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13 Feb 2017, 06:47
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi All,
I'm planning to take the GMAT in about a month, maybe 5 weeks. I've been studying a fair amount for about 2 weeks now and had studied a bit before, mostly verbal. I took the GMAT in the fall, under the assumption that I only needed around a 600 for the program I'm interested in. I studied up on verbal but mistakenly didn't study for quant. I'm a high school math teacher and figured I would get at least low to mid-40s, because that's what I got on a gmatprep CAT (42Q). I ended up with a 600, Q37 V35 and got dinged for my quant score.
I'm taking my studying more seriously this go around and have already gone through all the MGMAT study guides and am just working through the practice sets now. Can someone critique my plan?
I have access to 5 GMATprep practice exams. One free left and will buy the other 4 offered and the extra question bank. (Can someone please confirm the extra question bank problems will not show up on the practice CATs? I don't want to practice those if that's going to inflate my scores.)
I study at 5am every morning for about 1.5 hours and then another hour or 2, at night. I'm usually a bit tired at night so sometimes I have trouble concentrating (being a teacher is draining).
Sundays - Day off to unwind and ski. I might do some practice problems, but need to get out to the mountains or I get antsy.
Monday - Error Analysis (any tips on strategies are welcome, although I can also just search the forum!)
Tuesday - Error Analysis and Practice questions. I'd read someone suggesting doing 37 quant per day in 75 minutes, so I was considering this strategy. I could do this, but would less with error analysis be more effective? Considering I'm more productive in the morning, I'm thinking error analysis would be better then.
Wednesday - MGMAT full CAT in the morning, with error analysis in the evening.
Thursday - Error analysis
Friday - Error analysis
Saturday - GMATprep practice CAT
**I have taken one GMATprep practice CAT, which I took last week. I had just finished going through the MGMAT study guides and only took the quant section. I got a 46Q, but the score was inflated. I took it, then thought I could exit and just get my quant score, but it deleted my results. So I immediately did it again. I had just done about 1/3 of the questions, so those went very quickly for me.
I can up the amount of time I study, but the most I can do is about 4 hours on some days, 2-3 everyday.
My goal is at LEAST a 45 on quant and a 40 on verbal. For scholarship purposes, I only need a 670 to max out my scholarship opportunity (a 720 would give me too much as most of my tuition will be covered already).
Thanks for any input!!
I'm planning to take the GMAT in about a month, maybe 5 weeks. I've been studying a fair amount for about 2 weeks now and had studied a bit before, mostly verbal. I took the GMAT in the fall, under the assumption that I only needed around a 600 for the program I'm interested in. I studied up on verbal but mistakenly didn't study for quant. I'm a high school math teacher and figured I would get at least low to mid-40s, because that's what I got on a gmatprep CAT (42Q). I ended up with a 600, Q37 V35 and got dinged for my quant score.
I'm taking my studying more seriously this go around and have already gone through all the MGMAT study guides and am just working through the practice sets now. Can someone critique my plan?
I have access to 5 GMATprep practice exams. One free left and will buy the other 4 offered and the extra question bank. (Can someone please confirm the extra question bank problems will not show up on the practice CATs? I don't want to practice those if that's going to inflate my scores.)
I study at 5am every morning for about 1.5 hours and then another hour or 2, at night. I'm usually a bit tired at night so sometimes I have trouble concentrating (being a teacher is draining).
Sundays - Day off to unwind and ski. I might do some practice problems, but need to get out to the mountains or I get antsy.
Monday - Error Analysis (any tips on strategies are welcome, although I can also just search the forum!)
Tuesday - Error Analysis and Practice questions. I'd read someone suggesting doing 37 quant per day in 75 minutes, so I was considering this strategy. I could do this, but would less with error analysis be more effective? Considering I'm more productive in the morning, I'm thinking error analysis would be better then.
Wednesday - MGMAT full CAT in the morning, with error analysis in the evening.
Thursday - Error analysis
Friday - Error analysis
Saturday - GMATprep practice CAT
**I have taken one GMATprep practice CAT, which I took last week. I had just finished going through the MGMAT study guides and only took the quant section. I got a 46Q, but the score was inflated. I took it, then thought I could exit and just get my quant score, but it deleted my results. So I immediately did it again. I had just done about 1/3 of the questions, so those went very quickly for me.
I can up the amount of time I study, but the most I can do is about 4 hours on some days, 2-3 everyday.
My goal is at LEAST a 45 on quant and a 40 on verbal. For scholarship purposes, I only need a 670 to max out my scholarship opportunity (a 720 would give me too much as most of my tuition will be covered already).
Thanks for any input!!
13 Feb 2017, 12:28
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi nat724,
Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so you should consider that as you plan out your studies. Since you'll have to make improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections, you will likely end up needing closer to 2 months of study time to hit your score goal (as opposed to the 1 month that you're currently considering).
As far as your broader study schedule is concerned, it's perfectly fine to take one day "off" per week, but you should NOT be taking more than 1 CAT per week. A CAT is really a 'measuring device' - when used correctly, it will give you a realistic score and help define your strengths and weaknesses, but it will NOT help you to fix any of those weaknesses. To raise your scores, you have to put in the necessary practice and repetitions. The CAT will show you whether your studies are helping you to improve or not. It's also important to note that the Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a 'math test' - it's a 'critical thinking test' that requires lots of little calculations; the fact that you're a math teacher might actually be hampering your performance in that section. This is all meant to say that you would likely benefit a great deal by focusing on Quant Tactics and patterns instead of just relying on your math skills for that section.
1) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
2) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so you should consider that as you plan out your studies. Since you'll have to make improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections, you will likely end up needing closer to 2 months of study time to hit your score goal (as opposed to the 1 month that you're currently considering).
As far as your broader study schedule is concerned, it's perfectly fine to take one day "off" per week, but you should NOT be taking more than 1 CAT per week. A CAT is really a 'measuring device' - when used correctly, it will give you a realistic score and help define your strengths and weaknesses, but it will NOT help you to fix any of those weaknesses. To raise your scores, you have to put in the necessary practice and repetitions. The CAT will show you whether your studies are helping you to improve or not. It's also important to note that the Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a 'math test' - it's a 'critical thinking test' that requires lots of little calculations; the fact that you're a math teacher might actually be hampering your performance in that section. This is all meant to say that you would likely benefit a great deal by focusing on Quant Tactics and patterns instead of just relying on your math skills for that section.
1) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
2) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
13 Feb 2017, 19:18
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi Rich,
Thanks for the input!
1) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
I'm planning to apply around mid- to end of March this year. I am hoping to start in their summer cohort. It's a part-time program which I can do while teaching.
2) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
I'm applying to UC Denver and probably University of Denver. I went to NYU undergrad and studied finance and accounting, but am not applying to any top schools, so I don't need a top score. But I want to do well on it for a scholarship opportunity. With a 670 I get a $3k scholarship and a $5k scholarship for a 720; however, I can't use all of the $5k because I have the GI Bill, so 70% of my tuition will be covered already.
To clarify on the timing, I have been studying for about 2-3 weeks already. So, when I take the exam in March, I'll have put in about two months. I've gone through all the guides that I think I need (MGMAT quant guides), but need to work on applying the concepts to the trickier problems. You're 100% right about the effect of being a math teacher. I've had to really re-think my strategies, as my go-to is always to solve algebraically. It's been a bit of a challenge to get out of that mindset and use number testing strategies and estimation, but I'm getting the hang of it. Fortunately, I'm pretty good at mental math from teaching.
I'm noticing many of my mistakes are falling into GMAT traps or missing a word.
Thanks for the input!
1) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
I'm planning to apply around mid- to end of March this year. I am hoping to start in their summer cohort. It's a part-time program which I can do while teaching.
2) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
I'm applying to UC Denver and probably University of Denver. I went to NYU undergrad and studied finance and accounting, but am not applying to any top schools, so I don't need a top score. But I want to do well on it for a scholarship opportunity. With a 670 I get a $3k scholarship and a $5k scholarship for a 720; however, I can't use all of the $5k because I have the GI Bill, so 70% of my tuition will be covered already.
To clarify on the timing, I have been studying for about 2-3 weeks already. So, when I take the exam in March, I'll have put in about two months. I've gone through all the guides that I think I need (MGMAT quant guides), but need to work on applying the concepts to the trickier problems. You're 100% right about the effect of being a math teacher. I've had to really re-think my strategies, as my go-to is always to solve algebraically. It's been a bit of a challenge to get out of that mindset and use number testing strategies and estimation, but I'm getting the hang of it. Fortunately, I'm pretty good at mental math from teaching.
I'm noticing many of my mistakes are falling into GMAT traps or missing a word.
