Done with OG 2019. Which prep book should I study with from now?

Question

Hello fellow forum users,

I just finished the whole OG 2019 bundle including IR.

To study more, I'm currently concerned about which prep book should I choose next.

These are two prep books that I have right now.

1. OG 2020 bundle 
I completely forgot that I have 2019 OG already when I ordered this.

2.All the GMAT (Manhattan prep)
Recently purchased. Was thinking to start after the OG2019, but the existence of OG 2020 makes me hesitated.

Should I go with OG2020, then All the GMAT? or since I finished OG 2019, should I go straight with the Manhattan?

*hope this is not an inappropriate question on this board...

Russ19 · Answer

Suppose when you are done with algebra concepts from a Mprep strategy guide, you can resolve the DS or PS on the same chapter from OG20; thus, you may do both simultaneously.

Toffelfabriken · Answer

The thing about the OG is that while it has a lot of real GMAT questions, it offers very little in terms of strategy. Ideally, you'd want to learn some efficient ways of solving various problems before practicing using them on the OG questions. In my experience, the Manhattan books offers a great deal of strategies.

Don't worry though. Just go to the Manhattan books next and try to learn how to solve questions more efficiently.

This assumes that you've done a mock test before, though. If you haven't, I would strongly suggest doing one. This is simply to find out which areas are difficult for you, so you know where your study time would be best spent.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi soohoh12,

From what you describe, you have worked through over 1000 practice questions already, but have you taken any practice CATs/mocks yet? If you have, then how did you score? If you have not, then you should plan to take one soon (perhaps this weekend). 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 current 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 your Score, you should report back here (or you can PM me directly) and we can discuss the results and how you might best proceed with your studies.

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 take the GMAT?
3) 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

soohoh12 · Answer

Thank you for your advice. 
Since I haven't taken any mock test, I took the GMAT official practice test today. ( TTL 660, V32, Q49).

I was kind of pressed for time in verbal. Suppose I should learn some strategies through Manhatten books while reviewing by OG2020.

soohoh12 · Answer

I got TTL 660 (V32 Q49) with 7 in IR for practice test 1.
the score seems OK.... but considering the difficulty of the practice test, it'ss not okay I think...

1) What is your goal score?

→my goal score is 720-740

2) When are you planning to take the GMAT?

→My most recent test is scheduled on the 24th of Sept.

3) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

→I'm planning to apply next year 1st and 2nd round. Currently thinking of LBS, UCLA, Haas.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi soohoh12,

Studying for the GMAT now - far in advance of when you will actually "need" your Score - is a smart choice. In addition, your 660 is a fantastic initial CAT score (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 550 most years). With your current Test Date, you have a little over 7 weeks of potential study time - and you could potentially hit 720+ in that timeframe, as long as you are focused on learning and practicing the proper Verbal Tactics.

1) Is your Official Test Date the At-home GMAT or are you scheduled take your GMAT at a Test Facility?
2) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

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

soohoh12 · Answer

Thanks for your encouragement.
I'm also worried about AWA since I'm not that used to writing in English.
(I have only 5.5 in writing in IELTS)

Anyway, to answer your questions:

1) Is your Official Test Date the At-home GMAT or are you scheduled take your GMAT at a Test Facility?

I booked a facility-held test.

2) Going forward, how many hours do you think you can consistently study each week?

Approximately 20hours/week
(2hours per weekday, 5hours per Sat/Sun)

Posted from my mobile device

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Regarding prep courses, in addition to seeking advice in this thread, take a look at the GMAT Club reviews for the best quant and verbal courses, and also read through some GMAT success stories to see what materials have worked well for other test-takers.

You also may find it helpful to read this article about how to score a 700+ on the GMAT.

Good luck!

You also may find it helpful to read this article about  how to score a 700+ on the GMAT .

Good luck!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi soohoh12,

If you can consistently study approximately 20 hours a week, then you could potentially improve a great deal in the time that you have. That having been said, you will have to be efficient with your studies going forward and you will have to take your practice CATs in a realistic fashion that matches up with what you will face on Test Day (take the FULL Exam - including the Essay and IR sections, take them at the same time of day, wear a mask during the Exam, etc.).

The AWA/Essay is a standard part of the Exam - and as long as you score at least a 4.0 (out of 6.0), then that result would likely be fine for your applications. That's actually a fairly easy goal to achieve - and there are a number of different Essay 'templates' that you could follow. They're all based on the same general framework (to help you organize your ideas and present them in a specific way). At this point, your time is better spent working on the Verbal section and developing those skills, so you shouldn't focus too much effort on the AWA just yet.

Based on all of the information that you have provided, I think that you would find the EMPOWERgmat Verbal Score Booster to be quite helpful. Most of our clients finish that Study Plan in under a month, so it would fit your schedule perfectly. During that time, you'll also be able to access any of the Quant resources that interest you. We have a variety of free resources on our site (www.empowergmat.com), so you can 'test out' the Course before setting up an account.

If you have any additional questions, then just let me know (and you can feel free to contact me directly if you like).

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

vamshikaithi · Answer

Hi,
I think you should an official mock and then decide. I don't think OG would be sufficient to learn all the concepts and strategies required to score well on GMAT. I personally took a classroom coaching and studied using OG, but ended up scoring only 570. Then I realized that I need something more structured which helps me with the concepts and also the strategies. Then I went with an online course and scored a 680 in my second attempt. I'm still trying for 700+. So, I recommend you to take the right step before its too late. There are high chances that you might want to reschedule or take another attempt because just studying from OG and few random resources won't help you score well. So, make sure you use the right resource now itself and start studying from it. All the best!

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi soohoh,

Basically, there is not much difference between OG 2019 and 2020. OG 2020 has a few more questions than OG 2019. Apart from that, I don’t think there’s any difference. Having said that, I would like to know whether you have taken any mock? If yes, what’s your score in it? Answers to these questions will help me guide you better. Let me tell you why.

What GMAT actually tests? 
GMAT is one such test which emphasizes more on application of concepts rather than just the concepts. The reason why students take a lot of time to prepare for GMAT is because 
  they do not understand what is it that is actually tested on GMAT 
 so, they start their preparation by practicing questions from OG or a few random materials 
 When they take a mock, they get shattered on seeing the score as months of preparation could only get them the average score a beginner will get. 
 So, they start seeking advises regarding the study strategy and start their preparation from scratch.

As you see, a lot of time, effort and money gets wasted in the process. GMAT is a test which requires a considerable investment of all three parameters. So, it is important to make sure to invest them in the right manner and get the desired result.

Is OG really sufficient? 
Now ask yourself a question. Did solving questions from OG teach you the concepts and the methodology to solve them? I understand that OG is the most standard material you can get for GMAT like questions. But before solving questions, ask yourself whether you have the right conceptual understanding and the right strategies to solve those questions. The score of your mock will tell you the result. If you feel you need to improve your understanding of the concepts and the methodology, I recommend you to do that using a standard resource.

What do I mean by a standard resource? 
Now, you must be wondering what qualifies a resource to be standard? Let me help you here. There are plenty of resources online which teach you the course content for GMAT. The content taught is more or less the same. But there are few factors which differentiate an ordinary resource from an extra-ordinary one.

Way of teaching:

Even though, the concepts taught my most online courses are more or less the same, what differentiates them is the way they teach the concepts. There is a particular way of teaching concepts by which students learn the concepts along with the methodology required to solve the questions. And once they learn, it is important to apply that learning on a few GMAT like questions to solidify that learning.

Adaptability:

And not all students are capable of learning in one go. Students falter in a few topics and it is important to identify those areas and work on them. The course has to help students identify their weaker areas and provide a few improvement modules to work on them.

Study plan:

The most important thing that makes a course extra-ordinary is its ability to provide a personalized study plan. Students find it difficult to organize things and plan their studies accordingly. In their busy life, balancing work and studies becomes a hectic task. So, the course has to provide a proper study plan with clear deadlines so that students can focus just on finishing those weekly tasks assigned to them.

So, while looking for a course, make sure that you choose a course which provides you with all the above features. The best way to select the course is to check the free trial of the course and then decide whether it is suitable for you or not.

If you are open to suggestions, I would like you to take a check at the course of GMATWhiz. 
  It is one unique course which offers you the best quality content and employs an artificial intelligence driven learning. 
 It offers you a personalized study plan which is integrated with the course. The concept booster and practice quizzes after every concept video help you solve GMAT like questions using the right methodology.  
 It offers you real time improvement modules so that you can work on your weaker areas right away.

There are many more exciting features offered by the course. I would recommend you to check the free trial of GMATWhiz before taking the decision.
If you are looking to buy mock tests, I recommend you to take only the official ones because those are the most reliable ones and they use the same algorithm used in the actual GMAT test. These mocks will help you assess your level and help you analyse your weaker areas as well.

Hope it helped! If you have any more concerns regarding the GMAT preparation or wish to know more about study strategy, you can always write back or a better way would be to discuss over a call. You can schedule a free consultation call using the below link.

Click here to schedule a call

	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Done with OG 2019. Which prep book should I study with from now?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards