Need help starting GMAT prep - Currently waitlisted at 2 schools

Question

This is my first post on GMAT Club after months of lurking on it without actually having an account.

A little background on me - I am a working professional with 3.5 years of experience in the field of Advertising & Digital Marketing. I gave my GRE in 2015 with a score of 325 (Q168 V157) with the aim of applying to some Masters' programs. Soon, the plan changed and I decided to gather some work experience and apply for an MBA abroad (preferably the USA)

Last year, I applied to four colleges out of which I was denied admission without an interview at two and am currently on the waitlist after the interview of the other two schools since December 2019. It has been over six months without any final decision with me sending updates in between. However, since my GRE score expires in September 2020 and assuming the worst-case scenario that I get rejected from both the schools this year, I would have to take the GMAT preferably in the next 3-4 months.

I would really appreciate some help with the following questions:

1. Which are the best books to start preparing for GMAT?
2. I have a GMAT Official Guide and Kaplan GMAT from 2016. Can I use these books for the prep or should I purchase new books for 2020?
3. Any stark differences/similarities between GRE and GMAT prep? Since I am familiar with the former one

My professional work takes up most of my weekdays and sometimes even my weekends, so I really need to start the prep quite early. I am also contemplating taking a sabbatical for a month or two to prepare for the GMAT but nothing is final at this point - it all depends if my employer allows it considering the current situation.

Looking forward to hearing from you all

yashikaaggarwal · Answer

Your first step should be to analyze where you stand. There are two mock tests on MBA.com which will give you exact analytics about how much you remember from your previous GRE attempt.
Preparation phase is the later stage. A diagnostic mock will help you in identifying your strength and weak areas. Do take it before going further.
Good Luck

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Gmatsaiyan · Answer

Follow the following study plan:-
https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-study-p ... ml?fl=menu
https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-self-pr ... tml?f=menu

Courses that can help with your prep:-
https://gmatclub.com/forum/best-gmat-co ... ml?fl=menu

Best books for Quants:-
https://gmatclub.com/forum/best-gmat-ma ... ml?fl=menu
Best books for Verbal:-
https://gmatclub.com/forum/best-gmat-ve ... ml?fl=menu

Best Gmat practice tests:-
https://gmatclub.com/forum/all-gmat-pra ... ml?fl=menu

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Impala59,

Many GMATers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores - although since you have done prior study for the GRE and scored at a relatively high level (albeit 5 years ago), you might not necessarily need as much study time.

The logical first step would be for you 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) Are you planning to apply to School this fall (Round 1 or Round 2) or later on?
3) Which Schools are you planning to apply to?

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

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

First off, let’s discuss what carries over from the GRE to the GMAT.

Quant

The good news is that the actual quant topics, such as linear and quadratic equations, roots and exponents, number properties, inequalities and absolute values, functions and sequences, probability and combinatorics, ratios and percents, rates and work, unit conversions, general number skills, estimation, statistics and overlapping sets, and geometry, for example, are tested on both the GMAT and the GRE.

That being said, you’ll have to familiarize yourself with answering Data Sufficiency questions (DS) as opposed to the GRE counterpart (Quantitative Comparisons). The GMAT’s DS questions give you initial information in the question stem and pose a question about that information. Then you are given two statements, each of which provides additional information. Your job is to determine whether the information in each or both statements is sufficient to answer the question posed in the question stem. DS questions don’t test JUST your skills in the aforementioned quant topics; they also test your skill in considering the implications of pieces of information designed to trap you into selecting the most obvious answer. So, DS questions may post the most significant challenge in taking the GMAT after preparing for the GRE, as without training to answer such questions, you may struggle to answer them efficiently or correctly.

Verbal

Unfortunately, there is less carryover from GRE verbal to GMAT verbal than there is quant carryover. Both the GMAT and GRE test Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning; however, on the GRE, Critical Reasoning is referred to as “single-paragraph Reading Comprehension.” That being said, one major difference between the verbal sections of the GRE and GMAT is that the GRE focuses on vocabulary (within Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence questions) and the GMAT focuses on grammar (within Sentence Correction questions). Although you may have mastered GRE verbal, if you find that your grammar skills are lacking, you may have some trouble with GMAT verbal.

Regarding prep courses, in addition to seeking advice in this thread, take a look at the GMAT Club reviews for  the best quant  and  verbal courses , and also read through some  GMAT success stories  to see what materials have worked well for other test-takers.

Also, would you like some general advice on how to improve your verbal and quant skills?

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

Good luck!

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Need help starting GMAT prep - Currently waitlisted at 2 schools

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