Two week study plan

Question

Hi, I just took my GMAT, and wanted to share my two-week study plan. I think this is for those who work as much as I do during a normal week (~70 hours), and don't have much time to study. I essentially took 2 weeks off work, and did nothing but the GMAT. It was a boring two weeks, but the good news is, I did what I needed to do (scored 760, V 42, M 51, AW 5.5) and it was only two weeks of my life :lol:

Also note - this works well for people who have a good base (~600) and want to get over the 700 hump. This is also tailored to people who are already scoring well on math but want to perfect, and okay on verbal, but need to improve their score in order to get over 700. But this may not be the best way to study for people who don't fit this background. Day 1-7 were focused on seeing the GMAT questions, understanding them, and knowing each of the sections really well. I did not worry about putting things together yet. Day 1: Started GMAT Review OG chapter introductions for a basic introduction into the material Day 2: Started Princeton Review GMAT study main guide chapter introductions for strategies and tactics Day 3 - Day 7: Did a chapter out of GMAT Review OG and a chapter out of Princeton Review GMAT each day, alternating topics, focused on the verbal sections (spend ~2 hours in each book per day). Also read 2 chapters a day in the 3 Manhattan GMAT verbal guides (spend ~2 hour in each book per day). Comprehension took only ~1 hour, while sentence correction took ~3 hours. Balanced out to ~10 hours per day of GMAT for the first week. This is intense, but it is meant so that the second week goes better. Day 8 -14 were focused on taking practice tests, reading AW writing topics, and doing tricky problems in math. The studying was ~6-8 hours a day. Enough time for extra studying on questions commonly missed on your practice tests if you choose to study on top of the 6-8 hours. Day 8: Manhattan GMAT practice CAT #1 - go through all questions answered incorrectly. Do SC online question bank on MGMAT. Do MGMAT book 4 word translation hard problems. Day 9: Manhattan GMAT practice CAT #2 - go through all questions answered incorrectly. Do RC online question bank on MGMAT. Do MGMAT book 5 geometry hard problems. Day 10: Manhattan GMAT practice CAT #3 - go through all questions answered incorrectly. Do CR online question bank on MGMAT. Do Princeton Review Level 4 hard math problems. Day 11: Manhattan GMAT practice CAT #4 - go through all questions answered incorrectly. Do OG verbal review problems. Choose 20 from each section. This helps you take everything you've learned, and put in context of real problems from the GMAT. Day 12: Manhattan GMAT practice CAT #5 - go through all questions answered incorrectly. Do OG verbal review problems. Choose 20 from each section. This helps you take everything you've learned, and put in context of real problems from the GMAT. Day 13: Complete 2 GMAT Prep practice test in CD that comes with registering for GMAT. No answer explanations on these CDs unfortunately. So take the two tests with a lunch break in between, and just see how you do. You can't really "study" off of them other than know your level, your timing, and your approximate score. See which questions you missed, and try to brush up. Don't do these on the last day of studying - do it on the second to last day, so you have another day to study if this doesn't work out too well. Day 14 (the day before the test): Manhattan GMAT practice CAT #6 - go through all questions answered incorrectly. See if there's any last minute math formula you need to remember, one last CR question stem you need to review the strategy for, etc. Then take a deep breath, and RELAX AND SLEEP EARLY! Pretend tomorrow is just another "practice test" day to take off the pressure. You'll be so used to seeing the questions, your endurance has been built up in the past week, you are used to taking these exams, it's going to be easier than you imagined! Hope this helps!

bb · Answer

Thanks! This is helpful. 2 weeks is really impressive. 
Do you by any chance remember your diagnostic test score before you started?

Ephraimite · Answer

Great Plan. Will try it!

rgong18 · Answer

I took my diagnostic test probably on Day -5, about a week before I started my 2 week study plan. My background for the test came from reading about the different questions on the official GMAT website when I registered for the test. It also helped that I still remembered the SATs. My diagnostic test was a 630 (Q=44, V=30). Although I think my true starting level is more a ~670, since I make a couple silly mistakes in math.

resh · Answer

It is a big achievement !!
Congrats.

akaydee · Answer

rgong18,

Thanks that is really impressive. Just shows what two weeks of dedicated focus can do to your score.

	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

Two week 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