I just Beat The GMAT!

Hello,

I have just joined this site and wrote the GMAT yesterday. I wanted to write about my experience and get the advice of others as my study has not worked or plateaued I should say.

Baground
I have been studying for the GMAT for about 4 months now and my score has greatly improved from when I first started. I have been studying for the pass 4 months using the following books and tools:

• - OG 10
  - OG 12
  - The green and purple book from GMAC
  - Paper tests
  - GMATPrep

On the paper tests and GMATPrep have been scoring between 500 - 550. Yesterday I wrote the GMAT and received 530 (37q, 25v). This is the score that I been getting for a while and cannot seem to improve no matter how much I study.

I would like to get the advice of others, here in the forum, about how I can improve my score, especially verbal, to aim for a GMAT score of 700.

I look forward for all the advice I can get and thank you in advance.

Thanks,

George

Paper tests are generally the worst way to prep as it is so different from the actual testing environment. If you would like a lot of bang for the buck and live near a metro area, I would highly recommend a prep course where a qualified GMAT guru will guide your practice and help you prepare. It's generally touted as well worth the cost. If you cannot afford a prep course, GMAC has some pretty cheap computer based preparation materials which simulate the actual testing environment pretty well. Good luck!

Hi Bryant,

Thanks for the reply but I did have a tutor guide me through and he helped me improve but not enough. I believe I might be studying the wrong way or need a new strategy. This is why I rather not spend a lot of money right now and see what other people have to offer.

Thanks,

George

Are you talking about GMAT prep??? Are there any other practice tests by GMAC apart from GMAT Prep?

bryantmichaels wrote: If you cannot afford a prep course, GMAC has some pretty cheap computer based preparation materials which simulate the actual testing environment pretty well. Good luck!

are there any particular areas wherein u feel u are weak in? for me it was number properties.

Turnpike,

I think I am in a weird situation because I think it is a bit of everything. My mistakes are spread out across the board. I know I have a good foundation of everything but I might need a solid review to strengthen it a bit more.

Was it a good solid study plan for the GMAT and what are some of the good tools and materials required?

Thanks in advance,

George

Here's an honest reply. Are you trying to get into Harvard or Yale? If not then think about this. If you do not want to attend Harvard or Yale, then a 530 may be good enough depending on which school you want. I've seen plenty of people who've gotten into a AACSB accredited program with around that score because they have a strong background. Shocking enough, most schools do realize that the GMAT is NOT a good indicator of how you will perform in school and in life post b-school. Good luck in any respect.

Bury yourself in OG 12.
carefully review and make error log as much as possible.

You should read Manhattan Sentence Correction for SC
and Critical Reasoning Bible for CR before doing the OG problems

I know that 530 is a decent score but it won't get you into any of the good schools, I need over 600. The higher the score also the higher the scholarship.

Thanks for the advice bvn, definitely agree with you on your technique. Does any one have a sample error log that they use or recommend?

Thanks,

George