5 responses to “Kaplan GMAT 2010 Premier Live Online”

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  Ben M April 7th, 2010 at 17:26

  I ordered this book looking forward to using the online practice features. Unfortunately, Kaplan said the code was already used. Since I can’t access the online tools, I only have one practice test and no diagnostics. Waste of money.
  Rating: 1 / 5

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  GMATClub.com April 7th, 2010 at 17:35

  I know a bit about GMAT – I scored 750 on the GMAT and started GMAT Club online community.
  
  Actually prepared using an older edition of this book myself and recommend it to everyone as a good starting point: The book gives a good introduction to the GMAT (how scoring works, what sections cover, etc), comes with 6 adaptive tests (4 on a CD and 2 online), and provides a number of valuable test-taking strategies (general but real and valuable). However, it is hard to score 700+ relying just on this book; you will need to get some other materials, and I will cover more of that below.

  THE GOOD:
  
  * Solid material with great Math and Verbal strategies as well as background
  
  * Good (not great) structure and layout
  
  * 6 Full Interactive GMAT Tests
  
  * One Full Paper GMAT Test (in the book)
  
  * (new) Monthly Quizes (every month Kaplan will add a quiz). Right now 15 are already available – it would be impressive if Kaplan can keep adding those. Each Quiz has about 20 questions
  
  * One online session with an instructor conducted in an online-classroom setting
  
  * Much of general info on gmat has been moved into online video format, called Fast Fact Videos
  
  * Great value for the money with 6 Full GMAT tests, practice questions on the CD, and many online Quizzes

  THE BAD:
  
  * Same as Kaplan GMAT Premier Program, 2009 and GMAT Premier Live Online 2010 (4 changes have been made on pages 377, 416, 426, 441) – would expect a bit more revision from a new edition (Keep in mind though that this edition was published only half a year after Live Online went for sale)
  
  * Since it is an all-in-one book, does not have the depth and width a 700+ score requires
  
  * 650 Pages and 4 LBS! – not a travel size book

  Frequently Asked Questions
  
  * What is a good study plan using Kaplan Premier?
  
  My recommendation would be to start with this book, finish it in about a month or so (by this time you will learn all the basics about the test, how it works, what is tested, and general strategies for answering questions). Then, you an figure out what’s the best use of your time – you may have reached your target score and can stop or perhaps you are really lacking in Quant or Verbal and need a lot more serious practice.

  * Will this book give me 700+ score?
  
  For the majority of applicants, No. It is not deep enough for most people out of college to refresh the math and verbal fundamentals. You will most likely need other books to help you get there.

  * How do I get 700 then?
  
  There are several options:
  
  1. Review each section separately using the Kaplan GMAT Math Workbook and Kaplan GMAT Verbal Workbook
  
  2. Thorough/Methodical review of each area – get the Manhattan GMAT Set of 8 Strategy Guides. If you dont need/want the entire collection, see my review for what stand-alone books to get. This plan is likely to get you a higher score with this section but it will also take up more time (about a month more). Decide on the approach based on your starting position, target score, time you have, and willingness to study math and grammar for months without a break.

  * Any other books I need to know about?
  
  YES. There is one – The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 12th Edition. This book is published by the creators of GMAT and contains real GMAT questions. You should also download the free GMAT Prep software.

  * What if I have trouble getting through this book? Where can I find help?
  
  There are several books that can help you get up to speed:
  
  1. For Quantitative section: Kaplan GMAT Math Foundations and Foundations of GMAT Math
  
  2. For Verbal Section: Kaplan GMAT Verbal Foundations (grammar only)

  If any other questions – please use the comment tool.
  
  Good Luck,
  
  BB, Founder of GMAT Club

  P.S. Note, that this book is almost identical to the Kaplan GMAT 2010 Premier Live Online, which in turn is identical to Kaplan GMAT Premier Program, 2009 (Book & CD-ROM). If you are new to GMAT, this is a great guidebook – get it; it’s worth it for the materials and tests that come with it, but if you own a previous edition, not much value in upgrading.
  Rating: 4 / 5

• 

  Neil S. Majd April 7th, 2010 at 18:43

  I found this Kaplan review perhaps the most helpful GMAT guide on the market (out of several I ordered). It was my primary study guide.

  The Official GMAT Guides take a very formal approach (like a textbook) and generally don’t “prep” or “coach” you for the GMAT as book does (but I found this book also does a good job of teaching the material). This book is well-suited for studying and taking the GMAT under time constraints and is a good all-around GMAT study aid.

  I was initially reluctant to purchase Kaplan because of their poor reputation in LSAT Prep but I found their GMAT guide very helpful (especially the Quantitative sections). It gives an excellent, concise quantitative review mixed with expert test taking strategies.

  The verbal sections are also good as well

  Highly recommended!!
  
  Rating: 5 / 5

• 

  BeatTheGMAT.com April 7th, 2010 at 21:26

  I self studied and scored a 770 on the GMAT. Here are my thoughts on the Kaplan Premier Live Online book:

  ===== OVERVIEW =====

  Kaplan GMAT Premier Live Online is the general GMAT strategy guide developed by one of the best-known companies in the test prep industry. It’s a good all-in-one book, but because the GMAT tests so many topics, in my opinion it just scratches the surface of each section.

  The current edition represents the re-branding of the Kaplan Premier Program book, with the differences between the two clearly stated on the front cover of the Live Online book. The most important difference is that all computer-based material is now available strictly online. This somehow “fixes by destruction” the issues that students have had with the CD of the previous edition, which would not run on certain operating systems; I for one could not make the previous CD run on Windows Vista. However, note that the computer-adaptive tests (CATs) on the CD (as well as quizzes and other material) were in fact available on the Internet for the previous edition as well – this was the only way I could access them, as instructed by customer care. To gain access to the online material, you will need to sign up using an unique code. Thus, if you’re considering buying the used book, you should think again. Not only is the code good for just one registration, but also access will expire after 6 months from date of registration. Other differences include:

  * One free live online event with Kaplan teachers
  
  * Fast Fact videos (concepts in video format)
  
  * A slightly modified layout of pages (the so-called Expert Exclusive bubbles)
  
  * Question highlighting for the so-called Master Questions (although the extent to which they are more difficult than others is debatable).

  Content stays the same though, so if you can make the CD of an older version work, then go for it.

  The book deals with all 5 GMAT question types in similarly structured chapters: strategy, tips, 50 practice questions, answers and explanations. There are also two separate chapters, Math Skills Refresher (with a pretty general, but still solid math overview and a few practice questions for each major topic) and Math Word Problems.

  ===== PROS =====

  * Good all-in-one book, providing a decent value for your money. The book includes a good strategy guide, access to online material and 5 CATs + 1 paper test in the book

  * Useful and easy-to-understand strategies, neatly structured material.

  * The book begins with an in-depth analysis of the test which I believe is worth your time to review

  * At 250 questions in the 5 chapters plus 95 problems in the Math Skills Refresher, the Kaplan Premier Live Online book offers a wide range of practice questions. Explanations for quantitative problems are pretty easy to understand as well, with tips and tricks for a better performance

  * Online access to material means you can practice wherever and whenever you want, provided you have a computer with Internet access

  ===== CONS =====

  * This book doesn’t go very deep on GMAT topics tested. If you feel that you’re having trouble with a specific topic, it’s worthwhile to invest in a more targeted product (for instance, Manhattan GMAT and PowerScore both provide focused practice and strategy with their respective GMAT guides)

  * I thought the practice questions in this book mimicked actual GMAT questions okay, but not great; particularly in Critical Reasoning (questions do not have the clear cut structure of The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 12th Edition) and Reading Comprehension (passages too long and convoluted).

  * Explanations for verbal questions could use some work as well. Example: Kaplan overuses phrases like “scope shift” without proper clarification

  * CAT scoring has often been the target of criticism. Anecdotally, I’ve noticed that people usually score higher on the real GMAT than in Kaplan CATs (perhaps this is a pro?)

  * A more in-depth lesson on math word problems would have been nice

  ===== BOTTOM LINE =====

  As a general strategy guide, Kaplan GMAT Premier Live Online gets high marks. However if you’re looking for help and depth on a specific topic, you may need to purchase some supplemental guides elsewhere. I do believe that the book provides a good introduction to the test and will certainly help you improve your score (by the way, they have a higher score guarantee), but up to a certain degree. Used in conjunction with the Official Guide for practice, the Kaplan Premier Program will provide a solid basis for your prep.

  Good luck on your GMAT prep!

  About me: Dana Jinaru, 770 GMAT scorer, expert at Beat The GMAT – a community serving 100K+ GMAT students/month
  Rating: 4 / 5

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  A. Latif April 7th, 2010 at 22:53

  This book is good .Qauntative techniques are good . They are well explained . But Verbal and Sentence correction you need to refer more books . but Overall this book quiet good at least to kick off
  
  Rating: 4 / 5