Josh tutored me in quantitative reasoning. During each lesson, Josh would begin with some basic questions to assess my level of understanding on a certain topic. After we dove into some GMAT questions, Josh kept track of what kind of problems I had difficulty with and gave me related assignments to ensure my understanding in the topics I had difficulty with. Our sessions led to the discovery of my underlying knowledge gap in absolute values. In order to strengthen my learning, he linked absolute values to exponential theories I learned in my other sessions at TPU . This pushed for my continued learning on exponents while promoting new learning on absolute values. He made sure that I went through drills first to make sure I had mastery of the math skills needed to solve the GMAT questions. I liked how Josh pointed out the similarity between solving different question types. This method really helped me simplify the questions in my mind and not get bogged down by the extra details given in the questions. When I would see absolute value question types, my train of thought was always "means positive or negative version" but this thought process blocked me from understanding how to solve the problem, and more often than not, I took too much time, ended up taking "educated guesses" and got the answer wrong. By implementing TPU's method of viewing these absolute lines as brackets, simplifying to solve in a similar manner, and then splitting the simplified form into positive and negative versions, I noticed an immediate increase in my accuracy during my GMAT prep. Additionally, this method allowed me to create upper and lower bounds to make testing quicker, instead of thinking of examples in my head to try to disprove statements in DS questions. I liked that Josh shared his thought process on these questions. He pointed out where I could skip calculations, or where I've put too much thought where it doesn't matter. The time savings through these little tips on how to view the questions allowed me to move through the GMAT questions in a more timely manner and with more confidence. That's just one example of the small things I've learned from Josh that have made a huge impact on my GMAT prep. During all my sessions with Josh, he always provided me with side notes on things I should incorporate into my GMAT prep. These little "nice to knows" have allowed me to feel more confident in my approach to solving PS and DS questions. I used to feel startled and nervous during the Quant portion of my GMAT practice tests, I thought it was just nerves, but it stemmed from my knowledge gaps which would put me back on time, causing more stress. Josh was able to recognize this and continues to test me throughout the lessons to ensure I fully understand the topics. Another one of my favourite things about working with Josh was that he was open to discussion and didn't mind hitting on elementary topics when I need it. One example of this is the way I used to simplify equations with fractions. Josh showed me a quicker method which involves multiplying the whole equation by the LCM and cancelling out, rather than multiplying each coefficient and then dividing. This method reduced the chances of errors, was much quicker, and allowed me to skip writing out a whole step (especially given that I am a visual learner). Overall, working with Josh and TPU was an amazing experience, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to making some serious improvements in quant. Thank you! read more

Jerry was my tutor for GMAT Problem Solving. Jerry and I started off with function equality questions that I was having difficulty grasping. He debunked some strategy myths and corrected my study strategy on how to better tackle these kinds of problems. Jerry was extremely patient with me, he went over the questions in a lot of detail. Once I was on the right track with the function questions, my GMAT tutor led me through a few random PS questions to get a better understanding of my math level. As we walked through the questions together, Jerry provided me with side notes like what things are "nice to knows" to remember for the test. What I really liked was even if I got the question right, in a reasonable amount of time, he told me more strategies and shortcuts that I never knew before. Even simple strategies like how to break down large multiplication questions and eliminate answers quicker so I can focus on 2 answer choices instead of 5. I liked that my GMAT tutor made using Google Hangouts easy, he had a "white board" that he taught on that was interactive that I could download at the end of the session. This allowed me to focus more on what he was saying and be involved, rather than taking notes throughout the session. My key takeaways from the PS work with my GMAT tutor were: answer choice elimination, multiplication shortcuts, nice to knows/things to remember, and new strategies on how to tackle large exponents, function equalities and mean/median questions. With the tips I've learned from Jerry, I definitely see myself moving through the questions quicker, allowing me to have a little more time to focus on the more difficult questions. read more

Working with Jae as my GMAT tutor was a very pleasant experience. He is professional, flexible, and a great communicator. Jae helped me with Reading Comprehension. He gave me a rundown of the general verbal strategies and how to work with the timing. He taught me a good methodology of using estimates for time management and how to know whether I am ahead or behind without stressing on the clock too often. In RC, he taught me how to properly analyze the passages. We focused on how to take proper notes that are concise and clear. This was one of the most useful things I learned from him because it helped me understand how to organize the passage. He also showed me how to identify key words within the passage that would sum up the detail/evidence portions without falling into the weeds. This was important for me because sometimes the Reading Comprehension passages are too dense and difficult to digest and I waste a lot of time trying to process unnecessary detail. He also taught me to identify phrases that would help me keep up with the flow of the argument.  Jae also showed me how to identify the "scope" and/or time frame of each paragraph. Once I got better at catching on to this, I was able to eliminate answer choices quicker.  He also taught me a systematic way of identifying flawed wording in answer choices. Some words were too extreme and narrow the scope of the answer choices too much. Using this technique allowed me to sometimes eliminate answer choices and get to the correct one even when I wasn't 100% clear about the passage.   I really enjoyed my GMAT tutoring with Jae, and he helped me a lot in my GMAT preparation journey read more

Heading into my second GMAT in about three weeks, I approached Josh because I needed to increase my score in the verbal section, and I needed to do it quickly. Keep in mind that reading comprehension has always been my greatest academic weakness, so I wasn't really sure if a GMAT tutor would help. Boy was I wrong! In my brief time working with Josh, he helped dramatically raise my Reading Comprehension score. Through his general time saving strategies, such as creating a chart before beginning the exam to mapping out the passage in an abbreviated manner, to his in-depth analysis of question stems, answer choices, and common pitfalls, Josh taught me to view the exam from a different perspective. Josh also motivated me to have more disciplined study habits. Originally, I had taken several practice tests, briefly reviewed my answers, and calculated my scores, which proved to be ineffective. Josh taught me how to analyze each question stem and answer choice after taking practice tests, so I would avoid making the same mistake twice. I learned how put myself in the test maker's shoes and about the common tricks the test maker used to lure test takers toward the wrong responses. I brought this new mentality into each practice exam I took. In fact, I realized that my original study habits were only about 20 percent of what I should have been doing! I cannot recommend Josh and Test Prep Unlimited more highly. This is the place to go if you want results! read more

Overall: 510 to 720 over 32 lessons, so a 6.5-point gain per lesson on the overall score. (I know that's what I cared about when I was looking for a GMAT tutor). Quant specifically (my weak spot): I increased my score 1 point every other lesson, which, if you know me, is kind of a miracle. I was honestly terrible at actually doing my homework for the first half of our lessons, so it probably could have been higher if I'd been better at not procrastinating. Either way, I didn't envy Jae when we first started working together - the GMAT Quant section was my weakest area by far, and I really, really didn't want to do it. Luckily, Jae is fantastic at explaining concepts in a way that actually makes sense, even if you're not confident in the subject matter, and he somehow set up my lessons so that I actually started looking forward to learning more concepts after a while. He helped me feel so, so much more confident that I could do well on the test. There's even a part of me that wishes I could take the GMAT again because I know I could do even better at Quant, and that in and of itself is totally mindblowing. He also helped a bunch with my Verbal (though we focused more on Quant because I started much better off in Verbal - perks of a customized curriculum!), and everybody involved was super helpful and flexible with my schedule. I couldn't have gotten the score I did without them! read more

About a month ago I decided that I wanted to pursue my MBA after I graduate this December and in order to do so I knew I had to take the GMAT which terrifies me. However, I figured it would be better to start studying now while I am still in the "student" state of mind so I began searching for a GMAT Tutor and I found TPU GMAT Tutoring. What attracted me here was the flexibility in time schedule, but soon after it was the customer service. I worked up the courage to submit an initial form and within hours Josh reached out to me with guidance. I liked the organization and service I received! It started with tips on what to expect on the GMAT in general then I took a practice GMAT to assess where I was currently. I was surprised at my scores, but Josh was reassuring that I would be fine. I was then paired with Jae who was very nice and professional. During our first meeting he worked with me through a passage from the verbal section of the GMAT and helped me analyze the "traps" that the creators set to trick the takers. I can remember saying "okay" and "ahhh" in amazement at the tools he provided me with just from our initial meeting. Jae was also very understanding, patient, and calm with me, which made me feel better when I did not answer question correctly. I will definitely be implementing these new tools in my studies so that I can be as successful as possible on GMAT day. read more

I liked that the GMAT prep course gives me the ability to choose the type of learning style conducive to me. I learned thru my GMAT tutoring that the GMAT exam is adaptive and it's important to start the exam off strong. Strategy wise, my GMAT tutor Jae gave me the confidence I needed the really tackle the RC section of the GMAT (using some tips that Josh developed), by emphasizing the importance of utilizing the "shorthand method" of note-taking when reading through each passage of the exam to save time. My study habits will emphasize doing more practice questions during my review, because of the confidence my GMAT tutor Jae gave me to tackle GMAT style questions. My main takeaways for the GMAT exam is that the exam tests the test takers ability to process & synthesize information in a different way. My old way of doing things was to just try to jot down everything I read from the study prep materials and books and later do the practice questions, but now I read through each chapter of the study prep materials and books and do the practice questions immediately, then jot down notes based on which questions I got wrong or questions I guessed the answer. What I liked about my GMAT tutor Jae was that fact that he was able to break down the different ways to combat the reading comprehension section of the exam so that I'm well prepared. read more

Working with Jae was one of the most efficient experiences I have had so far studying for the GMAT. I have tried other classes and studying on my own, but this was by far the best use of my time. I was able to stay focused with the material he provided me and he was very quick to identify the roadblocks I was hitting. There were strategies he introduced right off the bat that were huge time savers. From there we really worked on understanding the foundation of the problems and how to best approach them. The Reading Comprehension section can get overwhelming, and Jae gave me the tools to really work through them. He taught me how to identify the type of questions I would come across and what the best method was to tackle them. His elimination technique has been extremely helpful thus far and I've even transferred over to writing notes on what I read in the shorthand method he taught me. I can't emphasize enough how helpful it was to have Jae there when I got a question wrong to explain what traps I got caught up in or in general tips and tricks that will help me identify the trick answers that always get me. I plan to continue to use all his methods go forward in my studies and hopefully get some more time in as well - the time spent here was 10x more efficient than studying on my own. Jae is a great GMAT tutor! read more

Cody was my GMAT tutor for GMAT Sentence Correction Cody started off by asking a few questions about where I was in my GMAT studying process. I really appreciated this so he could get a good gauge of where I was at in my GMAT studies before we began. I really appreciated him doing this so as to make sure that my GMAT tutoring session was tailored-made to my specific needs. From the answers I provided, we determined that I needed to start by going over some of the basics in GMAT SC, such as: Parallelism, Idioms, and Splits. I found this very useful to sure up my shaky ground in this area. Once we completed going over the basics, we spent some time going over a few sentence correction questions together. First I do the question myself, then explain my reasoning for each answer choice, and then Cody would talk me though why, or why not, my reasoning was sound. At the very end, Cody spent a little time going over general GMAT studying tips such as pacing oneself and how to keep energy and focus going after a long day at work. I would highly recommend Cody to anyone who is looking to hone in on their GMAT skills to get a better score! read more

as I started studying for the Quant portion of the GMAT, the DS section was a whole new beast to me. Sometimes I would spend way too much time trying out a bunch of different numbers. Other times, I would move through the statements too fast and pick D, even though one of the statements was actually sufficient. Zack helped me fix these issues by first making sure that I always explicitly expressed the question and statements in algebra, diagrams, or drawings. Once I developed these habits, I was surprised to see how much information I had been missing before, which was the deciding factor in getting the correct answer. Furthermore, zack showed the techniques for deciphering complex wordings in quant so that I could avoid errors while translating the statements. He also made sure that I was not calculating more than necessary, which I tend to do when I feel anxious or uncertain.... I really appreciate Zack's help in identifying and fixing my bad habits, and I would recommend him to anyone looking for real improvements in Quant. truly a life changer read more

I worked with Michele to improve my verbal score and my experience with her was nothing short of amazing. Michele is one of the smartest, most personable and caring people I have ever met. She truly cared about seeing me succeed and would always go out of her way to explain a concept and make sure I understand a concept and really helped me set a goal for what I need to achieve on the GMAT. The crib sheets I received really helped me hone in on the things I need to focus on in CR and SC thereby changing the way I read each questions and what I look for. She helped me hone in my SC skills which I struggled with as a non native English speaker. Knowing each word, phrase and clause is important in assessing a SC question Michele was able to help me see what is each one represents in the sentence and thereby seeing the error in the question faster. Overall, I had a very positive experience working with Michele and working with the TPU as a whole and would highly recommend TPU to anyone looking to beat the GMAT. read more

I really appreciate Zack's help in identifying and fixing my bad habits, and I would recommend him to anyone looking for real improvements in Quant. Zack helped me fix these issues by first making sure that I always explicitly expressed the question and statements in algebra, diagrams, or drawings. When I started studying for the GMAT Quant, the DS section was a whole new beast to me. Sometimes I would spend way too much time trying out a bunch of different numbers. Other times, I would move through the statements too fast and pick C, even though one of the statements was actually sufficient. . Once I developed these habits, I was surprised to see how much information I had been missing before, which was the deciding factor in getting the correct answer. Furthermore, he showed me techniques for decipher complex wordings in quant so that I could avoid errors while translating the statements. He also made sure that I was not calculating more than necessary, which I tend to do when I feel anxious or uncertain. read more

Jae was my tutor for GMAT Reading Comprehension. I found TPU's strategy very helpful. For instance, Jae had me read one passage and answer 4 respective questions, and during that time, he pointed out various ways to "map" the passage. He also pointed out various parts of the passage to pay close attention to, such as shift in time periods and the topic sentences. My old way of reading the passage was to skim and finish the passage in approximately 90 seconds, no matter the length of the passage. Since I wouldn't properly comprehend the passage in such a short amount of time, I found myself going back into the passage far too often to answer questions. Having a strategy to "map" the passage allows me to know exactly where to look when I'm answering the questions. I struggle with feeling confident about my answer choices and TPU's methodology of understanding why wrong answers are wrong helps me to feel more confident when I'm able to choose one answer and confidently eliminate four other choices. read more

I worked with TPU on Verbal and Kevin helped me understand my mistakes. Covering the official practice exam questions was extremely helpful. It was good getting clear on the exact GMAT sentence correction rules and the thought process going in on solving the problems. I needed help with parallelism, so we went in depth on that. I learned how to identify and structure lists appropriately. Another thing that was important for me to remember was to understand that that a sentence can be not perfectly written but still the correct answer in GMAT because it's the best *available* answer that counts. Going through my thought process with Kevin in answering the questions helped a lot to fine tune my reasoning and solidify the rules instead of just reading the textbook solution. TPU GMAT tutors have been very helpful. read more

All my quant tutoring sessions were held by Jae. He helped me focus on my weaknesses and speed up my problem solving, putting in the effort to write down explanations via Skype and sharing the notes. He was also very patient and easily accessible for whenever I had questions outside of the sessions. Even when it came to the speed of multiplication/division and converting fractions to other formats, Jae helped me break out of calculation habits that slowed down my speed per question. This ended up giving me ample time to confidently go through all the quant questions in the real test and solidified the basics through which I was able to tackle harder questions smoothly later on. read more

Jerry is an awesome tutor for GMAT data sufficiency. He helped me understand the logic of the section and how to best approach these types of questions. We had an in-depth discussion about inequality problems, number properties, and how to handle word problems. He laid out a clear strategy for systematically moving through these questions to approach from a problem solving framework rather than a memorization and recognition framework. Jerry took the time to answer any questions I had, and expanded upon the knowledge to ensure I understood the material being targeted. I highly recommend TPU if you have any difficulties with this section of the GMAT. read more

It happens sometimes that, through my GMAT preparation, as I tackle difficulties to understand concepts, I search thoroughly, in my books, the internet, but still I feel like I don't get it. That's when TPU and their tutors come in handy. I've had a hard time answering Assumption and Inference questions, and Jae was tremendously helpful. He was very good at breaking down the concepts and the main differences, exemplifying and making them easier to understand. To be honest, I saw a clear and immediate improvement in my accuracy and would highly recommend TPU. +1 for being very keen on answering my questions and my concerns ! read more

I worked with Jae after writing my first GMAT exam. My score was okay but not as high as I would have liked. Jae helped me form a strategy based on my ESR that would get me the most bang for my buck. We focused the majority of our time working on Geometry. Along with teaching the actual content, Jae also shared fundamental test taking strategies that would help eliminate wrong answers right off the bat and reduce the amount of time spent on each question. He would pay close attention to how I approached problems and point out which specific skills I needed to work on. I found the live feedback extremely helpful. read more

Jerry is a fantastic GMAT tutor. We went over some general strategies for GMAT problem solving problems, and he also showed me some very helpful time-saving strategies. He also showed me a lot of little tips and tricks to make the work easier for myself. This really helped me in answering questions and also demonstrated Jerry's proficiency in math. Jerry is super friendly and made me feel super comfortable to ask questions and get things wrong. Using the strategies I learned from Jerry helped me get questions right on the GMAT and be more efficient. I would definitely recommend Jerry as a tutor. read more