Sherpa is Special. Experience the Difference.

Sherpa is hands down the absolute best GMAT/GRE prep service in the game. Nafeez and team are literally miracle workers. The content that they've prepared: packets, test taking strategy, application support, even general matriculation strategy are totally out of this world.

The best thing about Sherpa is how invested they are in you as a student. It took me damn near a full 2yrs to "pass" the GMAT and I wholeheartedly believe it's because I didn't come to Sherpa first. Nafeez on day one knew everyone's name, our general backgrounds, our struggle points. Whatever. And the next year still knew all of the same information about me. He's been in the game so long he knows what levers to pull to get you motivated, what you need to do to succeed, and when to tell you to abandon something. As much as the program is a series of classes, you really feel like you're on a one on one personalized journey every step of the way.

The best part of being on the journey so long was seeing Sherpa's growth. They implement feedback immediately and can easily see what's working well and what's not. Some of my favorite highlights:

1. They're now a full service shop. From the day you open your textbook to the day you hit submit they have test materials, essay review, interview prep, and one on one ask me anything type review to get you there.
2. Retake one time for any reason at all. I took the course all the way through twice. And you could pay a nominal fee to retake certain struggle classes.
3. The app! Having material on an app instead of having to lug textbooks and printouts around all the time was great.
4. Ease of access. Everyone on that team is available damn near all the time. If you have a question pop up, got to a Sunday review session, schedule a 15min check-in on your progress, shoot them an email and get a response almost immediately.
5. They're REAL. No sugar coating, no bullshit. They will tell it like it is and meet you where you're at to get you through. If you are too hungover to take a practice test. Fine. It happens. Let's move on to the next day. They're not going to waste your time nor theirs telling you you messed up and they will do everything in their power to see you through the finish line.

I'm at Duke's Fuqua School of Business now with a full-tuition scholarship. Sherpa is a HUGE part of the reason I'm here.

Sign. Up. Now.

I can’t speak for other prep courses - however, I was a part of the Forte MBALaunch program and I can tell you that I was the only one raving about my GMAT course.

My background is a liberal arts undergrad major who has worked in Sales and Recruiting for the past 5 years. In other words, I knew my MBA applications would showcase plenty of “soft skills”, but that I would need to depend more than most on the GMAT to show my ability to think quantitatively.

My teacher was Nafeez and while he teaches bomb strategies to be quicker in the quant section and emphasizes the importance of ace-ing the verbal section, he offers strategies and advice in personal motivation as well. This is one of the hardest obstacles to overcome as a fulltime working professional, but I really found the articles and outside-the-box advice that he sent regularly to be inspirational in helping me keep myself on track. Some memorable quotes: “Showing up is not”; “Quant questions are like music - you just need to learn how to recognize the music and do the right dance”; (that one is paraphrased).

I started with a 560 (without studying) then pretty quickly plateaued to around 650 after about 6 practice exams - this was frustrating, and it’s where the personal motivation became really important. But then something clicked and my last 3 practice exams were 730, 710 and 720. When I took the real exam, I scored a 720 and have since been accepted to UCLA and USC, both with scholarships.

Truthfully I don’t think there is even a point in looking into another GMAT prep course - Sherpa is the best one in the city.

Unlike any other GMAT prep company, Sherpa Prep should be renamed to "Sherpa Experience" because you will receive an all-encompassing preparation for all things related to the business school application process. Once you enroll in a class, you join the "Sherpa Family" and they will hold your hand to guide you along the entire business school journey. This company is committed like no other to ensuring you are not only successful on the GMAT but also in the business school process. Starting with my first GMAT class, my instructor, Nafeez, took time to provide business school application tips on all aspects (resume, interviews, essays, recommendations, etc). Sherpa does provide admissions consulting services to only Sherpa students, but I found that Nafeez was happy to share any information or answer questions we had regarding admissions at any point in time. For all the services you receive, the course pricing is a steal.

Methodology
Sherpa compares the GMAT studying process to playing basketball. The course is broken into two phases with your instructor serving as your "coach" throughout the process (in and out of class time). Phase 1 is where you learn the skills and plays for the game. Phase 2 is where you drill and practice until you're ready to take on Kobe. Throughout phase 1 and 2, you take a practice test every two weeks (just like playing preseason games) to become accustomed to the test conditions and learn how well you're picking up the material. You will only practice with real GMAT questions. Other companies may think they have understood the GMAT, but there's no better way to learn than from the test makers themselves.

Phase 1 consists of the 12 classes plus 18 packets that Sherpa has written themselves using real GMAT questions-- essentially a text book--as well as bi-weekly "experiments" (practice tests). Phase 2 consists of timed practice sessions of math and verbal using a list of real GMAT questions Sherpa has already curated for you.

During Phase 2, you will have regular check ins with your instructor. They also allow you to retake certain classes or even the whole course if you need to. This sets Sherpa apart from all other companies and shows their dedication to your success.

Class & Instructor
The class is 3.5 hours long for 9 weeks for 12 classes total. This translates to 40 hours of class time; much more than most other companies offer. My class occurred on Tuesday evenings. I'm typically an early bird and was worried about a long class after work; however, these classes are fast paced. There was not one instance in which I was ever bored or became tried; Nafeez's teaching style was captivating. On most nights, I left the class with more energy than I entered!

I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about Nafeez. The Sherpa instructors are the best in DC because they KNOW this test and they truly want you to crush it. Nafeez's knowledge, strategies, tips, and tricks are magical and mind boggling at times, but I was more impressed by his dedication to his students. He remembers small tidbits you tell him and he makes the class fun and comical at times. There is no one that wants you to succeed more than him and that is a true differentiator between any other company.

As someone whose taken a Manhattan Prep course, purchased Magoosh GMAT (twice), and even dabbled with Target Test Prep, I'm telling you that this is the only course that you need to take. I almost gave up on the GMAT completely, but Sherpa Prep has given me new life. Nafeez is GMAT guru. If the GMAT was a martial art, Nafeez would be a 10th degree black belt. His methods and tricks that he teaches cannot be found anywhere else. Questions that you think are impossible to solve, Nafeez makes them possible, digestible, and easy! My moral towards the GMAT has improved tremendously since attending this course. I look forward to reviewing, studying, and practicing what I've learned. The materials are extremely thorough and the content is great.

Lastly, but also very important, this course is an absolute steal at $999. Compare the price of this course with the courses of Manhattan Prep, Kaplan, Princeton Review, Veritas, ect,. You won't find a better bargain, and honestly, and I mean this with all my heart, if Sherpa Prep charged $2000, it would still a better investment than the alternatives.

Look no more. Sign up for Sherpa Prep, and you'll be extremely happy that you did.

Let me start off by saying that choosing Sherpa Prep was one of the best investments I have ever made. Nafeez, Jay, Nasheed, and the rest of the team are incredible. It is without reservation that I can say that Sherpa Prep is the reason why I will be starting at a top 20 business school in just a few short months.

I was recommended to Sherpa by a friend who, much like me, knew that getting through the GMAT or the GRE was going to be the biggest hurdle in the application process. For me, I was facing math I hadn’t seen in at least 10 years and test anxiety. I had nine years of work experience in political fundraising and nonprofits, but no traditional business background. In the end, I made an over 140 point jump between my first GMAT score and my final GRE score (based on GMAT/GRE conversion). Nafeez helped me see the light that my application was stronger by submitting the GRE.

Sherpa Prep is a one stop shop and truly cares about their students. They’re invested in seeing students succeed. Nafeez has been with me every step of the way, including cultivating my list of schools, reading essays, reducing test anxiety and providing strategic advice along the application journey. He always made himself accessible via email or tutoring sessions to help me sort through problem sets or strategy.

If you put in the work, then Sherpa Prep will help you get the results you want and you’ll even have some fun in the process!

Sherpa Prep is by far the absolute best. They care deeply about their students. The first day of class Nafeez said: "From now on, I'm on your boat" and he keeps his promise. My journey has been VERY complicated, I went through a merger at work and it was a difficult year, Sherpa was flexible and showed me how much they cared about my application to the MBA of my dreams. They stuck with me. Their classes are the best, their materials are the best, but most of all, the people at Sherpa CARE and that is what makes them so special. They want you to succeed, they want you to get into the school you want and they also do the work to help you get there! I started at 0- really Im probably the worst student they had in terms of Quant skills. Nafeez and other tutors helped me get through it all and I improved so much! I am super grateful to Sherpa!! Also, it is absurd how cheap their programs are- their quality is beyond all other programs and they still charge much much much much less!!

Update: Thank you Sherpa! I wanted to update my review as I just got the call we all wait for! I was accepted to Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto! This was my TOP choice and I got in! I am incredibly grateful for Sherpa for their guidance throughout this entire process!!

The minute I got the call I thought to myself, I have to let everyone at Sherpa know! Why? Because I know how much they care, they are invested in your success, Don't think twice about going with Sherpa, your future self will thank you for it, you wont regret it!!