100pt increase from 2014

Question

Hey!

my GMAT journey is already taking up 6 years and it's still going strong.
In 2014 I started studying using the official study guides as well as the MGMAT book series. 
In the practice tests I scored between 640 and 720 (avg. Q40, V40). In the official test I scored a 650 (Q43, V36) which was a disappointment in terms of my verbal score however it was sufficient for my M.SC program at that time so I didn't retake the test.

Now, after working for 4 years, I want to try it again and aim for a score of 750. 
My plan is to study for three month and take the test in February 2021.

Now I'm looking for an online course that helps me to push my Q score from 40 to 49/50 and my V score from 36 to 43 with the caveat that I didn't study the material for 6 years. 
In the quant part my weakness are definitely in the DS and Geometry questions. 
In the verbal part, I'm quite strong in the CR part however I need to improve heavily in the RC (and somewhat in the SC) sections.

I feel like the course offering has multiplied in recent years so any help in choosing the right courses for my focus areas is greatly appreciated...

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

One thing that may help is also using the gmatclub inhouse math guide. All the best!

globaldesi · Answer

Quant is all about practice and revisiting all difficult questions. I would suggest aim for 600-700 level first, measure your accuracy and then move on to 700 level.
revise math formulas as they come in very handy

DisciplinedPrep · Answer

pele23  - Please visit our course review section to find detailed reviews on each of the top GMAT courses.

GMAT Course Review

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi pele23,

To start, the structure of the GMAT has changed since you last took the Exam (both the Quant and Verbal sections are shorter (fewer questions and less time per section) and you now have choices in terms of the order in which you work through each section. The At-home/online version of the Exam is a little different though (the section order is "fixed" - Quant, then Verbal - with no break in-between, then an optional 5-minute break, then IR).

Since it's been so long since you last studied for the GMAT, I suggest that you take a practice CAT/mock sometime soon. You should be able to access 2 CATs for free (in the current format) at www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). If you want to do a little studying first, so that you can re-familiarize yourself with the basic content and question types, then that's okay - but you shouldn't wait too long to take that initial CAT. That score will give us a good sense of your current strengths and weaknesses and will help provide a basis for comparison as you continue to study. A FULL CAT takes about 3.5 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take it in one sitting. Once you have that Score, you should report back here and we can come up with a study plan.

I'd like to know a bit more about your timeline and goals:

1) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?
2) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

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

woulf9 · Answer

Thanks for all the feedback! I'm definitely planning on taking a first practice test this weekend after re-familiarising myself with the question types.

I'm planning to apply in march this planning to take the GMAT in teh beginning of February. Regarding my target programs I did some research and now focus on teh following 4 schools (geography isn't that important to me): HEC, HKUST, Columbia, CEIBS.

I plan on studying 10-15 hours per week since I'm also working full time.

Posted from my mobile device

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi pele23,

A planned Test Date in early February gives you approximately 3 months of potential study time - which is good.

In addition, since you are interested in some highly-competitive Schools, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement. There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

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

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Pele23,

Regarding prep courses, in addition to seeking advice in this thread, take a look at the GMAT Club reviews for  the best quant  and  verbal courses , and also read through some  GMAT success stories  to see what materials have worked well for other test-takers.

Also, would you like some general advice on how to improve your verbal and quant skills?

You also may find it helpful to read this article about  how to score a 700+ on the GMAT .

Good luck!

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hey pele23,

As you are starting the GMAT after a while, I would suggest you to take an official mock so that you can understand your current level. Based on that, you can actually start your prep. And regarding the online courses, it's always better to check the free trial of the courses and then take a decision because you have to choose the right course which is suitable for you. Because what worked for others might not work for you. So, its important that you choose the course which addresses your requirements.

You can go through this   blog   to understand a few  key factors to consider while evaluating an online course .

Having said that, if you are open to suggestions, I would recommend you to check the free trial of GMATWhiz.
  It is an application driven course which employs methodical way of teaching concepts 
 It is a personalized and adaptive course - provides you a personalized study plan and adapts itself by providing you real time improvement modules to let you work on your weaker areas

You can get your personalized study plan for free by signing up for the   free trial   of the course. Feel free to get in touch if you wish to know how to strategize your GMAT prep or if you wish to know any thing about GMAT study strategy.

Click here to schedule a call

woulf9 · Answer

Hi, again thanks for the input, I highly appreciate it. 
I took my first official practice test now and scored a 640 (Q38, V40, IR8).

I think this underscores that I have the most work to do in Quant since I really struggled with a lot of the questions here. Therefore I'm looking for the best course that helps me to built a solid foundation especially in the quant area..
In terms of verbal I had missed 8 questions, 6 of them being SC question and 2 of them being CR question. So I would be looking for suggestions on how to improve SC for the Verbal part.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi pele23,

The 750+ score is approximately the 98th percentile - so clearly most GMATers never score that high. Thankfully, NO Business School actually requires that you earn a score that high - so it's important to realize that the score that you "want" and the score that you "need" to get into your first-choice School are not the same thing.

With a Q38, your general math knowledge is probably fine (although there might be a few subjects that you need to 'brush up' on). The Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a 'math test' - it's a 'critical thinking test' that requires lots of little calculations as you work through it. To score at a much higher level in this section, you need to become more of a 'strategist' and less of a 'mathematician.'

Based on all of the information that you have provided, I think that you would find the EMPOWERgmat Total Score Booster to be quite helpful. Most of our clients complete that Study Plan in under 2 months, so it would fit your timeframe nicely. We have a variety of free resources on our site (www.empowergmat.com), so you can 'test out' the Course before setting up an Account.

If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly at any time.

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

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