Our Instructors

Why Experience Makes a Difference.

If you research national GMAT preparation companies, you’ll notice that one guarantees instructors who have scored in the 80th percentile; another guarantees instructors who have scored in the 90th percentile; and a third guarantees instructors who have scored in the 99th percentile and received 100 hours of training.

At Sherpa Prep, every GMAT instructor has scored in the 99th percentile and amassed at least 10,000 hours of teaching experience.

It can be hard to appreciate just how much expertise is garnered over the course of 10,000 hours. To put it in perspective, first imagine that you’re skilled enough to score in the 99th percentile on the GMAT. Then imagine putting in 8 more hours of intense studying to get even better. Then imagine doing it again 5 times a week, 50 weeks a year, for 5 five years. That’s the equivalent of 10,000 hours.

In other words, the difference between an instructor with 10,000 hours of teaching experience and one with a few dozen hours of training or just a score in the 90th percentile is essentially the difference between a brain surgeon and a first-year medical student. Both are smart. But one is exponentially more qualified than the other.

Nasheed teaching a Wednesday evening course at our Dupont Circle location

In practical terms, this much expertise means that our instructors truly understand what it takes to guide students through this difficult process.

At some point during their preparation, almost everyone feels like they just can’t do it. Almost everyone feels overwhelmed by the challenge. You won’t read about this on other GMAT websites, but it’s true and we don’t run from it. We embrace it.

10,000 hours means that our instructors know how to keep students on track and how to coax them through crises of confidence. 10,000 hours means that they’re experts at identifying what’s holding a student back and getting him or her over the hump.

We know that most people think that success on the GMAT boils down to academic excellence. The truth, though, is that intellectual rigor is only part of the equation. Over the years, we’ve seen that a helping hand in the face of adversity is just as important and, for many people, the difference between a score in the 700’s and giving up.

Next: What Our Course Includes