4 weeks to prep - which course should I purchase?

Question

Hi everyone - I've been reading through the forums and surprisingly didn't run across a similar question. I have exactly 4 weeks from today until my exam date. Current score 630, need to focus mostly on quant to get my score up to 700+. Studying for the test is my full-time job for the next 4 weeks. I have all the MGMAT books, OG and gmatclub quant book and am fully motivated to spend as much as 8-10 hours a day working on this, but find myself feeling like I'm studying a lot and not learning what I need to improve.

I think I need more guidance, structure and feedback than books alone will give me in this short time frame. So I'm considering buying the MGMAT Online live accelerated course ($1200) that starts now and runs for 4 weeks (6 class hours per week). Has anyone been through this course? Anyone advise against (or for) this? And is there another approach that would give me structure and quant emphasis during this time-compressed period?

Thanks for the feedback!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi CDF20037,

Before you spend so much money on you studies, you really need to better-define some aspects of your studies so far:

1) How long have you been studying?
2) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
3) Did you take the FULL CAT each time (including the Essay and IR sections)?

4) Do you have the flexibility to push back your Test Date, if needed?

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

CDF20037 · Answer

Hi Rich, thanks for the reply. I probably should have provided more detail. I took the sample MGMAT CAT including AWA and IR. Quant score 36 (36%ile) and Verbal 39 (86%ile). I have spent several days with MGMAT Foundations of GMAT Math, and done virtually no study so far on verbal. Am ready to move on to the strategy books for verbal but struggling with getting past fundamentals in quant. I need to hit at least 85%ile on quant. Verbal will work itself out... realistically I expect to hit 90-93%ile on that with minimal effort. Would be nice to get that higher, but quant is my achilles heel at this point. Target score is anything above 700, with quant at least 80-85%ile.

As I mentioned, I have 4 weeks until I take the test and unfortunately, no, I can't push it back. This is why studying books on my own is not going to cut it for this compressed time frame. I need feedback in real time on basic things (like how to rephrase DS questions into algebraic problems), a guide who can walk me through the things I need to know without wasting a lot of time, and more structure to the homework and additional study program than what I have now. I don't have the budget to pay for a private tutor, but can afford a class.

I've tested Economist GMAT and REALLY dislike their product and format. So now I'm looking at a MGMAT accelerated live online class and trying to decide whether that's the way to go or if there's something else out there that is more customizable to focus on the things I really need. Feedback much appreciated!

Thanks for responding!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

HI CDF20037,

With such a short timeframe, you'll have to work efficiently while still approaching your CATs correctly. There's a reality to Test Day that you CAN train for, but you have to be detail-oriented about how you take your CATS. As such, you have to take the FULL CAT (including the Essay and IR sections) every time, at the same time of day as your Official GMAT, away from your home, in a realistic and test-like environment, etc.

As far as your goals are concerned, these days the 80th percentile in Quant is above a Q49 - which is a score that most Test Takers cannot achieve. Thankfully, if your Verbal Scaled Scores continue to be strong (around V40, give or take), then you do not need a Q49 to score 700+ overall.

Using a Q36 for comparison purposes, you're likely decent at much of the 'math', but you have some 'weak' areas, likely make lots of little mistakes and are missing out on lots of 'strategy-based' points (especially in DS). Improving in all of those areas is a lot to work on in a short period of time. Thankfully, the GMAT is a predictable Test, so you CAN train to score at a higher level - you just need the proper resources to do so quickly.

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

pate13 · Answer

I'm not trying to discourage you, but going from a 36 to a 49/50 in four weeks is going to be very difficult. I think you might want to manage your expectations.

As far as which program to choose based on your time, Veritas has a 30-day schedule in which you can complete its on-demand course (I took this on-demand course, which was great), and I believe that Magoosh has the same capability. 
Based on the intensiveness of the quant preparation, the most intensive, in my opinion, is Manhattan, which is very well known for the quality of its quant preparation. I have also heard good things about EmpowerGMAT, but I am not entirely familiar with it.

I wish you the best of luck in your preparation.

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4 weeks to prep - which course should I purchase?

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