RETAKE STUDY PLAN !!!

Question

any more experts who can help me please !! after my first disappointing attempt with 3 months of study (600: V31/ Q42; IR 3; AWA 5.5) :oops:

i plan to retake GMAT asap to apply in final rounds of Insead, IMD, Oxford SAID, LBS. Basically only 1 year or 15 months programs. Please please help me device a solid study plan to be able to retake latest by mid Jan, i.e. 40-45 days from now. Or slightly earlier if things fall in place faster. Am I over expecting if I say i am aiming a 100 points improvement. I will put all my might in this attempt as i do not want to wait until next intake 2 years later. I have a non math (fashion) background, Indian female with nearly 7.5 years of work ex. While studying math concepts i seem to be understanding them, but i mess up in the application perhaps because of the way Quant questions are twisted and formulated. especially word problems and DS. RC is a definite weak spot with almost zero interest in reading. Over such short time, even if i somehow push myself to start reading the economist etc, will it really help? Other areas are not too great either as you can see from my scores. For me keeping an error log is a big hassle. I find the available formats very complicated. Is there a really simple way to maintain an error log? i am looking fwd to your expert advise. Until then, i plan to start my prep tomorrow (dec 1st 2013) onwards by roughly following the gmat pill study method, i.e. take one thing at a time for 5 days each- RC, DS, CR, PS and SC. I am also in two minds if i should sign up for knewton online course that guarantees a 50 point improvement, plus i get free gmatclub tests :-D

or E -gmat just for verbal.... though i am somehow not sure about the credibility of e-gmat as they come across to be doing a lot of self-praising. i saw one of their 2 hour long videos. any genuine feedbacks on these two prep courses? :roll:

others are just too expensive. i have the below material: ALL 9 MGMAT GUIDES CR BIBLE (COULD ONLY READ ONCE. PLEASE GUIDE ME HOW TO MAKE MOST OF THIS MUCH ACCLAIMED BOOK) OG 13 OG VERBAL AND QUANT (HARDLY STUDIED DURING FIRST ATTEMPT) KAPLAN PREMIER (HARDLY STUDIED DURING FIRST ATTEMPT) KAPLAN VERBAL (HARDLY STUDIED DURING FIRST ATTEMPT. EVEN I THINK ITS BIT TOO SHALLOW) KAPLAN MATH WORKBOOK (HARDLY STUDIED DURING FIRST ATTEMPT. EVEN I THINK ITS BIT TOO SHALLOW) WHERE WOULD I FIND PROBABILITY, COMBINATORICS AND COORDINATE GEOMETRY MATERIAL? MGMAT AND OTHERS DO NOT COVER THEM IN REQUIRED DETAILS. WHERE TO FIND IR PRACTICE MATERIAL AND AWA SOLUTIONS TO LATEST OG13 TOPICS i also downloaded ivy gmat quant material but their solutions are bad. simply copied from a prep course forums and many of them incomplete. i downloaded 1000 rc/sc/cr etc and the GRE/LSAT ones, but they dont have any detailed explanations

just answer choices, that does not help me at all. thanks! cheers!!

brianlange77 · Answer

Wow -- that's a ton of info! Thanks for sharing all of that. Here's the best resoruce I can offer you -- I'd love to see you come up with an air-tight study plan. Rather than covering every area of the exam again -- ask yourself "Where are the places where I can best improve versus my performance to-date?" "Where am I strongest?" "Where am I weakest?"

I might suggest these articles as a way to help guide those decision making processes.

https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-1/
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-2/

+100 points is achievable, but not without a lot of focused and specific hard work.

Given that you might be looking at a shorter-time period, I am also going to suggest these articles as well.

https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-1/
https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ew-part-2/

Hope this helps.

-Brian

PSMBAPS · Answer

Thanks Brian i will get back after i have gone through them

Posted from my mobile device

sarahrs · Answer

Hey. Good luck.

Improve IR score use Manhattan interact. It's currently free. My score improved from a four to a seven using it.

Try an online study course that suits. No right answer. Gmat pill also provides courses if you like there approach. I use magoosh and just signed up for GmAT pill.

If business reading is boring in general you have a problem! Options include reading articles by FInancial times on the retail/ fashion sector. I would also use the UK guardian to get a bit of practice. Pick a section you like. 
In RC there is also a fair amount of science...so try to read a science magazine as well. If you don't like reading for fun. Try short stories written by good authors. Practice without commitment.
Economist covers retail and fashion sector as so maybe just sign up for Internet access for a month.then you can use archives to find material that interests.
Other options on free reading material audit reports from organisations like the government accountability office, uk national audit office. 
There a good strategies to learn to improve verbal so pick a course and you will be fine.
A tutor as well might be a good investment.

What did you struggle with maths wise?

Posted from my mobile device

TheEconomistGMATTutor · Answer

Hi PSMBAPS,

Wow, yes thank you for sharing! I also wanted to chime in because I wanted to mention that Economist GMAT Tutor offers a completely free strategy session. All you have to do is sign up for a free trial at our site (https://econgm.at/strategy) and then sign up for the free strategy session from your account. It would help if you spent an hour or so practicing in the course so that the tutor will be able to better customize the course of study for you, but either way, it should be helpful! The strategy session is a 1:1 Skype call. It's always good to have one on one time with someone who has seen it ALL -- these tutors have spoken with hundreds of GMAT test takers and know what works (and even more importantly, what doesn't!).

If you have any questions, please let me know!

Regards,

Elizabeth

brianlange77 · Answer

Just wanted to check in and see how things were going here.... hope the studying goes well!
-Brian

MBAIvy · Answer

I don't know if this has been said before, but since your score is so low, you may want to consider taking the GRE instead -- at least for the U.S. schools, more and more programs are looking at the GRE, and in my opinion, its focus is different than the GMAT, so if you are not breaking 700 on the test, you may want to look at the GRE as an alternative option. I've had many clients who faired very well with this strategy.

Thanks!
Jillian, CEO/President
www.MBAIvyLeague.com

PSMBAPS · Answer

thanks for checking up Brian... the articles you had sent helped. i realize i while practicing i need to focus on timing and "when to let go". i have been pathetic at this. however i have difficulty figuring out my weakest and strongest area- at the moment i feel i am equally weak in everything

i have decided to retake GMAT end jan'14. Do you suggest i should divide my study hours everyday between verbal and quant or one thing at a time.

PSMBAPS · Answer

thanks jillian
but i heard the verbal is more difficult on GRE than GMAT

MBAIvy · Answer

It's true, the GRE does emphasize verbal more ....sometimes that slant can help though, if you're not breaking at least 690 on the GMAT and your verbal foundation is stronger than your mathematical/quant.

Almost every time I have clients who have scored low on the GMAT (650 and under), I recommend they take the GRE and it's been a much more positive outcome!

Jillian, CEO/President
MBA Ivy League Consulting
(646) 276-7042
[email protected]
www.MBAIvyLeague.com

PSMBAPS · Answer

Thanks Elizabeth, I will sign up for the skype call

brianlange77 · Answer

I think my biggest suggestion is that you've got to figure out where the strengths and weaknesses are -- a few articles that may help you here... https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/ https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/ And knowing that end of Jan approaches quickly -- these might be helpful as well. https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-1/ https://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ew-part-2/ Best of luck! -Brian

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