Product Review
800score.com,
founded in New York City, was founded in 1999 and is the most popular online GMAT prep course company. The name "800score" comes
from the highest possible score on the GMAT.
800score has recently
introduced an updated version of their $39.95 course that is now far beyond the scope of a typical GMAT
textbook and represents an
exceptional value. With some GMAT classroom courses now charging over $1500, it is a pleasant surprise to see such a well-executed product that is marketed to be affordable and available to all students.
You can log in and run tests anywhere you have internet access,
such as at home, work or school. The GMAT tests are computer adaptive, just
like the real GMAT, and can run on through your web browser or offline. The content is printer friendly and can be
downloaded for use offline. The file sizes are small, so dial-up or
international users won't have a problem.
In sum, we are impressed with the
attention to detail and the amount of work that has gone into
developing this new product.
Target Audience:
As
is the custom with GMAT Club reviews, we attempt to define a target
audience for a product based on our review. This is intended to help
the reader's purchase decision. After reviewing the course, we judge
that 800score.com's product is best suited for test takers who are
looking primarily to learn via self-study. If you are someone who likes
to learn by doing and are not too dependent on a tutor or a classroom
environment for your learning, we recommend 800score.com's materials.
The following review now describes the various features of the product.
1. 5 GMAT CAT Tests (These are tests in the GMAT CAT format that simulate the actual GMAT.
This means that the questions get harder or easier depending on your
performance.)
A. Technical Features
2. Essay Prep
A. Online Essay Grading
B. Essay Prep Guide
3. Verbal Prep Guide
A. Sentence Correction
B. Reading Comprehension
C. Critical Reasoning
4.
Quantitative Prep Guide
A. Math Introduction
B. Fundamentals (Algebra, Geometry)
C. Word Problems & Strategy
D. Permutations, Combinations, Probability
E. Data Sufficiency & Strategy
F. Standard Deviation
1. 5 GMAT CAT tests (Rating: A)
The 800score tests offer a wide range of features.
A. Technical Features
| Explanations & Scoring |
At the end of each test you will get a score, percentile and be able to view a complete explanation for each question. |
| Computer Adaptive Test |
You
will get questions based upon your skill level to simulate the actual
GMAT. If you get questions right, the questions will get harder. If you
get them wrong, the questions will get easier. |
| Test Pacer |
The
test pacer is a simple and effective concept: it tells you what
question you should be on to finish the test on time. If you are
halfway through the test, it will tell you to be on the middle
question. This teaches you the proper pacing for the GMAT CAT. This feature
is built into all the 800score exams. Visit www.800score.com/pacer.html for more information. |
| Auto Save/Recall |
Results are automatically saved after question 5. |
| Performance Analysis |
Evaluates performance by time spent and question type. |
| Graphical Explanations |
Some math questions include math question graphical explanations. This is a unique feature where flash movies create interactive visual explanations. |
| Timing |
The timing feature can be turned off so that you can continue the test after time expires. |
| Links to content |
The
explanations are linked to the online prep guide. So if you have
questions about content, you can click through the link to find out
more about the topic. |
| |
|
800score tests are in a flash format that is seamless and flawlessly executed. Taking the GMAT may be dreary, but less so with 800score tests, which look and feel better than any other GMAT simulation on the market.
Lack of good
verbal questions has been one of our biggest complaints with much of
the "unofficial" test prep material. In my opinion, the new Verbal
tests from 800score are a vast improvement and fill a wide gap for many
test takers.
2.
Essay Prep (Rating: A)
This
includes a comprehensive 60-page section on the GMAT essay section,
with templates, strategies and 20 sample essay answers from the real GMAT
essay questions.
A.
Online Essay Grading
800score also offers 20 practice timed essays. 10 are available on the
"public" 800score site and 10 are integrated into the 5 sample tests.
You can take these 30-minute timed GMAT essay simulations and the essay
will be mailed to you with sample answers from previous students. If
you want a full evaluation, they charge $19.99 for a full essay grading
and feedback. To try out an essay, go to www.800score.com/takeessay.html
B. Essay Prep Guide
This is a 60-page guide to writing for the essay section. It includes
essay templates, strategies, tips and sample answers to 20 real GMAT
essay questions. This section is must more exhaustive than a typical essay writing section found in a common GMAT textbook.
3. Verbal Prep Guide
Many students complain to us about the poor quality of GMAT Verbal prep materials. 800score sought to rectify this situation and succeeded admirably.
A. Sentence Correction (Rating: A+)
The Sentence Correction section has over 60 pages of content, including
30 timed online practice questions divided by skill level. The concept
behind the section is that grammar can by taught by effectively using
graphical layout diagrams. They invested heavily in hiring talented
graphic artists to produce well-rendered diagrams to teach grammatical
concepts. The content focuses narrowly on the common error types found
on the GMAT and it is interspersed with specific advice about GMAT
grammar. There is plenty of introductory material for non-native
speakers along with more advanced content.
B.
Reading Comprehension (Rating: A+)
This section has nearly 100 pages of material. It is a breakdown of
writing logic and structure combined with a thorough analysis of how to
dissect academic writing. The section includes a 10 complete sample
essays (80 questions). The content is interspersed with cartoons to keep the reader
going. It is very long, almost too much content, but it is also
designed so the users can skip over content if they are short of time.
C. Critical Reasoning (Rating: A)
The
focus is on teaching reasoning skills to help identify intentionally
flawed arguments. They include an exhaustive section on critical and statistical reasoning.
4.
Quantitative Prep Guide
800score's
concept is to focus heavily on different types of question types, so
that there are no surprises on test day.
A. Math Introduction (Rating: A+)
800score includes advanced strategies designed for higher scorers
that are based on discussions with tutors who cater to 700+ students.
The content in the prep guides is highly comprehensive and covers
topics from standard deviation, to probability and combinations.
B. Fundamentals (Rating: A-)
These sections are designed for beginners
and intermediate level students. If you have already taken
a GMAT course or read several books, you can simply skim through this
material. The course notates any material that may be beyond that
covered in other materials.
C. Word Problems & Strategy (Rating: A-)
This is a more advanced section that covers: Functions & Symbols,
Progressions & Sequences, Percentages, Ratio and Proportion,
Interest, Discounts and Markups, Uniform motion, Work, Grouping and
Counting, Data Interpretation, and Averages and Median. In other words,
all of the main topics on the GMAT math section. The content is
comprehensive and covers many common trick question types. This section could use more practice questions.
D. Permutations, Combinations, Probability (Rating: A)
The concept behind this chapter is to make these abstract
concepts highly intuitive. The result are chapters that are easy to
understand and that even beginners can comprehend while giving you the
needed material for the GMAT. This section does an excellent job for beginners to intermediates.
E. Data Sufficiency & Strategy (Rating: A-)
This section does a good job discussing common trick-question types.
F. Standard Deviation (Rating: B)
This section could use more development and we look forward to 800score developing it better. It is noteworthy that 800score even discusses Standard Deviation while many other products in this price range do not even mention the subject.
Conclusion (Rating: A)
Our final thoughts are that 800score is designed so that any potential
GMAT student can benefit from its comprehensive material. Some minor typos and content lapses hold it back from an A+. We do
maintain our judgment that the audience best suited to draw maximum
benefit from this course is the test taker primarily interested in
self-study.
In closing, we would like to inform the reader that the
course material is continuously being expanded and improved, with
addition of new questions and incorporation of user feedback. An A+ should only be a few months away.
Disclosure: a few dozen 800score questions are from GMATClub.
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