MBAmath as GMAT Prep?

Question

Hi all,

New around here, and trying to learn as much as I can about the GMAT before I take it later this fall. I don't have a business or finance background, having worked my post-graduate career in the communications/public relations sector. Because of that, I'm not as concerned about the verbal section of the GMAT. However, the quant scares me a great deal. I haven't taken a math course in nearly 10 years, and that was Pre-Calc in high school. So, I'm trying to soak up as much math as I can during the next few months.

I've been looking into MBAmath(dotcom) and have read lots of good things about it, both as a prep for MBA programs and also as an aid in getting admitted to schools. I was wondering if it might also be useful to go through it during my GMAT prep, as part of my quant studying. Would that be a poor use of my time, or would it help with some of the math concepts I'd run into during the GMAT? I figure that, at the least, I can show in my application that I took the course, which would hopefully make up for a weak quantitative background.

If it helps in anyone's answer, I'm primarily aiming for what some would call "second-tier" schools; right now, I'm looking at North Carolina, Emory, G-Tech and Vanderbilt. I'll think about other programs if I somehow end up with a 700-plus GMAT score.

Any help or advice is appreciated. Thanks!

YourDreamTheater · Answer

Welcome!

Have you taken a diagnostic to test your quant abilities thus far? I'd recommend reading the quant review section of OG12 and then trying your hand at a free practice exam (I know Princeton Review offers one).

Vaitrucci · Answer

Haven't taken a test yet. I've tried to go as far back to the basics as I can with math, trying to re-learn mental math tricks and basic algebra. I figured I should at least get a handle on that before I attempt a full practice exam. I've done a fair number of sample questions and it seems like I can either nail them pretty quickly or I have no clue how to solve them -- there's not much of an in-between right now. I'm doing a lot of backsolving, which I'm sure isn't the most efficient way to get through things. It's a little unfortunate, because I didn't like math when I was in junior high and high school, but I now find it really interesting as I review. If I only I could go back and smack my 16-year-old self.

Thanks for the advice. I'll look into the PR's free exam after I do a little more review.

(Totally unrelated, but Dream Theater rocks)

YourDreamTheater · Answer

Gotcha. I'd say that the Princeton Review books may be good for someone like you to get back into the game. The PR books also come with 5 CAT (CAT = computer-adaptive test) exams so you can track your progress.

The PR (Princeton Review) practice CAT exams grade really harshly and will kill you for making any stupid mistakes on quant. The questions are easier than what you'll find on the real GMAT, but they're a good place to start. The verbal section is pretty spot-on with the real thing.

After finishing the PR books / CATs, I'd recommend moving on to the MGMAT (Manhattan GMAT) series for quant review. They have 5 books that will prepare you for everything the real GMAT will throw at you (and then some). The Sentence Correction book is also a god-send.

For Critical Reasoning, try the Powerscore Critical Reasoning Bible. Many of the top scorers swear by it, and I must admit that it is the single best book for any subject on the GMAT. Get it.

After reading through these books, try some MGMAT CAT exams (you get all six exams with the purchase of any book). The quant section is harder than the real thing, but it's all good practice.

Don't forget to go through the most important thing -- the Official Guide (OG12). If you're short on time, then just go through the OG, as it has questions directly from retired GMAT exams.

(and Dream Theater is never unrelated! Great band... although I'm old school - I'm more of an "Images and Words" fan myself!)

byanmorales · Answer

Try to check a few websites and take GRE practice. Magoosh is one complete website to study and have your GRE guide especially in Math.

Vaitrucci · Answer

I took my first practice exam on the PR site today, to get a baseline for my quant ability. I ended up with a 25 in the quant there, and then a 42 in the verbal section. Really happy about the verbal score, but obviously the quantitative still needs a ton of work. I could see the questions getting easier and easier as I kept missing. I think I bottomed out when the CAT finally asked me to solve for x in 2x=6. Not quite, but it felt like it.

I hope it's possible to get out of the mid-20s and into the 40s on the quant, which is where I think I need to be.

I'll start going through some of the advice you offered. Thanks again for the help!

PrincetonReviewAnt · Answer

Hi Vaitrucci,

I'm glad to hear you did so well on the verbal section! However, you obviously need to focus on the quant section, but stay positive, you can do this. The Princeton Review's Math Workout for the GMAT, third edition has more than 220 questions and an explanation for each; the explanations will benefit you a great amount. Here is a link to the book: https://www.randomhouse.com/princetonrev ... 0375429859. You can get a 10% discount if you visit this link https://www.randomhouse.com/princetonrev ... 0375764639 and enter the following promotional code: MLT. You should monitor your progress with practice tests; if you don't seem to improve at the rate you want, you should consider a course.

Courses offer more structure and an actual person to explain problems to you. Since you haven't taken a math class since high school, this may be very helpful. In our courses you are able to focus on your weak areas and the teacher can pull you aside and work with you just on quant. To check out our classes, go here: https://www.princetonreview.com/business ... ation.aspx.

I hope this info helps. If you have any questions feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected]. Good luck on your GMAT journey!

Best Regards,
Anthony Russomanno
The Princeton Review
National Director of Educational Partnerships

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