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Intern
Intern
Joined: 29 Aug 2013
Posts: 24
Own Kudos [?]: 3 [0]
Given Kudos: 51
GMAT 1: 560 Q41 V25
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
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Joined: 17 Aug 2015
Posts: 90
Own Kudos [?]: 318 [1]
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Location: India
Concentration: Strategy, General Management
Schools: Duke '19 (II)
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
GPA: 4
WE:Information Technology (Investment Banking)
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Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Posts: 21846
Own Kudos [?]: 11665 [1]
Given Kudos: 450
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Joined: 29 Aug 2013
Posts: 24
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GMAT 1: 560 Q41 V25
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Hi Rich..Thank you for your response.

My first 2 attempts were spread exactly over a period of year.

GMAT 1 (Sept 20, 2014) Score: 570
GMAT 2 (Sept 21, 2015) Score: 560

I didn't get good sleep before the latest attempt and I think somehow this messed up my overall score as I lost my focus halfway through the Verbal section.

I studied for 2.5 months before my latest attempt.
I used Manhattan guides (focussed on all of the Quant and SC guides only), OG 13, OG Quant Review and Kaplan Premier (focussed on CR Section only)

I plan to apply in R2 for most of the schools and would require sufficient time to work on my applications. (Also, I can take out 4 - 6 hours daily to work on my study plan).

I understand.. my plan is highly ambitious :roll: HardWorkBeatsAll (I've started going through the Manhattan Verbal Foundations Guide and I find it extremely useful)

Please guide me.. Thank you !! :)
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Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Posts: 21846
Own Kudos [?]: 11665 [0]
Given Kudos: 450
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Expert Reply
Hi Bazooka700,

Many Test Takers who use a 'book-heavy' study approach end up getting 'stuck' at a particular score level and I think that that is part of what has happened to you.

Given the length of time that you've already studied, and your score goal, you'll likely need at least 2 months of additional study time to improve (and you'll likely need to invest in some new materials that will help you to pick up points in both Quant and Verbal).

Thankfully, you don't have to make any decisions about this yet. You can continue to study as you've planned - in a week or two, you should take a FULL-LENGTH CAT and we can track your progress. If you haven't made a reasonable amount of improvement, then you can adjust your plans accordingly.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Intern
Intern
Joined: 29 Aug 2013
Posts: 24
Own Kudos [?]: 3 [0]
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GMAT 1: 560 Q41 V25
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Thank you Rich.. I will continue my study plan and post test results in a week or two.
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
In the last week, I gave 2 simulation tests (Economist and GMATPrep 2) and I scored 590 and 610 respectively. I realised that I'm still not close to my target score. I have postponed my GMAT to 30th November.

Now my SC accuracy is close to 90 %. I still struggle with CR and RC.

I would really appreciate if someone answered my following questions -
1. My friend scored 720 and he advised me to focus only on practising OG guides (practise all of the questions at least 2 times with a timer) He did not refer to any other material and focused only on OG Review, OG Quant and Verbal review guides. Can I expect significant improvement in score if I practise only OG Material ?
2. How should I take my current quant score from Q43-45 upto Q50 ?

Thanks!!
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Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Posts: 21846
Own Kudos [?]: 11665 [0]
Given Kudos: 450
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Expert Reply
HI Bazooka700,

Since you've now taken two additional CATs, and those 2 scores are just a bit higher than your Official GMAT scores, you really have to consider making a big change to your overall study approach. Based on the work that you've done already, it doesn't seem likely that continuing with a 'book-heavy' study approach is going to get you the results that you're looking for.

With a November 30th Test Date, you now have a bit more than a month to continue studying. You're in essentially the same position that you were in back in September (when you had given yourself about a month to study and you were still 100+ points from your goal). This will require a lot of work in a short period of time; you would likely benefit a great deal from taking a GMAT Course of some type (either Guided Self-Study or instructor-led).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Intern
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Joined: 29 Aug 2013
Posts: 24
Own Kudos [?]: 3 [0]
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GMAT 1: 560 Q41 V25
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Hi Rich,

Before taking a decision to opt for a GMAT course, I would like to understand how that course can help me improve score significantly (50 - 70) point improvement ?

Now that i have covered the fundamentals, I guess I fall short in applying the strategy (1. Pausing 5 seconds before attempting to solve any PS/DS question in a traditional way and asking myself if there is any shorter way to reach answer 2. Ability to move on when you are stuck on a question)

I've solved OG problems for respective chapters from manhattan guides, but I've never tried to solve complete OG guides (verbal and quant)

I intend to practise these strategies while solving the OG problems. I would really appreciate if you could tell me whether this is a book-heavy study approach ? (Since I'm looking at how to approach a question in a tactical way)

Thanks !!
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Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Posts: 21846
Own Kudos [?]: 11665 [0]
Given Kudos: 450
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Expert Reply
HI Bazooka700,

Most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at out site (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.

Since you're talking about working through the OGs, I assume that you're going to work through those BOOKS, answering questions in the same ways that you have before. If you don't make the necessary adjustments to how you 'see' (and respond to) the GMAT, then you will likely continue to score at the same level. A GMAT Course is far more likely to show you how to make those adjustments than you are to make them on your own.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Joined: 29 Aug 2013
Posts: 24
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Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
I would like to use this thread to post my progress and at the same time gain expert opinion on how I can make the best use of remaining time (GMAT appointment: 30th Nov, Target Score: 660+) I gave complete manhattan gmat practise test today and scored 630 (Q42 V34 IR4)

Verbal section details:
I knew I was weak on application and bold face questions. So, I completely avoided those as a part of pacing strategy on verbal section.
SC - 9/15 | 60% correct (Avg time: 1.38 mins)
CR - 6/14 | 43% correct (Avg time: 2.35 mins)
RC - 7/12 | 58% correct (Avg time: 2.21 mins)

Math section details:
I have never tried to focus on my weak area in math section and hence I had no strategy here. Also, I found most of the questions of high difficulty level.
DS - 8/15 | 53% correct (Avg time: 1.4 mins)
PS - 11/22 | 50% correct (Avg time: 2.5 mins) <-- I spent around 5,5 and 6 minutes on three different PS questions :(

Appreciate your suggestions. Thanks!
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Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Posts: 21846
Own Kudos [?]: 11665 [0]
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Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Expert Reply
Hi Bazooka700,

With this score, you're remarkably close to your new 660+ goal. Since you can pick up those missing points in EITHER the Quant or Verbal sections, why is it that you haven't spent any time honing your Quant skills over the last 2+ months? With a Q42, there are some 'gettable' Quant questions that you're letting slip by.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Intern
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Joined: 29 Aug 2013
Posts: 24
Own Kudos [?]: 3 [0]
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GMAT 1: 560 Q41 V25
WE:Consulting (Consulting)
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Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]
Hi Rich,
2 reasons I scored so low on quant -

1. I finished Manhattan quant guide along with the OG questions around 1 and half month back. I did not revise those concepts for a brief period.
Now I know my struggle points - inequalities/geometry/overlapping sets/word problems.

2. I got stuck (spent 15 minutes) on 3 different PS questions and I had to rush through few DS questions. One thing I have noticed, using manhattan assessment report is that my accuracy on DS is greater than PS. I think I should let go few of hard PS questions and spend more time on DS. (I will practise this as a part of math pacing strategy on my next practise test)
GMAT Club Bot
Re: Please review my 1 month Study Plan for 3rd GMAT attempt [#permalink]

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