For many GRE test-takers, the quantitative section is what they struggle with the most. This comes as no surprise since many of us have not taken math since high school or early college. If you have taken math more recently, you might need to brush up on those skills because you don’t use them every day.
We decided to take a look at some of the more specialized GRE prep courses out there. Target Test Prep offers a course that is specifically geared towards the GRE quant section. Keep reading to find out if this course is a good option for you.
What Is Target Test Prep?
Target Test Prep is a GRE prep course that specializes in offering GRE and GMAT prep courses. For this review, we only focused on the GRE prep course.
They started the company about 9 years ago with a small team of dedicated teachers who all scored in the top tier on their GRE tests.
Target Test Prep offers an online-only self-study curriculum that aims to do one thing well - improving students' GRE score in the quant section.
| Ranking | 5 |
|---|---|
| STARTING PRICE | $99 |
| PRICE OPTIONS & ACCESSIBILITY | 1 Month Access $99 4 Month Access $299 6 Month Access $399 |
| FREE TRIAL | 5 days for $1 (Quant Course) |
| # PRACTICE QUESTIONS | 3,000+ |
| PRACTICE EXAMS | |
| SCORE PREDICTOR ACCURACY | 96% |
| ASSIGNED HOMEWORK | |
| GUARANTEE | High Quant Score Guarantee |
| FORMAT | Self-Paced |
| COURSE BOOKS | Online Only |
| VIDEO INSTRUCTIONS | 800+ |
| YOUTUBE CHANNEL | 7 GRE Webinars |
| COURSE DEMO | |
| STUDY PLAN | |
| PROGRESS TRACKING | |
| FLASHCARDS | |
| MOBILE APP | |
| ESSAY GRADING | |
| LIVE TUTORING | $400/hour |
| STUDENT SUPPORT | Email & live chat support |
Benefits And Highlights
Since this GRE prep course is offered 100% online, you will be able to study at any time from the comfort of your own home or favorite study spot. Target Test Prep provides 3 different plans to help students succeed. They are billed monthly or as a one-time payment. They offer access in intervals of 1, 4, or 6 months. They also have some private tutoring classes available.
Target Test Prep has a score guarantee with some fine print that we will talk about later. Based on our review, they guarantee a score increase or you get your money back. They have a 5-day trial period that you can try for only $1 so that you can see if this course will be useful for you before signing up.
- 5-day free trial
- Online access for 1, 4, or 6 months
- GRE math course only
- Adaptive learning plans
- No live classes
- No comprehensive exam prep course
Target Test Prep GRE Course: Factors To Consider
Course Options
Target Test Prep only offers self-guided online programs that focus on the GRE quantitative section. You can purchase the course for a duration of 1, 4, or 6 months. The online course materials are all the same regardless of the plan that you pay for.
They only differ in the amount of time that you have access to the materials. It would help if you determined how long you have before your GRE test to choose the right Target Test Prep plan.
The GRE Flexible Plan bills you once a month. It is the most expensive option and can be canceled at any time. The GRE Dedicated Study plan is billed once, and it decreases the overall cost of your course access for 4 months.
The GRE Maximum Learning plan is also billed only once. It gives you 6 months of access at an even lower overall monthly cost. They also offer private tutoring that is aimed at more of a comprehensive program for all sections. The tutoring is much more expensive, but it is instructor-led.
Tutoring could be a good option for students that want to improve their overall score, but some companies provide more refined comprehensive tutoring packages.
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Curriculum
The Target Test Prep program focuses on an adaptive learning technique. The course material is the same for every plan, so keep that in mind when deciding which program is best for you.
Every Target Test Prep online course offers a guaranteed score increase and live support. You will get 600+ individualized math lessons and 800+ HD GRE content videos.
They provide a bank for 3,100+ official GRE practice problems that can help you review before the test day.
The OnTarget analytics program is adaptive and works with each student to develop a study plan. All of the course materials are adapted with a custom GRE practice engine.
Target Test Prep recommends that you dedicate 150 hours to working through all of the GRE review modules and practice questions. The first thing you will be prompted to complete is a 40-question diagnostic test that you’ll have 70 minutes to complete. After the test, you will be given a study plan and equation sheets.
You will then receive a study plan that will guide you through the test prep GRE quant course. They break it down into two different sections. The first 33 modules will focus on knowledge, content, and skills development. The last 5 modules will focus on practicing and applying all of the skills that you learned.
Section 1: Modules 1-33
In the first section, the modules consist of different types of quantitative lessons that guide you through some of the hardest GRE math questions. For example, you will study geometry, algebra, and statistics and see how you score. All of the videos are broken down into subtopics.
You will have to complete a review quiz with 75% or higher accuracy to move forward. Each module has between 20 and 50 lessons and video reviews. You can answer practice questions in 3 different sets of easy, medium, and hard. If you wish to learn more about proven GRE math studying tips, don't miss this post.
Section 2: Modules 34-38
The second phase is dedicated test prep GRE practice questions. This is designed to give you a feel for the actual GRE test by dedicating practice to each topic. There are 4 official GRE practice tests provided, but only 2 of them are free. The other 2 need to be downloaded and paid for. For a free forum option, go to this article.
Analytics & Platform
We were impressed with the platform and simple analytics. The platform is simple and offers a lot of visual aids to help you see your progress.
The Target Prep TTP dashboard has a section for Study Plan, Chapters, Tests, Error Tracker, and Analytics.
You can see your weekly progress on the accuracy screen that will allow you to pinpoint what lessons you should revisit.
They dissect your performance on GRE math practice questions by dividing topics and subtopics to review the problems you struggle with.
This is the most efficient way to raise your score by the most points.
Score Guarantee
Almost every GRE prep company offers some form of a score guarantee. Target Prep provides one as well with some stipulations.
The requirements are put in place to ensure that each student studies efficiently and can improve their GRE score.
The fine print explains that you have already taken a GRE test before signing up for their GRE review course. You have to send the results to Target Prep.
If your score did not increase on the GRE math portion when you take your next official GRE test, then you must send them your results as proof.
They also stipulate that you must have completed every module, videos, practice problems, and tests to qualify for a refund.
Pricing
Target Test GRE prep is reasonably priced compared to the competition. The monthly access pass is the most expensive option compared to the 4 and 6-month program.
You can save some money depending on the amount of time that you need to study.
If you are looking for a quant review only, this might be a good budget-friendly option. Overall, the price for the whole course is not as bad as other courses.
What Are The Downsides?
One potential downside is that there are not any office hours with instructors included in the price. This might be difficult for students that are seeking more directed attention. Another downside might be that this course only assists with the quantitative portion. If a student wants to raise their score on all sections, this might not be the best option.
Real Student Results from Taking the Target Test Prep Course
We wanted to find out whether students who took the Target test prep course saw a real improvement in their GRE test scores.
Accordingly, we had students take a GRE prep test before and after taking the Target test prep course. We obtained each student’s Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning results from each test and compared them to determine a percentage improvement.
Although students saw their GRE test scores increase after completing the Target test prep course, their percentage improvement in test scores was small. For example, one student achieved only a 9.1% improvement in score, while another barely saw a 6% improvement.
How Accurate Is The Target Test Prep GRE?
We wanted to put the Target Prep to the test to see how well it compared with the real GRE. So, we took both tests, and here are our scores:
- Target Test Prep: 168 Quant, 166 Verbal
- Actual GRE: 166 Quant, 167 Verbal
(Test score
predictor)
GRE Test
Score
(Test score
predictor)
GRE Test
Score
All in all, the Target Prep is rather accurate, especially for the Verbal portion of the test.
Social Proof
We found many positive customer reviews on their website and through GRE Prep Club. Most students enjoyed the videos and content review. Many reviews claimed that the analytics worked well for targeted learning.
“I used GRE Target Prep for 2 months and it was the best thing that could’ve happened to me without spending thousands of dollars on tutors.”
- James, TTP Student [1]
People Also Ask
Does the Target Test Prep GRE material work on all devices?
Yes, it works on most smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Do I have to pay for extra math practice tests?
Yes, two of the quantitative practice tests are provided for you, but the additional two tests will need to be paid for by students.
Can I cancel the monthly course at any time?
Yes, students can cancel at any time. The price includes one month of access. If you cancel, it will end 30 days later, but you won’t be charged again.
Is A Target Test Prep GRE Course For Me?
After our analysis of the Target Test Prep GRE program, we think it is a good option for students looking to improve their quant score. We like the video reviews and self-paced study model. For students who are looking to improve more than their quant score, we would recommend another option.
Our favorite course for GRE reviews is Magoosh. We feel that they offer the best course options and pricing. We like the approach they take with full comprehensive study and individualized topic study.
Our #1 Recommendation
Magoosh GRE
- The dashboard is easy to use with recommendations for study focus points
- Easy to follow written and video instruction
- Offers a score predictor to help you assess your progress
- Good for both comprehensive and last-minute study
- Structured with clear and flexible lesson plans
- Get the BEST PRICE until the end of September
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