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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]
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Hi chemistmba,

To start, a 600 is a strong 'baseline' score (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 540-550 most years). While that score is probably a bit 'inflated' (since you skipped the Essay), you still appear to have some strong critical thinking skills (especially in Verbal). This is meant to say that you would probably NOT need 8 months of study time to hit your score goal. Depending on your study routine and practice materials, you could conceivably hit your goal score in 2-3 months.

Since you have some study materials already, I suggest that you study as you see fit for the next 2-3 weeks, then take a new, FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections). With that score result, we'll be better able to define how well your current study plan is working and talk about how to make the necessary adjustments to improve.

1) How many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]
EMPOWERgmatRichC wrote:
Hi chemistmba,

To start, a 600 is a strong 'baseline' score (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 540-550 most years). While that score is probably a bit 'inflated' (since you skipped the Essay), you still appear to have some strong critical thinking skills (especially in Verbal). This is meant to say that you would probably NOT need 8 months of study time to hit your score goal. Depending on your study routine and practice materials, you could conceivably hit your goal score in 2-3 months.

Since you have some study materials already, I suggest that you study as you see fit for the next 2-3 weeks, then take a new, FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections). With that score result, we'll be better able to define how well your current study plan is working and talk about how to make the necessary adjustments to improve.

1) How many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich


Thanks for the reply Rich,

I can definitely allocate 10 hours per week, though I am hoping that I can get that number closer to 15 for most weeks. My spreadsheet includes log hours for both content and problem sets, so I will be able to monitor and adjust as necessary. Self-accountability.

Here is another question for you (or any of the experts for that matter):

I go back and forth on whether to go through the quant books cover to cover, or to alternate chapters between books (and videos). Do you recommend alternating or completing subject areas? Similarly for OG questions, do you recommend going through the problems correlated to the content I have just studied or working through them in numeric order?

Going through the problems for recently studied content will help identify how well the content has been understood, whereas going through problems in order is more GMAT-like and is probably a better indicator of my performance overall. In the end the two methods should balance out, since I will be adding ALL questions that cause trouble into problem sets to be studied and worked on further.

Thanks again to All!
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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]
Expert Reply
Hi chemistmba,

If you can consistently spend 10-15 hours per week studying for the GMAT, then you should have a very good shot at your score goal in about 3 months. When it comes to maximizing that study time, you would likely find it best to do a 'mix' of Quant and Verbal each week as opposed to an "all of one, then all of the other" schedule. Certain concepts and question types show up more often than others, so it helps to start with the 'big' Tactics and categories - so that you have the most overall exposure to all of those ideas. A proper study plan should lay out all of that for you.

When it comes to working through the OG books, doing random questions isn't a particularly great way to study (especially if those questions involve content or concepts that you don't know well). Once you've fully studied for the Test, then you should be comfortable dealing with anything the GMAT can throw at you. In the interim though, that type of practice isn't a great idea. Thus, focusing on 'blocks' of questions in those books that emphasize the same concepts that you've studied is also a good idea. As an aside, seeing material on a CAT that you haven't dealt with yet can also be beneficial as a way to gauge your ability to 'let go' of questions that you can't seem to answer or get 'stuck' on.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]
Hi GMAT experts,

I have a quick progress update and would love your additional input. I have attached an updated spreadsheet schedule (w/ logged hours and a few changes). I just took my first MGMAT CAT (full w/ AWA and IR) after 2 months of content-heavy studying, which included going through all MGMAT quant & SC guides and most of Powerscore CR. I have also been going through the Magoosh videos on lunch breaks at work, just to keep my mind engaged and to get a second perspective on topics.

Overall I am pleased with the MGMAT CAT #1 result: 670 (Q43, V38). Huge improvements were made in SC and general quant. Unfortunately, I ran very low on time during the quant section of the CAT; I had to guess randomly on the 2nd to last Q and didn't even get to answer the last Q. I need to learn to let the tougher questions go more quickly. On verbal, I finished with about 6 mins to spare; I should have taken my time more on some of the tougher CR/RC. Hopefully, I will be able to iron these issues out with more CAT practice.

In my toolbox, I still have 5 MGMAT CATs, 3 GMATPrep CATs, about half of the OG2017 (+ all of the quant/verbal reviews), and approx. 300 each quant/verbal Magoosh Q's. I still have to do an analytical break down on where exactly my weak spots were in the first CAT, but Geo in quant and inference in RC jump out at me after a quick scan.

After finishing the content (i.e. MGMAT books and Magoosh vids for me), I am now trying to put together a strategy/schedule for the next few months before the real thing. How quickly do you guys have students go through the OG? There has to be some balance of seeing all of the questions while taking the appropriate time to understand the reasoning and substance of each one.

Thanks for everything guys!
Attachments

Schedule.xlsx [12.8 KiB]
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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]
Expert Reply
Hi chemistmba,

You're fairly close to your score goal right now, so several additional months of study are not necessarily needed. Since you've taken just 2 CATs so far (and they've both been MGMAT CATs), I'd like to see how well you perform on one of the Official GMAC CATs. I suggest that you study as you see fit for the next week (but with an emphasis on eliminating little mistakes from your work), do some review, etc., then take a new CAT. That score result will help to best define your current readiness to take the Official GMAT.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]
Hi GMAT Experts,

Yesterday I took a GMATPrep CAT, with AWA and IR: 720 (Q47, V42, IR7).

It looks like I'm right around my goal of 700. My GMAT is scheduled for June 5th. I scheduled it that far out because I'm doing a certificate in management accounting from a local university; the exam for the last course is in April. I felt that certificate will show that I have some aptitude for business study while working full-time, my degree is in science. So, I will have the whole month of May for full GMAT only studying, while right now my time is split between coursework and GMAT (30% course : 70% GMAT study split I would estimate). This split seems to be working out okay: all my course grades have been high 90's, and my GMAT prep score is encouraging.

Now, I'd like to set my sights on a truly top-notch score: 95th percentile (about 730). It's probably not necessary, but it's something to shoot for. I still have lots of study materials to keep me busy.

As of this moment I have gone through the MGMAT math books (currently retracing through the areas that still give me trouble), MGMAT SC (twice), Powerscore CR (though I want to go through it again), the Magoosh videos and about 300 Magoosh Qs, and about 85-90% of the OG 2017.

I still have the following materials untouched: GMAC quant and verbal reviews, GMATPrep question pack, GMATPrep 4 CATs, GMAC IR Prep tool. These are already purchased, so I feel as though I have plenty of official material to last until early June.

I'm on the fence about whether to stick with these materials, which are just lots of GMAC questions, and get deep into understanding the solutions on my own, or to add some new content material, perhaps MGMAT advanced quant or GMAT Club tests or Sackmann's math sets or EmpowerGMAT etc. Any opinions on which direction can take me from Q47 to Q50?

I'm going to try the GMAT Club tests this Monday, as it is a freebie day, and see if I feel like it will be beneficial, but any advanced score advice for someone on the brink would be much appreciated! I am actually enjoying my GMAT studying so I don't feel burned out even though my study schedule seems stretched far and thin.

Thanks!
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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]
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Re: Critique my study plan (first 3 months) [#permalink]

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