GMAT Strategy

Hello Guys,
I started my preparation in March and I think that I've made a good progression, since my first attempt was 300 and my last one was 500. But as I progress with my study I found myself overwhelmed with so many topics (specially in Verbal). So I decided to divide study as follows: Monday for Quant, Tuesday for RC, Wednesday for SC, Thursday for CR, Friday for OG Questions and Saturday for CAT Tests - 2 to 3 hours a day (Sunday for rest!!!). So, I'd really like to ask you guys: is this a good study plan? Or should I focus more in a specific topic during the week (E.g. RC for one week)? I'm planning to take the exam in December and my goal is 690.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions and opinions.

There's no magic formula for how your study schedule should break down, but I do think it makes sense to mix quant and verbal throughout the week, as you'll have to switch gears between those sections on the actual exam.

However, it's important to make sure you have the right mix to address your specific strengths and weaknesses.Currently, you've got one day a week devoted to quant and three days a week devoted to verbal sections. Is it the case that on your practice exams, your quant scores have been much stronger than your verbal? If not, you might want to tweak that allocation to achieve better balance. (And if you're looking for a study template, the 60-day beatthegmat plan is a very good one: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/gmat-guide)

Hi luigi.roza,

I'm curious to know a little more about how you've studied up to this point:

1) Were your previous practice exams full-length (including AWA) and timed?
2) What were the score breakdowns for each practice exam?
3) Have you kept an error log over the past few months?
4) When are you planning on applying for business school?
5) What materials have you been using?

I think when we have a little more clarity here, we'll all be able to chime in with some specific tips to help you get the most out of your efforts.

Thanks,
Rich

Guys,

First of all, I want to thank you for your replies. I'll try to response all the questions in this reply:

- When I say first attempt I mean a GMAT CAT (done in GMAT Prep).
- I don't have an error log for my study. Should I use it?
- If I get my target score in December, I'll apply in the end of January.
- For study sources, I've been using the OG 2015, Manhattan Set and e-GMAT (for Verbal).
- I'm trying to focus more on Verbal since English is not my native language. Am I wrong?

My main concern is if I'm going to the right place in the right path, considering that I'm in a crucial fase of my study.

Thank you again

- I don't have an error log for my study. Should I use it?

Error logs are often a good idea. You can find some good ones here: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/gmat-error-log

Thank you David.

Guys,
Based on my last reply, any suggestion or oppinion?

Hi luigi.roza,

You should definitely be using an error log. Take some time and review your previous CATs - you'll discover more specific areas you need to improve in and be able to focus your study plan to attack those areas the hardest. Here's a quick guide on how to develop a study plan that works for you: https://bit.ly/1K9yqpM

It also sounds like your study plan is very book-heavy, which is a great way to review verbal concepts, but won't teach you test-taking strategies that will help you on test day. Consider investing in a couple online resources as well. While this might seem like a big investment, keep in mind that most (if not all) offer a free trial to give you a chance to try them out before spending any money. To help you get started, here's a link to try GMAT Tutor for 7 days: https://bit.ly/1bPAHuW. Its completely customizable to your needs and will also create a study plan using adaptive technology that suits you best, no matter what your timeline is.

Best of luck,
Rich