GMAT Online Classes with Manhattan Review

GMAT Online Courses – Advantages & Disadvantages

For many years, Manhattan Review has offered both in-person preparation courses and tutoring, as well as online prep. Due to the discovery of Covid in 2019 and the ensuing pandemic, the world underwent a global shift towards online learning options, as in-person meetings were not feasible from a practical or legal point. While Manhattan Review will continue to offer in-person courses and tutoring in locations where there is ample demand, it is worth looking into the advantages of online preparation options, in addition to where such courses might fall a bit short. Below are a few advantages that are frequently mentioned to us by our online students.

More time to study

Travelling to a physical location is time consuming, and—thinking about the New York subway, the London Tube, or a car ride in LA—quite an inconvenient and potentially expensive experience. Many students are happy to ditch travel times and spend the gained time on what really matters, which is prepping for the GMAT. Some students even opt to not participate in the online class at home, but rather at their favorite café or even from work. Whatever your preference, you can spare yourself a lot of wasted time and unnecessary stress through using online test prep options.

Increased flexibility

We all have busy schedules, whether that be full-time work, leisure activities, visiting family and friends, or running errands. Preparing for the GMAT and trying to fit an in-person preparation course into your routine can be daunting and sometimes simply impossible. Our online courses allow students to flexibly plan their preparation. Not only do students have the option of participating from home, but you can also utilize the recordings of sessions if you are unable to attend live for whatever reason. If you feel that you may miss out on key information through taking the time to ask questions, there is no need to worry, as your instructor will be happy to address anything on your mind via email or during the next live session. Our online group courses and private tutoring packages are a perfect fit for students who are working or studying full-time but who still are serious about attaining an elite score on the GMAT.

If an in-person class is offered at a specific location, this will typically be offered at the same time every week. With our online options, which follow the exact same syllabus as the in-person courses, you have the ability to choose between a variety of attendance and participation options, allowing you to select the one that best suits your personal schedule.

Lower Cost

While there are many advantages to opting for the GMAT Online Classic Course, perhaps the one that is most overlooked is the price. Since firms like Manhattan Review do not have to rent expensive classrooms, they can pass on the savings, meaning the online course is offered at a significantly lower price with the same content as the in-person class. If you are looking for a budget friendly, high-quality option, then our online GMAT prep course is the best choice for you and your test prep needs.

While there is plenty to like about online prep courses, there are also some disadvantages. These are some that are occasionally mentioned to us:

Lack of social interaction

There is something comforting about in-person interaction. It is wonderful to be able to grab a coffee or maybe a drink with your fellow prep classmates after the lesson and rave about the amazing Manhattan Review teacher you just had your lecture with. We fully understand that this satisfying feeling can hardly be replicated online.

Having said that, one advantage of the online classroom is how easily breakout rooms can be created, enabling you to get to know more about your classmates faster than in a traditional classroom setting.

Dependance on Technology

Many students are worried that they might not be able to install the required programs to participate in an online class session. While this might have been a concern years ago, technology has become so stable and easy to install that this is not a point of relevance or concern anymore. At Manhattan Review we use Zoom, a popular online teaching platform, which many participants already know from work-related team meetings or academic studies. So, while there were valid concerns about the tech years ago, this is no longer an issue as systems become increasingly stable every year.