When to take Prep Course and GMAT

jerkatissm - It sounds as if you have put a lot of thought into this. When I started reading, I thought you might not have been aware of the five-year limitation on score validity, but then you addressed that issue. Without a doubt, I would prioritize school before getting your feet wet by taking the GMAT, especially considering that many students opt to retake it in hopes of seeing an improvement. Why could you not take the GMAT during one of the years in which you were working, post-graduation? Your work life will not be the same as study-intensive college life, sure, but if anything, you ought to be able to dedicate more time to preparation without having homework, quizzes, or exams all the time.

Regarding the second question, in my experience as a tutor, the majority of students perform better over a one-month course than a three-month course of study. I know the GMAT is difficult, but most people cannot maintain a strict study schedule for more than 4-6 weeks before they burn out. Many people in these forums talk about qualitative study over quantitative, and I agree that when it comes to this test, sitting down and spending time with the material is much more valuable than sticking to a rigid x-questions-a-day schedule. Some people like to spread out their studying, others want to get in and get out.

As for how to time the prep course, that one is about as individualistic as you can get. If you think you will go with a PR course, then I would at least ask someone there whether they use a specific book so that you could look at some of those questions beforehand. See how self-study goes for a bit--get a feel for the test. I think taking a dedicated course is most helpful to students who are either just beginning their preparation or have hit a plateau in their self-study and need professional guidance as to how to push beyond. Once you have finished such a course, again, it is up to you when to schedule the test. Some students feel more confident and comfortable getting the test out of their system right away, even a day later, almost like a rite of passage--"I finished the course, now let's get this over with!" Others like to go back to hitting the books, perhaps practicing official questions instead, and see whether their training starts to pay off. I would probably not recommend waiting a whole month to take the test, during which time you might find yourself growing more anxious, allowing your mind to run off in directions you do not want. I think anywhere from a few days up to about two weeks has worked best for my own clients, but that is all I can speak to. Think about how you have prepared for other standardized tests in the past, about what has or has not worked for you. That is probably your best indicator of how you should approach the task at hand, even if the test is different and happens to be a little harder.

Good luck to you in your studies, whatever you decide to do.

- Andrew