First of its kind, Manhattan Prep offers a GRE course specifically for students who plan on applying to business school. Why’s there a difference? This course includes all the trappings of a comprehensive GRE prep course but with the addition of advanced Quant topics – as these topics will be necessary to know to achieve a score that the top business schools deem acceptable.
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Not applying for an MBA? You can see our other ranked GRE prep courses depending on your preferences.
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
About Manhattan Prep GRE for the MBA
Manhattan Prep used to have more GRE prep options until they were acquired by Kaplan. Nowadays, they offer a very specific course catered to students who will be taking the MBA. The course is in a live online format (or you can take it in person if you live in the NYC metropolitan area).
Creating a program for one specific type of student also allows for the added benefit of connecting with classmates who are currently applying for the same programs. The added benefit of discussing specific program requirements and admissions nuances is an invaluable added perk.
My Thoughts on the GRE for MBA Course
Platform
The live online portion of the class is held over Zoom and usually meets weekly at designated times weekday evenings or on the weekend. You can sign up to trial a free class on their website. This is actually a pretty great offering, as most live online classes don’t have this sort of trial option.
Above is Instructor Sean explaining the scoring in our first class session
Beyond the Zoom classes, students also gain access to the ATLAS, which encompasses all of the on-demand content for the GRE. Overall, I have mixed feelings about the platform. Compared to Kaplan and Princeton Review’s clean and intuitive platform, the GRE ATLAS feels busy and more clunky. During my time using this course, I found myself clicking around a lot to find what I needed. That said, it’s more powerful in providing you with everything you need in-house, including links directly to practice tests, downloadable chapters to read, and videos as alternatives to reading.
In the above image, you’ll see where they offer the option of a reading selection or watching a video.
I’d say, overall, be prepared for a more outdated feel that gets the job done – you’ll just need to watch their video brief on how to use the course effectively so that you know how to progress through the content.
Curriculum & Practice Tests
The curriculum is set out pretty easily with each week’s live online class pairing with a Pre Session and After Session workset. You can check out the overview to see the assignments included in each of these sessions so that you can get a better understanding of what the week’s goals are and how you’ll achieve them. I like this overview layout because of the visualization, which helps make a busy mind like mine feel organized and set for the week.
Here is an example of an After Session Overview as well as the sidebar with the specific tasks linked within the platform.
Most of the Pre and Post Session work includes reading from the book (they’ll send you a set of 4 books in the mail when you enroll), practice problems linked directly in the course, and video lessons. If you’re struggling or have extra time, there are also extra tasks that you can do within each week.
In your curriculum, you’ll work through 6 of the shorter format Manhattan Prep GRE practice tests. After taking these tests, you can reset them and try again during your review. After taking a GRE test, you can generate an Assessment Report to analyze your data and also have the chance to speak with an expert from Manhattan Prep to chat about your scores.
An answer explanation after taking a GRE short test. They provide the correct answer as well as explain what makes other selections incorrect.
The books they’ll send to your home include:
- GRE All the Quant
- GRE All the Verbal
- 5 lb. Book of GRE Practice Problems
- The Official Guide to the GRE General Test
The books arrived to my home in about 5 days (standard ground shipping can be anywhere from 5-7 business days in the US). You’ll also be able to access the eBook versions of these (except for the Official Guide to the GRE General Test) if you’re in a rush.
My Live Online Class Experience
When I joined the live online class, I was surprised to find that I had two instructors. Sean, a GRE tutor who used to teach for Magoosh, covered the Quant portion of the class and then handed it off to Logan, who is our Verbal instructor. Logan has been with the company since 2016, which is another good sign that these instructors are clearly happy working for Manhattan Prep.
Both of the instructors were extremely personable, which made the class feel much more engaging.
In the first class, Logan and Sean discussed GRE strategy and already dove into working through questions together. The instructor called on students to solve problems and allowed them to annotate on the slides when solving problems. Students can turn on their videos and microphones when asking questions or solving problems, which adds to the cohesive classroom feel.
All of the class sessions are recorded and can be accessed later in your ATLAS for review or if you miss a session. You can also turn on the closed captioning if you prefer that reinforcement in review.
Mobile App
Their mobile app is handy but of limited use – you can use it to study vocab or practice problems from their 5 lb. book – but it doesn’t serve as a replacement to your course. Overall, I think it’s great for taking practice quizzes – you can build them custom in the app and have over a thousand questions with answer explanations.
Building a quiz in the app allows for you to select by subject and when you see answer explanations.
The answer explanations are still pretty good in the app.
There is also a question-of-the-day feature in the app and you can set the notifications on so that you know when the new question drops (usually around 10PM EST).
MBA Admissions Resources
In addition to its Advanced-Quant focused curriculum, Manhattan Prep includes its own MBA Admissions Resources unit.
Most of the content is from a third-party partner of Manhattan Prep and Kaplan – an admissions consultancy company called mbaMission. The content in this unit is also free on their website, but it’s still helpful that Manhattan Prep has aggregated these resources for you rathern than having to piece them together on your own.
Included in this is a free 30-minute consultation with one of their MBA admissions experts. Keep in mind, this is a company whose goal is selling you its service – so be ready for a convincing reason to hire them for help. Getting additional MBA admissions consulting is perfectly fine and probably very helpful for many, but I just like to warn those who get sucked into services that they didn’t really need (ahem, like myself).
If you already anticipate wanting much more one-on-one admissions advice, you could also consider their Unlimited MBA Prep Package – which already includes 3 hours with a senior consultant from mbaMission, among other extra perks. You can only find this package on the Kaplan website, but it’s hosted through Manhattan Prep’s platform.
Manhattan Prep Course Pricing & Options
Manhattan Prep GRE for MBA Live Online
Price: $1,599
Summary: 27 hours of live online plus GRE ATLAS on-demand content.
Manhattan Prep GRE for MBA In Person in NYC
Price: $1,899
Summary: 27 hours of in-person plus GRE ATLAS on-demand content.
Manhattan Prep GRE Interact
Price: $299 / $399 / $499
Summary: Access to their on-demand course for 1 month, 3 months, or 6 months, respectively.
Manhattan Prep GRE Tutoring
Price: $2,450
Summary: 1-on-1 tutoring sessions starting at 10 hours for $2,450.
Manhattan Prep Unlimited Prep for Aspiring MBAs
Price: $4,999
Summary: Learn from the experienced teachers at Manhattan Prep and take all the GMAT, GRE for MBA, and EA prep you want. You’ll also get admissions consulting from the experts at mbaMission and brush up for your first semester of b-school with Business Fundamentals.
What’s the Refund Policy?
You cannot get a refund for their live online GRE course. This is due to the limited class spacing for their live online courses and the proprietary nature of their curriculum.
Additionally, if you have purchased tutoring hours, you will not receive a refund on the unused hours.
This refund policy is definitely a downside of enrolling in this course.
Is there a Score Guarantee?
Not officially.
If you don’t hit your target score on the GRE, then you can reach out to their Student Services team – who has “additional support systems in place.”
Again, this is not a desirable official stance on a score guarantee or your money back type of situation. Princeton Review and Kaplan both have generous score guarantees or your money back.
Final Verdict on Manhattan Prep GRE for MBA
This is the best live online option for students who want to beef up their Quant scores – but with no high score guarantee or refund policy, I suggest that you take them up on their free trials to confirm that you are 100% happy with this course before enrolling.
GRE for MBA Alternatives
Manhattan Prep’s GRE course isn’t the one? There are plenty of fish in the sea, including these two alternative recommendations:
Princeton Review GRE 162+
A more costly option, but definitely way more insurance when it comes to having a score guarantee and money-back warranty. This is an extremely safe option for students who don’t really care about getting additional admissions advice but would rather put their money towards a higher score.
The 162+ score guarantee does have some caveats, however. The course officially states “Score a 162+ or add 6 points on both GRE Quant and Verbal depending on your starting score. Guaranteed, or your money back.” So if you were scoring pretty low to start with, you’re not going to be hitting a 162, necessarily, but at least 6 points higher on your Quant and Verbal. A big difference, there, depending on your starting score.
Read our detailed review of Princeton Review’s GRE Course
Target Test Prep GRE Live Online
Coming in at only $999 for 40 hours of live-online classroom sessions, this is a much more budget-friendly option for those who are still seeking out that personalized in-person feel from a classroom.
With a dedicated slack channel for your class, you get more interaction with students in your cohort and the chance to ask your instructors questions.
Read our detailed review of Target Test Prep GRE
Still don’t see a course that fits your needs? See our full list of the 5 best GRE prep courses for 2025
GRE for MBA FAQ
Does Manhattan Prep offer refunds on their courses?
They do not. Once you enroll in a live online course, the course fee is nonrefundable.
Does this course include physical books?
Yes! Their GRE course includes a set of 4 physical books that are mailed to your address. They ship to 220 countries.
Does Manhattan Prep have a score guarantee?
No. Manhattan Prep does not have a score guarantee. If you do not hit your target score, you’re advised to reach out to studentservices@manhattanprep.com for additional assistance.
The Bottom Line of Manhattan Prep GRE for MBA Course
Although there are some definite drawbacks to this course (no refund or score guarantee policy), I still think this course offers excellent live online instruction and is a helpful, focused course for those who are planning on applying to an MBA program. Here’s a quick recap of my thoughts on their GRE for the MBA course:
- Advanced Quant focus for MBA admissions
- MBA-focused resources
- Powerful, yet outdated platform for on-demand content
- Platform’s Pre and Post sessions reinforce key topics from class sessions