Help Quick! I need a plan!

Question

Alright Team, I didn't want to have to do this but I am retaking the GMAT and I am having a hard time finding a good study plan. I work from 9-6 so I have a little time in the morning (I have a 1 hour commute both ways), 1 hour during lunch, and then some time at night. I feel I need to get more solid with the fundamentals i.e. advanced geometry, number properties, etc., but when I study those things I feel like I should be doing practice GMAT problems. Does anyone have a plan that incorporates both/does anyone have any suggestions on what they would do if they had 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour at lunch, and some time at night?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi bulldurham,

Before I can offer any advice, I'd like to know more about how you studied before and your timeline/goals:

1) How did you score on the Official GMAT (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
2) How long did you study?
3) What resources did you use?
4) What is your goal score?

5) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

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

srisaimeghana · Answer

hi,iam a student.i will complete my coaching around 15 august.my exam is on 10-october-2015.can u give me detailed schedule of preparation for gmat exam.please help me to get the best schedules from you guys...i want to score 600.so please help me.thank you

KarishmaB · Answer

Here is something which will work perfectly for you - your morning commute and the lunch hour - our 'On Demand' course. Here is an excerpt from our introduction on the On-Demand course. "Veritas Prep GMAT On Demand includes unlimited access to your own online account for 12 months. Follow a 30-, 60-, or 90-day study plan tailored to your ability level. Created by Veritas Prep Vice President of Academics Brian Galvin, the program includes 12 interactive lessons that use scientifically designed educational techniques and interactive question modules to track how you’re doing while you watch each lesson. The lessons are complemented with personalized progress guides, live homework help, and realistic GMAT practice tests" All video lessons are available streaming online or for permanent download and are viewable on your computer, iPad, and iPhone. Watch it at home, on the subway, on a plane, anywhere. Rewind, pause, fast forward, and prepare for the GMAT at your own pace. You can start a lesson on your PC and then later continue watching it on your iPad, so you can sneak in study time whenever it’s convenient. Each lesson is split into subsections of no more than 30 minutes, so you can squeeze study time into your busy schedule. " Check out the course details here: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/gmat-on-demand/ You can try it out for free here: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#/gmat-on ... ree-trial/

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi srisaimeghana,

It sounds like you're currently enrolled a class of some type.

1) How long have you been studying?
2) How have you been scoring on your CATs/mocks (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?

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

bulldurham · Answer

1) and 2) I scored a 36q and 38v. I completely laid an egg and had only studied for a couple weeks but I thought i had to apply last year and rushed everything. My practices are usually around 50th percentile q and 80th v. 
3) I have the manhattan online on-demand course but I didn't work through it all. now it's hard to sit through an entire lesson and do homework because the only time I have available for that is late at night. 
4) My goal score is 710-720 and I know i can do it. I have a really high GPA from a top university and i do great on tests... but not so great on standardized tests for some reason.

bulldurham · Answer

I want to take the GMAT before the September round of apps but I don't know if I could get the score that I want by then.

GMATPILLBILL · Answer

Hey bulldurham, Here is a customized 2-3 month study plan that can help boost your score: https://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-t ... study-plan Use this as a guideline. You don’t have to follow it exactly but the structure of the study plan should be the same structure that you take in your approach. This helps to optimize your retention and learning. Also, here is a list of PS questions for you to practice with: https://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-t ... -questions Explanatory videos, such as this, can help you understand the fundamental math concepts: https://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-t ... stion/1040 Best of luck-- and we are here to help.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi bulldurham,

If your Verbal ability is naturally that strong, and you could comfortably score in the high 30s or 40+ in that section, then you really just need to focus on your Quant skills. With upcoming Round 1 deadlines, you still have plenty of time to study and hit 700+, but you'll have to make some adjustments to how you handle the Quant section.

1) Have you scheduled your next GMAT yet (and if so, then when is it?)?
2) Do you know the exact application deadlines you're facing?

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

bulldurham · Answer

I just need to focus on quant. I want to take the test September 19. That is before the R1 deadline for Kellogg, Wharton, Tuck, and Duke.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi bulldurham,

Based on everything that you've described, I think that you would find the EMPOWERgmat Quant Score Booster to be quite helpful. Most of our clients complete that Study Plan in under a month, so it would fit your schedule nicely. We have a variety of free resources on our site (www.empowergmat.com), so you can 'test out' the Course before setting up an account.

If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly.

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

RichEconomistGMAT · Answer

Hi bulldurham,

We made a few suggestions for folks who are juggling full-time work and GMAT prep on our blog. You can check that out here: https://bit.ly/1OR17tq. To start, I think it's really important to get some GMAT time on a living calendar that you see everyday. Even if you have to move the "appointment," it'll serve as a constant reminder of what you'd like to accomplish on a given week.

Also, here's a link to try GMAT Tutor for 7 days. In addition to being adaptive to your specific needs, you can also customize your study plan based on your schedule and time constraints: https://bit.ly/1IXLfXU

Best of luck,
Rich

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