Best GRE Prep Course for College Students

Before diving into specific courses, let’s talk about what actually matters when choosing GRE study materials. Not every course works for every student, and understanding your own needs will save you time and money.

Practice Question Quality

This is arguably the most important factor. The best GRE prep resources use questions that closely mirror what you’ll see on test day. Official ETS questions are the gold standard—if a course incorporates licensed ETS content, that’s a significant advantage. Third-party questions can help drill concepts, but they shouldn’t be your only practice material.

Adaptive Learning Features

The actual GRE is section-adaptive, meaning the difficulty of your second verbal and quant sections depends on how you perform in the first. A good gre practice test should replicate this experience so there are no surprises on exam day.

Study Flexibility

College students are juggling classes, jobs, internships, and social lives. The best gre prep course will offer flexibility—whether that means self-paced video lessons you can watch at 2 AM or live classes that work around your schedule.

Score Improvement Guarantees

Many reputable courses offer money-back guarantees if your score doesn’t improve. This shows confidence in their product and gives you some financial protection.

1. GregMat+ — Best Budget-Friendly Option

Price: $7.99/month

Best for: Self-motivated students on a tight budget

Let’s start with what might be the most remarkable value in test prep today. GregMat+ costs less than a streaming subscription and delivers what many students consider superior instruction to courses costing 50 times as much.

Founded by Greg, who scored a perfect 340/340 on the GRE, this platform offers 10+ live classes per week, hundreds of recorded sessions, over 900 practice questions, and meticulously crafted study plans ranging from one to three months. The live classes are interactive—you can ask questions in real time and receive direct feedback from experienced instructors.

What makes GregMat special isn’t just the price. The teaching methodology focuses on understanding the logic behind GRE questions rather than memorizing tricks. Greg’s vocabulary approach, which uses word groups and mnemonics, is particularly effective, and the “Vocab Mountain” feature has become legendary among GRE test-takers on Reddit.

Pros:

• Incredibly affordable at just $7.99/month
• Live classes with real interaction
• Structured study plans for different timelines
• Active community support

Cons:

• No proprietary full-length practice tests
• Less polished interface than premium competitors
• Requires self-discipline to follow through

2. Magoosh — Best Self-Paced Course

Price: $149-$199 (1-6 months access)

Best for: Video learners who prefer studying at their own pace

Magoosh has built its reputation as the original self-paced GRE course, and for good reason. At roughly one-third the price of traditional prep courses, Magoosh delivers a comprehensive package that includes 290+ video lessons, 1,600+ practice questions, and six full-length practice tests.

What sets Magoosh apart is its exclusive license to use official ETS practice questions—something most competitors can’t offer. This means you’re studying with the most realistic questions available outside of ETS’s own materials. Their average student improves by 6 points, and they back this up with a 5-point score improvement guarantee.

The platform’s custom practice feature allows you to create targeted problem sets filtered by difficulty, question type, and subject area. Every question includes both video and text explanations, making it easy to understand not only what the right answer is but also why.

Pros:

• Official ETS questions included
• Excellent mobile app for studying on the go
• 5-point score improvement guarantee
• AI-powered essay grading feature

Cons:

• No live instruction
• Video production quality is basic
• Can feel overwhelming without a clear direction

3. Manhattan Prep — Best Overall GRE Course

Price: $399+ (1-6 month options)

Best for: Students who learn by doing and want comprehensive coverage

Manhattan Prep consistently earns top marks from reviewers for its combination of engaging instruction, extensive practice materials, and reasonable pricing. Their signature “Learn It, Drill It, Prove It” approach creates a systematic learning experience that keeps students engaged.

The course includes over 5,000 practice problems, six full-length practice tests, and interactive video lessons that incorporate quizzes, animations, and even the occasional joke to keep things interesting. For students who get bored easily with traditional lectures, Manhattan Prep’s approach feels refreshingly different.

What’s particularly valuable for MBA applicants is Manhattan Prep’s specialized “GRE for MBA” course. With about 25% of business school applicants now choosing the GRE over the GMAT, this focused program addresses the specific quant skills and strategies needed for B-school admissions.

Pros:

• Massive library of practice problems
• Highly engaging video content
• Specialized MBA-focused option
• High-quality practice tests

Cons:

• No live class options (only tutoring)
• May be overwhelming for last-minute cramming
• Private tutoring waitlists can be long

4. The Princeton Review — Best for Live Instruction

Price: $499-$2,399+ (varies by package)

Best for: Students who thrive with structured live classes and instructor support

The Princeton Review is a household name in test prep for good reason. Their GRE courses offer probably the widest range of options in the industry, from self-paced online study to intensive 32-hour private tutoring packages.

Their flagship 162+ course stands out with what may be the most aggressive score guarantee in the market: they promise you’ll score 162 or higher on both Verbal and Quant sections (or achieve a minimum 6-point improvement), or you get your money back. This confidence speaks to the quality of their instruction.

The course includes 8 full-length gre mock tests, 2,500+ practice questions, and their proprietary Drill Smart technology that adapts to your performance. Their instructors go through 37 hours of training before teaching, ensuring consistency across the program.

Pros:

• Industry-leading score guarantee
• Multiple course formats available
• Excellent live math support
• Physical study materials included in premium packages

Cons:

• Premium packages are expensive
• Self-paced option is less impressive than competitors
• Guarantee requires completing substantial coursework

5. Kaplan — Best for Practice Tests

Price: $449-$999+ (varies by package)

Best for: Students who want extensive full-length practice

Kaplan has been in the test prep game for decades, and their GRE course reflects that experience. Their standout feature is the sheer volume of practice tests—up to 13 full-length exams depending on your package, more than any other major provider.

Their “Official Test Day Experience” is unique in the industry: Kaplan lets you take a practice exam in an actual Kaplan testing center under real test conditions. This helps reduce anxiety on the actual exam day by making the experience familiar.

The Kaplan GRE Channel offers near-daily live sessions on various topics, and all sessions are recorded for later viewing. Their 2,500+ question bank provides plenty of free gre practice test material to work through.

Pros:

• Most practice tests of any major provider
• Official Test Day Experience option
• Score improvement guarantee
• GRE Channel for extra content

Cons:

• Can feel less specialized than GRE-focused competitors
• Higher price point for premium features
• Some students find proprietary questions less realistic

6. Target Test Prep — Best for Quantitative Focus

Price: $99-$399 (varies by access length)

Best for: Students who need to improve their math scores significantly

If quantitative reasoning is your weak spot—and for many college students it is—Target Test Prep deserves serious consideration. Their adaptive learning platform uses AI to identify exactly where you’re struggling and create a personalized study path.

TTP offers a unique guarantee for GRE retakers: if you previously scored below 310 and don’t improve by at least 15 points, you get extended free access. This makes them particularly appealing for students who’ve already taken the test once and didn’t hit their target.

The course covers all GRE sections but really shines in its GRE math practice content. Their detailed analytics help you understand not just which questions you’re missing, but why you’re missing them.

Pros:

• Outstanding quant instruction
• Adaptive learning technology
• Strong guarantee for retakers
• Detailed performance analytics

Cons:

• Verbal content is less comprehensive
• No live instruction options
• AWA section coverage is minimal

7. ETS Official Prep — Best for Free Resources

Price: Free – $199

Best for: Budget-conscious students who want authentic practice

Don’t overlook the official source. ETS—the organization that creates and administers the GRE—offers free and paid prep materials that should be part of every student’s gre study guide.

The two free PowerPrep practice tests are essential. These use the actual GRE algorithm and provide the most accurate score predictions available anywhere. Take one at the beginning of your prep as a diagnostic and save the other for a week or two before your test date.

ETS also sells additional practice tests and their Official GRE Super Power Pack, which includes three guidebooks with hundreds of real questions. While these materials don’t provide the instruction found in other courses, they’re the most authentic practice you can get.

Pros:

• Most authentic questions available
• Free practice tests included
• Created by the same organization that makes the actual test

Cons:

• Not enough material for comprehensive prep alone
• No video instruction
• Limited explanation of strategies