GMAT Strategy

Scheduled my first GMAT attempt (March 31st 2012) back in December 2011. Didn't hit the books hard until March so I wasn't too surprised at my scores:
Official Gmat Prep: 480 and 470
1st GMAT attempt: 530 (q33, v29)

I doubled down on my studying immediately after March 31st and hit the books even harder. I focused mainly on quant but did some verbal in the last few weeks. I used only the OG12 and the MGMAT books (version 4). After March 31st, I took a few more practice tests:
MGMAT - 650
Official Gmat Prep - 620
Official Gmat Prep version 2 - 580 (q35, v35)

My unofficial score from today's attempt was a 560 (q33, v35) which was the last attempt I could make before the Fall 2012 deadline. The lowest my program has accepted for this fall is a 580, so I'm doubting I can get in even with a stellar GPA/resume, even though I don't have much FT work experience (only three months). So here is my question, do I take some time off and take the GMAT again in 5-6 months or do I just keep studying and take it in a month or two?


Is there one area I should focus in over the other? I'm assuming quant because I'm only in the 30th percentile with my Q35 while my verbal was 70th some percentile with a V35. Like I said, I've been focusing at least 80% on quant and have barely raised my score at all. I'm a bit nervous about using Kaplan's quant books because they don't seem to be like the test questions and Veritas is a bit expensive. Are those m two best options to increase my quant?

If you have the time then try the foundations of math by MGMAT then once you feel comfortable with the concepts and basics move on to the MGNAT strategy guides which help with specific GMAT strategies for all the question types.

I would also recommend the OG 12 which is the official guide put out by the company who tests the GMAT. This has actual problems from past tests and is a good guide for problems you will see on the gmat

pmiklius wrote:If you have the time then try the foundations of math by MGMAT then once you feel comfortable with the concepts and basics move on to the MGNAT strategy guides which help with specific GMAT strategies for all the question types.

I would also recommend the OG 12 which is the official guide put out by the company who tests the GMAT. This has actual problems from past tests and is a good guide for problems you will see on the gmat

I have not checked out the MGMAT foundations but as I as I mentioned above, I have already used the MGMAT and OG books in my studying already. I understand most of what is in the MGMAT quant areas, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to check out the MGMAT foundations book.

Is there a more appropriate section to put this in?