GMAT journey + advice

Question

Hi All,

I hope everyone is well and safe. After an unsuccessful attempt at the GMAT at the end of last year I am planning to start the "climb" once again. I would really appreciate some advice and input from people who might have been in my shoes or people who are beginning the journey, too!

Currently, the plan is to spend the next 12-14 weeks covering the MGMAT Quant books (all five) and OG + OG Quant book. Afterwards, spend 8-10 weeks on the MGMAT verbal + OG Verbal. The final part (3-4 weeks) would be spend doing mocks and focusing on weaker areas. My questions for which I would really appreciate some input are:

1: As MGMAT does not have many practice questions, I was thinking either buying the MGMAT app (c.1100 questions) or invest in the GMATclub one (c.1500 questions and many mocks). 
2: Should I follow each MGMAT book (e.g. Algebra MGMAT followed by the OG Algebra questions) or complete all MGMAT books and then move to the OG Quant.
3: Should I complete all Quant work firstly before moving to verbal or complete all MGMAT books (quant and verbal) and then move to the OG guide.

Good luck to everyone taking the test in these difficult times. Stay safe and keep grinding!

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi kokus,

Although I cannot provide exact guidance based on your prep materials, I’d be happy to provide some general advice on how to improve your GMAT quant and verbal skills. So if you’d like some further advice, feel free to reach out. In the meantime, you may find it helpful to read the following article:

How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT — A Mini Guide for Success

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi kokus,

In September of 2019, you were talking about taking a live GMAT Course and taking the Official GMAT in December. Did you follow that plan and did you take the Official GMAT as scheduled (and if you did take the GMAT, then how did you score - including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

From what you describe, you're considering a 6-8 month study plan - and that type of lengthy time commitment might not be necessary. Before you commit to a new study plan, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on your prior studies and your goals:

Studies:
1) What type of study routine did you follow last year? How long has it been since you were consistently studying?
2) What study materials have you used so far?
3) On what dates did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?

Goals:
4) What is your overall goal score?
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

kokus · Answer

Hi Rich,

Many thanks for the reply, it is really nice to see a reply by an expert, and much appreciated!

It is fair to say that this would be my first 'proper' attempt to the GMAT. Last year, I refreshed my math by using MGMAT foundations of math and proceeded to go over the 5 MGMAT books. I was going to take my first CAT afterwards, as before this point it was pointless, as I could barely answer any question on the geometry or algebra section, leave alone answering the question in the time constraints. However, due to personal circumstances I had to pause my study and postpone my applications for the subsequent year. My plan is to go over the MGMAT Quant again alongside with the OG quant, and do the same for the verbal part. I am also considering buying some complementary materials, such as the GMATclub question bank, the 3&4 and 5&6 official CAT's pack and Jeff Sackman total GMAT Math book.

This time however, I will probably go section by section in detail and not waste time to go over the whole foundations of math again. My thought process is that it would be easier to move forward and understand each section in detail, by mastering arithmetic and algebra first, and then moving to Geometry, Word problems and Statistics & Probability.

I am looking for a Q49 & V40 score, or a 720 overall. This is why I am willing to devote more time and resources. I am looking to apply in either late October or late December (depending on when I take the GMAT).

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi kokus,

Since you're not planning to apply until the end of the year, you've given yourself plenty of time to study and work on your applications - which is great! From what you describe, your immediate study plan is 'book heavy'; unfortunately, many Test Takers who study in that way end up getting 'stuck' at a particular score level. Even the best books are limited in what they can teach you; they also can't force you to approach questions in a certain way and their explanations are often one-sided. There's no harm in starting off your studies in that fashion, but you're interested in a Score Goal that is above the 90th percentile (meaning that most GMATers never score that high on the Official Exam regardless of how long they study) - and that type of outcome is challenging enough without limiting your studies to book materials.

In addition, it's important to take FULL-LENGTH CATs at regular intervals (since there are Test-taking skills that take time to develop, but that can really only be learned by taking CATs over time). If you end up having individual issues when taking tests, then the earlier we learn about those issues, the more time that we'll have to 'fix' them (as opposed to only learning that information in the last few weeks of your studies and not having enough time to properly address them).

Since it sounds like you're just beginning your studies, then 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). 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 those scores, you should report back here (or you can feel free to PM me directly) and we can come up with a study plan.

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

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