In the ever-evolving world of graduate school test preparation, few names have commanded as much respect in the digital space as Magoosh. While the platform has since undergone numerous updates, interface overhauls, and algorithm tweaks, there is a specific vintage that still sparks nostalgia among former test-takers: The Magoosh Premium Videos of 2017 .
For those who prepared for the GRE during the mid-2010s, these videos weren't just tutorials; they were a lifeline. Here is a look back at why the 2017 iteration of Magoosh Premium set a standard for online GRE prep. In 2017, many competing GRE prep courses were still shipping heavy textbooks or offering grainy, hour-long lecture hall recordings. Magoosh took a different approach. Their 2017 Premium video library was built on the "micro-lesson" concept.
However, the GRE did remove the "Analyze an Argument" essay task in late 2023 (replacing it with a broader "Analyze an Issue" task). Therefore, if you find a 2017 archive, skip the "Argument" essay videos. The rest? Timeless. The Magoosh Premium Videos of 2017 represent a specific golden age in test prep. They proved that a digital-native company could beat the dinosaurs (Kaplan, Princeton Review) by focusing on personality, brevity, and deep strategy. -GRE Magoosh- Magoosh Premium Videos 2017
This modular approach allowed students to study during a commute, a lunch break, or in the 15 minutes before bed. The 2017 library was the perfect middle ground—robust enough to be thorough, but concise enough to prevent burnout. The heart of the 2017 experience was the instructors. Mike McGarry (affectionately known as "The Test Magician") handled the bulk of the Quantitative section. With his booming voice, dry humor, and encyclopedic knowledge of math traps, Mike turned even the most math-phobic English majors into competent problem-solvers.
On the Verbal side, (the "Magoosh Word Ninja") was relentless. Chris didn't just teach words; he taught you how to decode the GRE's logic. His "Vocab Wednesdays" and mnemonic devices (like remembering equivocate because a horse says "neigh" but means "nay") were legendary. In the ever-evolving world of graduate school test
While Magoosh has improved its practice questions and analytics since 2017, many long-time tutors argue that the 2017 video content was the peak of instructional clarity. After 2018, Magoosh began diversifying its question bank heavily and introducing AI-driven study plans.
The 2017 videos are remembered fondly because they represented the last "handcrafted" era. Every joke, every slide, and every practice problem felt curated by a human who had taken the GRE 50 times, rather than generated by an algorithm. Yes—with a caveat. The GRE's structure (Quant, Verbal, Analytical Writing) has not fundamentally changed since 2017. The math is the same. The vocabulary is the same. The logic games (Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence) are identical. Here is a look back at why the
Rather than sitting through a three-hour lecture on algebra, students watched a 5-to-10-minute video on specific concepts: "Quantitative Comparison Strategies," "Text Completion: The Sentence Equivalence Trap," or "Reading Comprehension: Function of a Phrase."