Preparing for important exams like GRE? Are you wondering how you can study better and boost your efforts to get that desired score? With platforms like Magoosh or Kaplan, you need not worry about your study preparations and score. These two platforms are the best platforms for these exams and they offer complete test preparation as well as guarantee improvements in your scores.
Because of limited time as well as budget, you might not be able to use these two platforms simultaneously, hence this article gives you a comparison between these platforms, which will make the decision-making process simpler for you. Read on to know all about these platforms.
Magoosh Vs KAPLAN: Overview
Kaplan was founded way back in the year 1938 and since then, it has just grown to become one of the best and leading companies in tests pre across the world. Kaplan offers online courses, in-person classes, apps, books as well as study programs that are self-paced. Magoosh is relatively quite new and small scale-wise in contrast to Kaplan. However, Magoosh has a modern and millennial approach when it comes to their programs and is climbing up the ladder in the industry of test-prep.
Magoosh Overview
It is a platform for online studies. It focuses on those students who wish to study at a pace comfortable to them and it gives them all the required resources. Students can get access to the account and from this account, they have benefits like:
Access to an extensive library that focuses on a target test
They can watch video lessons
They can learn all the basic concepts required for the test
They can opt for timed quizzes which acts as a practice session for any exam
They can filter lessons as well as quizzes based on subject, difficulty, and type
Past performances and answers can be reviewed
They can also monitor their own progress
Students can compare other results with their own
Kaplan Overview
Kaplan offers a more intense test preparation. It enables the students to combine online learning which is self-paced with in-person classes, individual online, and tutoring. The classes are held in different locations which provide interested students the option to learn even in a classroom environment. The students at Kaplan can also take proctor tests wherein they can check their knowledge level and also evaluate their progress.
Irrespective of whether you wish to learn on your own, or with a bit of guidance or opt for self-paced lessons, Kaplan is ready to offer it. They also provide private tutoring as well as counseling for graduate admission. This definitely makes Kaplan a winner in this area.
Courses Offered - Test Preparation
MagooshMagoosh provides preparation to students for tests like GRE, CAT, GMAT, LSAT, IELTS, MCAT, SAT, Praxis, and Toefl.
KaplanKaplan has an extensive offer and has more than 90 standardized tests. Kaplan does not address just those students who are aiming for an admission in a college, secondary school, or a graduate school, it also addresses those professionals who have to face licensing exams.
In case Magoosh does not cover a certain exam that you need to prepare for, Kaplan definitely will cover it. Yet again, Kaplan is the better choice of the two.
The Battle Of Pricing | Which One Is Value For Money?
There is a detailed comparison of the pricing of GRE prep plans of both the platforms which will enable a proper understanding if the financial implications on choosing either of the two platforms:
Magoosh: It offers two choices:(i) The 1-month Premium Plan: It costs $129. This plan covers AWA, Verbal, and Math in about 250+ video lessons, about 1200 questions for practice, and also 3 practice tests. The plan also offers email assistance, score prediction, and study schedules.
(ii) The 6-Month Premium Plan: It costs $149. This plan will offer you access to all the features of the 1-month premium plan - the video lessons, tests, and practice questions but are covered over 6 months. The lessons will cover all concepts of Revised GRE tests.
Save Upto $625 Now KaplanKaplan gives you a lot of options and there are on the expensive side. Their options for GRE prepare:
It starts at $849. This plan will cover live instruction of 21 hours, 35 hours live instruction on GRE Channel, 7 tests for practice, an Official Test Experience, more than 180 hours of practice and instruction, more than 5,000 practice questions, and also 2 prep books on GRE. There is an option for Live Online Plus which starts from $1149, which offers 3 hours of one-on-one instruction, access to numerous workshops, video lessons related to GRE Math Foundation, a database of GRE Advanced Math, in addition to the others mentioned in the $849 plan.
This starts at $1099. The In-Person plan includes the contents of the plan- Live Online, except that all the live instruction of 21 hours will be in person and in the classroom environment. These lessons generally last for 3 hours and will take place two times a week. The In-Person Plus option is also available, which is just like your Live Online Plus, however, the lessons would be in-person.
This starts at $2199. This plan focus on those students requires assistance and guidance on specific topics along with a customized study plan. The plan comes with 15 hours dedicated to live online tutoring for GRE as well as access to either the In-Person plan or Live Online plan. Students in need of additional assistance can go for the plan of 25 hours which comes at a cost of $3299. You also have a plat of 35 hours which will cost you $4399, and this is targeted at those students who want excellent scores or are lagging behind. These two options also provide access to the In-Person and Live Online plans. There are similar plans available even for tutoring in-person too, but to know more about the cost and availability, the student has to get in touch with customer service.
This starts at $699. The Self-paced plan comes with 18 hours of video instructions, an official test experience, about 7 full practice tests, 180+ hours online lessons along with the practice, about 5000 practice questions -called Qbank, 2 prep books on GRE, and online access for 6 months. You can get the Self-Paced Plus plan for $899 which will give you extra 35 hours live instructions, along with the access to both GRE Math Foundations as well as GRE Advanced Math ( both will be Self-Paced).
Those students who are very confident regarding their learning ability yet wish to take up practice tests and test their knowledge, there are 3 options offered by Kaplan which are available separately as well as combined. The Qbank comes at a cost of $69 and gives you access to personalized quizzes that are created based on over 2500 different practice questions of GRE. There is a Practice Pack which will start at $149; it merges Qbank with the practice tests of GRE. You also have the Official Test Day Experience which enables students to experience each aspect of the main test prior to actually attending the main exam for $150.
Note that the prices of plans will differ based on the test.For instance, Magoosh offers you Math + IR for $219, the Premium costs $249, and the Tutoring + Premium costs $799. The Self-Guided Options of Kaplan includes the Study Pack for $299 and Self-Paced Plan for $799. Kaplan also has the Live Online plan which starts at $1049, the In-Person plan which starts at $1249, and the Tutoring which starts at $2599.
So, in terms of affordability, Magoosh is definitely a winner, however, Kaplan also is offering the students the choice of paying in installments for the plans, which reduces the financial pressure.
The Free trial & Refund
Magoosh does offer you a free trial of 7 days. Those who are interested in it, can sign up and thereby get free access for a whole week to 20+ video lessons as well as 20 practice questions. On the other hand, Kaplan does not have any free trial offer. However, according to the terms and conditions of Kaplan, users are advised that in case they cancel the subscription in 3 days, they can get a complete refund. Post that, any cancellation has to be done within a minimum of 3 days prior to the expiry date of the subscription period.
Money-Back Guarantee
Both Magoosh and Kaplan come with the High Score Guarantee. Those students who have not seen an improvement in the score post completing the study program at either of these, could request for a refund or even opt for repeating the program free of cost. You must note that this guarantee is not applicable to every test. In order to ask for a refund, you have to submit proof of your previous test score
Team & Resource
MagooshMagoosh does not have extensive offers, hence they are a bit more transparent related to the team. The official website displays about 40 team members, yet nothing much is mentioned about their qualifications.
In terms of partnerships, Magoosh has mentioned test preparation centers, the programs to study abroad, the non-profit organizations, universities, high schools, as well as English language programs, however, no names have been mentioned.
KaplanOn the other hand, Kaplan has a very extensive offer related to testing prep, and hence the team is definitely bigger at Kaplan. Though there are no names or photographs displayed on the official website of Kaplan, they do speak about the teachers, the curriculum specialists, testing experts, and the researchers.
Kaplan is associated with Kaplan University, Kaplan Inc., Kaplan College, and a lot more educational institutions in Ireland, like the University of Limerick, Royal College of Surgeons, the Trinity College, and many more.
Customer support - Which One Fast & Reliable Support?
In Magoosh, students can contact the customer service through their toll-free number or by email or by filling up a contact form. Kaplan has the option of a live chat which gives them an edge over Magoosh. Both platforms, however, provide great customer support.
Accessibility and navigation
Both Magoosh and Kaplan are user-friendly and navigation is quite easy on both the platforms. Magoosh offers limited test preps and hence they have developed individual blogs along with mobile apps for every major test. Kaplan has its App called the Kaplan Mobile Prep which gives students access to their study plans and accounts, anywhere and anytime.
Reputation
Both the test prep providers, Magoosh and Kaplan, are renowned all over the world. Both have some exceptional reviews from users as well as third-party websites.
MagooshMagoosh has a higher user rating, a Better Business Bureau (BBB) accreditation as well as a rating of A+. Magoosh has received praise as well as awards for offering a great work atmosphere along with ensuring the happiness of its employees.
Kaplan does not have a Better Business Bureau accreditation. However, the study prep plans of Kaplan, as well as their business model, have been endorsed by many online and also traditional publications. Kaplan's user ratings are a bit lower, and there are more complaints on Kaplan than on Magoosh.
Considering the extensive test prep plans offered by Kaplan, it is tough to see why there are complaints. Most of the complaints are related to misunderstandings on the terms and conditions and cancellation requests.
Overall Experience
The overall experience in terms of both the platforms, Magoosh and Kaplan, depends on your requirements and your goals that you wish to accomplish. If you are quite disciplined, have a tight budget, and are keen on preparing for a common test, then Magoosh would be quite appealing. Magoosh is quite affordable and provides access to the required information as well as tools. All you need to do is organize it well and put your knowledge to the test. The results will be based on your efforts
If you need assistance, guidance, and a push, if you want to ask questions and obtain detailed explanations, and if you want a high score, Kaplan would be a better option. Kaplan has a lot of study plans that you can choose from and you can enjoy either online classes or real classrooms and also experience the test day. Kaplan offers you access to video lessons that have been recorded in addition to live online as well as tutoring and in-person instruction. Yes, the price differs a lot per plan, and in case you are willing to splurge, you could opt for Kaplan Test Prep.
What Does Student Say Of These Platforms?
Magoosh Reviews & TestimonialsKaplan Student Reviews
Conclusion: Magoosh vs Kaplan | Which One To Choose?
Both platforms have a lot to offer, and choosing any platform totally depends on your goals, your budget, and your determination. Magoosh falls in the affordable segment and it is good for those having a tight budget, but are disciplined and wish to prepare themselves for some common tests. In case you are looking for other tests, you could opt for Kaplan.
Kaplan has many study plans to choose from and this depends on whether you need tutoring, in-person classes, online classes or you just need the practice sessions.
Kaplan might be expensive, but it also offers the option of paying for the plans in installments. The choice totally depends on your requirement and your goals!
