Is it worth it to take another prep class?

Question

Hi all,

I recently completed my first attempt at the GMAT and got a 650. I am looking to raise my score to  at least  700 (ideally 720).

Some background:
I enrolled in the Kaplan live online course in April 2018, had a lot of great success with it. I was able to raise my score about 60 points from my initial score. 
I took 11 practice tests all within the span of 5 months, highest score being 680. My tutor says that I may have burnt myself out by doing a test every week leading up to my exam date, so may be why my score was lower than on some of my practice exams.

Anyway, I obviously did not do as well as I had hoped, now I am looking for tips on how to reach that 700 goal I have. I have heard a lot of good things about Veritas Prep for GMAT and it has outstanding reviews on most sites. I spoke with a representative from Veritas today and they said it would definitely be helpful for me to invest in their program since they teach different strategies than Kaplan or Manhattan does.

I have already invested about $1.8k into the Kaplan course, I am looking into either the Veritas self-paced ($700) or the live ($1.3k) class options.

Does anyone have any experience with taking multiple prep courses? Is it worth it? What are your thoughts? Any input on Kaplan vs Veritas? Also if there is any guidance on whether to choose the self-paced or live class, let me know as well. Any tips are welcome!

Thanks!
Tanusree

akela · Answer

Hi tmunshi , What were the section scores? When are you planning to retake? When are you planning to apply to B-school? Did you use kaplan textbooks only? IMO, it is possible to get the score you want by studying on your own and if you have enough time. This site has all you need. For example, check out here: https://gmatclub.com/forum/all-you-need ... 40445.html https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-study-plan-217827.html Hope this helps!

AkshdeepS · Answer

Hi, It is really important that students invest carefully in test prep courses. During initial days of prep we all want to buy new courses in the hope that they change everything for us. But that will never be the case, though specialised courses helps to an extent. It is very important to use CATs properly and timely. Save at least two GMAT prep tests for the end month before your exam. Veritas is much better than Kaplan in all respects I believe. But that does not mean you should jump on to Veritas tests. You can always crack the exam by self study and dedication. These links may help you : https://blog.targettestprep.com/how-to- ... -on-gmat/# https://gmatclub.com/forum/the-definiti ... 69705.html

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Tanusree,

Since you've already scored 650, you do not necessarily need another lengthy Course. With the proper focused study, you could potentially retest in 1-2 months and hit your Score Goal. Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) What were the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for this 650?
2) Which 'brands' of practice CATs have you taken so far?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
4) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

You might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn't provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

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

tmunshi · Answer

Hi,

My section scores were:
Total 650 73%
Quant 44 50%
Verbal 34 71% 
IR 8 92%

I am planning to retake it in December, either the 5th or 12th. Have not yet scheduled the test.

I am going to apply to school next fall (2019) to be admitted 2020 fall.

I took the live online course for Kaplan, this includes the textbook and the online courses/material.

I was looking into another prep course because it apparently teaches other strategies, so I thought this would help me raise my score.

Thanks,
Tanusree

tmunshi · Answer

Hi Rich,

Thanks for your response. I will answer your questions below.

1) What were the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for this 650?

My section scores were:
Total 650 73%
Quant 44 50%
Verbal 34 71% 
IR 8 92%

This was lower than some of my practice tests, where I was scoring 660 - 680. Also I am pretty sure I got the first question wrong on quant, so that probably impacted my score.

2) Which 'brands' of practice CATs have you taken so far?
I have taken 9 Kaplan practice tests and 2 of the free GMAT ones.

3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
Planning on applying 2019 fall for admission during 2020 fall, so I have about a year.

4) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
I am looking at the top tier schools, Haas being my main choice. 
Also looking at Harvard, Stanford, Booth, NYU Stern

I will be purchasing the ESR when it is available, I just took my test this Saturday, so I am not sure when I will be getting that.

Please let me know if you have any input!

Thanks,
Tanusree

AjiteshArun · Answer

You can purchase an ESR code at any time, even before your exam

By now there should be an ESR link on mba.com next your latest attempt. This is where you can apply the ESR code that you need to purchase.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Tanusree,

Raising a 650 to a 720+ will likely require at least another 1-2 months of consistent, guided study - and you'll have to make significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Thankfully, the GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level.

Many Business Schools view an Applicant's Quant Scaled Score as an indicator of how that Applicant might handle the 'academic side' of the Program - and a Q44 won't impress anyone. That score implies that you did fairly well on most of the "math" questions that you saw on Test Day, but you made some little mistakes throughout the section and you missed out on LOTS of 'strategy-based' points. This is meant to say that by focusing on Quant Tactics, you'll be better able to increase your GMAT Score AND better impress how Business School Admissions Officers will view your potential to handle their respective Programs.

1) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

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

a70 · Answer

The ESR will give you a clear picture of which of the sections needs improvements. So you can emphasise more on that section. Accordingly you can decide which prep test will give you the maximum advantage.

tmunshi · Answer

Hi Rich,

Thanks for your input. I can put in about 2 hours each day Monday - Thursday and 4-6 hours on Saturday/Sunday.

Let me know your thoughts.

Thanks,
Tanusree

CAMANISHPARMAR · Answer

If you have ordered your ESR then share it here so that we could give you better advice!

All the very best in your prep!

tmunshi · Answer

Hi All,

Update:
I just purchased the ESR, but it doesn't even show me the questions! I'm disappointed...
Anyway, I will upload it on here soon, I can't yet because it has not been 5 days since I joined gmatclub.

I also bought the Veritas GMAT on demand course to see if they teach me other strategies or approaches that could benefit me.

AjiteshArun · Answer

Is it 5 days or 5 posts? If it's 5 posts, you should be able to upload documents and post links now.

tmunshi · Answer

It is 5 days AND 5 posts

I will update when I can

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi tmunshi,

I’m glad you reached out, and I’m happy to help. To answer your first question, since you have taken a course but have not achieved your score goal, you are going to have to make a change to your study routine. A logical next step would be to seek out a new prep course. That being said, before making any decisions, check out the reviews on GMAT Club to see what may work best for you.

Regarding your second question, you may find more success with an online self-study course versus a live class. A self-study course provides greater flexibility than a class. Rather than adhering to a preset class schedule, you can customize a study schedule to fit your needs. When learning about topics, you can speed up and slow down as necessary. If you understand a particular topic, you can breeze through it; however, if you do not grasp a concept, you can drill that concept for as long as you need to before moving to the next one.

As mentioned above, the course reviews here on GMAT Club can help you determine what will be the best fit for you.

You also may find it helpful to read this article about  how to score a 700+ on the GMAT .

If you have any further questions after reading through the various reviews, feel free to reach out.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Tanusree,

You have plenty of time to continue to study and improve, so it's really just a matter of how you want to proceed (and how 'efficient' you want to be with this next phase of your studies). To avoid any further delay, you can feel free to email your ESR if you like; we can use the data in it to define what you'll need to work on to improve.

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

tmunshi · Answer

Hi Rich,

I sent you a PM! Thanks a bunch.

Thanks,
Tanusree

tmunshi · Answer

Hi All,

I am finally able to upload attachments and send URLs - I created a new post for analysis of my ESR
https://gmatclub.com/forum/please-help- ... l#p2143384

Please take a look and let me know your thoughts!

Thank you,
Tanusree

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