Integrated Learning
Our second in the series of reviews to help the members provide information about GMAT prep products that we find interesting. As with every review, we try to define a target audience so that it helps you to choose between different products and services.
| Name | Integrated Learning |
| Founder | Ian Simpson |
| Category | Private Tutoring |
| Website | Integrated Learning |
| ian at integratedlearning net, info at integratedlearning net | |
| Phone | 888-488-8678 |
| Toll Free | 888-I-TUTOR-U |
| Reviewed by | Praetorian |
I personally met Ian in Los Angeles to talk about Integrated Learning and what it has to offer. What follows is my subjective opinion about IL based on the meeting.
Integrated Learning offers its tutoring services in nine cities: Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Washington DC. Unique and Ambitious is what comes to mind when I think of Integrated Learning’s concept of GMAT prep. The business model is maddeningly simple: Recruit tutors in various cities, who will work for Integrated Learning for an hourly fee.
One of the great things about Integrated Learning (IL) is that Ian has done all the hard work and hired the best private tutors. So this cuts out the hunting that comes with looking for private tutors. What you get is a study plan customized to your needs, qualified tutors and better interaction. IL's philosophy of going beyond tips and tricks is pretty consistent with our belief. Tips and Tricks are only tools of last resort on exams. Its nice to know a few, but you wont get too far without fundamental learning tools. Students who sign up with Integrated Learning are assigned to a tutor ,who works closely with the student. So why is IL different from other prep companies? Read on...
As is the custom with GMAT Club review, we try our best to define a target audience that would benefit most from this service. With so many products and services out there, i find it very important that the product or service targets the customer that can benefit the most. So here is our small contribution towards that effort.
Contents |
Target Audience
The tutoring services offered by Integrated Learning are most suitable for test takers who:
- Prefer a customized program for their GMAT prep. Private tutoring provides better interaction and allows you to be flexible with time. This will work great for test takers who have specific problem areas. For example, some non-native speakers may need help with sentence correction. In a regular classroom course, it is a bit difficult to customize the program to your needs.
- A great advantage of private tutoring is the ability to closely monitor every student’s progress. Practicing problems is good, but if you are not truly learning and improving from your practice, it does not help. Such proactive learning is best done in a private tutoring setting.
- (This is obvious) are based in or around a location where Integrated Learning tutors are available. As mentioned above, IL currently offers tutoring in nine cities.
Finally, in my opinion, if you are looking for a good score (670+) you need to be sure that you do not become totally dependent on the tutor. Can the tutor think for you on the test? Can the tutor perform for you on the test? No and No. You are the one who has to sweat it out and work independently as much as possible. When the tutor works with you, everything will seem to work. When you are on your own, you will probably see where the real issues are.
Next, we address some of the basic information that you would need to get started. You can always contact Ian or Paul for more information.
What are some of the teaching materials that Integrated Learning uses?
IL primarily uses worksheets, which consist of similar type of questions as those seen on the actual test. This is another way Integrated Learning differentiates itself. Ian personally takes the GMAT regularly, and has been researching the GMAT for years. He believes the best questions one can study from are real test questions. For that reason, Integrated Learning's students begin with the Official Guide, which is the only source available for real test questions.
But they don't stop there. Today's test requires a deep understanding of topics the Official Guide simply doesn't cover very well. Probability, standard deviation, permutations and combinations, and sequences are just some of the specialized math questions today's test requires of its takers. Integrated Learning specializes in these topics, and has created hundreds of questions, all based on Ian's research and modeled after the real exam.
How do I take the most advantage of Integrated Learning’s tutoring services?
Know your weaknesses. Even if you think you are good at Math, the GMAT has surprised many quant jocks. Similarly, the GMAT verbal has surprised many native speakers. Implementation is the key. The tutor will help you see what’s wrong and what needs to be done to improve. Sure, you will definitely know some areas that need improvement, but be flexible and listen to what the tutor has to say. Remember, your GMAT score is a sum total of your performance over the entire 4 hours, not just good performance in sentence correction or good quant.
How many hours do I sign up for?
Once you discuss your background, your target score and your specific requirements with IL, they will be able to give you a good idea of how many hours you need. I personally feel that 10 hours is the very minimum. Try to organize your sessions such that you have enough time to work on any assigned homework between sessions. I would also recommend that you put in as much effort into each session as possible. Come prepared for a session so that you can take away much more than basics.
Will I get a 700+ score if I sign up with IL?
I don’t know. Any company that guarantees a 700+ score is not quite telling you the entire story. A private tutor will only set a solid foundation for you at best. Pressure, lack of sleep the night before the test, lack of concentration and fatigue are some of the more common reasons for a less than average performance.
Finally, there are several good ways of prepping for a test. Some students like to do self study, others like classroom and online courses , and some others prefer tutoring services such as Integrated Learning. I would ask that you do everything you can to get a good score on the test. GMAT is one of the factors that you can still influence in your application. With such competition for MBA admissions, the least you should want is a score that represents the true effort that you have put in.
I conclude by stressing the importance of discipline in your prep. Monitor your progress. If you find yourself making the same mistakes over and over, consult with your tutor to find a way to eliminate them. This will ensure that you are making real progress. That's the best way you can take maximum advantage of the learning tools that your tutor will provide.
If you have any other questions, please feel free to email Ian directly at ian at integratedlearning [dot] net.
