Study Plan for Studying 2 Years ahead: Study by Section

Question

Hi there! I think I need some help as to how to study for the GMAT two years ahead. I think I'll take it probably 1.5 to 2 years later, but I would like to start my preparation now so that I won't be under pressure to study for the GMAT hurriedly. I know that "studying 2 years or even just one year ahead" is a big NO, and I totally agree. However, what I plan to do is a bit different:

1. I'll study one or two sections at most at the same time (e.g., SC and RC), while I also do other things. 
2. I won't switch to the other sections before I've studied/practiced enough to reach my target performance on the one or two sections 
3. I'll take notes and keep them 
4. In the end, during the several weeks before the test date, I'll fully dedicate myself to re-familiarize with and review the questions/mistakes/notes that I've made before.

Will this study plan work? Has anyone who's tried this before? Any thoughts/ideas would be highly appreciated! Thank you!

thouhid · Answer

It is very hard to give you suggestion without your current level. For example, if your current GMAT level is 650 with a balanced score in verbal and quant and whant to get 700+, there is no need to start preparation now. Focused on the other things which will help you to get into a good business school. 
But if your score is around 490, start now. Read article from New York times, the economist, Scientific America and so on for RC. You should learn how to read for gmat before. Just search online you will get expert advice. For CR and SC follow a book or course. In that case, I will suggest Manhattan.

For quant, Manhattan or Target test prep can be good place to start. To know your current level, familiar yourself with exam and question structure of gmat and take a official free mock from mba.com. I repeat take mock from mba.com, because it will help you to judge yourself correctly.

If you like my suggestion, hit kudos.

Russ19 · Answer

Hi You might find the link useful: https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-study-plan-217827.html Best Wishes!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Tommy0915,

To start, studying for the GMAT far in advance of when you will actually "need" your Score is a smart choice. If you're not studying under some type of established timeline though, you might actually end up creating a new 'issue' for yourself: whatever GMAT skills you acquire would likely 'fade' over time (and doing some short-term review up to 1.5 years later might not be enough for you to rehone all of the skills that have faded). Many GMATers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so why not just spend those 3 months (or so) and commit to a reasonable Study Plan (at about 15 - 20 hours a week)? If at the end of those 3 months, if you don't feel ready to take the GMAT, then you can simply extend your studies a bit further. In this scenario, you still wouldn't be under any external pressures (based on deadlines) and you would almost certainly be done with the GMAT with far less overall effort.

If you are looking to begin your studies sometime soon, then it would be a good idea to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test; you can access 2 for free at www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). If you want to do a little studying first, so that you can familiarize yourself with the basic content and question types, then that's okay - but you shouldn't wait too long to take that initial CAT. That score will give us a good sense of your natural strengths and weaknesses and will help provide a basis for comparison as you continue to study. A FULL CAT takes about 3.5 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take it in one sitting. Once you have that Score, you should report back here and we can come up with a study plan.

I'd like to know a bit more about your timeline and goals:
1) What is your goal score?
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Might be helpful to take an Official Mock after becoming a bit familiar with the material. If you're not that far away from your target score, it may be better to just get it done with in a few months. The online Version is going to become a lot more flexible from April 8th.

https://www.mba.com/exams-and-exam-prep ... -announced

MathRevolution · Answer

Hello Tommy0915,

GMAT Club is one of the great platforms to get information about the GMAT official test, Study plan, Section wise instructions, etc.

Learning is a continuous process, and it shines with practice. Math is a very tricky subject that is easy to understand and difficult to apply.

Success in GMAT Math is entirely based on vital concepts, rigorous practice, complete knowledge of math question types and patterns, quick approaches, and time-management.

To assist you better, we would request you to write back with the following questions:

1. What are your current score and target score? (You can mention the Diagnostic test score also)
2. How do you rate yourself in Quant and Verbal?

In a generalized way, to crack GMAT, you need a disciplined study plan, command on basic concepts, exposure to agile approaches, reliable resources, updated comprehensive material and mock tests, and an expert with whom you will be connected throughout your preparations.

You may also see to connect with experts online for your preparation.

As a GMAT instructor, I will first recommend taking our Free diagnostic test https://www.mathrevolution.com/diagnostic/dtExamMember and receiving a comprehensive study guide by topic. This test will clearly help you understand your weak areas. There are also many free materials available in the GMAT Club.

Time is precious and unstoppable at the same time. You can schedule a comprehensive counseling session for 30 mins with one of our experts: https://calendly.com/mathrevolution for detailed advice on your study plans.

If you have a recent mock test-score available with break up, kindly send it back to me.

Your diagnostic score will clarify what plan you should adopt to beat the GMAT. An initial mock rating will help to understand your concept knowledge of both sections.
Since we are a math expert, we will recommend you go through our post on the GMAT club, which gives a complete break-down of Math. Breakdown of GMAT math questions and types: https://gmatclub.com/forum/overview-of- ... l#p1641411

We appreciate your time and patience in reading this reply.

Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at [email protected]

Success is within your reach.
Good luck!

Math Revolution Team

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi Tommy,

A lot has already been said, but honestly, dragging your studying out over the course of a few years is going to put you in a position where you likely will forget much of what you learned early on in your prep. That said, I'm totally fine with you giving yourself as much time as you possibly need to study but when you dive into your GMAT prep, I think need to go full throttle rather than spreading your prep out over a few-year period. Is there any way you could just try to put in more study hours and get through your GMAT prep in a shorter amount of time? Also, when do you plan to take a practice exam to get a baseline score?

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi Tommy,

It's always better to finish off your prep in a single go. If you drag it for an year or so, there are chances that you will get frustrated at some point. So, I suggest you to start your GMAT Prep when you have ample time to dedicate for studies. A gap can have a very grave effect as you might have to start everything from the beginning once you get back to the prep. You can go through the articles below to understand the right way to prepare for GMAT.

How to start your GMAT Preparation?

How to effectively plan your studies for GMAT?

The 3 key skills you need to develop to score well on GMAT

I would suggest you to choose a resource which can help you with:

Concepts 
 Methodology (Most important) 
 Standard questions 
 Their detailed solutions 
 Study plan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65n8_LIbPIM

The best thing to do would be to check out the free trials of the online courses out there and choose the one which suits you the most. But make sure you choose the one which can help you with the above factors. You can check out the below article to know more about the factors to consider while evaluating an online course.

Key factors to consider while evaluating an online course

And I would suggest you to check out the free trial of GMATWhiz before taking a decision.  You can attend our free webinar series that we are currently running to learn a few strategies that will help you solve questions in a methodical way . You can register for the webinar series using the below link.

Registration Link:   Click here

If you have any more queries regarding the study strategy, you can get in touch with me using the below link.

Click here to schedule a call

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