Having the chance to further your education and learn new skills online has many advantages, such as increasing your knowledge while possibly earning you a second income stream.
It’s not always easy to find an online learning platform that’s reputable or interesting enough to make you want to sign up. In these ways, MasterClass is considered a game-changer because it offers high-quality classes run by professionals and celebrities.
What is MasterClass, exactly? MasterClass is an online learning and streaming platform that enables you to watch or listen to video lessons taught by more than 150 of the world’s most recognized and talented people.
There are 11 lesson categories from which to choose, from cooking and acting to business and design. While this sounds interesting, is MasterClass right for you? Continue reading this MasterClass review to find out.
MasterClass Overview
MasterClass strives to make learning much more convenient and easy to access, no matter where in the world you are located or if you have a full-time career that makes learning difficult.
After purchasing a MasterClass membership, you’ll immediately gain access to the 150+ classes on various topics. How the classes work is that each one contains approximately 20 video lessons.
These lessons are usually around 10 minutes long, so they’re easy to complete.
The classes give you access to:
- Detailed course workbooks.
- Smart TV and smartphone apps.
- Offline lessons.
- A members-only newsletter.
- A global members community.
Who Is MasterClass For? Pros and Cons
MasterClass is designed for anyone to access, provided you have a device on which you can stream the classes. Some classes are more complex than others, but generally, they are for anyone who wants to learn something new.
That said, if you’re interested in a specific topic and have some knowledge of it, such as cooking or photography, you’ll gain even more benefits from MasterClass.
It’s an excellent resource to help you learn new skills from people who have built successful careers in their field.
Pros
- MasterClass is Affordable: When you subscribe to MasterClass, you will be billed annually instead of monthly. There are different plans to accommodate various budgets, which we outline at the end of this article. Although there’s no free trial available, after you sign up for a MasterClass plan, you can use a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied with your experience.
- You Can Test It Out Before Committing: Before you sign up for MasterClass, you can also try MasterClass Live. This free streaming option requires an internet connection so you can connect with famous instructors in real-time and see what MasterClass is about. There are also some free sample lessons that you can access. To see which ones are available for different courses, search for a specific category on the MasterClass website. Then, choose a course from the list that comes up. When you click on “course info,” you’ll see a list of all the video lessons and what they contain and samples you can check out.
- The Lessons Feel Intimate: MasterClass searches for the best locations when filming their lessons to create a personal connection with the instructors. For example, some classes are filmed inside the instructors’ homes to make the experience more intimate.
- The Instructors Are Renowned: MasterClass instructors are talented and renowned. They are successful in their respective field, making them the perfect teachers. MasterClass allows you to learn directly from celebrities, such as tennis star Serena Williams and actress Natalie Portman, unlike other learning platforms.
- The Provided Workbooks Are Rich Resources: The workbooks you receive for your MasterClass classes aren’t only summaries of what you’ve learned in the video lessons. Instead, they are filled with useful extra information. Users can check the workbooks if the concepts outlined in the video classes were difficult to comprehend. They are filled with easy-to-follow graphics for quick and easy understanding.
Cons
- MasterClass Isn’t Accredited: If you’re interested in traditional education, such as getting a degree after completing a course, you won’t get this from your MasterClass subscription. Its short, accessible classes are more of a way to jumpstart your learning journey.
- Some Classes Are Anecdotal: Although you stand to gain valuable information on various subjects from renowned instructors, some classes are based on the instructor’s journey, memories, and personal stories. This can be interesting, especially if you admire a specific celebrity. However, in some cases, it outweighs the practical side of things.
- There’s No Interaction With Instructors: Although most classes will give you in-depth, valuable information to help you enrich your knowledge on a topic, and how the videos are filmed can make lessons feel intimate, MasterClass doesn’t allow you any interaction with instructors, such as in the form of Q&A sessions.
MasterClass Features
Once you become a MasterClass member, you’ll be able to enjoy many features. From course versatility and instructor quality to how easy it is to navigate the platform, here are some essential things to know before you sign up for MasterClass.
Course Versatility
As a MasterClass member, you’ll gain unlimited access to all available classes on the platform.
This not only makes the service value for money but also ensures that you can indulge in various courses on different topics, depending on what you feel like learning about from one day to the next.
The 11 lesson categories include classes on:
- Writing
- Food
- Design & Style
- Arts & Entertainment
- Music
- Business
- Sports & Gaming
- Wellness
- Community & Government
- Home & Lifestyle
- Science & Tech
Besides having access to video lessons, there’s also a feature on MasterClass called Sessions. These Sessions contain content you can work through within 30 days and are more interactive than video classes to apply what you learn to the real world.
Every Session has Teaching Assistants who can answer your questions and give you feedback. However, this MasterClass feature is only available on web browsers and iOS platforms.
Teachers
There are a variety of interesting, renowned, and knowledgeable teachers on MasterClass. Some of the courses currently offered and their instructors include the following:
Filmmaking Instructors
- Jodie Foster Teaches Filmmaking
- Werner Herzog Teaches Filmmaking
- Hellen Mirren Teaches Acting
Music & Entertainment Instructors
- Steve Martin Teaches Comedy
- Hans Zimmer Teaches Film Scoring
- Deadmau5 Teaches Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Production
- Herbie Hancock Teaches Jazz
- Christina Aguilera and Alicia Keys Teaches Singing
Writing
- Shonda Rhimes Teaches Writing For Television
- David Sedaris Teaches Storytelling and Humor
- Margaret Atwood Teaches Creative Writing
Business, Politics & Society
- Sara Blakely Teaches Self-Made Entrepreneurship
- Anna Wintour Teaches Creativity and Leadership
- Paul Krugman Teaches Economics and Society
Sports & Games
- Serena Williams Teaches Tennis
- Garry Kasparov Teaches Chess
- Misty Copeland Teaches Ballet Technique and Artistry
To check out the most popular and valuable courses, read our guide, “Best MasterClass Courses”.
Quality of MasterClass Instructors
A producer team works with celebrity instructors to bring engaging, fun, and easy-to-follow classes.
Naturally, by the time a video lesson gets to you via MasterClass, the company has invested a lot of time, effort, and resources in producing and preparing it.
The instructors are in the best position to teach you valuable information and skills because they’re among the best in their fields. Who better to learn about fashion and magazines than Anna Wintour? Who better to learn about chess than Garry Kasparov?
Ease of Use
Once you subscribe to MasterClass, it’s easy to gain access to a variety of video classes. There are also many user-friendly features on the platform. These include:
- The courses are easy to find. Just go to the Library Search page, and pick lessons according to topics or categories.
- When you become a MasterClass member, you’ll be asked to complete a questionnaire to help you narrow down your search for quality classes.
- The lessons are broken into easy-to-access chapters.
- The workbooks are filled with additional information to supplement your learning.
- The classes are tailored to people with different styles of learning.
- Since the classes are pre-recorded, you can take notes while watching videos.
- You can share MasterClass with others if you choose the Family plan.
- The MasterClass app allows you to listen to the audio portion of lessons, so you don’t have to watch them while traveling.
- The app enables you to cast video lessons on a smart TV for increased convenience.
Customer Service
If you run into any issues or have questions, you can contact MasterClass via phone (Mon-Sun) or contact them via email.
On TrustPilot, there are some mixed reviews regarding MasterClass’s customer service.
Most of the negative reviews refer to issues with gift subscriptions and delayed refunds. Other people mention how they had to wait to receive responses from the customer service department.
Pricing
There are three annual MasterClass membership plans from which you can choose:
- Individual plan – $180 per year
- Duo plan – $240 per year
- Family plan – $276 per year
To learn more about MasterClass costs, read our guide, “MasterClass Pricing”.
You should also read “How To Cancel Masterclass Subscription” for information on how to go about canceling your membership should you decide that you don’t want to make use of the learning platform anymore.
Final Verdict
If you’re interested in learning more about a particular topic that you’re passionate about, you should consider buying a MasterClass subscription.
Its quick and accessible video lessons can help you to enhance your knowledge and skills on specific topics in a fresh, exciting way, and with renowned instructors with tons of experience and success in their respective fields.
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