GMAT Round 2: Preparing for a better score

Question

Hi all

I gave the GMAT 2 years ago and I got only 640. I had prepared for a little less than 2 months (I needed to the score for a future college admission) - was in college at the time.

I'm currently working now and am aiming for a very good GMAT score: 720+

I used the following material then: Official Guide, Manhattan Set of books, Aristotle SC Grail.
I still have all of these books + RC99.

My weakness: VERBAL

I've been trying to improve my reading abilities and try to read articles online as much as possible. Can someone please give me some tips/links to help me get started again
- Which books should I focus on
- How I should structure my prep
- How long I should prepare this time etc.

Some basic guidance is what I need and a little motivation!

Thanks in advance!

ThomasHall · Answer

Your goal of an 80 point improvement is completely reasonable. Improving on Verbal just requires focused prep over a sufficiently long period. The Verbal Review book should definitely be incorporated into your practice, as should the Question Pack and plenty of full Verbal sections (probably MGMAT). And the OG 13 will be fresh for you after the long break you have taken from your first attempt.

As far as exactly which materials to use, a plan to follow, and guidance on getting the most out of each prep hour, I recommend GMAT Clarity.

As far as exactly which materials to use, a plan to follow, and guidance on getting the most out of each prep hour, I recommend  GMAT Clarity .

GMATPill · Answer

For books - focus on the OG13 book. In terms of structure, first take a diagnostic test from GMATPrep. Then really focus and allocate multiple consecutive days on your weakest sections. Once you get familiar with the various ways the same concepts are tested, you'll be able to spot certain patterns. We recommend using a framework approach so you can be prepared for similar types of questions you might see in the future - worded differently. Generally speaking, you should allocate 1-2 months of very intense studying. You can also spread it out between 2-3 months. We believe shorter, but super intense sessions get you better results than dragging out studying with low-intensity for a long period of time. For reading, see if these videos help you read more efficiently: https://www.gmatpill.com/practicequestio ... tions.html

phoenixreborn · Answer

Thank you both for your replies. really appreciate it.

One thing I noticed the last time I gave the GMAT was that the OG 12 questions were much easier than the questions I got in the actual exam. Specifically - QUANT.

This round I plan to do the following books:
- OG 13
- Quant/Verbal Reviews
- Aristotle SC Grail
- RC 99
- Power score CR Bible

+ Error Log
+ Practise tests in between

Am I missing out on anything? Are these books enough?

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