{"id":33404,"date":"2016-06-14T06:32:44","date_gmt":"2016-06-14T13:32:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/2016\/06\/plan-your-summer-study-schedule\/"},"modified":"2016-06-14T06:32:44","modified_gmt":"2016-06-14T13:32:44","slug":"plan-your-summer-study-schedule","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/plan-your-summer-study-schedule\/","title":{"rendered":"Plan Your Summer Study Schedule"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Schedule<\/a><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t let all that sun and fun get in the way of your GMAT prep.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Summer break affords the two to three months you\u2019ll need to finally commit to studying for the GMAT. You\u2019ll need to ensure the summer doesn\u2019t slip by before you\u2019ve hit your target score, however.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s your summer study plan?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whether you\u2019ve just graduated or are heading into your senior year, summertime freedom can seem like a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you no longer have to worry about college coursework and can immerse yourself fully in the business school admissions process. On the other hand, a lax schedule and too much fun in the sun can make it difficult to stay focused.<\/span><\/p>\n

The key to a successful summer study schedule is personalizing your GMAT prep to make the most of your time off. Be realistic about planning and pacing. Consider how much difference there is between your current practice test score and your target GMAT score\u2014if you think you\u2019ll need to work at it longer to achieve results, allot extra study time. Try to balance the frequency of your study routine with occasional time to take a break from the material.<\/span><\/p>\n

Develop a GMAT prep calendar<\/span><\/h2>\n

Our top GMAT scorers report spending more than 120 hours total on studying before Test Day. Divide that figure by roughly ten weeks of summer study between now and September, and you\u2019ll come out with a minimum of 12 hours\u2019 worth of GMAT prep per week. This means you\u2019ll want to block off a two- to three-hour study session every day on your calendar, leaving one day each week for down time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Be specific about what you intend to study when filling out your calendar. Write down the GMAT book chapters and topics you\u2019ll cover, set practice test dates, and never miss a session. With so many diversions that come with enjoying your summer vacation, it can be tempting to procrastinate or let studying fall to the wayside. Remember, the GMAT is also testing your discipline in preparing for the exam\u2014and only through gradual and regular practice can you improve your critical thinking skills and endurance before Test Day.<\/span><\/p>\n

Balance work and play<\/span><\/h2>\n

Preparing for the GMAT doesn\u2019t mean you need to sacrifice your vacation or travel plans and spend all those precious sunny days cloistered inside the library. Balancing your summer study schedule with a little leisure does demand discipline, however.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to your two to three hours of daily prep, you should write down any other plans on your calendar to ensure they don\u2019t interfere with your study routine. You should also figure out whether you\u2019ll need to juggle studying with a summer job, internship, volunteer work, family obligations, travel plans, or other aspects of your business school application.<\/span><\/p>\n

Poolside GMAT prep<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s a good idea to crack open the books in a quiet, distraction-free place that\u2019s conducive to maintaining your focus. However, you can also make the most of your time by incorporating summer study into your leisure activities. Look for review opportunities\u2014whether it\u2019s reading your GMAT prep book on the beach, working through\u00a0flashcards while waiting in the airport, or brushing up on your quantitative reasoning in the great outdoors.<\/span><\/p>\n

At this point, you should have some insight into your personal study style and what works best. You can get more mileage out of your time off by studying whenever and wherever you have the opportunity\u2014but don\u2019t neglect also simulating actual Test Day conditions, especially when taking your practice tests.<\/span><\/p>\n

Find a summer study buddy<\/span><\/h2>\n

A great way to maintain a disciplined summer study plan is to ask a friend or family member for help keeping you on course. Having somebody call you out when you fall off the wagon or provide encouragement when you\u2019re feeling burnt out can go a long way.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you know somebody else who is applying to business school, ask if they\u2019d be interested in reviewing material with you. Exchange GMAT prep schedules with one another and set aside time to study together. That way, you can provide mutual support and guidance along the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are you applying to business school? Get your summer study schedule off to the right start by checking out our <\/span><\/i>GMAT test prep options<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The post Plan Your Summer Study Schedule<\/a> appeared first on Business School Insider<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Don\u2019t let all that sun and fun get in the way of your GMAT prep. Summer break affords the two to three months you\u2019ll need to finally commit to studying…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":120,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"1","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,558,243,940],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gmat","category-kaplan-blog","category-blog","category-gmat-prep-gmat","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/120"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33404\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gmatclub.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}