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Question

Hi,
I'm planing to start preparing for gmat and i just browsed through the study plan given.I have a few things to clear out.I'm planning to start with princeton review-cracking gmat 2010 edition and then proceed on to the official guide for gmat.I'm confused with official guide for gmat editions.is there a 2010 edition available?Is kaplan better or princeton better?Would i need a classroom course for a better score?Pls help me out on where do i exactly start.
Reg,
Lalitha

TimeSquareDesi · Answer

the latest edition of the OG is OG12. OG11 (the one with the yellow cover) is the previous edition but it's still a great resource for questions.

lalitharamesh · Answer

ok:) is that alone enough?or do i need to refer to other books like kaplan,manhattan,princeton?which if these is good?

ThomasD · Answer

Well that all depends on multiple things, for example

a) what skills do you bring to the table / how much basic review do you need
b) what score are you shooting for 
c) any particular weaknesses / questions types where you really struggle
d) timing problems ?

All these will contribute to what materials you should consider. Here is my two cents, the OG12 is a must have, but I wouldnt start with that I would save it for later. Two ways you could start: Take one of the free CAT exams to give you a ballpark figure where you stand or take one of the two gmatprep CATs - I wouldn't do that immediately, they are to valuable to be used without any prep. Next I would start with a general book by one of the big companies, work through the chapters and do another prep. By now I would think you should already see a significant improvement as you will have been introduced to a lot of the common GMAT traps and tricks. Then take it from there depending on what score you need/desire. Also check some of the guides on here, just search for 'guide'. There is also plenty of info on the individual books around

BarneyStinson · Answer

Your Id suggests you must be a charming damsel from the exotic country of India. GMAT is a tough nut to crack, especially when there is no lead where to start from or how to delve into it deeper!!!

Gladly, there is lots of help around on this forum. My personal suggestion, keep away from the books for some time. The following is the best study plan I could suggest, of course, these include things I have regretfully learnt after a recent debacle.
1) Browse this forum the most. Find every interesting topic and read it. Solve and answer to questions and this will help you understand where you stand as far as typical GMAT questions are concerned. Spend a week thoroughly to first understand what you know.
2) Now you know your short-comings, what you lack with math or verbal, skills that could help you boost your score to a first degree.
3) Read Manhattan books now, this will refresh all that you have learnt and don't remember anymore or that you have learnt while solving questions from this forum. Read the books for more than 2 weeks, thoroughly. Refer Powerscore CR bible exclusively for CR and OG math content is sufficient for revising quant.
4) Now start an Error Log, solve questions from all books you can get your hands on. After solving a series of questions, say 20 of each type each day, review each and every question, why you got it right and why you got it wrong. Note down any tricks and traps along with the specific example for future revision. Keep this a regular activity, for more than a month.
5) After all Manhattan, Kaplan, Powerscore books are done, then come to OG. OG is the bible for the perfect GMAT sentence structure styling and language formats. By now, you must know specifics of approach towards each question type, all you need to learn is the exact style of questions that appear on the test. 
6) All through since you start your error-log, attempt some mock tests, may be once or twice a month, keep more of them for a later date, especially the GMAT Preps to the last of your preparation. 
7) When you find yourself confident, plan for a date to give the test and by now, you know exactly how to go about it already.
8) All of this will take around 4 months of committed time.

Wishing you all the very best for your test.

ManhattanReview · Answer

The Official Guide 12th edition is definitely a must-have for your GMAT prep. While the updates between the 12th and the 11th editions were to a large extent aesthetic in nature, those changes that were made are worth knowing to get into the top score range.

While there are a lot of good materials out there, having someone walk you through the material tends to make a big difference in a relatively short period of time... especially if you know what topic you need help in.

Manhattan Review has some good tutoring options available. We also have a great self-study package with access to online recordings of gmat instruction which is a relatively inexpensive option for extra prep. If you're interested, give us a call at the number below, mention GMAT Club, and we'll work on getting you a reduced price

Hope this helps!

Manhattan Review US
US: +1-212-997-1660
UK: +44-20 3318 3131
Study with Friends - US$200 Shared Rewards!

Hope this helps! Manhattan Review US US: +1-212-997-1660 UK: +44-20 3318 3131 Study with Friends - US$200 Shared Rewards!

Cclay · Answer

Hi Lalitha,

There's already been some very good advice for you on this forum, and it sounds like you're in a good starting place. I would add to what others say the following:

1. Start by taking a practice GMAT. We offer one free on our site here: https://www.manhattangmat.com/free-gmat.cfm

2. Once you've taken that, analyze where your strengths and weaknesses lie. Our practice test comes with some good diagnostics, where you can go back and see what questions you got right and wrong.

3. Based on how you did, tailor your studying accordingly. Others have mentioned the Manhattan GMAT books we offer, and they're split up by type, so if you're having trouble with Sentence Correction questions, for example, you could look at our Sentence Correction guide specifically. The other nice thing about the books is that we list problems in the OG that have to do with each topic we teach, so you can focus on specific areas as needed.

In terms of taking a class or studying by yourself, that's totally up to how you study best. It might be worth starting by yourself, seeing how you do, and going from there. Navigating all of the information out there can be tough, though, and we do offer a Guided Self Study option that comes with our books and lots of online resources and some one-on-one phone time with an instruction. We also offer live online courses if you feel you need a class setting.

Best of luck with your studying, and feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions about Manhattan GMAT materials or course offerings.

Caitlin Clay
Student Services Associate
Manhattan GMAT
1-800-576-4628

lalitharamesh · Answer

Hi everybody, Thanks a lot for giving me the right guidance to make a start.I am planning to take a diagnostic test to know where I stand and then proceed on to deciding my strong and weak sections.

Reg Lalitha

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