Manhattan vs. Magoosh: Cracking the GRE code

The American education system requires a student to have completed 12 years of school education and an undergraduate study of four years before stepping into a Master’s program. Those intending to continue their education with postgraduate studies often have a lot to gain by appearing for the Graduate Record Examination or GRE. Scores earned in this examination helps universities determine merit, scholarship and fellowship grants for students, while some others use these scores to determine a cut-off point for applications.

Since the exam is of utmost importance for all aspiring students, there are different preparation methods that can be opted. Unlike exams like TOEFL or IELTS, students do not incline towards self-prep due to the importance of the quantitative section in the exam. Even the section of Analytical Writing which deals with essay writing demands a very specific approach toward framing the answer in order to achieve desirable scores. Choosing a GRE preparation course that deals with which type of exam the student opts and has reasonable costs then becomes a challenge.

Types of GRE Tests
There are two sets of tests that determine a student's overall GRE score.

• General Test -This test deals with three sections called Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing. The former two sections deal with the level of language proficiency the student has and their mathematical knowledge respectively whereas the final one deals with their writing skills. Students are expected to write an issue essay and an argument essay where the student must respond to the issue providing their own opinions or critically analyse the argument provided with facts, logical reasoning and examples substantiating their stance.
• Subject Test- This section measures the level of knowledge the student has in their subject of choice. It includes six disciplines, namely, Biology, Chemistry, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology. The Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology sub-sections of the test were discontinued from 2016 and now the test has only these generic disciplines.

Between these two, scores of the General Test hold greater weight since subject scores are extremely specific and can only make the student display their strengths and weakness in that particular subject per se. The General Test offers a wider range for admission and fellowship panels to judge the competence of the student.

Manhattan GRE and Magoosh GRE

Tens and thousands of students apply for the GRE examinations every year due to their determination of stepping into post-graduate and doctoral courses with top universities in the USA. In a bid to assist self-study to crack the GRE code with proper book guidance, the 2 top GRE Prep courses, Manhattan and Magoosh have released a series of books with extensive study material, model test papers, and useful tips.

Student will be able to find the cost differences, essential prep materials, online course information and other details regarding these two preparation giants to aid their journey in cracking GRE.

Prep Books from Manhattan and Magoosh

Manhattan

• Provides GRE Practice Problems and Strategy Guides.
• The books focus mainly on providing guidance in self-prep. Each book deals with a single subject and contains chapter-wise information regarding the same with examples.
• The Manhattan GRE series is written in a language that is straightforward and conversational.
• Students can review their understanding of each concept by answering questions spelled out at the end of every chapter. This pattern of book education gives students a feel of studying with a knowledgeable tutor.
• There are model questions papers at the end of every book that helps the student review their understanding of the concepts mentioned in the book. These question papers are modelled on the GRE format which ensures that they are trained in all requisite areas of the test.
• Offers 6 online practice tests through the unique code mentioned at the end of the books. The tests have comprehensive explanations at the end of each question which ensures that the student learns.

Magoosh

• Provides free GRE e-books, Practice problem books and a GRE book.
• Works for prospective post-graduates who are looking for a more personalized studying experience.
• Offers video lectures that allow students to listen and enjoy the privilege of visual lessons that make learning all the more interesting.
• Practice tests are provided at the end of every lesson covering every aspect that has been mentioned in the text. The tests also include questions with video representations that help students gain a deeper insight into the question.
• Magoosh offers GRE lessons over videos and has a provision made to clarify any doubt that the student may have.
• They offer options to learn for GRE over mobile phones which makes learning on the go possible letting students who travel long distances for undergrad courses learn at their own pace.
• Most of their courses are offered online and has the facility to track the progress of students individually. The mock tests conducted are also timed helping students get a first-hand experience about the exam.

Price Ranges of Manhattan and Magoosh

Magoosh offers courses for as less a time as 1 month for $129 and a 6-month course for $149 containing online access, practice questions and exams, video lessons, flashcards and even more. It is considered to be the most affordable option available for the high quality shown.

Manhattan offers a course for GRE for MBA at $1599, a complete course starting at $1399, Math course for $799 and other on demand courses. These courses can be opted by even taking 1-month or a 6-month access.

The courses offered by Magoosh is half the price of that of Manhattan but this is because Manhattan offers more material in their courses. Choosing between them can be based on either under economic conditions or under academic conditions.

Practice Materials Offered by Manhattan and Magoosh

Magoosh

• Online Access
• Key Concept Explanations of Math, Verbal and AWA
• 1400+ Practice Questions
• 200+ Video Lessons
• 3 Practice Tests
• Study Schedules
• Flashcards
• Quiz Mode and Customized Practice

Manhattan

• 66 interactive video lessons
• 100,000+ practice problems
• Core text analysis
• Vocabulary emails
• 6 full-length practice tests
• On-demand class recordings
• Vocabulary Flashcards
• Mobile App available on iOS and Android

Test-takers who have sought after both these test-prep giants state that the choice between Magoosh and Manhattan is one between quality and quantity. Students that believe they require an extra number of practice questions and other related prep materials can choose Manhattan whereas those who focus on quality content regarding the key concepts can choose Magoosh.