Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
 Iffy product August 25, 2010
Michael A. Duvernois (Minneapolis, MN United States)
1. CD only works with XP.
2. Content is the same as the 2009 book.
3. Hmmmm...there's actually not much content despite it being a 1000 page book.
4. The online content, via the registration code in the book, is far more useful.
So, you get a registration code and over two pounds of scratch paper.
 GMAT Review Material August 24, 2010
M. Hill (U.S.A.)
My history with the Kaplan GMAT review program goes back more than ten years ago. It was the only material I used to study from and I passed the test. Unfortunately, I didn't seriously pursue graduate school. Now my test results are too old to use, and I must sit for the exam again.
Regarding the new review program, note that it is designed for Windows only. I attempted to run it a on laptop running Windows 7 (64 bit) and the message said need to install MCI drivers - consult your sound card manual to see how to install them. But, my laptop doesn't have a sound card - it's integrated in the motherboard, so there is no manual or MCI drivers. I thought if I changed the compatibility mode it might work. Off the subject, but for those unfamiliar with compatibility mode, go to the program, right click on the program Kaplan GMAT CD Companion.exe, select properties, select compatibilities, then click the check box - run this program in compatibility mode 4. I selected Windows XP (service pack 3), hit ok, go back and start the program again from the shortcut. This was no solution -- the message still wanted the MCI drivers. I changed it to Windows Vista and same message appeared. I looked on the manufacturer's site of my sound card chip and they had no MCI drivers. In fact I searched their site for MCI and got no hits. At this point, I'm thinking that if these drivers are necessary, Kaplan should have included them with the package.
Next I tried to run it on a Windows Vista laptop (32 bit) and it worked fine. No problem. No request for MCI drivers. In the reviews of other users, I see it didn't work on some Vista systems. I have no explanation for the discrepancy. There are a number of annoyed users posting reviews and it is clear why. The product doesn't completely perform as expected. I was predisposed to like the system and like others, felt my time was wasted. To avoid user complaints, expectations need to be met. Are there six full-length practice tests as the cover of the book claims? Well, yes, but not all of them are in the book -- some are available on-line. Is that a problem? Well, it might be for some purchasers of the package - so why not clearly state what to expect up front and avoid any misunderstandings?
The material itself is certainly adequate and I fully expect to pass my next attempt at the GMAT, as I did the first time I took it, using only the Kaplan guide. It is a puzzlement why they are creating negative feelings by not resolving these issues. The valuable aspects of this program are being overshadowed by the bad. My recommendation is to look at the book in person before buying.
Great preparation book! August 22, 2010
Benjamin (Chicago, IL USA)
If you need preparation materials for your GMAT, do not skip this one! It comes with an additional CD-ROM with hundreds of practice tools. This is endorsed by KAPLAN, which may not be my favorite educational institution, but fits the bill just right. The book contains five parts: 1. The GMAT 2. Strategies and Practice 3. Getting Into Business School 4. Full-Lenght Practice Test 5. Practice Test Answers and Explanations. Good luck with your testing!
 CD-ROM Not Compatible with Windows 7 August 19, 2010
GMAT Prep
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Same old Kaplan book. However, I was very unhappy to discover that the CD-ROM is not compatible with Windows 7. Also, Kaplan does not mention this except in the small print on the yellow insert pages at the front of the book. That may be fine if you are buying it in the store, but having bought it from Amazon I was incredibly disappointed. Also, if you truly want to understand the content of the exams buy the official books from GMAC. They actually treat you like you are a smart, competent adult instead of a high schooler who needs tricks to improve his SAT score.
The online tests from the Kaplan book are nice to have, but they need to upgrade their CD-ROM immediately - after all, most people who are serious about business school are typically technologically savvy and have updated their computers in the last 2 years. Also, stop with the false advertising Kaplan. Everyone knows who you are - you don't need to lie about the contents of your book (such as having "4 tests in the book" - there is one test in the book and 5 online.) This happens to be more convenient for me, but is still false advertising. Ethics is currently prominent in business school, so maybe Kaplan should jump on board with that trend if they want to continue to attract prospective b-school students to their products.
Two-Pronged Approach to Satisfactory GMAT Results August 8, 2010
Miss Margaret Picky (NYC)
Strategy
The primary benefit of the Kaplan GMAT Premier is helping the test-taker plan and execute a strategic approach to preparing for the test and then actually taking it. Many students taking standardized tests do not approach them strategically and do not fully understand the way the test is designed and scored. Through designing, writing, and editing standardized tests, it has been my observation that understanding the test itself is as important as having knowledge of the tested concepts and facts in achieving a satisfactory score. Those students who are not familiar with computer adaptive testing and the algorithms used will especially benefit from preparation. Kaplan gives plenty of detailed tips, right down to suggesting practicing with laminated scratch paper.
Content
The second important benefit of the GMAT Premier is providing a basic guide to test content to determine which subject areas require extra study. The contents of this book and the included online resources should not be the sole materials used in reviewing content but they certainly will help people preparing for the exam determine what supplemental material they need and map out a study plan to address any deficits. The practice problems and tests are included for this purpose.
I would recommend using the online resources and accessing the quizzes on a monthly basis as they are released to help stay focused over a long period of time. Many other practice tests and sample question and discussion of the GMAT can be found on the internet--the amount of information available is incredible and students should take advantage of it.
Both in general approach and on a subject-matter level, the advice provided provided in the Kaplan GMAT Premier is right on target.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 46
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