Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE: Which One Is The Best In 2024?

Choosing the best GRE prep course is a real struggle. 

I enrolled, tested, and reviewed Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE and wrote a comparison review on my experience with Kaplan and Princeton Review GRE.

In this article, I compared Kaplan and Princeton Review GRE in course curriculum, provision of resources, benefits, and their pricing plan.

I have shared my honest verdict on Kaplan and Princeton Review GRE in the end.

Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE: In A Nutshell

Preparing for GRE is not rocket science, but it is no cakewalk either, and so you need the best GRE prep courses like Kaplan and Princeton Review that can help you out.

Factually, you cannot take both or invest half on Kaplan and half on Princeton Review. You need to make a wise decision between Kaplan and Princeton Review.

Kaplan is a robust GRE prep course that offers compelling test-taking strategies along with handy references so that you do not miss out on learning on the go.

In contrast, Princeton Review is another GRE prep course with a good course curriculum and study materials. In fact, you also get personalized teaching.

Considering Kaplan and Princeton Review GRE, the benefits you get in Princeton Review GRE are comparatively higher than the benefits you get in Kaplan.

Still, Kaplan stands out in terms of practice questions wherein you get a whopping 5000+ questions to revise your learning. Princeton Review holds first place in other aspects like video instruction, GRE practice tests, access period, and live class hours.

You get additional 120 days if you are an early-enrolled student in Princeton Review. Yet, if you count dollars in your wallet, Kaplan would be your best bet. 

Two things that I noticed in Kaplan and Princeton Review that sparked their uniqueness were the huge Qbank collection and real GRE-like test experience in Kaplan and advanced DrillSmart technology and app support in Princeton Review. 

That’s a wrap. It was just an overview between Kaplan and Princeton Review. Keep reading because I have compared both in several aspects you should see.

Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE: Course Curriculum

Regardless of the interface, ease of use, and benefits, the curriculum followed in a course decides the program’s quality. Have a look at the course curriculum offered by Kaplan and Princeton Review to understand better.

Firstly, both Kaplan and Princeton Review offer live, on-demand, and self-paced teaching, which means you can choose the learning module accordingly.

Let me talk about the live classes on Kaplan and Princeton Review first so that the visual learners can choose between the two.

Kaplan Course Curriculum

In Kaplan, you get Live Online and Live Online Plus that unlocks only GRE books and private tutoring.

Still, the private tutoring is constrained to 3 hours only in Kaplan, and the complete video instructions last up to 21 hours. In contrast, Princeton Review offers 24 hours of live instructions with incredible quality and teaching methods while Kaplan was okay.

The self-paced modules show a shift in the content duration and access since you decide when to study and how to study. Kaplan offers 180 hours of video instruction and 35 hours of GRE channel live instruction. 

Princeton

Regarding Princeton Review self-paced classes, you get 8 computer-adaptive tests and several interactive video lessons for a smooth learning experience. You also get 61+ online drills and 2500+ practice questions in Princeton Review. Big benefits!

A quick summary of Princeton Review coursework: You start your learning from the desired plan in Princeton Review. All the first lessons are structured as foundations of the desired subject to understand the context and borderline instantly.

Once you get the gist of the subject, you are slowly taught about the fundamentals, and eventually, you will take a drill by the end. Voila! You have completed a module.

That’s literally how unique Princeton Review has structured its curriculum. Coming to Kaplan, the coursework follows the traditional method, yet it was pretty effective. 

Unlike Princeton Review, the instructor in Kaplan appear in front of you and manually work on the practice questions, which means you can work along with them efficiently. To be honest, it felt like the question turned into a human and started teaching you. 

In my experience with both Kaplan and Princeton Review, I’d say that the instructors in Kaplan explained each question in-depth, whereas Princeton Review overlooked some questions. Still, the class size in Princeton Review is lesser than Kaplan.

Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE: Resources & Benefits

Although course quality and curriculum play a pivotal role, you need to look for helpful resources and materials that can efficiently enhance your learning. 

The benefits include practice tests, flashcards, study materials, score predictors, progress trackers, report cards, and many more. Kaplan and Princeton Review, you get quite the benefits, so I have shared each benefit below for you to know instantly.

You get a whopping 5000+ questions worth of Qbank, 7-full computer-adaptive tests, personalized assignments, and scheduled study plans with Kaplan. 

In Princeton Review, you get a limited number of 3500+ practice questions, 8-full computer-adaptive tests, 100+ easy drills, and 20 GRE-dedicated hard copies. 

Even Kaplan offers study materials in hard copy format, but it is not as effective as the study materials offered by Princeton Review. Regarding satisfaction, there is a catch wherein Kaplan lets you retake, but Princeton Review refunds your money.

Still, Kaplan guarantees at least 5 points increase compared to your attempted score in GRE and compelling flashcards that you can use to revise and practice.

Princeton Review takes the lead by promising a more significant claim of a 162+ score increase and exclusive DrillSmart adaptive quizzes tailored to your level.

Comparing Kaplan and Princeton Review in terms of benefits, it is evident that Princeton Review produces the utmost benefit and a high score guarantee. 

Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE: Private Tutoring

Despite offering self-paced and on-demand classes, there is always a crowd vouching for private one-on-one tutoring, but it is fair to expect as a student.

To give a heads-up, yes – private tutoring is available in Kaplan and Princeton Review, yet the effectiveness of the private tutoring in both varies accordingly.

Since the instructors are not trained the same way, there could be a difference in the teaching and mentoring style in Kaplan and Princeton Review. Still, I can say that private tutoring depends on the student who is taking up the session.

Since all the private tutoring sessions aim to better the study flow of a student, you will customize them according to their preference and need. Considering the hours of instruction, you can work things out with the desired instructor efficiently.

As a result, private tutoring in Kaplan and Princeton Review are pretty similar. Looking at the course quality, I bet that the instructors in Princeton Review are approachable.

Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE: Pricing Comparison

You are getting enormous benefits at a cost from one of the two. Yet, does Kaplan and Princeton Review justice to its pricing? Find out right now!

Both the GRE prep courses do not limit to a single plan and offer multiple pricing options from self-paced to private tutoring. In Kaplan, you get three options, namely,

Kaplan On-demand – $449

You can purchase the on-demand courses in Kaplan at $449 and get 40+ live instructions in the GRE channel, 180+ hours of video instruction, and a GRE-like test.

Kaplan Live Online – $999

You can purchase live classes in Kaplan at $999 and get all the benefits that you get in Kaplan On-demand along with on-and-off screen teacher support. Plus, you also get 21 hours of live in-class instructions. 

Kaplan In Person – $1199 onwards

You can purchase private tutoring in Kaplan and get access to 24/7 on-demand classes, one-on-one sessions with experts at Kaplan, and personalized assignments.

Since paying a lumpsum amount on prep courses is a big step, Kaplan offers free classes that you can try to experience the Kaplan course curriculum.

You do not have to pay for any free classes and use them as a free trial! You can also save a few bucks on your purchase with our exclusive Kaplan discount code.

Regarding the pricing in Princeton Review, you get more options than Kaplan. You can attend Princeton Review in person to get a classroom experience.

Princeton Review GRE 10 points+ ($699)

You get 30+ hours of video lessons, 5 GRE practice tests, and 470+ drills. You also access live math fundamentals curated by the Princeton Review team.

Princeton Review GRE 162+ ($2099)

You are guaranteed a 162+ score increase along with 20 hours of additional GRE sessions, 45 hours of live instructions, 8 full-length tests, and 500+ drills. 

You also get 4400+ practice questions and compelling study materials to get going.

Princeton Review GRE 165+ Tutoring ($156/hr)

This is one of the most exclusive personalized approaches that Princeton Review does. In this specific plan, you get an entirely customized study schedule. The experts and tutors in Princeton Review will analyze your weak points and train you efficiently.

NOTE: You can take this in person or online at the comfort of your home. 

Princeton Review Fundamentals – $1099

Princeton Review offers everything you need to prepare for the ultimate GRE in the GRE fundamentals. You get 180+ hours of comprehensive instructions, the help of DrillSmart technology, 8 computer-adaptive tests with exclusive score reports.

You also get 3500+ practice questions and 470+ drills that can help to study better.

Princeton Review Self-Paced – $399

You can take the self-paced module and get 2500+ practice questions, 60+ drills, and 8 full-length practice tests to quickly revise your learning in Princeton Review.

Looking at the pricing structure of Kaplan and Princeton Review, I can say that Princeton Review is rightly priced with good benefits. In contrast, Kaplan increases the pricing as the features increase. Quality-wise, Princeton Review is worth it! We also have an exclusive Princeton Review promo code to help you save a few bucks.

Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE: Pros & Cons

Here are the benefits & drawbacks of the Kaplan GRE and Princeton Review GRE.

Kaplan GRE Pros

• Thousands of questions are available for practice
• Engaging video lessons that also help with retention
• Plenty of online content available along with online tutoring
• Analyze your performance through report cards
• Small group live sessions are much more effective than the larger group

Kaplan GRE Cons

• A bit expensive for students with a budget
• The content structure of Kaplan is not better than Princeton Review’s

Princeton Review GRE Pros

• Dynamic learning modules of a comprehensive GRE course curriculum
• Eight different full-length practice tests
• Adaptive practice questions that respond to your response
• Expert live instructors
• Online course is integrated with top-notch prep books

Princeton Review GRE Cons

• Kaplan has a better user interface
• Princeton Review has more students in its classes than Kaplan

Related Read:

• Kaplan SAT Prep Review: Is It Worth It?
• Princeton MCAT Review
• What is a Good GRE Score 
• Princeton Review Promo Code: Exclusive $1000 Off

Final Thoughts: Kaplan vs Princeton Review GRE [2024]

After thoroughly reviewing all the aspects of Kaplan and Princeton Review, I must say that both GRE prep courses gave a tough fight, and so it is a tie between the two.

Kaplan outshined the areas where Princeton Review disappointed and vice-versa. Princeton Review was entirely on edge regarding the course quality, wherein Kaplan was good but not up to the mark. Still, Kaplan provided proper lessons.

In terms of benefits, Kaplan has to be applauded for giving a generous amount of questions in the Qbank along with detailed explanations. In contrast, Princeton Review uses DrillSmart technology to detect your weak points and help you.

The technology basically suggests questions based on your capability, which I liked in Princeton Review. To wrap up with the comparison, I’d say that your money will not go wasted choosing either of the GRE prep courses. I promise!

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