Time management & efficiency during GMAT Prep

Question

Hi guys,

I am in my third week of GMAT preparation and I noticed few things.

I felt like I should refresh my math skills so I started my preparation by working through Manhattans GMAT Math Foundations. Right after I started with Manhattans Strategy Guide. Following the order of books, I am currently working on Algebra. I try to summarise and take notes on the most important things I learn. Sometimes I do the problem sets (no actual GMAT problems) after a chapter, sometimes I just skip them to not waste too much time. After finishing a chapter on a certain topic, I do few official practice questions in the Official Guide. And since I am still kinda at the beginning of my prep, these OG problems take me so long as well...

Now, I feel like am not working in the most efficient way. It takes me so long to work through all the books. I can already see myself working waaaay to long on math and accidentally neglecting verbal completely because of a lack of time.

Do you have any tips on how I can optimise my preparation?

The GMAT prep is currently the only thing I do, so I am investing all day in studying. Still, I got the feeling that there is no actual valuable progress yet

Thanks in advance for everyone who can help!

shameekv1989 · Answer

Hey there, I would suggest you to opt for TTP course for Quant preparations if you can. It is very structured course that will prepare you for really well for the exam.

For Verbal, you may opt for some course as well but Manhattan set should do well. I like Manhattan's SC in particular. You can look for CR Bible for CR prep and RC you can look into various strategies in RC forum here.

Hope it helps!! All the best with your preparations!!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi smartsev,

Since you have put in a couple of weeks of study so far, it would be a good idea to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test; you can take 2 for free at www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). 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 discuss the results and how you might best proceed with your studies.

Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) Do you have any other study materials besides the books that you mentioned?

Goals:
3) What is your overall goal score?
4) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
5) 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

homersimpsons · Answer

Read the following https://gmatclub.com/forum/timing-strat ... ml?fl=menu

Russ19 · Answer

Hi,

I think you are already on the right track, as without going through strategy guides, you cannot prepare well. Anyway, when you have lessons all day long only for gmat, it isn't easy to focus, so try to have some breaks among study sessions.

Good luck with your gmat journey!

QuaKid · Answer

I also constantly do not have enough time.. This is called excellent student syndrome))

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi smartsev,

I think it's too early for you to think about the time management. Having said that, you might have to tweak your approach a little for GMAT prep. Make sure you follow the following steps for each topic.
  Learn the concepts 
 Learn the methodology 
 Practice a few questions of that topic (Do not worry about time. Take your time to solve using the right methodology) 
 If the accuracy is less, revisit the concepts and methodology 
 Make sure to move to the next topic only after you get fair accuracy in that topic 
 Once you are done with all the topic, you can start taking timed quizzes

This is the right approach to prepare for GMAT. Do not worry about the time during the initial stages of preparation. Just focus on the process and the results will come your way. If you need any help regarding the GMAT prep, feel free to get in touch using the below link.

Click here to schedule a call

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi smartsev,

First off, it's been only 3 weeks, my friend, so just understand that you have not been at this for all that long:). Second, I think since you have some studying under your belt it may be helpful to take a practice exam to get a baseline score. If you are able to do so, feel free to report back with your score breakdown, and I can provide some additional advice. In the meantime, here are a few helpful articles:

The Phases of Preparing for the GMAT

How to Learn More, Learn Faster, and Retain More Knowledge While Preparing for the GMAT

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