I've been combing the forums for a few weeks now, after only recently becoming interested/involved with GMAT and B-School.
I started my journey at the beginning of April, studied for about a month, and took my first GMAT attempt on May 7th. (I was sprinting through an application for 3rd round admission to a local b-school in Minneapolis.) Anyways, I knew Quant would be my weakness, ended up with the following break down: Overall: 690 (43 Quant / 41 Verbal, 7 IR, 5.5 AWA). I signed up for a Kaplan study course which is what I structured my initial studies on, but feel I didn't get enough Quant exposure, I have since purchased the
MGMAT Complete Strategy Guide Set,
OG Quant 2nd Ed,
OG 13th Edition.
I'm trying to carve out the best study plan for me - I'm aiming to take the GMAT again by mid-September. My biggest hurdle are two, two-week training periods that I must attend with the military. One of these, the first one starting mid-June will have me busy most of the time, so I thought perhaps I could focus my verbal studying for the first month, it would be easier for me to get some reading done over this block than it would be to focus on quant studies. My second two week block which starts towards the end of July through the first week in August will be a bit easier for me to find time to commit a few hours a night to studying Quant.
I've downloaded Topher's study plan (excel formatted calendar) and blocked off the time I'll be away, but I'm not sure how to mix in the different materials I have available to me. I am retaking my Kaplan course for free as I was not pleased with my score, and so with that I have class every Tuesday night. I have been doing the homework (the Kaplan Premier book with the course) so far, as I didn't really do the homework in the book for the verbal section the first time through.
What I'm thinking is:
June 2013:
Work though Kaplan Premier Verbal chapters
Then
MGMAT Verbal Books?
GMAT Fiction?
Should I pick up the
OG Verbal?
July 2013:
Work through Kaplan Premier Quant chapters
MGMAT Quant Books
OG QuantMid-July take a CAT to see where my Quant is at.
August 2013:
Weekly CATs - focus in on weakness areas
I just feel a bit overwhelmed - I know my big trouble area is Quant, but I don't want to give verbal short shrift again either, as I think I could pick up some points in that section as well. I feel July and August will be very Quant focused for me.