Planning for MBA in Fall 2011

Im also targeting fall 2011 entry- but mostly for 1 yr. overseas programs in the UK/Europe. I am actually looking to apply to one US program for Fall '10 for their third round (Wisconsin), but that application is somewhat riding on my GMAT score. Looking to take the test first or second week of March.

Right now am working with:

OG12
Princeton Cracking the GMAT (was a good intro/strategy book but beyond that... )
Kaplan Premier (on hold at the library to pick up)

I will probably pick up a few of the MGMAT books in areas that I keep turning up weak.

I started studying three weeks ago and work maybe 2-3 hours a night on it, weekdays and weekends, with a day or two off here and there. Currently Im working through the quant section of OG12 and am finding my abilities, speed, and accuracy picking up with each day- which is good to see! I have a Kaplan practice test scheduled for next Thursday so hopefully Ill see some improvement on my dismal 540 initial assessment test.

Hi ThomasD,
I wish my quant was higher (44) thats why I am considering taking it again. As far as prep materials, I took a Veritas Prep course, but I honestly wouldn't recommend it. If you are considering taking a course, I would say go Manhattan GMAT. They know their stuff. Veritas was great for helping me get back in the groove of studying but other than that, my biggest gains were made by using the resources on the GMAT club. I used the OG, MGMAT books (SC and Number Properties) and the GMAT club tests (which I didn't do enough of or I would have gotten a highere quant score. I only did like 4 out of 25). Keeping an Error Log is also invaluable and take a good amount of CATs

I´m also in applying for admission in Fall 2011. I have studied for the last 3 weeks now on a regular basis (1-2 hours on weekdays, 4-6 hours on Saturday/Sunday).

I have also started with OG 12th Edition and will probably get all 8 MGMAT Book soon + Kaplan Advance. I hope with all the stuff i have enough t be prepared.

I hope you are all performing well and wish you just the best...good luck..

Welcome MSoS. Are you targeting European schools or schools within the U.S. Ich frag nur so aus reiner Neugierde

Hey ThomasD, i´m not sure yet. I wish i could aim for the Top10 Business Schools worldwide, but everything depends on the GMAT-Score. And right now, i´m not really confident reaching the score i need. If i don´t get a 700+ score (maybe i´m satisfied with 650+), i might not try to apply for a MBA anyway. In Europe i´m only interested in LBS and i might go for one school in Australia.
How about you? I saw you are going for W/H? How is your prep going on? Any suggestions for a newbie like me?
Cheers, Micha

Well I think I will try to shoot for the top schools this fall, but I am far from convinced that I will either get in or that this is even the right career choice on my part. I do not fit the traditional MBA applicant profile and that will make it hard for me to get into the top programs - primarily because I lack real life experience outside of academia. Anyhow, I will take the GMAT and will make my applications dependent on that outcome, but I much rather apply and not be accepted than look back in 5 years and ponder what if I had applied. Once this GMAT beast is tackled I have some more thinking to do, but at the moment there is just no time...

Hi Perseverance & Thomas,

I too wanted to get started on GMAT preparations.. and planning to join in 2011.
To be honest, I have very little visibility on possible options.. But I very much want to do MBA..
If I can then it has to be 2011 not later than that... reason is all complicated..

Seeing your post I felt I am also on same lines of work schedule and put in same amt of timings..
But I love math but very weak in verbal section... may be need to start from A,B,c form..

Looking forwards for all inputs/corrections to make myself through 2011 batch..

Thank you much..

also novice to this GMAT club.. but I got strong feel that this might be the right place to get started.

Hey everyone! Glad to see there are a bunch of us already starting the process. I'm still working thru my prep schedule for the GMAT. My exam is in about 2 weeks and I'm almost done with the OG (last part of my prep). The prepping process is a pretty big pain and has taken away from my social life numerous times. But hopefully the reward is worth the sacrifice. Best of luck to you all with your prep.

Welcome to the Club Lads and Gents!

Key is to get that studying rolling, so go and place your first amazon book order! In the meantime, look through the forum for some study guides and feedback from folks who fought the beast. Reason I say this, when I started I had never heard of any Manhattan GMAT study guides, read of them on here for the first time and some of those are GOLD. Would have never know without some reading on the forum.

Perseverance, how are things going? Ready to finish strong?

Hey Thomas,
Things are progressing along very nicely. I actually took this weekend off from studying and it's been a big help. Definitely important to relax and 'get away' from the material at times. Finishing up the OG in the next week or so and then some AWA prep and then it's the test. I'll definitely be ready for the beast. How's everything going with your prep? When is your test?

I started with OG Quant and about to start with Problem solving tomor' onwards..
for now I am picking books from Library, as I am not sure which might be the right ones or which
content might help me understand better.. seeing alot of books out there got little confused.

Hey Mansi,
Not sure if you have seen this thread but it has some good reviews of various GMAT books.

best-gmat-books-reviews-recommendations-for-your-prep-77703.html

Good luck.

Thank you much perseverance.. will back with queries after going through this link.

Also, I have a qq on by when one should get started on applying to enroll into 2011 batch..
How many batches exists to enroll into 2011 batches (like Spring/Fall etc)
Please share Any pointers to this query ?

This is a school specific type of question. I don't know what schools you are interested in but I'd check out the US Schools and International Schools forums. There are individual threads that detail the application deadlines etc. These are great resources to start planning a strategy for applying.

I am hanging in there perseverance. I feel like I am actually improving in verbal as I practice more and more. As for quant I feel like I am a little stuck at a certain level. Not sure what I can do to drastically increase given my exam is on the 23. I am really hoping for some good snow tonight such that I can all in to work tomorrow and say I am stuck at home. That'd finally allow me to take my second Gmatprep to help me gauge where I stand. Have you taken it yet?