This thread has retired. Find the latest version is here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-study-plan-217827.html GMAT Study Plan for New GMAT Test Takers Hope you find this study plan helpful - please PM me any of your tips or suggestions for those just starting out on their GMAT Journey You can bookmark this topic on GMAT Club by clicking the STAR button next to the topic name or you can print it out for future reference . Improvement: 50-150 points depending on the starting point Concept: You are just starting your GMAT journey and need the shortest way to a solid GMAT Score Recommended for: GMAT Novices Stagnant gmat test-takers No prior knowledge is required Other Study Plans Advanced Study Plan: Go from 650 to 700+ GMAT Course Study Plan Ultimate Verbal plan How to go from Q44 to Q50 How to improve verbal from V30 to V40 Hello - welcome to GMAT Club. If you are new to GMAT and looking how to start and dip your toe in the water - this is the right place to start. Step 1: First, You should familiarize yourself with the GMAT structure and principles if you have not done so already - see GMAT FAQ for details . You can also visit https://www.mba.com and poke around. While you are there - go ahead and download GMATPrep - 2 practice tests released by makers of the GMAT. These 2 tests contain real GMAT questions, follow real GMAT principles, and are the best at estimating your GMAT score at any point in time. Step 2: Take a practice test to find out how far you are from your target . Many believe it is a good use of one of the free GMAT Prep tests (I'll tell you to actually get more than 2 tests out of the package later). The main reason it is a good use is that you can see your starting point (now) and then compare it against the ending (taking GMAT). Alternatively you can use any other computer adaptive test from Princeton, Kaplan, Manhattan, or others and then use GMAT Score Estimator/Calculator to find your real GMAT equivalent. If you are offered to write an Essay (AWA) - skip it. For listing of all available GMAT tests - see https://gmatclub.com/forum/all-gmat-cat ... 77460.html Step 3: Find out what GMAT score you actually need. Just to give you an idea - You need at least 700 for Top 10 schools, 680 for Top 20, and 650 for Top 50 to pass - meaning your score should not be an issue and you will need something 50 points higher to actually stand out. Most people are able to improve between 50 and 150 points - that should give you an estimate of what you can count on based on the diagnostic test you just took. You can see current average applicant GMAT scores here . To visualize the entire application process, please use MBA Timeline Tool Step 4: Identify your weaknesses - take a look at your practice test score and note the raw score distribution (you will get one three digit score such as 600 and 2 two-digit scores such as 35, 40 - those two are your raw scores for each of the sections. They have corresponding percentiles). See how you rank in each. Also, do a basic mistake analysis and understand which question types are the most challenging for you. The options are PS, DS, CR, RC, SC and potentially even more detailed such as probability, or assumption questions, etc. Don't only look at what questions you got wrong, but also why. Why did you make a mistake? You can also take a diagnostic test - Math Revolution offers a free Quant Diagnostic test , as does GMAT Club, and eGMAT offers a verbal diagnostic . Use this information to build your study plan. Step 5: Design your study plan - finally! You need to build up your toolkit and get some ammo for the GMAT. You will need books or a course (online or in person) to refresh/learn fundamentals and then test taking strategies. You will also need GMAT tests to practice those strategies and also evaluate your prep level. See these links for: GMAT course reviews , GMAT Books reviews For collection of all GMAT Tests available today: https://gmatclub.com/forum/all-gmat-cat ... 77460.html Finally - chart/plot/graph your study plan - use this calendar format Step 6: Avoid typical GMAT prep mistakes and pitfalls. Here is the most common one I see - jumping into questions and tests completely unprepared and expecting results/miracles. GMAT consists of several layers and it is important to master each one before moving on to the next - think of it as of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. There is no use in satisfying your social needs before you can take care of basic needs such as safety and food. The same is here, if you don't know the underlying principles that GMAT is testing (such as grammar, arithmetic, etc) there is no use in solving hundreds of questions or taking multiple GMAT tests. This means that if English is not your native language, you should not work on the RC strategies if you can't understand half of the passage - you need to get comfortable reading long passages of text before moving on. To illustrate this principle, consider the following hierarchy for the GMAT: pyramid.gif In the General Knowledge stage cover basics for a chapter/section/area In the Question Strategies stage start practicing questions either for the area you just covered or for an entire section but don't attempt questions for sections you have not covered yet In the Test Strategies start taking full length tests and practice on putting questions and knowledge together Step 7: Commit to excellence and doing the best job possible. Think about what you can do to improve your score – is it creating your own notes? Is it not moving to the next chapter until you are able to get 90% of the questions right? Is it reading a lot of fiction to get comfortable reading? Is it shifting your schedule to wake up at 5 AM and study till 8 before work? Is it investing in the right books, courses, and tests? You get the idea... Here is the most common GMAT study plans used by GMAT Club Members: Online Study Plan: You can get online access to almost anything these days and self-paced options among prep companies have really gone down in price. Step 1: Foundation Most Online courses have modules that teach the fundamentals and that will quickly help you build the foundation and come up to speed. These modules can be particularly useful for students who have not studied quant for quite some time or who are not particularly strong in Quant. Step 2: Core concepts Once you have built a foundation, focus on mastering the concepts. Solve OG during this time and maintain an error log. Keep track of your mistakes and guesses - this will become your study guide in Month 3. This is also the time to get involved in GMAT Club’s math forum. Determine where you stand: almost all online courses come provide plenty of CAT's. Start taking the math portion of the tests you have. Move to Verbal only after reaching at a certain Level: Evaluate results and decide if you need to spend more time in Math and patch up certain weak areas or move on to Verbal. This decision will be based on your target GMAT score. If you are looking for high 600's and 700's, I would not move past Quant unless I was able to score around Q44 and possibly higher. Quant scores have been inflated recently with Q51 (highest possible quant score clocking a mere 97th percentile and Q49 is 79th), so make sure you are up there. Do not leave a section unless you were able to solve 90% of the questions correctly in the allotted time. Don’t run away from your mistakes – sooner or later they will catch up; the better strategy is to address them right there and then and make sure you never see them again. If you prefer the online study option, use the Magoosh, eGMAT, Math Revolution, examPAL, Target Test Prep or EMPOWERgmat online courses. They come with everything you need, including practice tests and quizzes. You can compare them all in the Marketplace . Online courses also provide constant feedback. Most also come with Free access to GMAT Club tests . Many self-study courses offer free trials so you can test drive them before you buy, and for most no credit card is needed. Your cost may even be less than with books ($99 - $300). Mobile Apps: There is a number of free GMAT Apps for iPhone and Android including GMAT Club's ToolKit . Many courses have free companion apps - Veritas Prep Offline Study Plan: If you study best with books, get the full collection of the MGMAT Guides or Veritas Prep Guides or Kaplan Books (remember to also get the Official Guide). The book bundles come with everything you need and both are fully all-inclusive in terms of what you need. My only other suggestion is to get the MGMAT Roadmap which serves a collection of study-related tips. This is a reliable/proven approach with good results. Total cost for this study plan will be $150-$300. Month 1 Start with Math section first and focus just on math alone (you can do both math and verbal but I suggest you put all attention into one). Both MGMAT and Veritas Prep have numbered books, so all you have to do is open Book1 and just follow along to Book10. Plan to spend 4 weeks on the Quant Portion. Start using an Error Log - keep track of your mistakes and guesses -this will become your study guide in Month 3. ( Tip: dedicated post on how to analyze your mistakes ) Optional Step: If you are feeling the load is too heavy and you are really weak in Quant or Verbal - get MGMAT Math Foundations or MGMAT Verbal Foundations book; it is great in providing a more general overview of math concepts. At the same time, start reading GMAT Fiction (see below for details on what it is for) Get involved with the Math Forum - you will learn a lot esp. when you try to teach someone or explain something After you are done with the math section - start taking the math portion of the tests you have. Evaluate results and decided if you need to spend more time in Math and patch up certain weak areas or move on to Verbal. This decision will be based on your target GMAT score. If you are looking for high 600's and 700's, I would not move past Quant unless I was able to score around Q44 and possibly higher. Quant scores have been inflated recently with Q51 (highest possible quant score clocking a mere 97th percentile and Q49 is 81st), so make sure you are up there. Do not leave a chapter or a section unless you were able to solve 90% of the questions correctly in the allotted time. Don’t run away from your mistakes – sooner or later they will catch up; the better strategy is to address them right there and then and make sure you never see them again. If you need additional help in Quant - refer to the Math Resources on GMAT Club or the GMAT Math Books section. Another book you may consider is the PR 1012 - it contains targeted GMAT practice questions, which could be helpful in honing one's skills. Though may seem attractive, Advanced Quant book from MGMAT has received mixed reviews from the users - many feel it is really too hard and is not representative of the GMAT's difficulty. We did attempt to go through it and even for yours truly, it proved discouraging and painful. Unless you are really bored, it may be a book better left for another time. If you are comfortable with Quant but want to get to Q50+, use the GMAT Club Tests - they contain only hard questions and were designed as practice for high-level math scorers. You can purchase them, earn a free subscription by earning 25 Kudos, or sign up with a partner course (almost all come with GMAT Club tests as a bonus) Another worthwhile resource for you may be this quant-focused discussion: how to get from Q44 to Q50 Sidebar At this time you will probably be wondering about questions such as “how many can I get wrong and still get a Q50?” and other questions which really do not have answers. If you find yourself wondering about these things at night, head over to the following discussions: GMAT algorithm – how does it work? What-If analysis of the GMAT Prep Alternative ways to increase your score (i.e. not by studying) How are GMAT scores calculated and what is a raw score? Has anyone scored an 800? Yes, he has. Month 2 Start working on the Verbal section. You can start with any question type, but my suggestion would be to tackle Sentence Correction first as it is usually the most straightforward Error Log! Sentence Correction Optional Step: If you are not a native speaker, you will need a good grammar book or a verbal-intensive course such as the SC course by eGMAT that focuses on concepts for non-native speakers. Several grammar books are recommended on the Forum ( https://gmatclub.com/forum/best-gmat-gr ... 79934.html ). We have created a book specifically for this need - Ultimate GMAT Grammar (it covers all of the tested grammar topics on the GMAT, plus a bit more concepts that international students seem to struggle the most (articles, etc). The best thing of all is that it is Free ). Other books to consider are Kaplan Verbal Foundations and MGMAT Verbal Foundations. This is for you to decide how much help you need or how much time you have. Also, take a look at GMAT Club's Verbal Resources for many copies of study notes. If you are short on time and can’t cover the MGMAT’s SC book, you can use the Kaplan Verbal Workbook - it has good strategies and I have personally used it to prepare, so it does work, though it is not as complete as the MGMAT or Vertas Prep books. Critical Reasoning Optional Step: If you need additional help with Critical Reasoning - Do not get both PowerScore CR and Manhattan GMAT CR - the books are virtually identical (not really but kind of). Instead, you can get an inexpensive online course such as SC eGMAT . You can also use the PR 1012 book for targeted practice with Assumption or Conclusion questions or you can go very heavy weight and use LSAT books, but that's a tad too hardcore and usually unnecessary. See BM’s review of the LSAT resources. Reading Comprehension is often the hardest area to conquer. Unless you strongly feel that Reading is your forte, I would recommend you pick up a reading habit for the time being. I have written a large post on what I call GMAT Fiction and its benefits - take a look. I felt that reading books was a big contributor to my SC and RC abilities and gave me a 96th percentile in Verbal (not too shabby for a person who spoke zero English until 12). There are no downsides to this really - worst thing possible is that you would have read some great books. And yes - make sure you read them during your low productivity time (at night, during transit, etc). Verbal forum should be your hobby by now and we have a great feature – GMAT Club Forum Timer . Use it! If you have not discovered it yet, you should – the timer will keep track of all your practice and even more – it will suggest you questions (every day Monday through Friday) that are at your level, and after about 10 questions in SC and CR, it will even give you a daily estimated GMAT score. Verbal Advantage – you may have seen badges and posts about it – make sure you use this initiative. Every year for about 3 months, GMAT club teams up with the best verbal prep companies to bring you the best experts, articles, and questions. You can use these resources at any time and benefit from the previous years of work. Verbal Advantage 2013 and also the first season – Verbal Advantage 2012 Take the verbal-only portion of the tests to evaluate your progress (compare to how you did in the diagnostic test). Another worthwhile resource for you may be this quant-focused discussion: how to get from V30 to V40 Month 3 This month should be spent on 2 things: taking full length tests (polishing your test taking techniques, timing, stamina) and Reviewing your error log (going through your weaknesses, making sure you understand why you keep making mistakes and how to solve every problem you encountered). You can start using Error log earlier than this by the way - the earlier the better. You can also use this time to prolong your prep (we assume most will run about 4 weeks late and will need this time) or you can use it to spend on digging deeper in some areas. Schedule your test if you have not done so already. Start taking full length tests (including AWA and IR ) - this is important for your test stamina. Plan to spend a Saturday on this and then subsequent test review. Spend a few weeks taking tests and drilling down into your areas of weakness. Create a "black list of questions" that you continue to struggle with and find a way to solve them with minimal mental effort. For IR, there is always the big question of, how important is IR really, and the answer, clearly, is – nobody knows. We expect that it will be more definite in 2015/2016 years when the first IR test-takers have graduated and GMAC can trace patterns. Meanwhile, go here for IR resources and practice. The BIG Day and Final Thoughts Make sure you take a look at these before you take the GMAT: What to do 30-14-7-1 days before the GMAT? What to expect at the test center and 8 things not to do Analysis of Patterns among those who scored 750+ and what they did The best of GMAT Club’s debriefs – get inspired! Common Mistakes with GMAT preparation 1: Rushing to take tests before learning anything - waste of tests 2: Starting with the Official Guide - waste of official GMAT questions 3: Giving GMAT the worst time of the day - studying after a long day 4: Skipping basics and rushing to advanced topics 5: Moving through material too fast or too slow 6: Starting to prepare with poor English proficiency How long should you prep really? The study plan above suggests 3 months, and that's probably 10-15 hours per week (2 hrs/work day and 5 hours on the weekend). Over 3 months, that's about 120 - 180 hours, which includes reading some books, so the true study time is probably 80 - 120 hrs. What if you study 2x or 3x of that and take 9 months instead of 3, can you triple your improvement? No, actually, your performance will be MUCH worse if you spread out your prep over a time period great than 5 months. Long study stretches are demotivating, hard to keep fresh, and ultimately ineffective as after 6 months, you start forgetting material faster than you can learn it and the time you will have to spend 75% of your time on refresh. It is much more effective to spend 3-4 months, and that’s what I would encourage you to do. How do you Measure Improvement and what if you are not seeing any? Many test-takers waste a lot of tests and precious time by taking un-needed CAT’s. As a matter of fact, you should be able to get away by taking no more than 10 CAT’s during your GMAT love affair. The question you may ask then is – how do I measure improvement and keep track of my score? A number of ways actually: Make sure you are hitting a certain percentage of the questions in each topic/subject. Set a goal such as 90% of questions have to be right in exercises, OG, or wherever. E.g. if you just covered Geometry, there is no reason to take a whole quant CAT since you will only hit 3-4 Geometry questions tops (perhaps as few as 1-2) and it will be a minimal impact on the score, while you will waste a few hours, waste a test, and more importantly, grow discouraged. Use short quizzes and exercise. Let’s say you covered that same Geometry chapter in the book and only hit 50% on the quiz at the end of the chapter. Do 2 things: 1) Analyze your mistakes, read the explanations how to solve questions, and make sure you can solve each one of them 2) Go back to the chapter and using the mistakes you just made re-read/learn (make notes, create PPT, etc) of the areas you are still lacking. Then you can use OG, GMAT Club tests, Kapan Quiz bank , Math Revolution Question Bank or whatever you want to do real short/quick checks to see if you have improved. At this point in time, it does not matter what your overall Quant score is, it only matters what percentage of the types of questions ALREADY covered is. You can use the GMAT Club Forum timer. As long as you take about 10 questions in PS and DS, you will get a quant raw score estimate and as soon as you do the same in SC and CR, you will get a verbal score estimate (note that RC is not evaluated). Learn more about the amazing and free GMAT Club Forum Timer and Workbook here . Finally, once you have covered ALL of the quant topics, it is time to take the Quant CAT and similarly when you have finished the Verbal section, it is time to take the full Verbal CAT. (This is the reason GMAT Club tests have split quant and verbal CAT’s – we don’t think you really need to take a Full CAT until the very end when you are working on improving your stamina and test-day strategy, and at that point, you can just Quant and Verbal CAT’s with an 8 minute break). What if No improvement? My suggestion would be to understand why, what needs to change, and how. You need to answer this yourself. If you can’t, post it on the forum, though I have to warn you, it is a hard one to answer from afar. A much better option is to get a tutor for an hour or two (that’s all you should need) to get you back on track. Any decent tutor can spot most of the issues after one session and you can use the second session to answer any questions and draft a personalized plan for the rest of your prep. You can also take a course – that’s become an especially popular and cheap alternative with the online offerings from EGMAT, Math Revolution and Magoosh, many of which have courses for less than the cost of books (as low as $59). Many of the courses are interactive and adapt to your needs. Online adaptive courses often are much more effective than books since they are audio visual, provide constant feedback, and provide instructor support. You can bookmark this topic on GMAT Club by clicking the STAR button next to the topic name or you can print it out for future reference .

Last visit was: 21 Apr 2026, 22:04

It is currently 21 Apr 2026, 22:04

Toolkit

General GMAT Questions and Strategies

GMAT Club Daily Prep

Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.

Go to My Error Log Learn more

Request Expert Reply

Confirm Cancel

Apr 16
Sneak Peek: $200 Off GMAT Prep
12:00 PM EDT
-
11:59 PM EDT
You’re first to know: Save $200 on GMAT prep starting tomorrow, 4/13. Get 6 official practice tests and study with real questions. Be ready to save!
Apr 26
Score High on the GMAT with Target Test Prep
10:00 AM EDT
-
11:00 AM EDT
The Target Test Prep course represents a quantum leap forward in GMAT preparation, a radical reinterpretation of the way that students should study. Try before you buy with a 5-day, full-access trial of the course for FREE!
Apr 27
Try OnDemand GMAT Masterclass
11:00 AM EDT
-
12:00 PM EDT
Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors
Apr 28
Join - GMAT Day!
08:00 AM PDT
-
11:00 AM PDT
Whether you are just beginning your MBA journey or fine-tuning your path to a 700+ score, GMAT Day is designed to give you a competitive edge.

Back to Forum

Create Topic

GMAT Study Plan - How to Start your GMAT Prep

1 ... 21 22 23 24 25 ... 42

donjuan

Joined: 14 Aug 2011

Last visit: 07 Jul 2013

Posts: 4

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 5

Location: United States (PA)

WE:Pharmaceuticals (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)

Posts: 4

Kudos: 5

20 Dec 2011, 20:51

Kudos

Bookmarks

Don't spend more than 2 hours studying without taking and hour break, so spend at most 4 hours with an hour or two hour break.

Ideally, redo your schedule even before the holidays or after so that you can study early in the morning or perhaps take an extra long lunch break (work it out with your boss) so that you can focus on your studies and study as well as you can.

I would also recommend getting the MGMAT Roadmap book if you can.

Thanks bb! I am planning to take my GMAT by end of March. Instead of starting with quants, I decided to start with verbal since it needs more work. My vacation starts tomorrow :-D

and I am going to start with MGMAT SC guide and follow it up with CR Bible.

Thanks,
dj

stons

Joined: 21 Dec 2011

Last visit: 19 Apr 2017

Posts: 7

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 7

Location: India

Concentration: Finance, Technology

Schools: Anderson '19 (S) Haas '19 (I) Wharton '19 (I) CBS '19 (D) Stanford '19 (D)

GMAT 1: 770 Q49 V46 Verified score

GPA: 4

Products:

Schools: Anderson '19 (S) Haas '19 (I) Wharton '19 (I) CBS '19 (D) Stanford '19 (D)

GMAT 1: 770 Q49 V46 Verified score

Posts: 7

Kudos: 5

22 Dec 2011, 01:26

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi all,

I am planning to write the GMAT after June 2012. Is there an updated version of the Study Plan that factors in the Integrated Reasoning Section?

AzWildcat1

Joined: 19 Jun 2011

Last visit: 17 Mar 2013

Posts: 19

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 11

Posts: 19

Kudos: 83

22 Dec 2011, 15:58

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi Everyone,

I plan on taking my GMAT early February and have been studying on and off since roughly July. I am using Veritas prep and Kaplan to study for the test. Since I am on winter break ( taking GMAT for Grad School to get masters, not MBA ) I have been studying everyday for roughly 4-6 hours. Is it realistic for me to get 650 based on 440 GMAT prep test result? I plan on following this study plan although I will try to take a test every week or so just to get experience and get use to taking a computer adaptive test. Thanks everyone, if you have advice please let me know because it would really help me out a lot.

- Chris W.

neha2785

Joined: 07 Aug 2011

Last visit: 05 Dec 2012

Posts: 66

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 6

Location: United States

Concentration: Technology, International Business

Schools: ISB '14 NTU '15 Schulich '15

GMAT 1: 690 Q48 V37 Verified score

Schools: ISB '14 NTU '15 Schulich '15

GMAT 1: 690 Q48 V37 Verified score

Posts: 66

Kudos: 36

25 Dec 2011, 23:28

Kudos

Bookmarks

Does GMAT club test provide full length test ?
I have seen quant and verbal are different .

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 21 Apr 2026

Posts: 43,149

Own Kudos:

83,694

Given Kudos: 24,671

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 43,149

Kudos: 83,694

25 Dec 2011, 23:32

Kudos

Bookmarks

neha2785

Does GMAT club test provide full length test ?
I have seen quant and verbal are different .

The GMAT Club tests are split into 2 separate sections. There are 25 math and 6 verbal tests.
The main strength is really the quant - they are really good. Verbal, on the other hand, are more of a compliment for the quant and are not as legendary and I would say not the reason to get access to the tests. You really want them for the quant.

Best Regards,
BB.

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 21 Apr 2026

Posts: 43,149

Own Kudos:

83,694

Given Kudos: 24,671

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 43,149

Kudos: 83,694

25 Dec 2011, 23:33

Kudos

Bookmarks

stons

Hi all,

I am planning to write the GMAT after June 2012. Is there an updated version of the Study Plan that factors in the Integrated Reasoning Section?

There is not much available about Integrated Reasoning at this time - a few sample questions have just been released a week or two ago and that's it.

OG 13 is coming out in April - I would not worry about it until then (when it will be clear what the section is and at least one company comes out with a guide on addressing this section) - none are available at this time.

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 21 Apr 2026

Posts: 43,149

Own Kudos:

83,694

Given Kudos: 24,671

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 43,149

Kudos: 83,694

25 Dec 2011, 23:35

Kudos

Bookmarks

AzWildcat1

This means a 200+ point improvement.... it is possible but tough and takes a lot of studying and review of the basics.
I would get MGMAT math foundations and MGMAT Verbal foundations to brush up the basics. It is not clear if one of the sections is lacking more than the other but that's my advice with the info I can get.

okay

Joined: 26 Dec 2011

Last visit: 08 Oct 2020

Posts: 184

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 20

Location: United States (NY)

Concentration: Finance, Entrepreneurship

Schools: HBS '20 (D) Wharton '20 (D) Yale '20 (A$) Kellogg '20 (I) CBS '20 (WL) Booth '20 (I) Tuck '20 (A$) Sloan '20 (I) Stanford '20 (D)

GPA: 3.4

WE:Investment Banking (Finance: Investment Banking)

Products:

Schools: HBS '20 (D) Wharton '20 (D) Yale '20 (A$) Kellogg '20 (I) CBS '20 (WL) Booth '20 (I) Tuck '20 (A$) Sloan '20 (I) Stanford '20 (D)

Posts: 184

Kudos: 65

28 Dec 2011, 20:24

Kudos

Bookmarks

I'm planning on starting my GMAT prep within the next few days. For study materials, I just ordered the 8 MGMAT books, OG12, and Verbal and Quant guides.

I want to take a practice exam to get an idea of where I am "cold" and as a way to gauge my progress moving forward.

Should I take one of the GMAT prep practice tests? The OG12 Diagnostic exam? an MGMAT Exam?

Anyone have any advice? I realize practice exams are going to be invaluable as I get closer to the end of my preparation, but I definitely want an idea of how far I'm going to have to go.

I'm shooting for final score of 700+, I'm (tentatively) planning to take the GMAT on March 17.. that would give me a chance to retake the test up to two more times before the changes are implemented in June.

Thanks in advance!

donjuan

Joined: 14 Aug 2011

Last visit: 07 Jul 2013

Posts: 4

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 5

Location: United States (PA)

WE:Pharmaceuticals (Pharmaceuticals and Biotech)

Posts: 4

Kudos: 5

01 Jan 2012, 20:12

Kudos

Bookmarks

okay

You can take any test. If I were you I would have preferred GMAT Prep over others. Also, you will not remember the questions when you take it next time (which would be after 1-2months atleast).

jazzman

Joined: 22 Sep 2011

Last visit: 06 Mar 2013

Posts: 197

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 3

GMAT 1: 720 Q49 V40 Verified score

Posts: 197

Kudos: 41

04 Jan 2012, 12:35

Kudos

Bookmarks

Anyone recommend any plans for the MGMAT series? Tried doing a search but the engine picked up all results for "GMAT", not "MGMAT".

Thanks.

foundations

Joined: 04 Jan 2012

Last visit: 04 Jan 2012

Posts: 1

Kudos: 0

04 Jan 2012, 16:41

Kudos

Bookmarks

Thanks for your amazing post!

Please help me structure my studying and evaluate my goal!

I have followed this forum for a while but now I am becoming active. I started studying for the gmat only two days ago. My plan is to take the test the first week in April. My dream score is 720, however I am not sure it is realistic. The material I am using is all manhattan gmat books except from foundations.

A friend suggested I take a mock test to see where I'm at but I didn't see that as a priority, instead I went through my old high school math books to recover my very limited math skills (I'm a social science graduate and math has never been "my thing"). However, I am very motivated to learn everything I need to learn to score around 720. I started with the book called Number properties, it is very good but some concepts I had to google to understand them properly (LCM & GCF!!!). Currently I am going through the book and when I feel i'm lacking basic knowledge I do some exercises in my high school book and then go back. The reason I am telling you these details is because I would appreciate input on whether it is realistic for me to aim for a 720 in only three months when my math is this bad. I did the questions in the Numbers book and managed to solve most of them but it feels like it's taking way too much time and that I don't have a firm technique and that I could solve tasks in more efficient ways. You are saying that going through the 12th edition is a waste of questions so is there any other forum where I can get practice questions? Quant review only has a couple of questions on the Divisibility and primes chapter and i'd like to practice more.

My English proficiency is not so good either, I am not a native speaker but have lived in English speaking countries for a while. Is there anything you would recommend except from reading a novel (reading crime and punishment now).

I am very thankful for any input!
/F

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 21 Apr 2026

Posts: 43,149

Own Kudos:

83,694

[1]

Given Kudos: 24,671

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 43,149

Kudos: 83,694

[1]

04 Jan 2012, 16:44

Kudos

Bookmarks

jazzman

Anyone recommend any plans for the MGMAT series? Tried doing a search but the engine picked up all results for "GMAT", not "MGMAT".

Thanks.

Just open the book 1 and continue until you reach the end of book 8 - pretty straightforward....

Founder

Joined: 04 Dec 2002

Last visit: 21 Apr 2026

Posts: 43,149

Own Kudos:

83,694

Given Kudos: 24,671

Location: United States

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

GPA: 3

Products:

Expert

Expert reply

GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42 Verified score

Posts: 43,149

Kudos: 83,694

04 Jan 2012, 16:46

Kudos

Bookmarks

foundations

You should take a practice test and see how much you get. If you score less than 500, then it is going to be very tough to get 720.

gemat

Joined: 08 Jan 2012

Last visit: 24 Jan 2012

Posts: 3

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 2

Location: United States

Schools: Sloan '15 Kellogg PT '16

GMAT 1: 570 Q45 V23 Verified score

GPA: 3

WE:Information Technology (Commercial Banking)

Schools: Sloan '15 Kellogg PT '16

GMAT 1: 570 Q45 V23 Verified score

Posts: 3

Kudos: 5

10 Jan 2012, 20:39

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi BB,
I took GMAT Jan 6 after relying on Kaplan 100% for 3 months. Kaplan was great to get me to 650 but after that did more damage to my time and test.

Brief GMAT background
Oct 4 Kaplan CAT 1 530
....
Nov 6 Kaplan CAT 9 650

Dec 27 MGMAT CAT 1 620 Q43 V32
--
Dec 30 MGMAT CAT 4 640 Q43 V35

Jan 4 GMAT Prep 620 Q44 V30
Jan 6 REAL GMAT 570 Q45 V23

My main problem is speed vs accuracy. As Kaplan tutor suggested I tried to speed up in the actual test and bombed big time. So I am back to sqr1. I studied 3 months 3 hrs weekdays and 8 hrs weekends and all thanksgiving and christmas breaks 8hrs/day. I am realizing Thanksgiving to Jan 6 was not really an effective study as there was no increase in the score. As I read this gmatclub since Sunday I am kicking myself trying to figure out why I didn't fidn this forum in Oct or end of November. I see the main points are
Error log
Attention to strategy
Back to concepts with MGMAT serires with Sackmann + new CATs
Verbal/Math OG guides supplemented to the concept books
MGMAT Adv Quant

My questions are:
My main issue is Verbal and I will focus on Verbal while trying to get to the 50 on Quant. DO you see this is as a viable approach? I am comfortably at 36 range but getting faster and getting to 40 will be challeging since I get the 36 by guessing one RC psg and about 7 questions. I will break down with the MGMAT books and practice with the Verbal OG version 2.
I have 4 weeks. Is this reasonably sufficient time for me to get to 700+?
I finished 80% of OG12. Is there a value resolving them. What else could be a good substitute for practice.
I burned through 9 Kaplan, 4 MGMAT, 2 GMAT Prep CATs. What is the next best set Veritas, PR, or 800Score?
Major problem after 3 months is I am pretty much puked out from the last 3 months of work,GMAT,work,GMAT, no social life or gym (I am a regular). But I still feel like I don't have any time for anything other than work, GMAT, work,GMAT. I really don't even want to see a question right now but I will get myself going this weekend.
Any suggestions...?!

I am also writing these so others can learn from these mistakes...

hanzi15

Joined: 30 Jan 2012

Last visit: 21 Feb 2012

Posts: 7

Own Kudos:

Given Kudos: 2

GPA: 3.9

WE:Accounting (Accounting)

Posts: 7

Kudos: 5

04 Feb 2012, 16:16

Kudos

Bookmarks

Does anyone have the link to the Manhattan GMAT's table with the different edition problem number conversion? I couldn't find this on their website.

I currently have the new 4th edition of the Manhattan GMAT prep books, but I have the older 11th edition of the GMAT Official Guide book. I need help converting all the OG 12th problems listing to OG 11th problems in the MGMAT 4th edition. I would greatly appreciate the help in finding this conversion table.

Thanks,
Hanzi15

meiying612

Joined: 09 Feb 2012

Last visit: 07 Apr 2016

Posts: 3

Own Kudos:

[1]

Posts: 3

Kudos: 1

[1]

09 Feb 2012, 03:17

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi everyone,

I have decided to start with GMAT today and plan to take May's test. This is the first time ever I begin with GMAT. I see many of you have your names listed here and share your study plan. I want to find some motivation to go along this road so I registered here.

I'm really, really weak in math so I have decided to start with it first, just aligning with the study plan suggested in the first page.

I wish for strength, patience and persistence in the 3 months to come. :D

MSoS

Joined: 10 Jan 2010

Last visit: 26 Oct 2017

Posts: 108

Own Kudos:

[1]

Given Kudos: 7

Location: Germany

Concentration: Strategy, General Management

Schools: IE '15 (M)

GPA: 3

WE:Consulting (Telecommunications)

Schools: IE '15 (M)

Posts: 108

Kudos: 59

[1]

09 Feb 2012, 03:43

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi meiying612, welcome and enjoy the information you will encounter during browsing here.

Almost for every part of the GMAT is enough infromation available. Start by getting familiar with the different topics ind math and verbal and do one of the available diagnostic tests.

Important books are listed throughout the forum, but OG12, MGMAT (all 8 books), Powerscore Bible are mentioned as best for prep.

Good luck with the preparation and keep us updated...

Yekrut

Joined: 02 Feb 2012

Last visit: 12 Mar 2019

Posts: 153

Own Kudos:

[1]

Given Kudos: 105

Location: United States

Schools: Sloan '19 (WD) Haas '19 (WD) HBS '19 (D) Booth '19 (WD) CBS '19 (M$) Stern '19 (A)

GMAT 1: 770 Q49 V47 Verified score

GPA: 3.08

Schools: Sloan '19 (WD) Haas '19 (WD) HBS '19 (D) Booth '19 (WD) CBS '19 (M$) Stern '19 (A)

GMAT 1: 770 Q49 V47 Verified score

Posts: 153

Kudos: 9

[1]

11 Feb 2012, 17:12

Kudos

Bookmarks

This was super helpful to me! I'm just getting started in my training and this pointed me in the right direction. Thank you.

Stiv

Joined: 16 Feb 2012

Last visit: 10 Dec 2014

Posts: 124

Own Kudos:

2,466

[1]

Given Kudos: 121

Concentration: Finance, Economics

Posts: 124

Kudos: 2,466

[1]

18 Feb 2012, 08:37

Kudos

Bookmarks

Thanks for a lot of useful information.

MsdwJr

Joined: 12 Feb 2012

Last visit: 09 Aug 2012

Posts: 2

Own Kudos:

[1]

Posts: 2

Kudos: 2

[1]

22 Feb 2012, 03:13

Kudos

Bookmarks

Hi,

I am looking at applying for Masters courses this time next year.

I did one of the GMAT tests just to have an idea of what it's like and I scored 530 with Q35 and V28. I have purchased the MGMAT books and OG12 book and the separate verbal and quant books too. I am looking at doing the tests in mid June.

I am aiming for at least 680 and preferably 700+ to stand out. Was a bit disappointed with my mark but at least my scores were quite balanced.

Did worse in DS for quant and CR and RC for verbal. PS was so so but I did well in the SC so was pleased with that.

Best of luck everyone

1 ... 21 22 23 24 25 ... 42

Moderators:

gchandana

191 posts

MBAACCOUNT2025

General GMAT Forum Moderator

473 posts

GMATFE2025

196 posts

Prep Toolkit

Announcements

The Shift That Took Bhanu from 665 to 715 on the GMAT

Subscribe to GMAT Club for New Videos on GMAT Strategies, Expert Sessions, and Debriefs

How I Stayed in the Game Long Enough to Reach Kellogg

Subscribe to MBA Club for New Videos on Essays, School-specific Strategies, & Insights Every Applicant Needs

Get Free GMAT Tests by Registering for GMAT Day!

AGSM at UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE

Top GMAT Focus Debriefs

An Emory MBA Powers Growth

Emory powers growth—professionally and personally. Built on a foundation of interdisciplinary learning, leadership development, and career readiness, our top-20 MBA program delivers a high return on investment with top-5 career outcomes.

Tuck at Dartmouth

Step Inside the Tuck Experience: Discover Tuck Events This Fall
Current Tuck MBA students and Discover Tuck co-chairs share advice for prospective students and reflect on why they chose Tuck for their MBA.

Read More

My Rewards

What are Rewards?

My Tier

(1 points)

HOT DEALS FOR APRIL

	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	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.
	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

GMAT Study Plan - How to Start your GMAT Prep

Prep Toolkit

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