Testimonials


“Vinay has been a God-send. I first took the GMAT without much preparation, assuming that as a normally decent test taker, I might hit a stroke of luck and get the minimum score I was aiming for (a 700). I ended up scoring a 660, with a dismal 30 on Verbal, and was in full-on panic mode. I only had one more shot to take the test and three weeks to prepare, since I made the hasty decision to apply to business school very close to the deadline. Thankfully, I reached out to Vinay.
I was a bit hesitant since I had never done online classes, but decided to give him a shot because of our initial session. In this initial session, he reviewed my Enhanced Score Report and was able to quickly pinpoint my weaknesses and create an effective and efficient study plan for me. He went above and beyond, and worked around my very busy schedule in which I was juggling 50-60 hour work weeks in a demanding field. He was willing to take time to answer my emails with any practice problems or questions I came across, and came up with excellent tactics for tackling the issues I had with the test (time management, strategy for Sentence Correction, and quicker, more effective ways to solve math problems).
He is passionate about his work, and truly did an amazing job getting me to focus on the right areas. He believes in his students, and pushed me to aim for a higher score, refusing to let me settle with a Quant score under 50. In 10 short hours, over the course of 3 weeks, he was able to help me pull my score up to a 740.”
-- Joanne P., GMAT score: 740, Stanford Graduate School of Business
“Vinay was instrumental in my preparation for the GMAT. He is a gifted instructor who can walk anyone through the toughest GMAT question with clear, concise, and thorough direction. With his guidance and a fair bit of hard work, I went from consistently testing in the mid-to-high 600s to scoring a 760 on test day.”
-- Paul L. Stahlke, GMAT score: 760, UCLA Anderson School of Management
“Vinay is the best, hands down, no contest. Prior to working with Vinay, I took courses with Kaplan and with Manhattan GMAT. I would have saved thousands of dollars if I had just gone straight with Vinay. In working with Vinay, it becomes very apparent that he cares about his students’ success, and will go above and beyond what is expected of a tutor. If you are already studying or planning on studying for the GMAT, do yourself a favor and give Vinay a call.”
-- Ken McMackin, GMAT score: 700, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
“Vinay is without peer in GMAT preparation. His steps to make complicated quant problems feel instinctive is truly unique, and I was able to exceed my own score expectations. From the introductory call to my admission decisions, Vinay's patience, responsiveness, and flexibility were invaluable. Vinay's own experience applying to business school and helping countless students through the process also proved instrumental as I began my applications and interviews. I HIGHLY recommend working with Vinay.”
-- Vijay K., GMAT score: 770, University of Pennsylvania - Wharton
“You have an average of 2 minutes per problem. Two minutes per problem decides what degree goes on your resume for the rest of your career. Luckily, Vinay Narang can change the way you view the GMAT. He knows every pattern, every rule, and every nuance, making it possible to complete each problem within the time frame.
Whereas many other programs offered cookie-cutter practice manuals, Vinay offered exactly what I needed: intensity and systematic organization. He broke down the basics, ensuring that I could breeze past the intermediate questions. Then he taught me the nuances to score 700+ on my first attempt. He emphasized diagnostic exams true to the test, memorization to meet the stringent time constraints, and targeted practice to bring me up to my potential by my test date.
I highly recommend his teaching philosophy, his advice, and his intelligence. Business school tuition often exceeds $40K per year. Why wouldn’t you invest in GMAT preparation that ensures that you can maximize your potential? Vinay’s GMAT prep is worth the investment.”
-- Michael Exner, GMAT score: 710, USC Marshall School of Business
“Before working with Vinay, I had taken a GMAT prep course and attempted to continue studies independently. Yet, I still felt unprepared for the test; I had been consistently scoring in the mid-600s and felt like I was coming up against a wall. Thankfully, Vinay was the solution to my problem and the reason for my 110-point score increase. My 750 would not have been possible without Vinay's GMAT techniques, strategies, and curriculum. In addition to his tricks and shortcuts, his breakdown of question types and step-by-step explanations of difficult problems put me at ease with the material. Vinay is, by far, an expert, and I thank him for my GMAT success.”
-- Teny Akay, GMAT score: 750, NYU Stern School of Business
“I came to Vinay because I had plateaued at a 650 score with only 3 weeks left before my test date. Within that time period, I was able to raise my score 50 points and score a 700 on the exam! I credit a majority of this bump to Vinay, who has direct, concise methods for approaching any type of problem on the GMAT. He helped me see problems in much simpler terms, and above all, he taught me tons of tips and tricks that really helped boost my score. He was also incredibly patient and happily went into as much detail as I needed to grasp a concept. I'd definitely recommend Vinay to anyone looking to bolster their score. He's a fantastic tutor and an incredible GMAT resource. Thanks Vinay!!”
-- Ronell Firouz, GMAT score: 700
“Vinay is not just a wonderful tutor, he is a wonderful person. First of all, he is truly a GMAT Genius. He can look at a question and think of insanely fast ways to conquer the question. He knows his stuff. He used to be the head tutor of a large GMAT tutoring chain. There are subtleties that I pick up working with an expert, for example how he organizes his questions, and things he immediately thinks of when he sees certain problems. He helped me find my weak areas and guides me on how to study efficiently to maximize the results of my efforts. He is there to answer my questions via e-mail even when we are not working together. Vinay doesn't waste any of the time you schedule with him. He comes ready to make sure you get your money's worth of tutoring, sometimes even staying later than our designated time. My score has improved over 100 points working with Vinay. I wouldn't go with anybody else after having worked with him!”
-- Brian Tsui, Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management
“If you've hit a wall, take my advice and reach out to Vinay! I tried two different well-known prep programs for several months but I was stuck in the 600s. I tried several "free consultations" offered by tutoring companies to find a new approach, but Vinay was the only one that listened to my problems and suggested several study plans. I had five sessions with Vinay and each one was extremely helpful and productive. Even after all of my sessions were over, Vinay continued to check in and eventually, I scored a 720!”
-- Sean Ahn, GMAT score: 720, INSEAD
“Vinay is a great instructor. Though the sessions were done online, he was extremely patient and organized through all my sessions. His flexibility in covering content that was most important to me proved extremely useful in improving my weak areas. Vinay's methodologies for solving both quantitative and verbal questions reflect his sound knowledge of the GMAT exam material. With his help, I was able to exceed my initial goal of 700+ by achieving a score of 720 in a month and a half. I would highly recommend Vinay to anyone seeking to improve their GMAT score, and/or looking to score in the 700s.”
-- Akshai Parthasarathy, GMAT score: 720, UC Berkeley Haas School of Business
“I very highly recommend Vinay and GMAT Genius. I've taken other live classes from test prep companies, and a few sessions with Vinay were infinitely more effective than the two month classes that I took. You'd be hard pressed to find somebody who either knows more about this test, or has a better ability to explain concepts, problems, strategies etc. than he does. He helped me raise my score 70 points to a 730. If you are serious about taking your score to the next level, it's time for you to call Vinay.”
-- Ross Trachtman, GMAT score: 730
“One of the best instructors out there! Knows all the tricks of GMAT and tailors the preparation to your specific needs quite efficiently. And its not only GMAT prep that you pay for... he goes beyond hourly GMAT preparation and mentors you through the long process of b-school applications. For example, he went out of his way to help me with my MIT waitlist strategy last year! You will develop a very traditional teacher-pupil relationship working with Vinay.. and it is completely worth it.”
-- Akshat K., GMAT score: 720, University of Pennsylvania - Wharton
“Vinay is truly a GMAT genius. I had gone through other test prep services and was still not satisfied with my score or how I was approaching the problems. However, Vinay was able to teach me new strategies and methods in tackling problems that allowed me to arrive at the correct answer more often and quicker. Vinay is great at pinpointing your problem areas and finding solutions to overcome your weaker points. He genuinely cares about your results and it shows through his work. Would definitely recommend Vinay to anyone I know needing a GMAT tutor!”
-- Jenny Cheng, USC Marshall School of Business
“Vinay, the founder of GMAT Genius, is exceedingly good at what he does. Taking the GMAT isn't just about learning the various different rules of math and verbal, it's about understanding the correct approach to each different type of question. Most questions have a shortcut that allows you to save valuable time on the GMAT and Vinay is effective in preparing you with these strategies. Vinay helped me raise my score 160 points! I would highly recommend him to anyone who is serious about performing well on the GMAT and getting into a top level business school.”
-- Andre Soroudi, GMAT score: 760, USC Marshall School of Business
“Vinay is the true GMAT genius and was instrumental in helping me reach my desired score. The GMAT preparation process is daunting with endless options for resources and strategies available, and through experience, I learned that a one size fits all strategy does not optimize scores. Vinay tailors his sessions to his client's weaknesses and strengths and creates a game plan to most effectively hit his client's goals. His knowledge of the test is second to none, and his tactics on how to approach time management and difficult questions are paramount on test days. His ability to explain difficult questions in a clear concise manner and tackle new approaches to Critical Reasoning and Data Sufficiency questions helped me achieve a 60 point improvement from the first time I took the test.”
-- Nick Perks, GMAT score: 720
“After trying multiple GMAT test prep services (Magoosh, Veritas, Manhattan, etc.), I realized that GMAT Genius was the best. Vinay met with me in person and was always supportive throughout my GMAT journey. He taught me how to look at GMAT problems from a different perspective and attack the GMAT strategically. After I completed all my sessions with Vinay, he still reached out to me to see how I was doing and offered to help. He didn't need to do this at all, but this just shows the type of person he is and the type of support that you will get from GMAT Genius. Ultimately, I was able to score a 710 on the GMAT and I wouldn't have been able to achieve that score without Vinay's custom lessons and prep material. I highly recommend working with GMAT Genius.”
-- Jonathan Le, GMAT score: 710, USC Marshall School of Business
“Vinay has been tutoring me for less than a month and my score went up 100 points to a 700+! He has a lot of experiences and knows how to tackle hard GMAT problems in the most efficient way. He understands what the test makers want to challenge you on and where the traps are for each problem. I have tried many other test preps, but all of them fail to address your personal concerns. Instead, they teach you the most basic information that can help you to get a score of 500 or 600. Vinay is great at helping you to overcome your weakness, reinforce your strengths, and get that dream score! I live in the Bay Area so we have online tutoring sessions, which are just as effective as face-to-face tutoring. Go to Vinay if you want to achieve your dream score!”
-- Jessica Gu, GMAT score: 710
“I had worked with Vinay for a few months and the improvement I saw on my GMAT scores was amazing! I had worked with other 'GMAT prep programs' and was not seeing the results I wanted. As soon as I started working with Vinay, I looked at the test in an entirely new way. His strategy is unique and allows you to focus on what's important. He knows every trick in the book! I cannot recommend GMAT Genius enough, it truly is a unique and effective way of learning.”
-- Alex Paul, GMAT score: 680, SMU Cox School of Business
“As opposed some other aspects of the MBA application that I could no longer manipulate, such as my undergraduate GPA or my work experience, the GMAT was one area where I felt an ability and a need to perform well. Vinay gave me the requisite tools, tips, and confidence that allowed me to perform to the best of my abilities. His teaching style is at once personable and structured. He truly cares about his students’ performance and he always gives the extra effort to give his students every chance to reach their goals for the test.”
-- Fred Michaels, GMAT score: 750, Columbia Business School
“I have had several test preparation instructors throughout my lifetime, but Vinay has been far and away the best. Vinay was able to break down the difficult concepts in a clear and concise way. He genuinely cared about my performance and I would not have scored as high as I did without Vinay’s instruction.”
-- Matthew Kane, GMAT score: 710
“I highly recommend taking a GMAT preparation course with Vinay. He was very thoughtful in his preparation and teaching of the material. He took great care in making sure everyone in the class really understood the purpose of and answer to each question, no matter how subtle or advanced. He was friendly, professional and very effective. I know that he was instrumental in helping me get a 770 on the GMAT, which was followed by admission to Harvard Business School.”
-- Julia C., GMAT score: 770, Harvard Business School
“Vinay is the reason that I mastered the GMAT. Books and classes are great, but a good instructor is the key ingredient. He was able to break down complex grammar and math problems in a logical, easy-to-understand fashion. Disheartened by my first practice exam score of 560, the difference Vinay made was both noticeable and absolute. By the end, I consistently scored in the 90-95th percentile. My official score was 700, which helped me get accepted to USC’s full-time MBA program. THANK YOU, VINAY!!”
-- Ariel Trybuch, GMAT score: 700, USC Marshall School of Business
“Vinay is an amazing instructor! Prior to taking his GMAT course, I attempted studying on my own to take the exam and I was neither able to understand nor attempt many of the problems. Vinay helped me understand simple ways to dissect each problem and to answer the questions correctly. His tips were simple and very precise for the exam. He also helped instill a significant amount of confidence in me, as I took the exam. He is a very approachable instructor and I would HIGHLY recommend him to those interested in raising their GMAT scores!”
-- Aurora Kamimura
“The GMAT is an incredibly important part of your application to MBA schools. I tried almost all the available courses and there was absolutely no comparison. Vinay’s teaching methods, tips, and notes are by far the most effective in conquering the GMAT. There is no way I would have ever gotten my GMAT score and consequently offers from top ten business schools without Vinay’s help.”
-- Hardeep Johar, GMAT score: 730, Cambridge Judge Business School
“After 6 months of self-study, I was consistently scoring in the low 500’s on my practice exams. I was skeptical whether I could increase my score since I had already studied many of the GMAT reference books and study guides. Thankfully I was wrong. Vinay’s ability to teach the fundamentals of the GMAT was a tremendous help. After a couple months of instruction with Vinay, I was able to raise my GMAT score to 680 - an achievement I did not think was possible. I’m confident that Vinay was the main contributing factor to this 150 point increase.
Vinay fostered a comfortable atmosphere starting with day one. Whenever I had a question, he not only knew the answer, but also the multiple ways to arrive at the answer. Vinay was not only familiar with past GMAT questions, but was also able to come up with his own realistic GMAT questions on the spot. This was especially helpful when we went over the difficult concepts found in the 600-800 level questions.
I highly recommend Vinay when it comes to preparing for the GMAT. He is familiar with the material, skilled at explaining the answers, determined for his students to succeed, and genuinely enjoys teaching. There’s nothing else you could ask for in a teacher.”
-- Tony Sapounakis, GMAT score: 680, UCLA Anderson School of Management
“50 points in 2 weeks - the task seemed daunting. My decision to apply for programs came down to improving my score by that many points. I called up Vinay, who I heard was "one of the best GMAT tutors in the world." I sensed his sincere interest in my success from the first phone call. He has both the complete knowledge of the GMAT and the human touch to guide clients in an encouraging yet straightforward manner. His coaching method allowed me to also improve in critical thinking and problem solving contexts outside of the GMAT. His communication and sessions felt incredibly personal, even though I was having sessions online from South Africa. Vinay was instrumental in helping me achieve my GMAT goal of over 700 points and enrolling in my first choice program. You will have a fun time working with an awesome person!”
-- Ali B.
“Before working with GMAT Genius, I invested 6 months of time and over USD 1200 for intensive self preparation for the GMAT, but still was 30 points away from my target score. I was desperately thinking that I’ve reached my limit and can’t do anything more about it. But I was extremely surprised to improve my GMAT score by 50 points after only 10 hours of studies with Vinay, plus some homework based on the materials he provided me. He precisely identifies weak spots, and makes preparation structured and extremely efficient. I confidently advise anyone considering preparation for the GMAT that Vinay is the best possible instructor, who can help avoid investing excessive time and effort, and as a result a lot of related stress. Studying with Vinay is a great pleasure as well due to his easy going style and very efficient tech platform for the lessons.”
-- Maria Kutkina, GMAT score: 690, IESE Business School
“Nate and Vinay were a huge help in my GMAT preparation. Both Nate and Vinay really helped me focus on the key areas that needed improvement to increase my score 80 points in the 7 weeks of study afforded to me before my exam. Both were knowledgeable, patient, and helped me through understanding key concepts for the exam. Through their help I was able to achieve my score goals and was subsequently accepted into my school of choice.”
-- James Sully, Oxford Saïd Business School
“I came to Vinay for help with critical reasoning and the essay writing parts. I was unable to get higher than a 70th percentile in the verbal section and a 4.5 on the essay writing. With Vinay’s one-on-one coaching and despite that I missed 10 minutes of the exam, I was able to obtain a 90th percentile on the verbal section and a perfect score of 6.0 on the essay writing. As a result, I got admissions to Cornell, Haas, and Columbia. Vinay is an extremely friendly, approachable, thorough teacher and he is truly an expert on the GMAT material.”
-- Sudhir N., GMAT score: 710, Columbia Business School
“I was very uneasy about the GMAT, especially since I have been out of school for so long. Vinay completely put me at ease with his curriculum! Not only did he help me refresh the materials that I haven’t touched since high school, but he also provided tips and tricks that pushed me to a higher score. I easily improved 100 points from my initial practice test! I highly recommend Vinay to anyone!”
-- Jimmy C., USC Marshall School of Business
“I shopped around for a GMAT tutor because I had limited time and wasn't scoring anywhere close to where I wanted. I had been using the Kaplan book and the GMATPrep tools but hit a ceiling. We met at the library and I found Vinay to be incredibly professional. He helped me enhance my Verbal score by leaps and bounds. I've never been able to test well in English but he helped me walk thru every question and problem I had. I feel so much more confident about my reading and writing abilities. If you want a stellar, highly experienced, and helpful teachers of the GMAT; look no further!”
-- Kevin Dieny
“I spent more than $1k on a set of GMAT study materials, and spent a couple months studying before finding Vinay online. Half a dozen sessions with him FAR outweighed the time I spent with the books, as his approach to problem solving helped me dramatically improve my score. He teaches you the framework on how to solve different types of problems, improving speed and accuracy versus trying to learn on your own. My only regret is that I did not engage him sooner!”
-- Ace Patel, USC Marshall School of Business
“Vinay is a great GMAT instructor and a great person to work with. He understood that my background is not very quantitative and helped me to improve in that area for the test. He was extremely patient with me and helped me understand new concepts that otherwise I would not be able to have clear before the test. I improved my score in 60 points thanks to his lessons and to putting in practice all of his recommendations for my self-study time. He is the best GMAT prep option in the Los Angeles and Orange County Area.”
-- Ana Rahlves
“I have taken courses with other test prep companies and found Vinay to be the most effective instructor. I took his class in order to raise my GMAT score and was successful in doing that after completing his course! Vinay is very patient and adept in explaining some of the more difficult concepts and problems in the GMAT test. He was also able to analyze my performance on practice tests, point out areas of weakness, and suggest how I could improve. I highly recommend him as a GMAT prep teacher.”
-- Renee Eng, UCLA Anderson School of Management
“Vinay was an outstanding GMAT instructor. He explained concepts clearly and brought a lot of insight and knowledge about the exam. He was both very patient in answering questions and very methodical in his explanations. Not only did he explain the reasons for the correct answer choices, but he also explained the reasons for the incorrect answer choices. This helped me prepare for the GMAT exam.”
-- Kevin Z., USC Marshall School of Business
“Vinay is unequivocally the most skilled teacher I have had. He is articulate, patient, and a master of the GMAT material. I highly recommend him.”
-- Kele Yang
“Vinay is an outstanding GMAT tutor. Most test preparation services give you generic test taking advice. Vinay not only makes sure you understand the problems, but he also gives you effective tools for solving those problems. It is not surprising that my score improved 50 points to a 710.”
-- Matthew D., GMAT score: 710
“Getting a good score on GMAT is hard but finding a good tutor felt even harder for me until I met Vinay. He is very articulate, patient and skillful in explaining and solving all kinds of questions. I would gladly recommend him to anyone planning on getting a fantastic GMAT score!”
-- Neda Amanat, GMAT score: 680
“Working with Vinay was great. He was very knowledgeable and always made himself available to answer any questions. As a result, I was able to improve my score on the GMAT by 80 points and went on to receive my MBA from Wharton.”
-- Puneet Sahi, University of Pennsylvania - Wharton
“I really enjoyed Vinay’s teaching style. I was working full time (plus) at the time, but by following Vinay’s instruction and completing the material, I was able to score a 720! I’d definitely recommend Vinay’s GMAT prep services.”
-- Doug Klof, GMAT score: 720
“Vinay was instrumental in improving my quant performance. He is clear, patient and knowledgeable, with a skill in explaining the same thing multiple ways. If I paid Vinay based on his impact he would’ve been paid a lot more.”
-- Dayne K., UCLA Anderson School of Management
“I took a GMAT prep class with Vinay, supplemented with individual tutoring. Vinay was an excellent GMAT teacher in both settings. In the class, Vinay effectively explained all of the math and verbal concepts to a diverse group of students. He taught the class at exactly the right pace and kept everyone interested in the material. During the tutoring, he quickly assessed my weaknesses and then offered perfectly tailored advice that helped me boost my score significantly. Vinay has an incredible knowledge of the GMAT and an amazing ability to convey his insights to students. I enthusiastically recommend him to anyone seeking a fantastic GMAT learning experience!”
-- Alpa Jain, UC Irvine - Paul Merage School of Business
“Vinay had his hands full with me! I have never been much of test taker and my math skills were short of amazing. He was incredibly patient and made concepts that I never understood easy to comprehend and apply. He was able to increase my score by about 100 points and I was very happy with that. I would recommend Vinay to any of my friends.”
-- Michelle C. Terpstra
“I began working with Vinay one-on-one after my first GMAT score wasn’t what I had hoped for. We worked together for about six weeks and he helped improve my score dramatically. He was great to work with, explained everything in a very straightforward way that was easy to understand, and made sure I understood the particular topic before moving on. I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to improve his or her GMAT score.”
-- Scott Roegner
“I had the opportunity to have Vinay instruct me during my preparation for the GMAT exam. In just a few short weeks he helped me improve my score markedly. His knowledge of the testing process and “tricks” that help to increase your speed are invaluable. I had tried a few ways to prepare for the test, but my time with Vinay was by far the most valuable.”
-- Mike Neilson
