cthismoxx wrote:
Hi, I am new to the forums and would like to introduce myself. So I had my first round at the GMAT and I scored a 410. Ouch. I'm curious what would be the best tips to increasing my score before application deadlines for Fall '14? Most schools deadlines are around April.
Quick background about myself, I studied sociology in undergrad (Go Cuse) and mostly played football while only halfway taking my academics seriously. I graduated with a 3.0 and while my NFL dreams were a long shot I'm now taking plan B more seriously. I'm not very good at studying so I would love to take the advice from the guys who know how to do it, and do it well. Currently, I work full time and train but I could devote 1-2 hours a day if told exactly what to do, how to do it and help me reach desired results. I'm not aiming to make a 750 score and apply to top 10 schools, but what I AM trying to do is have a respectable score which will help with my business school application to get accepted.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Dear
cthismoxx,
I'm happy to respond.
Here's a detailed three-month plan you may find helpful:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/3-month-gm ... beginners/If you have more time, here's a six-month plan --- this would really give you a thorough preparation:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/6-month-gm ... -schedule/I have a few pieces of advice.
1) Read every day, at least half an hour daily. This is over and above your GMAT preparation. Read hard challenging material. You want to take an MBA seriously? Then read the
Wall Street Journal every day, and read the
Economist magazine cover-to-cover every week. This will give you an invaluable background in the world you will be entering. Here are some more suggestions about what to read:
https://magoosh.com/gmat/2012/gmat-reading-list/When you read, look for main ideas and organization (why did they mention that detail? why did they put things in this order?) Look at arguments and try to identify assumptions, strengtheners or weakeners. Look at sentence structure --- both the WSJ & the Economist use a high level of grammar & rhetoric, and in every article, there are sentences that could be on the GMAT SC.
2) Do mental math every day. Add & subtract & multiply & divide every day. Make sure you know your "time tables", not only single digits, but one-digits times numbers up to 20 --- know all that cold. Do not touch a calculator between now and whenever you take the GMAT. Every single iota of math you do, from here on in, has to be in your head.
I think
Magoosh could help you a lot. Here's a SC lesson:
https://gmat.magoosh.com/lessons/932-str ... ing-splitsWe have 150+ video lesson, covered all the Q & V content & strategies you need. Here's a SC question:
https://gmat.magoosh.com/questions/3225Here's a DS question:
https://gmat.magoosh.com/questions/1035When you submit your answer to each of those questions, the next page will have a full video explanation. Each one of
Magoosh's 750 practice questions has its own video explanation, for accelerated learning.
That's a lot of resources --- I hope all this helps. Even if you decide not to take advantage of
Magoosh, I hope you get everything you can from that free blog. There's a lot there that can help you. Let me know if you have any further questions.
Mike
_________________
Mike McGarry
Magoosh Test PrepEducation is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. — William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)