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Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT

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saeedt
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Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   Updated on: 09 Apr 2011, 22:21
Please evaluate my study plan based on my Manhattan free CAT test results (tables may load slowly):

CAT results






Preparation before test:

1-Not a single exercise was done, neither V or Q
2-No GMAT book was studied except the first 50 pages of OG2 Q

Study plan



Before jumping to my study plan, I need to clarify a few points:
1- I'm a 720+ hopeful and I accept the prerequisite pains with open arms. Please don’t pity me for my schedule :wink:

2- Please notice that I may not be able to buy any more books and my available books are the ones in my plan. I chose these books by reading bb’s review on Amazon and here (Kudos to him as usual).

3- Please excuse my deep love to Math (ironic). There are two reasons behind our friendship (me and Math): I’m applying for PhD and Q is much more emphasized especially in my field, marketing, especially when I have my BA in humanities. Also, I feel little self-confidence with Math because I’ve always been weak at it. On the other hand, I’ve always been acceptable at verbal (reading 29/30 ibt).

Available study time:
April: 30 hours
May: 30 hours
June: 20 hours
(By then, my busy three months have passed, I've quit my job and GMAT will miserably see the other side of me :evil: )
July: 6 hours daily: 180 hrs
August: 6 hours daily: 180 hrs
September: 6 hours daily: 180 hrs
October: 8 hours daily: 80 hrs
Exam day: Approximately middle October
Total available time: 700+ hrs

Now you must have somewhat relieved by seeing my huge available time after probably getting shocked by my huge bulk of books :P
I’m sure, with God’ help, I am capable of this pressure. I’ve experience it once 2 years ago while preparing for MSc nationwide entrance exam. I would study 8 hrs on average for 6 straight months (1440 hrs) and finally I ranked 31th among 8000 test takers (99.6% percentile). Moreover, I may even exceed the planned 700 hrs because my ambitions and drive for GMAT is ten times more than that Msc exam.



I've done a detailed time analysis and I'm sure I can cover all the book cited above, approximately 50 pages per day. What I mainly focus on are the exercises since, e.g. when I have gone through the Manhattan Foundations of math, number properties, geometry, fraction, decimals and percents, equations, inequality,… it’s very unlikely that e.g. Math bible takes much time or vice versa.

Please make me ever more indebted to the GMATClub by helping me with my plan. Correct me anywhere I seem to be deviating from what the great scorers did. I hope, with your help, one day I’ll announce my great score here and make you all happy!

Yours,
GMATCluber,
Saeed

Originally posted by saeedt on 09 Apr 2011, 12:57.
Last edited by saeedt on 09 Apr 2011, 22:21, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: GMAT Gurus,Please Evaluate My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   09 Apr 2011, 16:29
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I think it looks very hardcore :)
I would say you are going a bit over the top (don't burn yourself out) but otherwise, Kudos and great plan!
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   06 May 2011, 07:04
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Good plan. Perhaps a bit much.

Definitely check your progress at intervals with CAT's, and if you are tracking with what you hope for, move on.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   26 May 2011, 02:31
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Wow, seemingly someone is found out of the skies to believe that 700 hours is too few! Almost everyone told me that it's too many :-D

Yes, Maryam, see the link below. 700+ers study less than 100 hours on average

gmat-study-plan-start-your-gmat-journey-80727.html
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   09 Apr 2011, 22:24
Thanks bb. I'll probably skip some parts or even one or a couple of books based on the future CATs I take. It's a rather tentative plan, I may lessen the load to concentrate on techniques and last level of GMAT knowledge if necessary.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   09 Apr 2011, 22:43
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Sounds good but don't move past an area just because your schedule says to - make sure you cover the area to feel absolutely comfortable with the book/chapter/etc.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   09 Apr 2011, 23:48
+700 hours is INSANE!!!!!!

Dude... I must have put in anywhere between 250 and 300 hours (within a span of 60 days) to boost my score from 650 to 710! Let me tell you - IT WAS HELL! I'm really worried about the monstrous number of hours you're putting in!
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   10 Apr 2011, 03:45
sure bb. It's an outline, my navigating compass will be the results from the CATs. Thanks for the feedback.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   10 Apr 2011, 10:44
Thanks Entwistle for the comment,

I'm just on 540 level. But you spend 300 while you were on 650! I should spend more time naturally. Don't worry, I have experienced more hard core plans :)

P.S. I may reduce some load of Math book if I later see any sign of burn out

Thanks anyway
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   10 Apr 2011, 16:56
This looks like overkill to me. You WILL burn yourself out if you put in 700 hours. I would suggest that you limit this to 200-300 hours at the VERY maximum.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   10 Apr 2011, 18:40
saeedt wrote:
Thanks Entwistle for the comment,

I'm just on 540 level. But you spend 300 while you were on 650! I should spend more time naturally. Don't worry, I have experienced more hard core plans :)

P.S. I may reduce some load of Math book if I later see any sign of burn out

Thanks anyway


lol
Well Saeedt, from my experience, it takes more effort to go from 650 to 710 than 540 to 600 :)

Anyway... Like BB said... Let the schedule direct you but not own you - be flexible ;)

Good luck!
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   10 Apr 2011, 19:29
Yes, thanks, I'll be flexible according to the CATs.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   11 Apr 2011, 01:27
saeedt wrote:
Thanks Entwistle for the comment,

I'm just on 540 level. But you spend 300 while you were on 650! I should spend more time naturally. Don't worry, I have experienced more hard core plans :)

P.S. I may reduce some load of Math book if I later see any sign of burn out

Thanks anyway
what test did u take ? gmat prep/ MGMAT/PR/Kaplan ?
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   11 Apr 2011, 02:35
hi pal,

It's manhattan. The score calculator deducts 10 point from it=530 real
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   18 Apr 2011, 00:16
Great plan.
But why don't you try scheduling an exam after the first 450 hours and a second one after the next 250...
Random things may happen on test day - if after 700+ hours of study you are not satisfied with your result, you will have to invest still more time for the retake... (let's say 30 days, 10 hours a day :) )
This will make the count 1000+...
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   18 Apr 2011, 01:14
thetiming,

Thanks for the comment. Dude, I sighed upon reading your suggestion. There's no test center in Iran. I have to travel to Turkey or Dubai. Even the single time to take the test is so expensive and uncomfortable for me, let alone the second time. But if I could, I'm sure I would increase 20+ score in the 2nd time.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   18 Apr 2011, 01:30
saeedt wrote:
thetiming,

Thanks for the comment. Dude, I sighed upon reading your suggestion. There's no test center in Iran. I have to travel to Turkey or Dubai. Even the single time to take the test is so expensive and uncomfortable for me, let alone the second time. But if I could, I'm sure I would increase 20+ score in the 2nd time.


I am sure you will be able to use the situation to your advantage.

Judging from my own experience - when I had to sit for exams that were held only once per year (where if you fail - you can only retake on the next year, having to go through a huge /time/ sacrifice again) - I was really, really, focused and organized in my preparation...

When I was studying for another designation, administered through Pearson VUE, the exams of which I could reschedule with no penalty whatsoever - I ended up procrastinating and procrastinating and rescheduled three times...

Thus, the situation may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for you and again - inferring from your study plan and determination - I am sure that you will be able to use the situation to your advantage.

Good luck!
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   18 Apr 2011, 06:19
You are absolutely right. Many thanks for the friendly encouragements
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   18 Apr 2011, 08:48
The plan looks solid. Best of luck in this journey. The most important thing about GMAT is that you have to convince yourself that you love GMAT and become passionate about it. :)

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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink] New post   05 May 2011, 23:20
You need to mix it up. You will drive yourself crazy, and not learn as efficently if you study only one subject for a month, or only quant for 4 months straight. You should switch back and forth between quant and verbal, even in one day. I am spending 8-10 hours studying in these last few weeks and I will do SC, geometry, RC, number properties etc... all in one day. Plus by the time you get to the final months you will have forgotten most of the material from the previous months. Believe me. I went back to studying a few months later and forgot at least 50% of what I learned.
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Re: Friends,Please Review My Hard Core Plan Based on a CAT [#permalink]
05 May 2011, 23:20
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