***HELP NEEDED*** GMAT Tips for Quant

Question

Hi,

Let me give you overview of what I am currently doing.

In the morning, I do about 3 sets (one set being about an hour +- 15 minutes + 5 Minute break) for about 3.5 hours. After work, I either do 1 or 2 sets. So, I spend about 5 hours pure studying on week day. On weekends, I do 1-2 sets more but do not deviate from my usual study plan. All in all, approximately 30-35 hours per week.

So far for Verbal section, I covered  Manhattan GMAT Sentence Correction  and   Critical Reasoning Bible   (People mentioned that CR Bible is much better than GMAT Critical Reasoning--However, I will cover Manhattan GMAT CR too).

So,here is question!!!

I am currently covering GMAT Quant Section using Manhattan GMAT (6th edition). I have just finished first 3 books out of 5. My plan is to finish all 5 and do  OG Math . I think i will be doing  OG Quant Review (300 questions)  too.

If I stick to my plan for Quant, do you think it will be enough to achieve 50 or higher? If not, please provide any suggestions. To give you little more details, I usually got 750 or higher on SAT 1 Math section.

GMAT experts, please provide me with any guidance.

Thanks!

RichEconomistGMAT · Answer

Hi koreafort,

Before we go any further, I should ask if you've taken a practice GMAT yet. While your SAT math score is impressive, the best predictor of future GMAT success is to see how you perform on a practice exam (which should be done under the same time constraints as an official GMAT). If you've already taken a practice GMAT, please let us know where your strengths/weaknesses were so we can all best assist you. If not, I'd strongly suggest starting there before diving into 35+ hrs of prep. Even if you feel confident about quant now, a practice exam is a great way to confirm this strength.

Best,
Rich

koreafortress · Answer

Rich,

Thank you for the response.

I did not want to take the practice test w/o basic concepts covered . That's why I am working on MGMAT and OG first to prepare myself.

Once my weak area is spotted after taking practice test, I think I will have enough to time to cover the ground.

What do you think?

RichEconomistGMAT · Answer

The number of hours sounds like a lot, so I also should have asked when you're planning to take the GMAT. If you're 3-4 months away, that amount of studying might even be too much (depending on what you discover after you take your practice exam).

Best,
Rich

Best,
Rich

koreafortress · Answer

I hope that is a lot given my time frame.

Thinking of targeting 1st round deadlines which usually fall between September and October. However, I desire to spare some time for essay so possibly finish by End of July (4 months)? or End of August (5 months) at the latest?

I started studying at the end of March but I actually covered few sections an year ago that gives me some head start.

Plan is to cover all Quant concepts by end of this week and finish Quant OG problems (including OG Quant 300 Review) by end of April or early May. Then, cover RC and CR in May. Spend entire June and July going over Error notes, reviewing difficult concepts, and taking practice tests.

Does it sound too simplistic?

RichEconomistGMAT · Answer

It's not too simplistic if it's working for you. Since you've got a good amount of time before your official exam, I think you've got plenty of time. Most test takers give themselves anywhere from 3-4 months to prepare. Gauge your progress as you go by taking practice exams periodically. If you find you're not grasping concepts/getting the scores you want, then you can course correct.

Best of luck!
Rich

Best of luck!
Rich

koreafortress · Answer

So, circling back to my initial question now:

"In general,"  Manhattan GMAT Quant  and  OG Math  would be somewhat enough to achieve 50 or higher?

What do you think? Any suggestion?

I know I need to cover my weak spot to get there but asking in general sense.

RichEconomistGMAT · Answer

Most test prep materials offer trial memberships to give you the ability to shop around a bit. You should absolutely take advantage of this and see what works best for you. To help you get started, here's a link to sign up for a free trial of The Economist's GMAT Tutor: https://bit.ly/1aKYX0U

Best,
Rich

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi koreafort,

It sounds like you've been studying for just a few weeks, and it's understandable that you'd want to familiarize yourself with the material. However, you've skipped an IMPORTANT part of the process....taking a FULL-LENGTH CAT so you can get a 'baseline' score and have a basis for comparison. You mentioned wanting to score a Q50, but we don't even know what your current "level" is yet, so we have no way of knowing if you're actually studying the right subjects (or doing so correctly).

For all those reasons, in the beginning, taking a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT is important; you can download 2 for free from www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). A FULL CAT takes about 4 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.

You've given yourself plenty of time to study, which is good. Right now, it sounds like you're studying too much though. Doing 35 hours/week of study might lead to "burn out", which we want to avoid.

I'd like to know a bit more about your goals:
1) What is your goal score?
2) Have you thought about which Business Schools you want to apply to?

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

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