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matteo7
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 17 Nov 2020, 05:47
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Do you recommend me to do the first Official Test? I am currently brushing up my fundamentals and speeding up on this. Next, I will go on and do a full mock to diagnose my level!




EMPOWERgmatRichC
Hi matteo7,

Since you are not facing any immediate application deadlines, you can proceed with your studies however you like. That having been said, since it's been so long since you last studied, we really have no idea what your current 'ability level' is right now. As such, I still recommend that you take a FULL CAT/mock sometime soon so that we can make sure that you proceed with your studies in an efficient fashion.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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matteo7
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 17 Nov 2020, 12:41
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Btw, I wanted to mention that my Veritas guides are the 2009 version. Because of this, I am thinking of using only the MGMAT ones.

What do you think?
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 17 Nov 2020, 20:16
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Hi matteo7,

Yes - I do recommend that you take the first Official CAT. In addition, you should consider which version of the GMAT you plan to take (re: the traditional Test Center version or the At-home Version).

The At-home GMAT is a bit more 'palatable' of an option at this point because you are now allowed to use a physical notepad. However, many GMATers have reported technical issues with their Exams and the 'format' of the Test is "fixed" (Quant, then Verbal - with no break in-between, then an optional 5-minute break, then IR). Having to take Quant and Verbal in one sitting is challenging for most GMATers (especially if you've been taking your CATs with an 8-minute break between sections). If you want to take the At-home GMAT, then you will have to be really rigorous about how you take your CATs going forward (and take them in the exact same fashion in which you will have to take the At-home GMAT).

While study materials from 2009 might be okay to work with, you would probably be better served by using more recently-produced materials.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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matteo7
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 18 Nov 2020, 06:12
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EMPOWERgmatRichC
Hi matteo7,

Yes - I do recommend that you take the first Official CAT. In addition, you should consider which version of the GMAT you plan to take (re: the traditional Test Center version or the At-home Version).

The At-home GMAT is a bit more 'palatable' of an option at this point because you are now allowed to use a physical notepad. However, many GMATers have reported technical issues with their Exams and the 'format' of the Test is "fixed" (Quant, then Verbal - with no break in-between, then an optional 5-minute break, then IR). Having to take Quant and Verbal in one sitting is challenging for most GMATers (especially if you've been taking your CATs with an 8-minute break between sections). If you want to take the At-home GMAT, then you will have to be really rigorous about how you take your CATs going forward (and take them in the exact same fashion in which you will have to take the At-home GMAT).

While study materials from 2009 might be okay to work with, you would probably be better served by using more recently-produced materials.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Thank you very much Rich!

I am going to practice with the MGMAT Math Guides and the PowerScore Verbal Guides, which are the most recent and comprehensive of all. From Veritas, I would only use the Combinatorics guide.

I would prefer to take the exam in the test center, as I will be more focused there.

I will spend the next weeks getting through the material, with a focus on Verbal and I plan to have my first CAT in the beginning of December. I will get back to you with a score then!

Thank you very much for your help!
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 22 Dec 2020, 17:07
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Hello,

I am posting again after some time. As I have told you, I was planning to have my first test in the mid of December, however, this went one week after schedule.

I've just finished my GMAT Prep 1 and scored a 750, V42, Q50 and IR 7 (I have not practiced IR yet).

I have been through the materials we've discussed, the strategy guides and they have helped me a lot. I have also finished the Verbal and Quant Review books, which I used as a material as I was going through the guides. As I will start working in January, I have already booked my exam to happen on the 11th of January, so I would really appreciate any advice on how I should move forward from here.

I have the following resources left:
(1) Official GMAT guide - I have selected answers from medium to very high difficulty, using an error log from the forum
(2) Official Advanced questions - I plan to study this one very carefully
(3) Manhattan IR & Essay guide - I will start going through it and working on AWA and IR
(4) The rest 5 GMAC tests

Thank you!
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 23 Dec 2020, 20:46
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Hi matteo7,

Assuming that you took this CAT in a realistic fashion that matches-up with how you will take your Official GMAT (and that you did not see any questions that you already knew the answers to), then this result shows that you have really strong overall critical-thinking skills, so you essentially just have to 'maintain' those skills until your Official Exam in January.

The process of taking (and reviewing) a CAT requires a significant amount of energy and effort - and takes time to 'recover' from. This is one of the reasons why you typically shouldn't take more than 1 CAT per week - and your last CAT should be taken about 1 week before Test Day. Thus, you should plan to 'space out' your remaining CATs for the next several weeks. In addition, you need to make sure that you are not doing too much studying (since we don't want you to inadvertently "burn out" before Test Day).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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matteo7
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 24 Dec 2020, 04:00
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Hi Rick!

Thank you very much for your answer.

From my mistakes and my previous ESR (Although it's been 2.5 years already), I can see that my weakest point is RC. So, besides the CATs, I am planning to go through the 33 passages of the OG. Moreover, I want to go through the Advanced Questions Guide plus some selection of questions from the OG, in the Verbal Section. This will require 4-5 passages and 12 questions from each of the other 4 categories each day for the next 10. At the same time, as I am not currently working, I can split my study sessions through the day, which gives me time to recover.

I understand the threat of a "burn out", but I think that I can leverage the material I have to my benefit, improving my weaknesses while keeping my strengths. How does that seem to you?

Again, thank you!


EMPOWERgmatRichC
Hi matteo7,

Assuming that you took this CAT in a realistic fashion that matches-up with how you will take your Official GMAT (and that you did not see any questions that you already knew the answers to), then this result shows that you have really strong overall critical-thinking skills, so you essentially just have to 'maintain' those skills until your Official Exam in January.

The process of taking (and reviewing) a CAT requires a significant amount of energy and effort - and takes time to 'recover' from. This is one of the reasons why you typically shouldn't take more than 1 CAT per week - and your last CAT should be taken about 1 week before Test Day. Thus, you should plan to 'space out' your remaining CATs for the next several weeks. In addition, you need to make sure that you are not doing too much studying (since we don't want you to inadvertently "burn out" before Test Day).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 24 Dec 2020, 12:07
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Hi matteo7,

As long as you are giving yourself appropriate 'breaks' during your studies, I think that your general plan is fine. When you're scoring in the mid-700s, "precision" becomes remarkably important - so your focus has to be on doing consistent work on your notepad at all times and avoiding little mistakes (since just a couple of silly mistakes - in the wrong 'spots' - can turn a 750 into a 700.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
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matteo7
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 11 Jan 2021, 09:37
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Hi,

I've had my in-person exam today and got a 710, again. I went from Q49 to Q48, from V38 to V39 and from IR7 to IR8. I've decided to cancel my score as there was almost no improvement, as I went from 90% to 91%. To be honest, I believed that I could achieve a 730 and put the GMAT Exam Preparation out of my schedule.

I have pushed a lot during the last week and the following are my tests and dates. I know that what I did -studying intensively last week- is not advisable, but I was feeling very good and confident till my second CAT yesterday (GMAT Prep 6) where I did a lot of careless mistakes on Q and easy mistakes on V SC.

I am starting my role with McKinsey on Thursday and my schedule will be very heavy. However, I would be interested to take some time off GMAT, to clear my mind and retake it, but, unfortunately, the centre is closed on Saturdays and I do not want to take a day off from job in the beginning. As for the GMAT Online, I have read a lot of different opinions on this, most of them rating it as harder than the in-person exam. Moreover, the structure does not feel more optimal to me.

So, moving on I can do 3 things:
1) Train during the following days, when I will have my afternoons free, for the Online Exam format. This makes sense as I have the material and CAT's already and I also have a momentum.
2) Leave it for later when the centres will open and Saturdays will be a choice. However, this goes too long and for sure I will have other things to do that will restrict my schedule.
3) Stay with the 710 and focus on my professional profile with the Firm.

Two things that I would like to mention:
1) I've seen myself really rushing through the Quant. I was not so confident during my last CAT and my exam, although I have studied engineering and Math was always my strongest spot.
2) American MBA's have a GMAT median of 730. Is the difference too much or can it be covered with the rest of the application.

Thank you very much for your advices so far. It was an intense month of studying for the GMAT, unfortunately I did not get what I have set as a target.
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ADVICE NEEDED on the following material 18 Jan 2021, 21:07
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Hi matteo7,

I've sent you a PM with some notes and additional questions.

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