kaplan also offers a good learning experience. They have more GRE test questions and offer a similar test day experience. However, we thought the price was a bit high compared to the Magoosh program.
Magoosh does not offer many resources during the learning experience, but we find it more enjoyable. Both courses offer a mobile app, which we thought was decent if you need to study on the go.
FAQs
Will I get an authentic test day experience with both courses?
Yes. In our review of Magoosh vs Kaplan, we found that both courses offer online practice exams similar to the actual test day.
How many video lessons does each course offer?
Kaplan GRE prep shows that they offer 21 hours of instructor videos. Magoosh does not give the exact number of video explanations.
Do they offer prep books?
No. Both Magoosh and Kaplan do not offer prep books.
Magoosh vs Kaplan GRE Prep: The Winner
In this Magoosh vs Kaplan review, we have covered the age-old question, which GRE prep course should you buy? In our opinion, Magoosh takes the win. They offer many of the same resources for students to succeed but with a few extra added benefits. We like that it’s affordably-priced and also includes a 7-day trial period, free-of-charge.
Magoosh has a more intuitive and user-friendly interface, which we thought was easier to use. They also offer flashcards and additional study schedules for students.
Our #1 Recommendation
Magoosh GRE Prep
- Actual GRE practice questions
- +5 score improvement guarantee
- Score predictor algorithm
- Anytime, anywhere access
- Get the BEST PRICE until the end of September
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