Manhattan Prep

Due to a hectic schedule, I chose to focus my prep time as much as possible and paid to attend the Manhattan GMAT class in Dallas (taught by Joe Lucero).
There are no real GMAT short cuts; you have to learn the material. Joe was a great teacher, and I enjoyed his instruction style. He has a gift for breaking down complex problems into a list of actionable steps, which is the key to «cracking» the GMAT (i.e., recognizing the type of problem, applying the trick/​shortcut, and solving quickly and correctly). When I had to miss class due to a last minute business trip, Joe was quick to send me what I missed and provide additional instruction when I needed it.
Unfortunately, I was unable to finish the class due to my schedule, and I forgot about the GMAT for over 3 months. I took the GMAT four months later without reviewing and ended up with a very average score. Disappointed, I went back to the notes and assignments from the class with Joe, and when I took the test again a little over 6 weeks later I improved my score by 110 points!
The Manhattan GMAT books are great for practice problems, but personally, I found the class essential in learning how to unpack GMAT problems. Joe was an instrumental part of the GMAT success I ultimately achieved. My only regret is that I didn’t utilize him more while in the Manhattan class!