Which tests should I buy - Manhattan or Kaplan?

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Hi,

I want to purchase the test pack of either Manhattan or Kaplan . I am planning to give GMAT early June. This is my second attempt(1st attempt -640 Q49 V27) . I have already exhausted my 4 GMAT prep in my last attempt and would not like to trust the inflated scores. Please suggest.

Thanks!

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by [email protected] » Tue May 05, 2015 8:47 am
Hi prachi18oct,

Individual users have their own opinions, but the truth is that either set of CATs will provide a reasonable score assessment, so you can purchase either of them.

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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue May 05, 2015 9:02 am
Most prep companies offer a free practice CAT. (See below for Veritas' free CAT.) My advice: take the free ones, and then decide for yourself which one best simulates the official exam.
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by prachi18oct » Tue May 05, 2015 9:15 am
Hi David,

I have taken the free ones of Kaplan, Veritas and Manhattan.

Actually I got confused with the scores I received in these tests.
Manhattan (03/25/2015) - 720
Kaplan 720 (took early this year)
Veritas ( 670 but took last year and many questions were from OG13)

I took GMAT prep 1 yesterday(It was a retake after Aug 2014) and got a high 760.
I don't trust these scores somehow and need to take fresh tests to gauge my progress.

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by [email protected] » Wed May 06, 2015 8:40 am
Hi prachi18oct,

When it comes to CAT accuracy, part of the responsibility falls on how YOU choose to take the CATs. Retaking a CAT is NOT realistic (since you'll see some repeat questions - this affects the scoring and your mindset, pacing, attitude, etc.). While retaking a CAT can be done for general practice purposes, the end score result will likely be 'inflated' (and thus NOT realistic, so you cannot use those scores as a way to gauge your progress).

The other areas to think about involve the level of detail with which you take your CATs - those details should match what you'll face on Test Day in as many ways as you can reasonably make happen. You should take the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR sections), at the same time of day as your Official GMAT, away from your home, in a test-like environment, etc. The more you deviate from the 'parameters' of Test Day, the more likely your scores can be "off."

Free practice CATs can be quite beneficial, BUT if it's not the ENTIRE CAT or the CAT is not adaptive, then the results can also be 'inflated.'

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by Rich@EconomistGMAT » Fri May 08, 2015 7:55 am
Hi prachi18oct,

Most online resources offer a free trial to give you the opportunity to shop around and decide what works best for you. I'd strongly suggest you take advantage of these trials. What works well for one student might not work as well for you, so it's ultimately up to you to determine which materials best suit your needs.

That being said, here is a link to try Economist GMAT Tutor for 7 days. You'll notice its adaptive technology adjusts your study plans based on your needs: https://bit.ly/1bPAHuW

Best of luck,
Rich