Olu Sanya (Udemy)
GRE Math Prep Course (Olu Sanya) Review — Honest Analysis
Olu Sanya's GRE Math Prep Course is one of the most popular quant-only options on Udemy — 240 worked video solutions across roughly 13 hours, an aggregate 4.4/5 from over 400 ratings, lifetime access, a free formula sheet and even a bonus Skype session, and it is almost always on sale somewhere between $10 and $20. The reviewer signal is clear and consistent: an excellent, patient instructor who breaks GRE math down from the basics with memorable strategies, paired with one structural gap that every critical source flags — the course contains no practice questions or full-length tests of its own and requires you to buy Barron's 6 GRE Practice Tests separately to follow along. Treat it as a math-teaching engine, not a complete prep plan: budget for the Barron's book (and ideally official ETS practice on top), pair it with a verbal resource since it is quant-only, and at sale price it is one of the best-value ways to relearn GRE quant from the ground up. Go in expecting bundled practice tests or a one-stop GRE course and you will be disappointed.
Final score
from 28 analysed opinions
Published AI-researched, editor-audited
Distribution of opinions
Per-criterion scores
The course is a tightly-organised library of 240 worked GRE quant solutions across ~13 hours, taught topic by topic from the absolute basics up through harder material like probability. Reviewers consistently praise the clear, step-by-step breakdowns and the memorable mnemonic devices (the "Beyonce Rule" is the one people quote back). The recurring content caveat is that it is purely solution walkthroughs — there are no embedded original practice questions, so the "content" is teaching, not testing.
Olu Sanya is the strongest part of the package. A Morehouse/Georgia Tech Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering graduate with 14+ years of test-prep experience, he is repeatedly described as engaging, patient and good at making a nervous student feel math is learnable. His stated philosophy — "it's not difficult, you just don't know it yet" — shows up in the teaching, and the free 1-hour Skype session he offers is a rare personal touch at this price.
List price is around $70 but the course is almost always on sale in the $10-20 band with lifetime access, plus a free formula-sheet PDF and a bonus Skype session — genuinely cheap versus Magoosh, Manhattan or Target Test Prep. The honest deduction is that you are required to buy Barron's 6 GRE Practice Tests separately to actually use the videos, so the true out-of-pocket cost is higher than the headline, and independent reviewers note Barron's is not the best-regarded practice source.
The weakest dimension by a wide margin and the one every critical source agrees on. The course contains no independent practice questions, no quizzes and no full-length tests — it is built entirely around explaining problems from an external Barron's book you must purchase yourself. BrightLink Prep is blunt that "there are no practice exercises crucial to forming a solid understanding," and points out Barron's is a questionable choice versus official ETS material.
Learners credit the method with building confidence and giving them concrete strategies for question types they previously froze on, and the topic-by-topic mastery approach maps well onto how GRE quant is structured. But because the course supplies no practice and no full-length mocks, score movement depends entirely on the learner doing the external Barron's (and ideally official ETS) practice on top — the videos teach the how, not the timed reps.
What learners said
What people loved
6- Olu Sanya is an outstanding, patient instructor who teaches GRE math from the absolute basics — ideal for the rusty or math-anxious×16
- 240 clear, step-by-step worked solutions covering every major quant topic from arithmetic up to probability×14
- Memorable strategy shortcuts (the "Beyonce Rule" is the one reviewers quote) make techniques stick×8
- Exceptional value — frequently on sale around $10-20 with lifetime access versus hundreds for Magoosh, Manhattan or Target Test Prep×11
- Free GRE math formula-sheet PDF and a bonus 1-hour Skype session add real value at this price×9
- Topic-by-topic mastery structure lets you target your weakest quant areas instead of grinding linearly×7
What frustrated learners
4- No independent practice questions, quizzes or full-length tests inside the course — it is pure solution walkthroughs×12
- You must buy Barron's 6 GRE Practice Tests separately to actually use the videos, raising the true cost×10
- Barron's is not the best-regarded GRE practice source — reviewers suggest official ETS material would be better×5
- Quant only — there is no verbal or essay coverage, so it cannot be your sole GRE resource×6
Real quotes from real users
“"The instructor has a great way of breaking down each problem and showing you how to start, which is exactly what I struggled with."”
“"His approach to solving problems, like the 'Beyonce Rule,' is unique and genuinely helps you remember the steps."”
“"The video explanations are very clear and the instructor explains each step thoroughly, even assuming you know nothing."”
“"The free GRE Math formula sheet PDF was incredibly useful for quick reference during my study."”
“"Offering a free 1-hour Skype session is a fantastic bonus and shows dedication to student success."”
“"The course covers all the key GRE math topics, building from basics to more advanced concepts like probability."”
“"It's essential to have the Barron's 6 Practice Tests book to follow along with the course videos. Without the specific Barron's edition, you can't truly utilize the course as intended."”
“"The lessons are helpful, and the instructions are detailed and easy to follow. Every topic is taught from a basic level and is perfect for beginners as well as intermediate students."”
“"There are no independent practice questions or tests. You will need to buy Barron's 6 GRE practice tests textbook as a requirement to attend the course."”
“"Udemy GRE courses are an incredible bang for your buck, but I would strongly recommend that you don't rely on these courses for your practicing needs."”
“"It's not difficult, you just don't know it yet; now let me help you by teaching you."”
Frequently asked questions
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How we evaluated this
This review synthesizes 28 opinions collected across the public web. Final score = Bayesian average penalising small samples, then weighted by the positivity ratio. No paid placements, no hidden agenda.
- 24 from Blogs
- 4 from Other