Need advice for practice period!

Question

Hi,
I'm an international student preparing for MBA application 2022.
Here are my plan for taking Gmat:

Month 1+2: Quant (Manhattan prep)
Month 3+4+5: Verbal
 - SC: Manhattan book
 - CR: PowerScore CR bible
 - RC: Aristotle RC
Month 6+7: practice + mock
 - OG latest edition
 - Gmat prep test 1+2
 - Gmat club test 1+2

Is this a good plan for practicing in 7 months? 
Should I use OG during learning period for each topic (month 1-5) or during last period (last 2 months)?

Thank you!

DisciplinedPrep · Answer

JackSnack - I personally believe that a 7 months prep time is too much. Please take a few moments to review the GMAT Club study plan available in the below link. Also, please note that delaying the GMAT does more harm than good. The ideal time to study for the test and take the test is 3 months. The more you delay, the more you get dragged into abysmal depths.

GMAT Club Study Plan: https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-study-plan-217827.html

ArtVandaley · Answer

Are you working on a demanding job that you can only space few hours a week? If so, the plan sounds good otherwise, just wrap it up in 3 months. Delaying does more harm than good. Trust me on that.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi JackSnack,

How many hours do you plan to study each week? Also, have you taken a practice test to get a baseline score? Lastly, do you also want some general advice on how to improve your GMAT quant and verbal skills?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi JackSnack,

From what you describe, you've given yourself plenty of time to study for the GMAT - which is great. Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so a 7-month timeframe might be longer than you actually need. In addition, you would likely find it beneficial to study some Quant and some Verbal each week (instead of the 'all of one, then all of the other' that you're considering). Taking practice CATs/mocks at regular intervals is also far more useful than only taking CATs at the 'end' of your studies (when it might be too late to make effective changes to how you take your tests).

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 take 2 for free at 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 3.5 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) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
3) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

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

JackSnack · Answer

Thank you so much for replying to me.
1. My target score is 700+ because I'm planning to apply to the top 30 schools in the US.
2. As a non-native speaker, I think I need more time to practice than others. That's why I think 3 months is too short for me.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi JackSnack,

Studying for the GMAT now - far in advance of when you'll actually "need" your Score - is a smart choice. In addition, having that extra potential study time is great (even if you won't necessarily need it all). I want to reiterate how important it is to assess your GMAT skills at regular intervals - including when you first begin your studies - so you should plan to take that initial practice CAT/mock sometime soon. Once you have your score, you should post back in this thread and we can discuss the results.

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

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