My GMAT Journey - 5 weeks left to study

Question

Updated on 3.27.12 : My exam is coming up in exactly 2 weeks. For the past three weeks, I have gone through the 8 MGMAT books excluding the CR one and substituted it with the Powerscore GMAT CR Bible. I'm a bit behind compared to my original plan. Plus, even though I have studied in depth the above 8 books, I think the amount of information is so overwhelming that I need to sit down and do a big summary of all the rules and strategies that the books provide. I think there is a thread on GMAT club about the AWA that I will study from. It should be enough, correct? Last week I took the GMAT Club Quant set 1 and didn't do that well. I got tired from dealing with so many different types of questions, one after the other. My timing was not too off, which was the only good thing. That was the only practice test that I have done so far. I think this means that I just need to do a lot more practice. I still have the OG 12th ed. left, which I will use just for questions. I have the official gmat prep test and 6 mgmat cats. As I'm doing these practices, I'll be able to tell better which my strengths and weakness are. Do you guys think all these are enough to get a 700+ score? Also, are they doable / effective to try to do ALL in these last two weeks? I'm worried because 1. There are just an overwhelming amount of preparation for the GMAT out there that I feel like I'm not doing enough even as I have gone through 8 books. 2. What if I only have weaknesses and no strengths, can I still achieve the score that I want with this short amount of time? Should I still give it a try in 2 weeks and maybe take another test later or should I just extend the test date? Thank you in advance for all your guidance and support! Original post : Hi, I'm taking the GMAT for the first time in about 5 weeks from now. I'm aiming for 700+. I plan to devote 6-8 hours of intense study per day since I don't have a lot of time left. I'm familiarizing myself with the GMAT Club and thought of starting a study diary to keep myself on track. I hope to receive advice from other GMAT takers on the forum. If there is anything that I can help from my end, please let me know as I am happy to do so. I haven't taken any practice tests yet. Right now I have access to the official prep tests (I registered for the exam already) and a free MGMAT CAT (I'm thinking of purchasing the other 5). Honestly, I'm a little confused to when I should take the practice tests. I plan to go through the 8 MGMAT books by the end of next week, 03/11/2012. Then take my first practice test. I am not a great test-taker. Thus, I want to get my foundation down first then tackle the practice exams. Does anyone suggest otherwise? Books : OG 12th edition 8 MGMAT books Powerscore GMAT CR Bible by Killoran GMAT Club tests Any other books that you think is a must? Background : Non-native English speaker. I read frequently but I'm sure I still have to spend some time on Verbal. I'm good at Math but a bit rusty. Recent grad. Going into investment banking for full-time. Thanks for reading and thank you in advance for all your help and guidance! GMAT here I come :-D

FatRiverPuff · Answer

I'm using the exact same materials you are (minus the MGMAT Verbal Guides). Unlike most people however, I have trouble with math. My plan is to go through all the MGMAT Math Guides within the first week (i.e. March 10) and to complete the problems in OG Quant the next day (March 11) before taking my first CATs (March 12 and 13, MGMAT and GMATPrep, respectively). I'll only feel comfortable taking a GMATPrep CAT once I've nailed the quant basics and all the OG questions. I'd feel as though I'm wasting the exam otherwise. Same with the GMAT Club Tests. There's just no point in me touching them at this point, esp given how incredibly difficult they are.

For Verbal, I read a lot, around 3-5 books a week usually. I like Wodehouse. Th Powerscore Bible is also a fun read but it was almost too much fun so I'll type up some notes today to give myself a feeling of accomplishment.

cecilpaladin32 · Answer

I also used a very similar strategy plan. I'm supplementing the same books you are using with 3 more:

Aristotle Holy Grail - (I just needed a simple grammar primer)
MGMAT Advanced Quant - (I feel that at this point hard math questions are what I need to boost my Q score)
Total GMAT Math - (same as above)

With 5 weeks left, your practice CATs will probably be a strong indicator of what your current standing is. Good luck with your prep!

wayahead123 · Answer

Hi,

I believe that its the time that you actually define your strengths and weaknesses.

you can ideally take one or two tests in next 4/5 days, and structure the plan.

prepare a small chart of strengths and weakness,,, and put all subtopics under each head... during real example.. u gotta know what are your strengths, and what are your weaknesses, because if you end up giving more time to your weakness, you might not be able to take full advantage of all your strengths.

Before i appeared for gmat , i was scoring only 570/580 in gmatprep, i had very little time to prepare , i adopted the strategy of giving more time ( though there must be limit to this more word

) to my strengths, and i scored 620 in real gmat, because in a few days what you can change the most is your strategy.. content mastery takes time.

Last but not least, do not go on you guts to define your strengths, please study your own statistics to determine your strengths.

and all the best for your test.

) to my strengths, and i scored 620 in real gmat, because in a few days what you can change the most is your strategy.. content mastery takes time. Last but not least, do not go on you guts to define your strengths, please study your own statistics to determine your strengths. and all the best for your test.

TheEntrepreneur · Answer

Hi

I think you're thinking about it the right way. I would go through the 8 guides (except RC and CR), and then do one MGMAT CAT, as you really want to save the official Gmat PREP CATs til the end to gauge your eventual progress. I would only go through the basic sections of every guide. You can focus on advanced sections after your first CAT, if you notice a need. After all, not all subjects are created equal in the GMAT exam; the GMAT is heavily focused on Numbers Properties, Word Translations, and VICs. You may get intimidated by the number of combinatoric and probability questions you see on the MGMAT, but in actuality, the proportion tested on such subjects are insignificant at best on the real test. Try to get in the habit of taking 1-2 CATs a week, to track progress, and to redirect your studying efforts going forward. I will be doing the same.

askou · Answer

Whatever strategy you intend to follow don't exhaust yourseful the last two days before the exam. I did that mistake the first time I took it and the result was miserable. Also try to build stamina by taking some sample tests and write the two essays as well. I didn't have time to do that and the day of the exam I suffered throughout the Verbal section.

dzodzo85 · Answer

How did the test go? I hope and believe that it went well for you.

	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

My GMAT Journey - 5 weeks left to study

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