Kaplan is among the top commercial GRE prep course options and provides a wide variety of course deliveries including Live Online, On Demand, and Tutoring.
If you are deciding whether or not to study for the GRE with Kaplan’s Live Online courses, go ahead and read this Kaplan GRE review to decide if this is a good fit for you.
Kaplan GRE Review – Overview
| 1. About Kaplan GRE 2. Curriculum 3. Platform 4. Pricing 5. Student Feedback 6. Who Needs This Course 7. Kaplan GRE Alternatives |
About Kaplan GRE
Kaplan offers a suite of GRE prep options that include on-demand, live online, as well as various tutoring packages.
Post-covid, there are no longer options to take classes in person (though you can take their Manhattan Prep GRE for MBA course in NYC) – but Kaplan offers live online classrooms that are able to provide the in-person class feel online. All of these courses are backed with a higher score or your money back guarantee.
New to the GRE? Start here.
Kaplan GRE Prep Review
- Simulated GRE practice test in a real testing center
- Complimentary lessons on the GRE Channel
- Higher Score Guarantee allows for full refund of course
- Plus add-on includes 1-on-1 tutoring & 2 self-paced math courses
- Full-length practice tests are not real GRE practice questions
- No disclosed vetting on GRE teachers
Kaplan GRE Curriculum Review
The 21 hours of live instruction for the GRE breaks down into Quant and Verbal in the following sessions:
- Quant 1: Quantitative Methods and Strategies
- Quant 2: Arithmetic, Number Properties, and Algebra
- Quant 3: Functions, Ratios, Statistics, Probability, and Counting Methods
- Quant 4: Math Formulas and Geometry
- Verbal 1: Short Verbal Methods and Strategies; Structural Reading
- Verbal 2: Reading Comprehension and the Argument Essay
- Verbal 3: Advanced Short Verbal, Advanced Short Reading Comprehension, and Issue Essay
You will receive a set of Kaplan GRE books in the mail when you enroll in the course.
Classes are held either once or twice a week, meaning you can opt for a course that is completed in as little as 1 month or stretch the sessions out to 2 months. The course has 2 options based on your availability: weekday evening classes or weekend classes. Given that many who are considering going back to school are either juggling a full-time job, family, or other obligations, these options are generally well-received and can be worked around.
When you join an in person or live online class, you will receive assignments as well as a study plan that you are expected to complete and follow. After each class, you will receive an email from the instructor that reviews the whole class as well as offers additional helpful resources like the GRE Channel, which allows you to watch content by subject as well as filter through specific teachers.
Once you choose the live online session you want to attend, you can add it to your schedule for attending live or watching later.
This curriculum is built around the fact that many students have not studied Algebra 2 concepts for several years, and teachers are there to help guide you through working these problems quickly. They can answer questions you have on assignments in-person, allowing for a quick and effective way to study and strengthen your weaknesses efficiently.
Kaplan will mail you this Noteboard Booklet, which is like what you’ll get during the official GRE test if you take the test in person
Students have time outside of class to work through Qbank to work through Qbank questions (a large set of standalone practice problems) as well as practice their newfound knowledge on the 7 computer-based GRE practice tests. Students can also appreciate the opportunity to go into an official testing center to take a simulated GRE practice test. This can work wonders in helping to ease pre-test jitters and anxiety, as you are more prepared for the test day experience.
When you submit your essay in your practice test, this will be graded by Kaplan’s Essay Grading Team, who will usually get the feedback and grades according to test grading rubric within 7-10 days.
Related: 2,200 Free GRE Practice Questions You Need In your Prep
Platform
Students who purchase the live online class have access to the KapTest portal. They boast 180 hours of “online instruction,” which consists of pre-recorded videos of teachers in a mock classroom sharing lectures and exercises. The KapTest portal is all work that needs to be done outside of the classroom, which still pushes a bit of responsibility on the student to take charge of their own studying destiny.
The KapTest portal is very user friendly and easy to navigate. There are some nifty options they also allow when working through the QBank, for example, like creating your own customized practice test. This practice test can be used like a timed simulated test or used in untimed or tutor mode. You can opt to only work through unused questions, flagged questions, or all questions.
For those who want a mix of difficulty, you can “select all” questions or choose between the options “low,” “medium,” and “high.” You are able to choose question types as well, if you know that you are particularly struggling on a few concepts. The Qbank has over 5,000 practice questions, so it’s unlikely that you will run out of problems to work on throughout your access.
Kaplan GRE Course Pricing Options
GRE On Demand
Price: $449
Summary: 6-month access to 180+ hours of online instruction & practice, 7 full-length computer-based practice tests, official test day experience in testing center, 5,000+ Qbank, archived GRE Channel, & GRE prep books
GRE On Demand PLUS
Price: $699
Summary: Includes all features of GRE Self-Paced, PLUS 35 hours of elective live lessons on the GRE Channel, GRE Math Foundations Self-Paced Course ($299 value), & GRE Advanced Math Self-Paced Course ($200 value)
Learn more about Kaplan GRE Self-Paced Courses
GRE Live Online
Price: $999
Summary: 21 hours of live online instruction, 35 hours of elective live instruction on the GRE Channel, access to 180+ hours of online instruction & practice, 7 full-length computer-based practice tests, official test day experience in testing center, 5,000+ Qbank, archived GRE Channel, & GRE prep books
GRE Live Online PLUS
Price: $1,299
Summary: Includes all features of GRE Live Online – Lecture, PLUS 3 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring ($375 value), GRE Math Foundations Self-Paced Course ($299 value), & GRE Advanced Math Self-Paced Course ($200 value)
Learn more about Kaplan GRE Live Online Courses
GRE Tutoring
Price: starting at $2,299
Summary: Live Online or In-person tutoring options starting at packages of 10 hours
Learn more about Kaplan GRE Tutoring
Kaplan GRE Student Feedback
The Kaplan live online course was exactly what I needed and I am very glad I took it before taking the GRE. The GRE is NOT common sense and you HAVE to study to do well. The Kaplan instructors do a great job of teaching the math subjects you forgot after algebra 2 and offer detailed explanations on how to solve the problems quickly.
-Adrianaap4
Kaplan’s Q Bank that allowed students to time themselves and choose verbal and quantitative questions to answer was immensely helpful. It gave me a better idea of how to pace and what questions I needed to spend additional time on to improve my overall score.
-Vohalloran
I liked taking this course and I think it was a great opportunity that was offered through my school. It was a little intimidating as my class was a little large and my room was pretty small, so I felt a lot of pressure to answer questions. I was really intimidated by the quant section, and my prof eased some of my nerves, the verbal and writing sections were also really helpful. If I had to do it again– I would take more advantage of the online resources instead of just in class. I just felt like it was hard to practice the outside stuff while I also had school work and actual work to tend to.
-Freed08
Related: Get this Free GRE Study Plan – 1-6 Months
Who Needs This Course
The ideal user for the Kaplan GRE Live Online course is a student who benefits from experiencing a physical classroom (or, at least, a classroom that takes place digitally). Oftentimes, students prepping for the GRE have other outside commitments, like a full-time job or are even finishing up college, so if you do not think you have the motivation to study on your own with a book or an on-demand course, then the Kaplan In Person course will get you up-to-speed quickly and efficiently.
GRE Prep Course Alternatives
The Princeton Review GRE 162+ Course
For aspiring high scorers, the Princeton Review’s 162+ course may be the solution you need to score what you need for your dream grad school. With 45 hours of live instruction, you’re getting nearly double the amount of live class time than you would with the Kaplan GRE course.
The Princeton Review GRE Prep
Get 15% off with code: TPN15
- Adaptive practice questions that match the difficulty you need
- 162+ Quant Course guarantees high math score for those who struggle
- Competitive pricing for On Demand Course
- User interface of practice tests similar to real GRE
- Courses don’t include real ETS GRE practice tests
- You can’t confirm your teacher before enrolling in a course
Manhattan Prep GRE for MBA
Manhattan Prep still has its own GRE prep course since being acquired by Kaplan. Their GRE prep for the MBA is comprehensive but with an additional emphasis on more advanced math concepts. They offer live online courses as well as in-person if you are in the New York metro area.
Manhattan Prep GRE for MBA - Live Online
Get all the GRE prep you need.. but with an edge to prep you for your MBA - available in-person and live online.
- Specifically for MBA applicants
- Extra session on advanced Quant topics
- Includes 4 GRE prep books shipped to your home
- No higher score guarantee
Target Test Prep GRE
Target Test Prep offers affordable GRE on demand subscription courses depending on the length of time you plan on studying. They have also recently expanded into live online courses, but at a higher price tag than you’ll find in their on demand options. All of their courses come with higher score guarantees, so you can feel confident going into your prep that you will see an increase in your scores.
For those seeking a cheaper course option that has a more affordable subscription-based model, you may want to consider Target Test Prep over Kaplan’s GRE prep. See our full review of Kaplan vs Target Test Prep GRE.
Target Test Prep GRE Course
- Affordable month-by-month subscription
- Customizable study plan
- Generous score guarantee
- No live class option
What’s Next
If you’re new to prepping for the GRE, start with our best GRE prep course list. Here, you’ll find 5 of our favorite GRE courses available today, as well as in-depth reviews on each individual course.
