Magoosh GMAT Prep Review

Thinking about business school and weighing GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) prep courses, like Magoosh's GMAT program? If so, keep reading. This Magoosh GMAT prep review is for you.

I’ve been helping students prepare for standardized tests for years, so I’ve got an eye for programs that are worth their price tag. 

If you’re going to be one of the roughly 175,000 people who sit for the GMAT this year, you can expect to spend upwards of 150 hours preparing for it. Getting into a good business school can fundamentally change your professional trajectory, opening doors to high-paying jobs in a field you’re passionate about. Because of that, the admissions process can be highly competitive. Getting a solid score–at least a 700 (out of 800)–is extremely important. And to do that, a study regimen that works for you is a must-have.

Magoosh could provide just that. Its program is notable for its excellent value. You’ll get all you’ll need to succeed as well as the flexibility to study at your own pace. All for an unbeatable price. 

While I’ll be focusing on their premium GMAT prep course throughout this article, I’ll touch on all of their products throughout this article. Keep reading to see if Magoosh is worth its salt!

Here’s what’s in this Magoosh GMAT prep course review:

• About Magoosh
• How does Magoosh’s GMAT prep course work?
• How I reviewed Magoosh’s GMAT prep course
• Pros, cons, and who it’s for
• Cost and refund policy
• Key features
• Other GMAT prep course options
• Conclusion
• FAQs

Let’s get started!

About Magoosh GMAT prep

Ready to beat the GMAT on your own terms? Then Magoosh might be for you. Magoosh’s promise to give you the knowledge and prep that you need to succeed begins with their name. “Magush”, in Old Persian, means “one who is learned and wise”. 

Magoosh’s GMAT prep course is holistic and comprehensive. When signing up, you’ll have 12 months of access to 340+ video lessons, more than 1,300 practice questions with detailed, accessible explanations, and full-length tests–all for relatively little money, something Magoosh is known for. Magoosh’s program is backed by a generous score guarantee or your money back.

So what’s to lose?

How does Magoosh GMAT prep work?

Magoosh’s GMAT test prep course is flexible, thorough, and affordable, letting you prepare at your own pace. The program covers the four sections that you’ll face on the GMAT–analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning–as well as test-taking strategies. Probing your learning along the way, their progress tracking features and score predictor will give you a clear idea of where you stand in the study process.

Key features:

• 340+ video lessons
• 1,300+ practice questions
• Admissions add on
• Score guarantee
• Ask an Expert
• Score predictor and progress tracker
• Mobile app

How I reviewed Magoosh’s GMAT course

Using their free, week-long trial (a major perk!) I went through Magoosh’s GMAT prep program, watching video lessons, answering questions, and sitting for practice quizzes, tracking my progress along the way. And the more comfortable I became with Magoosh’s platform, the more I came to appreciate its value. 

Magoosh’s GMAT course has all of the materials you’ll need to prepare effectively. And it costs $249. Similar programs, such as Princeton Review and Kaplan’s, cost $800 and $1,000, respectively. While they do offer more practice questions and tests than Magoosh, the returns on your extra prep begin to diminish. Past a certain point, the effect of study burnout outweighs the benefit of additional prep.

Though its program is slimmer than other, comparable courses, I appreciate that Magoosh takes pains to ensure you really understand the material, maximizing the efficiency of your studying. Practice questions come with thorough and clear explanations aimed at shoring up any lingering doubts you may have. And when you’re studying for upwards of 200 hours, high-impact learning becomes all the more valuable. 

Pros of Magoosh’s GMAT prep course

Affordable

Magoosh's GMAT prep program is a great deal, especially when compared to similar courses. Princeton Review and Kaplan’s GMAT prep courses, both of which are decently similar to Magoosh’s, albeit with more content, cost $800 and $1,000, respectively. While Magoosh’s offerings are a bit slimmer, they’re more than enough to prepare you well for the test, and they’re well-worth the discounted price tag ($249 for 12 months of access).

Flexible

If you’re like many business school aspirants, you might not be able to study full time for the GMAT. Whether you’re currently a student, a full-time worker, or something in between, you might not have the time to do a round-the-clock GMAT prep bootcamp or attend a live class multiple times a week. Cue Magoosh. Their program is designed to accommodate different paces and stages of life, so you can complete the course at your own pace. With a year’s worth of access and no live learning, you can watch videos, take practice tests, and refine your test-taking strategy in a way that complements your lifestyle. 

Generous score guarantee

Magoosh’s GMAT score guarantee is one of the most generous I’ve seen. Their score promise is a tiered one, depending on how you scored on the baseline. If you score below a 630, you’re guaranteed a 70-point increase, while if you scored above a 700 you’re promised a 10-point increase. Score anywhere in between and they pledge to raise your score by 50 points. Most programs offer to raise your score by anywhere from one to five points, so this pledge is a unique one. 

Practice problems + thorough explanations

Magoosh, across all of its prep courses, offers fantastic practice problems. Their practice sets and accompanying explanations are top of the line. Magoosh allows you to customize practice sets based on problem type, difficulty, timing, etc., letting you hone in on specific concepts. And when you complete a practice problem, Magoosh offers clear and comprehensive explanations (in both written and video form) as well as study recommendations. While some services, like Kaplan and Princeton Review, offer more practice questions, the explanations that Magoosh provides are one of a kind. 

Diverse study materials 

Something I especially appreciate about Magoosh’s study resources is how versatile they are. The premium course offers video lessons, class transcripts, flash cards, mobile studying options, and practice questions to ensure you’ve got the material on lock. And while there’s no interactive learning, the Ask an Expert feature should be enough to clear up any lingering doubts you might have about a concept. 

Cons of Magoosh’s GMAT prep course

No live learning (but Ask an Expert support)

Magoosh, unfortunately, doesn’t offer live learning options, which, for you more independent learners, might even be a positive; that helps Magoosh keep their prices relatively low. But if you prefer to interface with a human, worry not! Magoosh’s GMAT prep course offers an email or chat function, which you can use to seek help from GMAT experts. 

Videos are helpful, but not the most engaging

While Magoosh’s video lessons are helpful, they’re not the most engaging. Other services’ videos include dynamic visuals and an actual teacher, which make the lessons more entertaining. Regardless, Magoosh breaks up their videos into digestible bits, and their lessons are full of high quality content. 

Who Magoosh GMAT prep is for

Magoosh’s GMAT prep course is for you if you’re:

• An independent learner
• A self-motivated studier
• Determined to get an 800
• Dedicated to mastering the GMAT’s content

How much does Magoosh GMAT prep cost?

Course	Price	Features
Premium	$249	As reviewed in this article
Admissions	$149	Comprehensive help with the admissions process that includes support with writing samples, resume drafting, MBA brand building, etc.
Premium + Admissions	$298	Best value for your money, Premium + Admissions combines Magoosh’s two GMAT/MBA support options.

Magoosh Refund

Magoosh offers a free, seven-day trial period, letting you get to know their program before you buy. If you enroll but decide that Magoosh isn’t for you, they’ll give you a full refund within seven days of purchasing. And the program is covered by their score guarantee. If your GMAT score doesn’t increase sufficiently relative to your baseline (see details below), Magoosh will give you your money back. 

Features of Magoosh

Magoosh’s GMAT prep course offers tons of great features. Some of my favorites are:

• 340+ video lessons
• Customizable practice questions with explanations
• Admissions add on option
• Generous score guarantee
• Ask an Expert assistance
• Score predictor and progress tracker
• Mobile app

340+ video lessons

Magoosh has more than 340 video lessons, available around the clock, that’ll walk you through all of the concepts you’ll come across on the GMAT. Throughout the recorded sessions, you’ll practice what you learn in real-time, hammering the material home. And the videos don’t just cover the content on the GMAT’s four sections. They also touch on test-taking strategies and test-day tips, ensuring you’ll go into the GMAT with poise and confidence. 

Customizable practice questions with explanations

While Magoosh offers fewer practice questions than some of its competitors do, the ones that it does provide are of the highest quality. What makes them different? First, you can customize your practice sets to focus on specific issues, difficulty levels, and timing, enabling you to hone in on specific problems or subjects you’re looking to improve on. Second, Magoosh provides detailed explanations for their practice questions, both in written and video form. This will improve your understanding of the concepts you’ve studied and help you learn from your mistakes. And finally, Magoosh tracks how you’re doing on particular subjects, giving you the information you need to streamline your preparation. 

Admissions add-on option

Magoosh’s admissions add-on is a feature that I haven’t seen offered by many other companies. For an additional $50 on your premium purchase, you’ll get 12 months of access to exclusive Magoosh content on applying to business school, building an MBA brand, writing your application essay, and crafting a resume/CV. You can even confer with their MBA admissions experts via email. That’s a lot of value added for just $50 extra. If you’re more interested in that than you are GMAT prep, Magoosh you can enroll in the admissions program for $149. While that still seems like a decent deal, it’s obviously far cheaper if you bundle it with the GMAT prep course. 

Generous score guarantee

It’s generally accepted that a “good” GMAT score is at least a 700. And with their expansive score guarantee, Magoosh promises to get you there. If you score a 630 or below on your baseline, Magoosh vows to increase your score by 70 points. If you score between a 640 and a 690, they’ll raise your score by 50 points. And if your baseline is at least 700, they promise to raise it by 10 points. That’s a solid deal, considering comparable services, like Princeton Review, just guarantee a basic score increase of at least one point, while others, like Kaplan, offer no score guarantee. 

Ask an Expert

Sometimes all you need is a push in the right direction to clear up confusion about a particular concept. And while Magoosh’s GMAT prep course doesn't offer live, interactive learning, they won’t leave you out in the cold. Magoosh offers email support from GMAT experts whenever you need a little extra help. 

Score predictor + progress tracker

As you move through their practice questions, Magoosh records how you’re doing on particular subjects, giving you the information you need to prepare more efficiently. Tracking things like pace (and setting them relative to other peoples’ scores) can help you set and meet achievable study goals. Likewise, Magoosh uses your results on practice quizzes to generate a test score predictor. I like this feature for two reasons. First, it’s helpful for generating realistic expectations and goals. Second, it provides lots of motivation to do the studying needed to appreciably raise your score. 

Mobile app

Find yourself scrolling on Instagram,TikTok, or Twitter when you know you should be studying? Magoosh has got you covered. Their mobile app, available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play, will help you take control of your time and maximize your productivity. Their extensive set of mobile flash cards gives you the chance to study on-the-go, so you never miss a beat. 

Magoosh Alternatives

While Magoosh is one of the best GMAT prep services out there, some others include:

• Kaplan
• Manhattan Prep 
• Princeton Review
• Varsity Tutors
• Prep Scholar

Course	Price range	Features
Kaplan/Manhattan Prep	$0-$2450	Kaplan and Manhattan Prep combine forces to offer numerous GMAT prep courses, including a live online one that’s similar to Magoosh’s (but costs $999), a bootcamp, concept specific workshops, and one-on-one tutoring
Princeton Review	$799-$1749	Princeton Review offers a self-paced course (comparable to Magoosh’s and Kaplan’s) that costs $799. They also offer live learning options, including classroom learning and private tutoring.
Varsity Tutors	$599-$3000	Varsity Tutors offers live, classroom learning starting at $599. They also have a bootcamp as well as private tutoring.
Prep Scholar	$139-$779	Prep Scholar’s self-paced program is most similar to Magoosh’s, but it has fewer materials. They also offer private tutoring.

Conclusion: Is Magoosh GMAT prep worth it?

Magoosh, per usual, gives you a big bang for your buck with its GMAT prep program, especially when you compare it to similar courses. Magoosh’s robust bank of practice questions and explanations, comprehensive video lessons, mobile app, and unmatched score guarantee make it one of the best GMAT prep courses out there. 

And with their seven-day free trial, plus their score guarantee, why not give them a shot? You’ll pay a lot less than you will with comparable programs.

If you’re looking for an exhaustive yet flexible prep course and are bent on getting a competitive GMAT score, consider prepping with Magoosh.

Good luck and happy studying!

Magoosh GMAT FAQs