Guidance required to set up a study plan

Question

Aiming for a minimum of 700 score in the GMAT, need help in setting up a study plan. Currently going through MGMAT guides 5th edition. And I also own a OG 12th edition which i have not started studying yet. Am kind of good in learning math quickly but very poor in verbal. Am a home maker, so can dedicate atleast 4 to 5 hours of time daily for the preparation. Planning to give GMAT by mid June. My aim is to pursue MS in MIS in a good university. Have around 8 years of work experience in IT. Is the score 700 good enough to get admission into a good university? What are the top universities offering MS in MIS? Am a novice with very little knowledge. Any advice is most welcome.

GMATPill · Answer

We recommend focusing intensely on a particular subsection (e.g. SC, CR, or RC) before moving onto the next. This helps you minimize distractions with all the various types of questions and helps you maximize improvement/retention. So 5 intense days on SC -- followed by another 5 days for the next day and so on. When you feel comfortable, you can mix it up -- and then eventually test yourself with a practice test such as this one: www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-test/practice-test

manyatpr · Answer

Hi,

As you have mentioned that you are weak in verbal and for scoring a 700+ in GMAT, you have to have a good vocabulary to be able to understand the vocabulary in the GMAT CR and RC passages. However the RC passages require that you are able to understand the words used in the context of the passage. Hence it would be best if you start reading articles, science journals , business tabloids and read them online and figure out for yourself if you can understand the language and the main idea present in the passage. This would be a better way to tackle vocabulary on the GMAT.

For study plan, we would advise you to follow the steps below:

1. Start with a mock test. This will help you identify your strong and weak areas

2. If you plan to do self study, get your hands on the best preparatory material available in the market. Read one book thoroughly instead of 12 books. Trust the book you have chosen and follow the advice eked out from that book. Almost all books will deal with the important teaching points for scoring high on the GMAT hence reading too many books is a waste of time.

For best study material you can get some guidance here: https://blog.manyagroup.com/detail.html?authorid=59

3. Joining a coaching institute or an online study group is recommended because it gives structure to your preparation.

4. GMAT is about learning a few rules and perfecting a structured approach to the test which eventually helps one to get a good score. When you read your books please jot down the important points and apply them on the OG questions.

5. Do studying and test taking simultaneously. Keep doing a lot of tests and review your performance on a daily basis.

To get admission in top universities you need to target a score of 700+. You haven't mentioned the location from where you want to pursue your MS. Is it from India or abroad?

www.manyagroup.com

manyatpr · Answer

Attend GMAT Live Online Demo Session

Topic: GMAT SC, CR and Quant Math overview and Problem Solving

Date: 8th March

Time: 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Register here Now: https://www.manyagroup.com/gmatvirtualdemo/

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi JGD,

With a potential Test Date in mid-June, you've given yourself plenty of time to study, which is good. Since you haven't done enough research to know which Schools you're planning to apply to, you have no way of knowing what 'level' of GMAT score you should aim at. While most Test Takers *want* a 700+ score, you'd be surprised how many do NOT need a 700+ score to get into a great School.

If you have not yet done so, you should take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test. You can download 2 for free from www.mba.com. A full CAT takes about 4 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take the entire CAT in one sitting. You might find that first practice Test to be difficult, but that's okay - you'll study to build up that score in the coming months. Once you have those scores, you should report back here. That information will help in forming the proper study plan.

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

JTuquero · Answer

Hi JGD,

It has been a few weeks since you've posted. Were you able to develop a study plan that works for you? If not, here are few "soft" items to consider:

1. Plan your study schedule backwards from your test date
2. Monitor your progress - keep an error log 
3. Assess the amount of time you can devote to studying per week
4. Experiment with different learning environments, and choosing one or two that work best for you
5. Explore any additional test prep tools that work for you (e.g. note-taking on a scratchpad, forums)

On another note, you mentioned that verbal is a weakness. Did you take a CAT exam? Do you know which Verbal questions stump you? Once we get a better idea of where you stand, we can be more specific with our tips.

Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.

Jessica

Guidance required to set up a study plan

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