Complete Noobie to GMAT

Question

Hi,

I am a complete noobie to GMAT and other than the CFA (which does not rank performance), this is the first standardized test I have ever attempted to take. Going through the some of the stickies I am getting the basic concepts that (please correct me if wrong)

1. Official guides are a must have
2. Choose and use a prep course (on-demand/online-live/in person)
3. Design and adhere to a study plan (which includes taking some practice tests in between)

Though I still have many questions which I hope to get some expert advice. For example, what exactly should I do next after getting the official guides?
Should I be reading the OG and then chose some kind of a prep course/program? or should I take a mock test right away even though I have never seen a GMAT question before? There are a wealth of resource on prep plans which at this point, I find to be overwhelming. Can someone give some pointers on how they chose a program/prep plan?

thanks,

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi hwang327,

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 download 2 for free from 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 4 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) What is your goal score?
2) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

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

KarishmaB · Answer

Here is a quick guide for you:

Buy the Official Guide and take its diagnostic test. You don't need to find out the question types before you do that. Your performance in that will guide you on what to do next.

a) A few people perform very well in the diagnostic itself. They then check out the various question types from the OG and take a practice test from mba.com. Next step depends on the score they achieve 
- If the scores they achieve are close to their target scores, they book their test dates and just work on the weak spots.
- If there are lots of gaps, then they consider taking prep courses.

b) Many people show average performance - good in some topics, poor in others. Depending on their target scores, they choose prep courses. In that case, it is advisable to first study through the prep course and then use the OG material for practice.

c) Some people perform poorly in the diagnostic test. In that case, they need to first work on the basics using their high school books and websites such as khanacademy.org. Thereafter, they consider the GMAT prep courses.

Take the diagnostic and get back with your performance. It will be easier to guide you in the right direction thereafter.

hwang327 · Answer

Thank you both for the reply.

EMPOWERgmatRichC: 
1) Goal of 760+
2) Planning to take the test before year end
3) Planning to apply for b-school by Sep 2017, for 2018 classes.

Thanks!

hwang327 · Answer

Thanks VeritasPrepKarishma

I will take the diagnostic test. Do you also recommend taking a full 4hr CAT test in addition to the diagnostic test before I dive into full study?

Also, I am assuming that only after taking some initial tests (with minimal study), should I consider prep courses? At this point, I have no idea what prep courses to take.

Thanks

GMATPill · Answer

Hi hwang,

We recommend taking the GMATPrep test as a diagnostic test -- and taking it again towards the end of your studies. If you need additional practice tests, you may also consider this one online: https://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-t ... tice-test/

You should take the test so you get familiar with the logistics of navigating from question to question and so you get a feel for what types of questions you may feel more/less comfortable with.

In terms of making improvement, you may be interested in this sample video: https://www.gmatpill.com/sentencecorrect ... ythons.mp4

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi hwang327,

If you have until the end of the year to study, then you've given yourself plenty of time to study, which is good. A 760+ score goal represents about the 99th percentile, meaning that 99% of Test Takers can't score at that level (so that goal might not be realistic). Thankfully, no Business Schools will require that you score at that level to apply.

By taking one FULL-LENGTH CAT in the early phase of your studies, we'll have an idea of your natural skills, strengths and weaknesses. We'll also have a basis for comparison as you continue to study.

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

KarishmaB · Answer

No, in my opinion, only the diagnostic should be used as a diagnostic tool. The first full length practice test should be taken after reviewing at least all the question types once. There is very little value you get out of the test if you take it too soon - if don't know how to tackle, say, CR questions - something you can learn in a 3 hr class. Usually, people perform at an average level in the diagnostic and ideally they should take the test after one complete run of all the topics (you shouldn't delay taking the first test after that). The test is meant for you to figure out your weaknesses - the score it gives is only indicative. I have written a post discussing the ideal timelines for taking official practice tests in this post: https://anaprep.com/test-strategies-whe ... ice-tests/ As for prep courses, take the diagnostic first and then think about those. Depending on your performance, you can decide whether you need one and if you do, what kind (self study/ videos on demand/classroom courses) will work best for you.

hwang327 · Answer

Hi,

Just finished my first mock exam, I got 600 (Q40; V32; IR2). My preparation consisted of going through all the practice questions on GMATPrep to get a sense of what GMAT questions are. No other studying/preparation. Can anyone comment on whether this is a good/bad/mediocre score for a first try?

I found the Integrated Reasoning part to be very tough. I am also surprised to see such a low Quant score as I felt the section was by far the easiest. Probably made more than a few brain fart here and there...

Any comments would be great, especially on what prep course to use or study plan to follow.

Thanks,

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi hwang327,

To start, a 600 is a strong 'baseline' score (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 540-550 most years). I'm hoping that you can clarify a couple of points from your last post:

1) When you say that you went "through all the practice questions on GMATPrep", can you clarify which questions you're referring to? How many questions did you work through during that practice?
2) Did you complete the AWA also or did you skip that section?

With these Scaled Scores, you're going to have to make some significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections to hit your score goal.

3) How many hours do you expect to study during a typical week?

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

hwang327 · Answer

Hi,

Thanks for the reply. The GMATPrep question bank has 90 questions, 15 for each of the SC, CR, RC, Data sufficiency, IR, and PR. I did all of them just to get a comprehensive understanding on the types of GMAT questions.

Secondly, I used the full 30 mins and completed the AWA section and wrote 4 paragraphs. Not sure how I did though, but I definitely didn't BS through the section and actually tried.

Third, I plan to allocate 10-15 hours per week to studying the GMAT, and definitely take the exam before year end.

Thanks

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi hwang327,

You seem comfortable with the idea of investing in a GMAT Course of some kind, so that you can receive consistent, professional guidance and so that you can learn all of the patterns, tactics and 'secrets' of the GMAT (without having to try to figure out all of that stuff on your own). Most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at our site (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.

If you have any additional question, then you can feel free to contact me directly.

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

hwang327 · Answer

Thank you very much Rich. I appreciate your feedback.

With the first test behind me, I am now fully immersed in finding the suitable prep courses (price not a concern) before cracking open the books. I will give you a pm if I have questions about the EMPOWERgmat prep courses.

Complete Noobie to GMAT

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