Test Prep Insight is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Manhattan Prep GMAT Review
Our detailed review of the Manhattan Prep GMAT course following its merger with Kaplan
Kaplan has long owned Manhattan Prep, but always kept the two companies separate — until now. That has all changed, and Kaplan has now folded their own prep program into the Manhattan Prep GMAT course. On top of that, they recently make some changes to their curriculum and added new features. So, to say that a lot has changed would be an understatement. In this review we take a deep dive and give you our thoughts on the new Manhattan Prep Powered By Kaplan GMAT course.
As this is a lengthy review article, please feel free to use the jump-to link above to navigate this post.
Video: Is Manhattan Prep GMAT Good?
In the video above, John from the Test Prep Insight team covers everything you need to know about the GMAT prep courses from Manhattan Prep.
How The Manhattan Prep GMAT Course Works & Our Thoughts
Structurally the Manhattan prep GMAT course is largely driven by your syllabus, which is carried out by a program called Atlas.
You’re given a very organized, task-based agenda, and the program is structured to be completed over 12 weeks. There are 9 weeks of lessons and homework, followed by a 3-week period of review and practice before exam day.
Manhattan Prep rolled out several improvements in fall 2025 that streamlined the course. The curriculum now breaks things into shorter bite-sized lessons and practice sets, which means more frequent check-ins to keep you engaged. There’s also a dynamic calendar that automatically adjusts your weekly study plan based on what you actually completed, though you can manually tweak it if needed. And they’ve integrated an AI tool that’s been trained on all their materials, so you can ask it questions about any problem in real time.
The Manhattan Prep GMAT program dashboard
However, that assumes you don’t need extra help with math. When you sign up with Manhattan, one of the very first tasks that they ask you to do is to take a basic math diagnostic.
It is only 16 problems, but is meant to assess your current math skills. Then based on how you perform, they may recommend you take their Foundations of Math course before diving in.
There are two ways to approach the Foundations of Math course. You can tackle it upfront before the main program, or layer it in over the first four weeks.
Here’s what I’d recommend. If you struggle with most of the diagnostic problems and haven’t taken any math classes in the last few years, stop and do the Foundations course upfront. I know it’s a pain, as it takes an extra 4 weeks (extending the program to 16 weeks total), but it’s worth it if you’re weak in math. For the GMAT, you have to master quant. There’s no way around it.
Manhattan Prep GMAT video lesson
If you do so-so on the diagnostic and feel good about some problems but not others, layer it in over the first four weeks. You’ll keep moving through the main course and finish in under 12 weeks.
And if you’re already solid at math, skip it entirely and jump right in. It’s not necessary if you have a strong starting point.
Whether you do the Foundations of Math course upfront, layered in, or not at all, there are two different ways to take the Manhattan course. There is a self-paced version of the course or a version with live classes.
To explain the difference as simply as possible, from what I could tell, the live class version is basically the exact same as the on demand, self-paced version, but with 27 hours of live instruction in an online classroom layered in.
Then even at that, the video lectures that make up the instructional component of the self-paced course are recordings from those live classes. So the only real difference is whether you want to participate in real time, so that you can ask the instructor questions.
Or perhaps you need the commitment and accountability that comes with a regular live class schedule — that would be another reason to go with the live version of the program. The live classes meet once a week for three hours, and that can be a big deal to some people, as it can help to keep them on track and disciplined.
A problem solution in the Navigator portal
In the end, it somewhat comes down to whether the cost difference is worth the value of those live classes. For an extra $900 (more on program cost below), it may or may not be worth it. It will just depend on your individual situation.
I will say though that I thought the live classes were very good. The Manhattan Prep instructors are probably the best we’ve seen in the GMAT space.
They have incredibly strong communication skills, effective approaches to tackling different problem types, and a really good grasp of the subject matter. They’re just incredible GMAT teachers.
However, you also get these same instructors in the pre-recorded video lectures in the on demand package, so it’s a really hard call whether to spring for the live classes. Either way, I suppose the point I’m making is that the Manhattan team of instructors is very good.
Circling back to the syllabus, whether you take the live class version of the course or the on demand package, you’re looking at about 8 to 15 hours of homework each week. That’s what we found.
The math diagnostic
As noted above, the Atlas program is organized around a week-by-week schedule, and each week somewhat looks the same. You’ll have a module for Quant and DI (Data Insights), and a module for Verbal.
You’ll start with your live class or a video lecture (depending on format), and from there, you’ll get assigned readings from the course books and practice problem sets.
As for those books, when you sign up for Manhattan Prep’s course, you get six main prep books. You can get these in eBook form for free or in print format for an extra charge. My recommendation is to get the print books.
The eBooks now run through digital platform VitalSource, which is solid. You can highlight, take notes, and when you’re assigned a reading, you just click and it takes you right to the page. It’s pretty seamless and a big improvement over their old software.
That said, the print books are way more practical and valuable in my opinion. This is especially true because of how you access your practice work in the Manhattan Prep program. Let me explain.
Manhattan Prep doesn’t generate practice problems themselves. They license them from GMAC, the makers of the exam, which is great news because you’re practicing on problems from actual past exams. There’s no better form of practice material than that.
For a while, their quiz generator couldn’t pull in those official GMAT questions directly, which was frustrating. But they updated this in 2025, and now the quiz generator integrates official questions from the Official Guide right into the platform. When you finish your practice problem sets, you review the explanations right in the Atlas program.
One of the Manhattan Prep books in eBook software
The solutions that Manhattan Prep has crafted to go along with each problem are very good and best I’ve seen. They’re detailed and well-explained, and honestly better than GMAC’s own explanations in many cases.
Manhattan Prep GMAT practice tests contain official problems
One other aspect of the Manhattan Prep practice work that I need to mention is that they want you categorizing and tracking every problem you take. They are relentless about tracking your progress, especially when it comes to practice tests. But here’s the thing — it’s a manual process.
Every time you take an exam, they expect you to spend a big chunk of time afterwards going problem-by-problem and categorizing whether you got it right or wrong, whether you guessed, what your mistake was, and a few other filters. Basically, Manhattan Prep wants you to spend some time thinking about each question and learning from your mistakes.
The problem tracking is detailed and can feel tedious, especially after a full practice exam. Manhattan Prep is relentless about it because their data shows students who commit to the full analysis see better outcomes. But let’s be real, it’s manual work and not everyone loves spending that much time categorizing mistakes. They do offer a lighter version of the tracker for your first couple exams, but they push you toward the full version because that’s what correlates with score improvements.
One of the Manhattan Prep video lectures
Anyway, that is how it goes with the Manhattan Prep syllabus. For the first 9 weeks, you attend your weekly class (or watch the prerecorded video lectures), do your assigned reading, work your practice problems, and review the solutions.
During those 9 weeks, there are three assigned mock exams, and then three more during the last couple weeks before test day (you can take each one twice). One note: Manhattan Prep doesn’t have their own explanations for these practice exams yet, so you’ll be using GMAC’s explanations instead. Also, around those mock exams during the last couple weeks, they have you focus on mindset, they reiterate strategy, and generally try to have you learn from your mistakes.
Around all of this, there are a few more small features, like a digital whiteboard and student forum to ask questions and connect with other students, but that’s sort of Manhattan Prep in a nutshell.
Manhattan Prep Course Cost & Prep Options
Manhattan Prep has restructured their pricing to be more flexible. The On Demand course pricing depends on how long you need access. You can get 1 month for around $300 (a new option that’s great for crammers), 6 months for around $900, or 12 months for around $1,200. The Live Online course is more expensive and runs around $1,800.
Manhattan Prep also just launched a 655+ course that guarantees either a 655+ score or 70-point improvement. And if you want more structure or personalized attention, they also offer bootcamp and tutoring packages at higher price points.
Foundations of Math workshop
That being said, note that Manhattan Prep is very aggressive with sales and special promos, and you’ll rarely pay full price, which could change your thoughts on which package to opt for.
Compared to other major GMAT prep providers, like Princeton Review, these prices are not outrageous. Manhattan offers a premium prep option, and they are in line with other more premium prep providers.
Verdict: Is The Manhattan Prep GMAT Course Worth It?
Honestly, I think this course is one of the best in the space. It is such a well-designed approach to teaching that it just feels more robust and comprehensive than all of the other courses I’ve taken and reviewed. The instructors are fantastic; the practice problems are official questions from past exams; the accompanying explanations are insightful and actionable; and the 12-week syllabus is a perfect length and structure. I am just a huge fan.
To be clear, the meticulous problem tracking gets old, the Qbank interface is clunky in places, and the higher tiers are pricey (though the one-month option helps). But overall, I really like this GMAT prep program. I don’t think you can go wrong with Manhattan Prep.
Yes, Kaplan acquired Manhattan Prep more than a decade ago, but the two have operated independently up until now. They recently folded the Kaplan GMAT program into the Manhattan Prep GMAT course.
How much do the Manhattan Prep GMAT courses cost?
The GMAT courses from Manhattan Prep range from around $300 to $1,800, with various options in between depending on your needs.
What is the major highlight of the Manhattan Prep GMAT courses?
Manhattan Prep’s greatest strength is its series of video lessons, which are usually pre-recorded lectures from live classes. If you are a visual learner, the courses from Manhattan Prep will be a good fit for your learning style. The prep books are also rock solid too.
Is the Manhattan Prep GMAT course good?
Yes, we think the Manhattan Prep GMAT courses are extremely effective. Their curriculum is well-designed, the study materials are high-quality, and we liked the instructors.
Does Manhattan Prep use official practice problems from GMAC or make their own?
Manhattan Prep licenses all of their practice problems directly from GMAC, the makers of the exam. They craft the solutions that go with each problem themselves, but the underlying questions are straight from GMAC.
Is Manhattan Prep the best GMAT course for advanced learners?
Yes, Manhattan Prep is widely considered one of the top GMAT courses for advanced learners or those aiming for top scores. Its materials are rigorous, the lesson structure is fast-paced, and the instructors are some of the most experienced in the industry. With a strong focus on advanced quant, strategy drills, and in-depth explanations, it’s a great fit if you’re already scoring well and want to push higher.
