Bezerkers' road from 380 to 600+ in 10 weeks !

Question

Hi guys,

After having great feedback on my questions in my previous topic I decided to start this one to post my "log" !

I did 380 on the MATPrep (Q: 20 and V: 17 if I remember correctly... my PC crashed after the results, so I had a quick glance at the score).

Since I scored 380 I feel I have to begin at the basics and move from there... 
The books that I have in mind (after viewing the Best books topics on the forum):
- Kaplan Premier with CD 
I'm planning to use it for covering strategies
- Manhattan GMAT, set of 8 strategy guides
I'm planning these books for actual studying the material.

My 10 week rough schedule:
Week 1 – 3 Quantative
Week 4 – 6 Verbal
Week 7 Essay
Week 8 – 10 Making tests + edurance 
I’m planning to study 4 hours a day, 7 days a week. 
I will put it in the schedule format after approval.

My questions for now:

- Should I buy the Official Guide for GMAT Review 12th ed instead of the Kaplan?
- Does the 8 series MGMAT cover all the theory or do I need additional books?
- How many hours of studying does it take to cover the whole 8 books of the MGMAT? (does it fit into my schedule?)
- What do you think of my study plan?

Thanks in advance!

heygirl · Answer

You DEFINITELY need the official guide edition 12. However, if you have the 11th edition then there is no need to buy the 12th edition.
The study plan is fine. After you 'master' the basics of Quant and VErbal then it is better to do a little of both on the same day,say after week 5 or 6. the MGMAT books will cover all the theory that you will ever need for the GMAT. if you feel you need more concepts/theory then this forum has some wonderful resources too a grammar book and a math refresher.
Do you work full-time? If you are working full time then it is little hard to completr all the 5 books in 3 weeks, assuming that you are going to find all the concepts new. so you will need to really buck up and manage within 3 weeks for the Quant books. The verbal books can be completed faster (just reading theory) but it takes longer to internalize the concepts and turn it into a higher accuracy rate.

ibbys · Answer

You will definitely need the OG 12 since it has "official questions" that GMAC has released in the past. If you are thinking of using the MGMAT guides, they refer to the OG for practice questions. I think Kaplan will be a good starting point to get you accustomed to the overall structure and feel of the test. The MGMAT books will definitely cover all the theory you will need (especially for the Quant portion). I felt the need to supplement some of the verbal books.

As for the time it takes to go through the MGMAT guides, it really varies. I spent a lot of time on three books in particular (Number Properties, Inequalities and Word Translation) and went through the others rather quickly. There is a lot of material in the books and it may take longer to grasp. I also made flash cards going through the books so that slowed me down a little bit. I read each book twice and I still found myself learning new things the second time around. Each MGMAT book has a few "advanced" chapters so depending on your target score you may or may not care for those. If you focus all your energy on MGMAT books and the OG, you will definitely be solid for a 600.

Good luck.

heygirl · Answer

ibbys, any idea how imp this advanced section is for a 650 target score. I have left out the advanced section for SC :-D

. Just found it too much to digest. Bezerker, I don't mean to hijack your thread

. Just thought will ask here since the topic came up!

ibbys · Answer

I just read through the advanced SC chapters once. It was a little dense and a little overwhelming.

I found the math ones to be useful. However, if you only have a few weeks left, I would not make them the cornerstone of your study. The advanced chapters on number properties are useful since this topic is tested a lot.

For the word translation book, if you did not understand the anagram method for combinatorics, then check out the advanced chapter for that. They include formulas in that which I prefer.

AmrithS · Answer

The advanced chapters psyched me out too

Never got around to learning much from them! Towards the later stages of my study, I relied heavily on my Flash Card method of study... I spent a lot of time analyzing questions I answered incorrectly... I learned a LOT through this process because this way, I was looking up only two or three rules per question... Instead of learning all the rules in one go!

AmrithS · Answer

@Topic The plan sounds good :beer

: I would recommend a small change though... I don't think you need a complete week to prepare for the Essay. I suggest this approach: 1. Start taking the tests from the 7th week onwards. 2. Read chineseburned's guide for the Essay Part. 3. Use the AWA part of the Prep Tests as practice. Don't have them rated... Just make sure that you're able to apply the template posted by chineseburned

I believe this will save you a lot of time and yield better results as well!

heygirl · Answer

ibbys,entwistle - thanks for ur inputs on the advanced chapters of the MGMAT book. I did go through the NP chapters but SC seems too much for me to digest! May be, if I find time I"ll look at it...

Bezerker1986 · Answer

I just placed the order for the MGMAT 8 guide's and the GMAT OG 12th edition!

@heygirl: I'm actually in the pre-master of a MSc. program... But I want to focus all my energy on the GMAT the next three months. I want to get in a Business school, the research university where I am right now isn't focussed on business administration at all. So I have a lot of time to spend on the GMAT !

heygirl · Answer

You will have a solid base with the MGMAT guides and the OG. The rest depends on you and your prep. 3 months is a good time to spend on the GMAT. I would not spend longer either as it tends to burn u out...
good luck!

Bezerker1986 · Answer

I've attached my study plan for the next 11 Weeks.
Pleaset tell me what you guys think about it.

I've got a question about the OG 12th edition book, do you guys advice I should
take it with me while studying the MGMAT books, or make the tests on seperate days?

Thanks in advance guys!

AmrithS · Answer

For Vebal, do the OG problems as you finish each chapter. For Quant, do it after you finish the basic section of a book. After you finish the basic chapters of all the 5 books. Start with the advanced topics of each book. When you finish the advanced chapters for a book, do the corresponding OG problems. Then do all the problems from the OG from the beginning

Bezerker1986 · Answer

This was my second study day !

I'm on schedule ! (ahead actually, but that gives me extra time in the weekend to review and make flash cards). 
The Manhattan GMAT books are really great ! You get through really quick.

I ordered "The black swan" (the book) to improve my verbal skills.

@bb: Thx for the PM ! :D

heygirl · Answer

Your plan looks good. I just had an overview. Just to share my experience - the MGMAT NP and WT books took 1 whole week each and the FDP,Equantions,geometry books took me 1 days each :-D

. So I guess you will also have your own weak/strong areas. Adjust your schedule accordingly. This is just to give you a heads-up and not related to your study schedule .xls. Good Luck! And about the OG questions, I completely agree with Entwistle. For verbal it helps to do some OG questions after each chapter. Eg. After studying the modifiers chapter do 10-15 questions on modifiers from the OG OR after stusying about 'find the assumption' type CR questions do 10-15 questions based on that from the OG. This will drill Verbal concepts into you. For Quant, it is better to do the questions after you complete a book. This is what I did too.

scbguy · Answer

Same strategy being used by me, i have just gotten the 8 books for mgmat and og 12th edition, i took the first diagnostic ever around 9 months ago and scored a 490. Subsequently, took classes with princeton review and only moved 20 or 30 points, after 5 weeks of classes with them. 
Now, plan to study seriously myself, classes wont make a difference if i dont put in the effort.
However, i was on the advance section of book 1 np, and the reading is easy, the questions are a little bit of a pain, plan to do them on weekends. Any other suggestions
fyi- i study an hour on weekdays, and 4 hrs each on weekends. Plan to give my gmat end june. Gonna apply for 2012 fall.

thesfactor · Answer

Great plan, hope it materializes and works out for you. Remember, as every other poster here correctly said, OG12/11 is very important...make sure it is a part of your study plan.

Bezerker1986 · Answer

Hmm I finished the first Manhattan GMAT book (Properties) and tried the OG 12th edition questions. Not satisfied... Couldn't answer the questions with great ease... But I'm going on to the next book, but planning to review the first MGMAT book in the last part of my plan.

heygirl · Answer

First finish the MGMAT Quant books and do the in-action problems as you go on. Then, you could do OG problems.

scbguy · Answer

Im on the same page as you, just finished up my first MGMAT books, number properties, trying to do both in action and the OG questions mentioned in the MGMAT.
I think we will need to do each book atleast twice, specifically the rules.

Bezerker1986 · Answer

Yep, I totally agree... I've adjusted my schedule ! I'm going to read each book once, then try the MGMAT questions mentioned in the MGMAT. This takes 4-5 days a book... It gives me 2-3 days a week extra, so I will finish the MGMAT faster. But I will put 2-3 weeks of review time before I take full-length GMAT tests !! Anyone any suggestions / questions? Thanks

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