I’ve reviewed numerous GRE prep courses available on the market, and I’ve talked with other students in order to help people choose the best GRE prep course.
Today, I’ll talk about my experience taking Magoosh and Princeton GRE prep.
Here’s my Magoosh vs. Princeton review GRE comparison, so you can choose the best GRE preparation for you.
What is Magoosh GRE?
Magoosh GRE is one of the best GRE prep courses.
Apart from the GRE, Magoosh online test prep company also offers prep for IELTS, GRE, ACT, SAT, GMAT, and a few more courses.
Magoosh was founded in 2008, and they’ve quickly established themselves as one of the top GRE companies in the test prep industry.
The company has several awards, and they are known for being affordable compared to many other prep courses.
Magoosh Highlights:
I tried Magoosh prep for a few months, and I found several benefits.
1. Price
One of the biggest advantages Magoosh offers is the price. The company has three prep courses, none more expensive than $200.
All courses have a 5-point score guarantee, 1,600 practice questions, and a solid score predictor option.
The one-month-long course is a good choice for students in a hurry. Those who have more time can choose between two options — with or without live classes.
2. Study Materials
Magoosh says all of their courses offer comprehensive coverage of all three GRE sections, and I agree.
There are video lessons and practice questions for every topic you’ll encounter on the GRE.
The videos are possibly my favorite Magoosh GRE course features. They are extensive and start from scratch.
The tutors are professional and able to hold the students’ attention. The tutors also provide techniques and strategies on how to approach different types of questions, which comes in handy when taking the test.
I like that Magoosh recommends in which order to go through the lessons, but you don’t have to stick to it. You can go straight to the lesson you want. This saves time, and you aren’t forced to repeat a topic you’re already familiar with.
However, if you decide to follow their order of working through lessons, they’ll flow naturally.
Each lesson is followed by a practice set, which is helpful in further understanding and retaining the concept. The practice material is similar to the actual GRE exam in difficulty and wording.
Apart from video lessons, there are flashcards, math formula sheets, vocabulary lists, and many more.
3. GRE App
Magoosh says their courses can be accessed on Android and iOS. I installed the Magoosh GRE prep app on all my devices and found this to be true.
The app allows students to practice math and verbal questions and review video and text explanations [1]. I liked that video lessons can also be accessed through the app, which makes it easy to study when you have some free time.
Finally, the app also has test-taking tips and tricks and articles that explain everything about the GRE.
Magoosh also has a vocabulary builder app. It contains about 1,000 words, and it’s a good way to study GRE vocab.
I liked that if you get the word definition wrong the first time, you’ll have to get it right several times.
This is a great GRE test prep for the verbal section, especially when you’re on the go and don’t have much time.
Magoosh GRE Pros
- Affordable
- Excellent apps
- High-quality video lessons
- Easy to use dashboard
My Custom Rating Criteria
- Price 5/5
- GRE material 4.5/5
- User experience 5/5
Magoosh GRE Prep Course Shortfalls:
While Magoosh wowed with many of the GRE course features, there were some things I think they can improve on.
1. Practice Tests
Magoosh offers up to three full-length practice tests, and the questions are from the existing question bank.
If you’ve already gone through the practice questions, you won’t see any new ones on the practice test.
However, the practice tests are computer-adaptive, and they do a good job of simulating the official test.
2. No Books
All Magoosh GRE test prep courses are online, so there aren’t any hardcopy books. In all honesty, it would be unrealistic to expect prep books, considering how affordable the courses are.
While this won’t be a big issue for many students, others who like to have real books and take notes will be slightly disappointed.
3. Live Online Classes
The final thing I wasn’t a huge fan of was the live online classes. Until recently, Magoosh didn’t offer any live classes, so this is a huge improvement.
However, these classes are only available with the Premium + Classes package. Also, they aren’t really live classes, but more like online office hours.
They are available five times a week, and students can drop in and ask questions about anything they are struggling with.
While this is a good option, students who prefer traditional classes will be disappointed.
Magoosh GRE Cons
- The course is completely online
- Only three practice exams
Where to Buy Magoosh GRE Courses?
Magoosh GRE courses are available on the official Magoosh website, and they are priced at [2]:
- Premium 1 month - $169
- Premium 6 months - $199
- Premium + classes 6 months - $199
Students can try out the course for seven days and get a full refund if they don’t like it.
What is the Princeton Review GRE?
Princeton Review GRE is well-known among test prep companies, and it’s one of the top prep courses. Apart from GRE prep, they offer ACT, SAT, MCAT, LSAT, TOEFL, and a range of other courses.
The company’s GRE course is known for the number of practice exams and questions that they offer.
Like Magoosh, Princeton Review also offers online test prep options, which can be customized according to the GRE test-takers needs.
Princeton Review GRE Highlights:
I liked several things while using the Princeton Review GRE prep course.
1. Variety of Courses
Princeton Review offers five test preparation options. All of them are available online, while two tutoring packages can also be taken in person. It is a great choice for students who like private tutoring and aren’t fans of online studying.
I liked that students can choose between the self-paced course or a more structured tutoring package, with more guidance and a laid-out lesson plan. I think that Princeton Review has a course option for everyone.
2. Lessons
Princeton Review’s prep starts with video lessons. It’s usually a short video, which Princeton Review calls essential, that explains the basics of a concept. The videos looked professional, and I didn’t have any issues following the instructors.
After these short video explanations, a slide shows what will be learned in the next lesson. This is followed by a longer video lesson that goes deeper into the subject and is essentially the real lesson.
The format is the same as for the essential lessons. It’s dynamic and engaging.
The final part of the lesson is for questions and practice problems, where students can see how well they understood the problems covered.
3. Drill Smart Technology
An important part of Princeton Review’s course materials is their proprietary Drill Smart Technology.
The company says this is the best way to practice. Students take an initial drill, and the next one is based on how well they answer.
I found this adaptive technology to work well, and I agree it’s useful in reiterating concepts and finding out weak spots.
4. GRE Practice Tests
Princeton Review has eight full-length practice tests. I liked that these are computer-adaptive, the same as the real GRE.
If a student answers wrong, the next questions will have lower difficulty and vice versa. Thanks to this, students can have an official test day experience while practicing at home.
The practice problems are worded similarly to the real GRE, and there’s an interactive GRE score report that shows the student’s performance in detail. This was very helpful in seeing the areas I did well in and those that needed further improvement.
Also, the score report provides detailed explanations for all practice problems on the test.
Princeton Review Pros
- Eight full-length practice tests
- Adaptive technology
- Practice questions simulate the actual GRE
- High-quality video lessons
My Custom Rating Criteria
- Price 3/5
- GRE material 5/5
- User experience 4/5
Princeton Review GRE Shortfalls:
I didn’t like some things about the Princeton Review GRE Course.
1. No App
Princeton Review doesn’t have a mobile app for students to use. This can be a serious downside for students who want to study on their phones while commuting or when they have a few minutes to spare.
I think that Princeton Review’s flashcards are well made, but it would be better if they offered them on an app, as many other companies do (such as Magoosh).
2. Short Course Access
Princeton Review has one of the shortest course access available on the market — only four months.
If your test day is close, you won’t have any issues with this. However, students who want to have more time or review and retake the GRE if they aren’t happy with the results won’t be satisfied.
Princeton Review Cons
- No quiz bank
- No smartphone app
Where to Buy Princeton Review GRE?
You can buy Princeton Review courses on the official website. Here’s the price for each GRE prep course [3]:
- GRE 165+ tutoring - $156 per hour
- Self-paced course - $399
- GRE 10 points + - $699
- Fundamentals - $1,099
- GRE 162+ - $2,049
Each prep course comes with a score guarantee.
FAQs
Is Magoosh Worth It for GRE?
Yes, Magoosh is worth it for the GRE. Most students like the Magoosh online study method. The company has its own practice questions and high-quality course material.
Is Princeton Review Easier than GRE?
Yes, Princeton Review practice questions and tests are somewhat easier compared to the actual GRE.
Magoosh Vs. Princeton Review GRE: Which One Should You Choose?
Both Magoosh and Princeton Review are excellent options, but I have to give advantage to Magoosh GRE preparation course.
Each GRE tutor I encountered at Magoosh was knowledgeable and able to answer all of my questions. I found their study plan worked well for target test prep.
Their app is an excellent way to learn and review anytime, anywhere, and I had a good experience with their customer support. I think Magoosh offers some of the best score increase guarantees and refund policies on the market.
No other company offers quality content at such affordable prices. Check out Magoosh courses, and choose one that fits your needs best.
We Recommend This Product
Magoosh GRE Preparation Course
- Eight full-length practice tests
- Adaptive technology
- Practice questions simulate the actual GRE
- High-quality video lessons
- Get the BEST PRICE until the end of September
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