Prep Material Advice

Question

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this forum. I'm an analyst in investment banking. I've been thinking about going back to school in the next year or two, so I need some suggestion on what prep material I should use for the GMAT test.

English is not my native language, but I'm pretty good at math. I bought the OG 11th, and Manhattan SC. Please advice on what else I should use if I'm aiming to get a score above 720. Thank you very much.

nary · Answer

read through some of the success stories at the top of this forum that are posted as 'stickies'. there's also a compilation of them near the top under a post by praetorian i believe.

phelpsian · Answer

You also need an overall review book so you can get familiar with the test and learn some strategy. For that I would get Cracking the GMAT. It's from the Princeton Review. The tests in that book are really good too. Well, the tests are online but you need the DVD to get to the tests, so get the version with the DVD.

The OG is essential. Make sure you download the official tests too, GMATPrep. They're on www.mba.com. They're free. Gotta love that.

holeking · Answer

Thank you guys for your advice. I've been thinking about the Kaplan book, but I've read bad reviews about it. Is there a better all-in-one review book you would recommend? I would go deeper into the individual topics after I study and learn what my weaknesses are. Thanks.

peaceyall · Answer

if you have the OGs and MG guides, that should be enough. it's really about practice, documenting which problems you get consistently wrong, and making sure you figure out exactly why you missed them. if you do get through all the problems (which takes a while), go back and the ones you missed and see if you missed them again.

if you want to diagnose weaknesses, take a real practice exam from GMAT. that will probably give you the most accurate representation of your strengths and weaknesses.

also, here's my debrief which goes over more stuff in detail.
8-t66345

GL

KLmets · Answer

It depends on what level you are at now. If you're already getting 700's in the practice tests, then just review some materials. If you're scoring well below your aim, you might want to take some courses. Before I took the GMAT last year, I took a course w/Manhattan review and improved my score by about 80 pts. When do you think you'll be taking the GMAT?

holeking · Answer

I actually have not started yet. Ordered my materials, and they'll arrive soon. I'm planning to spend 3 months to study (2 hrs or more each day), so I might take it in 02/09.

I'm not sure if I will take a class in person; I don't have the time and I don't learn well that way. But I would consider the online class.

Thanks again for the advice.

phelpsian · Answer

Not to be smarmy, but if you don't learn well in class, isn't that going to make b-school a challenge?

shurashura · Answer

Well a lot of Bschool isn't sitting in class memorizing strategies to take a standardized test. I took an online class and I thought it was great. I live in the middle of nowhere so that was a lot easier for me. Ended up with a 710 and am working on the other parts of my app right now...essays

holeking · Answer

That's a good point. I should rephrase it as: going to a class in person doesn't add much value to me other than the extra material they present in class; I would learn as well on my own. So I guess I would be up for the challenge of B school... hopefully

phelpsian · Answer

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