Are books necessary for prep? And if so, only the most recent version?

Question

Hi!

I am at the very beginning of studying and wondering whether it is  necessary  to study with books or if the online materials are "enough"? Are there good online resources that can 
be considered a valid replacement for the books?

I aim on scoring above 700.

I own the  GMAT Official Guide 2019  - is that version too old? Are  only the newest  versions recommendable?

Thanks in advance!

zhanbo · Answer

Online materials can be "enough" since many books, including OG, provide online components that offer the similar contents. The most important books are OG, and OG2019 is not too old at all. OG2020 is slightly updated with some new questions, but you should be able to find out all questions at https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-official ... 93852.html with new questions highlighted. Good luck!

nounstoverbs · Answer

zhanbo  Thank you for your response! I read several times that the Manhattan books are relevant for understanding the basic concepts - is covered in a similar amount by the OG as well?
Also, as far as I know the online materials that come with the OG are the exact same questions as in the hard copy book.

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  nounstoverbs , and welcome to the forum. As  zhanbo  has already indicated, the official guide series is by far the best material from which to  practice , since the OG and GMAC™-published materials are the only ones that contain official questions. For someone shooting for a 700, I typically recommend the Verbal and Quant Review as well, if for no other reason than the extra questions/exposure they provide. Your OG 2019 is fine to use, but you might have noticed that for all its pages, it is quite thin in terms of advice or strategies for each section of the test, the different question types, and so on. This is why some students choose to purchase other guidebooks, such as those by Manhattan Prep, PowerScore, or other test prep companies, or to purchase subscriptions to online-learning modules. Such resources provide more than questions and the hollow commentary offered by the OG. (Oh, you missed an SC question. Why? Because of  logical predication, diction ... What does that mean? How does knowing that help you?)

You can check out  this post  by GMAT Club founder   bb   for further book recommendations. Do not overlook the free practice questions and two CATs you can get through mba.com either. Those CATs especially are the closest you can get to simulating the actual exam.

Finally, a word of advice: do not blow through the OG just to finish it. Sit down with each question and really take the time to understand each of the answer choices (in Verbal, but also, to an extent, in Quant). Look up every single question you miss on GMAT Club and read the analyses provided by the community, both regular members and Experts alike. You will probably find that certain posters resonate with your way of thinking, and when you take the time to research many thoughtful analyses, such thinking starts to rub off on you, and your own approach will improve. Then, when you practice more questions from the OG, you can do so with fresh ideas, rather than going through the doldrums of another x-questions-a-day set.

Good luck to you, however you structure your studies. Feel free to post at any point to seek advice or feedback in general. This is a community that would like to help you reach your goal.

- Andrew

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi nounstoverbs,

You ask a number of good questions. To start, there are a variety of different study materials that you might use as you prepare for the GMAT - so you should consider how YOU best learn (along with the specific areas that you'll need to work on to hit your Score Goal). Since the Official GMAT is a remarkably consistent and predictable Exam, the content of the GMAC Official Guides does not actually change that much from year to year, meaning that you would be fine using the GMAT2019 during your studies.

Since it sounds like you're just beginning your studies, then it would be a good idea to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test; you can take 2 for free 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 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 natural 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 those scores, 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 take the GMAT?
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
3) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

It might be helpful to check out some of the youtube videos on gmatclub. Also Thursdays with Ron.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi nounstoverbs,

For sure you can use online resources for your GMAT prep. To see what is available, 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!

	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Are books necessary for prep? And if so, only the most recent version?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards