Manhattan Prep GMAT Free Trial: What to Expect
You can come to the first session of any Manhattan Prep GMAT class—In Person or Online—for free. In fact, you can try out multiple different MPrep GMAT classes if you want to, and maybe you should! It’s one way to pick the perfect class for you (and even if you don’t end up taking the course, you’ll still learn a lot). Here’s what to expect from—and how to make the most of—your Manhattan Prep GMAT Free Trial Class.
What to expect
Your trial class will last three hours, including one or two short breaks. The trial class isn’t a special event — it’s just the first session of one of our ordinary GMAT courses, online or in person. The experience will reflect what you can expect from the entire nine-session course.
Your trial session will be taught by the same GMAT instructor who teaches the full course, so attending the trial class is one way to decide whether you click with a particular instructor. If you want to know more before your class session (or if you want to see our GMAT scores!), instructor bios are on this page.
The GMAT isn’t like a college exam, and a small group of motivated and curious adults won’t learn in the same way as a college lecture class. Expect to spend more time talking, writing, and solving problems than you may have in other classes. In general, the atmosphere will be collaborative and open, with everyone freely sharing ideas and questions.
Because of that, in order to take an online GMAT trial class, you’ll need a computer with a microphone (and ideally a camera). Think of your class session as a Skype meeting for work, not a recorded lecture! An online trial class is a good way to test out the online classroom environment.
What you’ll do and learn
During your trial class (and during every class session!), expect a mixture of discussion and problem-solving. The things you’ll work on in class break down into a few broad categories:
Content
You’ll learn the math, grammar, and logic rules used in GMAT problems. Since the trial class is the first class session, we don’t do a deep dive into just one type of math or grammar. Instead, we focus on the types of problems you’ll see on test day, using a number of different content areas. In your trial class, you can expect to learn something about integers, exponents, and inequalities, as well as a little bit about modifiers and subject-verb agreement.
Performance
The GMAT gives you questions you’ve never seen before, and you’re supposed to use your math and grammar content as a toolkit to solve them quickly. To do this, you need to learn something about how to solve GMAT problems, a topic we address in every class session. In the trial class, you’ll learn how to work through Data Sufficiency and Sentence Correction problems in an organized way, as well as how to understand the GMAT’s scoring system and use it to your advantage.
Practice
In the last few decades, a lot of research has been done on successful learning. Most of GMAT work will happen outside of the classroom, so we spend some of our class time training you to study with less stress and more efficiency. To this end, the trial class always includes some conversation about timing on the GMAT — should you time yourself when you study? What can you do to solve problems faster?
How to prepare for your first GMAT class
You don’t need to know anything about the GMAT to benefit from the first class session. (In fact, instructor Elaine Loh wrote this article about why you don’t need to teach yourself math before class starts.) If you do have time to prepare a little, here’s what to do instead of cracking the math books:
- Read these pages from the test writers about the Quantitative section and the Verbal section.
- Then, take your first practice GMAT (even if you haven’t started studying at all!)
- Check out this article on GMAT myths, to make sure you aren’t going into the course with misconceptions.
It’s also fine to take the trial class if you do know a little, or even a lot, about the GMAT. Many of my students have already taken the GMAT and are coming back for a second round. Use your trial class as a chance to gauge the classroom environment: do the other students have goals and experience levels that are similar to yours?
For the trial session, all you need to bring is a pen and paper, unless your instructor tells you otherwise. (Student Services will guide you through any technical setup you’ll need for an online trial session.) You’ll need the textbooks for your first week of homework, but you’ll get access to them as ebooks as soon as you sign up.
What next?
Here are a few things to think about:
- Does the schedule of this class fit my schedule?
- Was I able to stay focused and motivated during the class session?
- Does the class move at an appropriate pace for me?
- Will I be able to consistently complete the homework and prepare for class?
- Did I feel comfortable making mistakes and asking questions?
- Did I get the amount and type of help that I need from the instructor?
- Will this class make it easier for me to master the GMAT?
You can always do a trial session in a different class if one doesn’t click for you. Or, read this article for other ways to approach the GMAT journey. Taking a GMAT class is a commitment and a challenge! However, it’s also the best way to be sure of learning what you need to know.
Here’s where to sign up for a trial class and give it a try.
Chelsey Cooley
is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Seattle, Washington. Chelsey always followed her heart when it came to her education. Luckily, her heart led her straight to the perfect background for GMAT and GRE teaching: she has undergraduate degrees in mathematics and history, a master’s degree in linguistics, a 790 on the GMAT, and a perfect 170Q/170V on the GRE. Check out Chelsey’s upcoming GMAT prep offerings here.