GMAT Strategy

Hi guys!

I am new here and I've been following this forum for the last couple of days.

I am from France and just graduated. I am planning to apply for masters degree in finance next year and therefore I am thinking about taking the GMAT. After all I read, it really seems that the GMAT is very hard and includes a big comitment... but I am ready to do that !!

I was actually looking at the best books I should buy in order to be ready for the D-Day ! And I am a little big lost with of those brands and stuff. However, I tried to list a couple of books that could be interesting for me and I wanted to have a quick feedback on it:

General
- The Official Guide for GMAT review (I think I'll probably go for the 11th edition since MGMAT books refere to it even though I know there is not a lot of difference between the 11th and the 12th one. Any idea?)

Quantitative
- The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative review
- Manhattan Number Properties Guide (book 1)
- Manhattan Geometry Guide (book 5)
- Manhattan Word Translations Guide (book 4)

Verbal
- Manhattan Critical Reasoning (book 6)
- Manhattan Sentence Correction (book 8)

For Internationals & Novels
- Doing Grammar - Max Morenberg
- Men without women by Earnest Hemingway
- The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

So my question is quite simple: Do you think I will be ready with this material, and will it cover all the topics of the GMAT? Basically, is it a good choice haha. Do not hesitate to get back with me if you have any suggestion! But also I tried to shortlist those books and I know that there are a lot of other good books. I just want to know if I will be able to study well with those.

Last question, I don't know if I should buy the Kaplan Gmat Premier or do you feel that the other books are enough ?

I am probably going to hang around here since I will probably need help... And you guys seem very united and I like it !

Thanks !!

Andrew

Your book choice is solid. The only thing I would recommend is not getting the MGMAT Critical Reasoning and instead opting for the Powerscore guide.

Kaplan Premier guide may be good if you need extra CATs.

I'd like to just point something out:

Your Plan (7 books) = $171
Other Plan (10 books) = $154 + 41 = $195 (8 Manhattan GMAT Strategy Guides + OG & OG Quant Review)

For a difference of $24 or $8 per extra book. So you'd be getting the RC, EIV, and FDP books for $8 each. Just something to think about.

I do agree w/ Osirus that you could take out the MGMAT CR book and add the PowerScore CR Bible, and it would work out much better.

and finally.... WELCOME TO THE SITE! haha we have fun here!

Ok guys ! Thanks for the tips !!

So I think I'll go with that :

8 MGMAT Guides
The PowerScore GMAT Critical Reasoning Bible
The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative review
The Official Guide for GMATVerbal review

Also,
1) Are those books necessary ? Or I could buy them later ?
- Doing Grammar - Max Morenberg
- Men without women by Earnest Hemingway
- The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

2) So The Kaplan Premier won't be useful for now right ? Since I will have the 8 MGMAT Guides. I should just buy them if I want more pratice later on, correct ?

Thank you again for your help !

Andrew

I don't think those other books are necessary right away. Wait and see what your weaknesses are after going through the essential material. In terms of reading for reading comp, you are better off reading the economist daily. That is closer to the type of reading you will encounter on test day.