Hi all, LONGtime lurker here, but my first post -- so please excuse me if this is in the wrong place or anything...
So... after two months of taking my time with all of the
MGMAT quant books to re-learn all of the basics I had forgotten, no verbal studying (it's my natural strength & I didn't have time...) and just two practice CATs in the week prior, I took the GMAT a week ago and... absolutely bombed it. (560 - 29Q 38V ). I'm just now emotionally able to "get back on the horse", so to speak, and try to formulate a plan for re-taking.
I desperately want to apply THIS YEAR for Fall 2012, and was hoping to apply Round 1, but obviously I will have to push that back to Round 2. I'm hoping to re-take the test in early November, or mid November at the LATEST, so that I have time to really focus on my essays (already outlined the basic talking points) and letters of rec. before the late December/early January deadlines for R2.
WHEW. So. That said... I really need some help formulating my game plan for studying for attempt #2!
Some background/profile info:
I'm trying to be realistic and not necessarily break 700, but at least get around 680 to even have a shot at NYU, Columbia, LBS or Georgetown.
I'm 26, female, 4.5 years of work experience to date and I've held multiple marketing/PR/communications roles and want to focus my studies on marketing, particularly in creative industries (hence NYU/Columbia - both have strong course options for media/arts management). I've got a 3.5 and TWO bachelors degrees (did them simultaneously in a dual degree program) from the University of Florida, good LORs likely and I'm confident my essays will be up to par. My only large concern with all of this is the g-darn GMAT!!! I've never been great with standardized tests and, well, I studied journalism and literature, I haven't taken a math course since "Math for Liberal Arts Majors" my freshman year!
My previous prep books include: All
MGMAT Quant. guides, OG12,
OG Quant (2nd ed.)
I'm REALLY struggling with Data Sufficiency and timing on the math section (I ran out of time on the exam! I literally had to guess on the last TEN questions because I was so low on time... ARGHH). Generally I do OK with getting answers right when I'm not timed, but I average a whole 4 minutes per question before I feel confident in my answer, which obviously won't do, but I just can't seem to get any faster! Urgh. Tips?
Anyway, I feel confident I can boost my 38V score to 40+ with some practice, considering that I got a 38 with NO practice on that front...
Just need to get that 29Q out of the gutter! So... tips for what books I can work on to help with the Q before mid-Nov? (outside of
MGMAT since I've already gone through those, but I intend to do some review now). Should I hire a private tutor? (I'm poor, but I found one for $45/hour who seems pretty good and if I just went for a month, it's not so bad...) ... any tips for improving speed? That was really a killer for me...
Hellllp!
Please?
Anyone have a good suggestion for a study plan to get me at least to mid-30s in Q before mid-Nov?
Are there any practice CATs out there that are JUST a math section, without the verbal included?
Anyone have a good success story of someone who was good in V and miserable in Q actually making this work??