advice needed ...

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advice needed ...

by mba_ace17 » Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:39 pm
hi ... I am new member who is planning to take GMAT sometime soon .. I haven't scheduled a date yet but it can happen in coming Dec or Jan next yr.
I am a newbie to GMAT & the app process.
If I take GMAT now, when can I realistically think of applying n when do I actually join a B-School ? Would that be in 2011 or earlier ?

Also, does my GMAT score hold good till then ? Does it matter technically if I take GMAT in Dec or Jan (year 2009 or 2010) ?

appreciate your comments ... thanks
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by beatthegmat » Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:15 pm
Welcome to the Beat The GMAT community! :)

Sounds like you are starting from scratch with your prep and b-school journey. The great thing about the GMAT is that you can pretty much take the test whenever you want. There are testing centers all over the world, and in most places you only need to book at least two weeks in advance. You can take the test generally any day of the week, morning or evening.

Additionally, it's good to take the test to get it out of the way--if you have the time to study for it now. Your scores are good for five years.

Finally, with regard to when you can apply to business school. Most Round 1 applications are due in October, and most Round 2 applications are due December/January. Thus, if you start studying now and take two months to prep (which I recommend for self studiers), then you might be able to squeeze in applications for Round 2. However, if you're not in a rush to apply this year, I think you're better served to wait until the next app season (Fall 2010).

Hope that this helps. As you start your prep, be sure to check out the resources available at the GMAT Resource section of this website.

Finally, if you have questions along the way--please ask! Our community is friendly and supportive, and we want to see you succeed.

Good luck!
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first test

by mba_ace17 » Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:57 pm
Thanks Eric for your response.

I took my first cat practise test to gauge my intial standing before the prep. It was MGMAT-I, & I scored 650 in it (Q44, V 33). Don't know what to make of it ....
I just bypassed the AWA & took the Quant & Verbal section under timed conditions (75 min). During the test, many times I didn't know what I was doing & had to re-read some sentences 4-5 times. Sometime, I just couldn't concentrate .. Looks like concentration would be the decider in the final test (whenever that is, I haven't scheduled a date for the test yet).

Also, during analysis, I found that I had made many mistakes .... Like I got 15-16 quant quest wrong out of total .. so isn't that a poor number.

Anyways, it was just a diag test with 3 days of prep; just wanted to have a feel of it !

Please let me know any comments you have for further studies & strategy ... or any tips ...
thanks in advance !

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by beatthegmat » Mon Sep 28, 2009 10:13 am
That's a really great first practice CAT score! I think with a decent prep strategy you will be in great shape by the time you take your actual GMAT test.

One parting comment--stay disciplined with your prep, try to do a little every day. It's going to suck spending time of the GMAT each day, but believe me, if you can stick to a regular rhythm you will be able to cover lots of ground.

Good luck!
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