Going from 410 to 700+

Question

Hi all,

I took the official exam about 3 weeks ago and scored a devastating 410. I canceled my score right away.

I was studying for 1.5 prior to taking the test. I only took the official exam to gain a better understanding of my current situation. I only used the  OG 17  and  Magoosh GMAT  as my study materials.

Now:  
I'm back and ready to start studying for the GMAT again. My goal is to be in the  85th - 90th  percentile in order to apply to my dream business schools.

I'm not really sure what study materials i should purchase this time to achieve my goal. I'm planning to study 2 hours on weekdays and 4 hours on weekends as i'm currently working full time. I can even squeeze in an extra hour on weekdays in the morning to review previous day material if needed.

Any help and guidance is truly appreciated.

Thank you
Roham

Kritesh · Answer

Hi RohamP ,

Welcome to the GMAT Club and do not be so self critical of yourself as such things happens to all of us.
Even i ended up getting an 470 on my first GMAT Prep mock test.!

However to score on the higher end of the exam from where your current score is you need to put in more effort to understand the fundamental concepts in both verbal and quant. Be thorough with it and then prepare an error log while solving the questions. This will help you understand what are you weak areas and where you need to improve.

For more details please refer to the below link provided by bb

https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-study-plan-how-to-start-your-gmat-prep-80727.html

If you could go through the 3 month study plan as mentioned in the above link at a consistent pace i am sure you would end up getting your desired score

All the best with your preparations then!!

AjiteshArun · Answer

When are you planning to take the exam again? Also, how long did you prepare last time (1.5 months?) and what was your quant/verbal split?

Most takers need 3-4 months to prepare well for the exam, so you should plan for at least that much time. I'm not sure that you need to change your prep material immediately. Have you worked through all the concepts there?

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Best Books 1. Manhattan GMAT Quant Guides 2. Manhattan GMAT Verbal guides or Aristotle Verbal Guide for CR critical reasoning bible is best book with 300+ pages of comprehensive Data Strategies Start with Quant, learn the concepts tested on GMAT. After learning, practice your learned section with timed practice. You can also take quizzes to meet the pace of GMAT. 1 Month for learning concepts and 15 days of practice and same with the verbal. When completed all the concepts learning and handsome practice. Take full lenght CATs, know your estimated score. Analyze the result with Correct/incorrect questions, pacing analysis trace your mistakes and learn from them, make an error log to know your mistakes in the previously attempted questions Best Mocks 1. Official GMAC (50+50$) 2. Manhattan GMAT (49$) Good Luck Cheers

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi Roham,

Raising a 410 to a 700+ will be a challenging task - and will likely take at least another 3 months of consistent, guided study. As part of your training, you'll have to make significant improvements to how you handle BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. 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 your goals:

1) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
2) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
3) How do you know you "need" a 700+ Score to apply to these Schools?

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

RohamP · Answer

AjiteshArun ,
Thank you for your reply.

I'm planning to take the test in about 3 months. I studied about 1-2 hours a day during by 1.5 months of studying. I don't remember the split.

I never got to finish all the questions from the OG. I only too the official test to get a feel for the exam. I think i need to focus on learning from mistakes and creating some form of error log.

Thank you

RohamP · Answer

SajjadAhmad

Thank you for your reply. I've purchased the  Manhathan Gmat Prep Books . Hopefully i'll be able to achieve the desired score this time.

ccooley · Answer

I think the way you're studying matters even more than the materials you're using. Even with a great set of books, you can study either well or poorly. Good studying involves repeatedly going back to review old material, staying engaged (studying with a pen and paper and actually working out examples and practice problems), and continuing to work towards mastery rather than being satisfied with 'I get it'. Just reading the books isn't good enough (although obviously I think the MPrep books are great.

)

AjiteshArun · Answer

I think you already know at least one possible way forward: to try to work through all the material you have. And you're right: you need to learn from your mistakes, and an error log could help with that.

So set a date by which you want to finish the material you already have (I'd go with 1-1.5 months at most, if you're already comfortable with some of it), and until you're absolutely sure that you've  mastered  it, don't look for additional material. New material will probably just distract you. You'll also want to track the progress you're making, so taking a full length test every 3 weeks or so could help. Getting the additional GMATPrep exam pack tests could help there.

EREZexamPAL · Answer

Hi there

If you are aiming for 700+, planing your GMAT prep is crucial.
The first thing you should consider is that most students who scored more than 700 spent 100 hours or more to prepare.
 https://www.mba.com/global/the-gmat-blog-hub/the-official-gmat-blog/2013/sep/study-smart-for-your-best-gmat.aspx

So if you have 18 hours every week, I suggest to spend at least 6 weeks to prepare. Make it 7 to stay on the safe side and make room for the unexpected.
 
 Here's a 2 months study plan you can use .

Feel free to contact our tutors whenever you want. Just go to examPAL and use the small bubble at the bottom right side of the screen.

	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.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	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

Going from 410 to 700+

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