Test Prep Insight delivers the best prep course, book and study material reviews on the internet. Our comprehensive and detailed guides cover every major admissions and professional exam, including the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, Bar, CPA, USMLE, NCLEX and CFA, among many other tests. Some of the major test prep providers we analyze include Kaplan, Princeton Review, Magoosh, Blueprint, Manhattan Prep, Becker, Barbri and PrepScholar, among other brands. Unlike other test prep review channels, we actually purchase and thoroughly review every study product we cover. This is what truly separates us from our competitors, and makes TPI the most authoritative and trustworthy source for test prep information on the internet.
Not only do we deliver insightful analysis on test prep materials, but we also rate and review language learning apps and programs for French, Spanish, German, and Italian. Some of the companies we review include Rosetta Stone, Duolingo, Babbel, and Pimsleur.
I decided to start a number of courses, each in a language I have a different level of proficiency. I'm still working my way through the course, but as a foreign language teacher, research shows people need to hear a word six times before it becomes part of their vocabulary. My main criticism of DL is that it sometimes focuses on repeating cognates or words that are REALLY easy, like "Mademoiselle." Sure, one needs to be able to spell this word, but if you only have about 31 lessons in a unit, maybe focus on less familiar words and put some more energy into getting students to practice more complex ones, where that repetition would be of use. Sorry to go on, but hearing another person's review is helpful in shaping my overall assessment of the course.
Totally agree on the supplemental aspect. A language is a full experience, a history and a culture, and whatever tool you choose, there is always going to be a limitation. Your toaster makes toast, not coffee. And you need to have multiple ways of engaging with a language to really learn it.
I've been away from the practice for over 15 years but I'm going to reenter and will sit for my state's Feb '25 exam. Exploring bar prep options now, I was disappointed to learn that Kaplan doesn't offer anything longer than a 3-month course which won't start for another five months (Nov. 26) -- and that's ONLY three months prior to the exam. So after a decade+ post law school this feels like I'm inviting a bit more pressure than necessary. Does anyone who is/was similarly situated have any course/services suggestions that will make the most productive use of my free time between now and the end of November? Maybe there's something out there -- some kind of a structured program -- that I could use as a preamble to the Kaplan program? My decks are mostly clear and I don't want to waste this open time.
I'm just getting started on my journey of trying to learn another language. I enjoyed this video but I will have to come back because I am working on spanish.
I use duo and babel, been studying Spanish for 4 months and I can confidently say that they are nothing like each other, babel isn’t gamified at all and is much more of a traditional classroom lesson, it’s helpful and the grammar lessons are great, but it does not keep new learners engaged the way duo does
Update to my earlier comment: I'm still a fan of Pimsleur. I love the way it builds onto the previous lesson. I was strictly doing audio, and highly recommend it for Unit 1 until it gets frustrating to you. As far as Unit 2 is concerned, I think I'll check out the app's visual features. I wish the library had those features along with their free audio books.
Im currently learning Navajo on duolingo. The course is ok but they don't have voice recordings like the rest of the courses. Which is SUPER important for a language like Navajo. It's a very oral and tonal language, so pronounciation is important. However, they do have navajo on Rosetta Stone through a third party native american language program. Navajo is part of rosetta Stone's Endangered Language Program. So im going to definitely buy it through the Navajo Language Renaissance. It's a non-profit that signed a contract with Rosetta Stone to try to bring the language back. They also have inuit and Ojibwe too in this program. The problem with a lot of these Native american languages are that thete arent much resources for learning them.
Very interesting video of Khan Academy's MCAT review. The Khan Academy program looks a little thin, but the price is attractive. Blueprint was Eduardo's choice for MCAT prep, and he nailed it! Kaplan sounds like a good option too. Thanks for another great video John! John with Joe and DJT stumbling, fumbling and bumbling, have you ever though of running for POTUS?
Why isn't there a language app that you learn by conversing? Perhaps AI will offer some alternatives. Cuz isn't that how we all learn our first language?
