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5 month study plan

by Dondarrion » Mon Jul 27, 2015 9:33 am
This place has been a great resource and I wanted to get some feedback on my study plan.

Materials
MGMAT Strategy Guides
OG 16
Magoosh

Study History
150 total hours of LSAT studying last year (obviously changed paths)
Completed MGMAT foundations of GMAT Math

I haven't taken a practice CAT and I don't plan on taking one for a few more weeks. I already know that my weakness is Quant, specifically DS. I can breeze through RC and SC.

I am planning on taking the GMAT early December and I am trying to figure out what is the best study plan. What worked well for me while studying the LSAT was:

Mon: Review
Tues - Wed: Lessons
Thurs - Fri: Drill and review
Sat: Practice Test
Sun: Off

I looked at the Magoosh 6 month study plan but it doesn't really work for me. I like using both Magoosh and MGMAT to learn topics at the same time. I also think it is a waste to work on practice problems in the OG that I haven't studied yet (I haven't looked at coordinate geometry in probably 10 years).

I am very disciplined in my studies but I am having a lot of trouble creating a long term schedule and sticking to it. Should I be alternating Quant/Verbal weekly or focus on one subject for a few weeks at a time?

Any tips/advice would be greatly appreciated!
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by Bara » Mon Jul 27, 2015 12:21 pm
While you're putting off taking a diagnostic test - - really, the first step to make the most optimized schedule and study program is to take a diagnostic test to evaluate your needs. There are many approaches, but not taking a diagnostic is like starting a diet but not weighing yourself...

Once you have some data, I, and other GMAT experts can chime in! :)
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by Dondarrion » Mon Jul 27, 2015 12:35 pm
What practice exam should I take? MGMAT Test #1 or the GMAT Prep test #1
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by Bara » Mon Jul 27, 2015 12:48 pm
My opinion: use the real GMAT whenever you can.
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Maximize your Score, Minimize your Stress!
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by Rich@EconomistGMAT » Tue Jul 28, 2015 6:31 am
Hi Dondarrion,

Although you have a decent grasp on where you think you need to improve, I still often advise test takers to start with a full-length practice exam. While you might be able to make safe assumptions about where you stand, the baseline score you'll get from your first practice CAT will shed a lot of light on areas you weren't aware of, especially when it comes to timing in each section.

Best,
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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Jul 28, 2015 6:37 am
Should I be alternating Quant/Verbal weekly or focus on one subject for a few weeks at a time?
I certainly wouldn't neglect any topic for weeks at a time. Because you'll have to switch gears from Quant to Verbal on the actual exam, it's not a bad idea to do this in your studying. Judging from your background, it's clear that the verbal is likely going to be an overwhelming strength for you, so you'll want to allocate your time accordingly (maybe 75/25 in favor of quant) but I agree with Bara and Rich that you should get that diagnostic test under your belt so we have more info to go on.
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by Dondarrion » Tue Jul 28, 2015 6:46 am
Great! Thanks for the help. I am going to take the GMAT Prep Exam #1 either tomorrow or Thursday morning.

Another questions:

Should I do the AWA and IR sections for my first diagnostic exam? I know that test fatigue is crucial when taking practice exams but is it beneficial for this one?
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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Jul 28, 2015 6:53 am
Should I do the AWA and IR sections for my first diagnostic exam? I know that test fatigue is crucial when taking practice exams but is it beneficial for this one?
I'd do them. The verbal comes at the end of the test because it's partially assessing your ability to retain focus after close to 3 hours of intense concentration. If you do the AWA and IR, and you hit a wall midway through verbal, that's important to know.
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by Dondarrion » Tue Jul 28, 2015 6:57 am
David,

Does the Veritas Prep free practice test come with an AWA and IR section? I may use your test as my diagnostic and save the GMAT prep tests for later.
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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Tue Jul 28, 2015 7:01 am
Does the Veritas Prep free practice test come with an AWA and IR section? I may use your test as my diagnostic and save the GMAT prep tests for later.
It sure does. Let us know how it goes!
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by Dondarrion » Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:04 am
Well... I am feeling down but not out. Q22/V32 = 470 - Veritas Prep Exam #1

Thoughts: Quant
-Did a lot of guessing
-Felt very lost on geometry, probability, and most of the DS questions
-In my review, I easily could've gotten 10 more right without stupid errors

Thoughts: Verbal
-91% correct on CR
-Did very well on RC as well, just a few stupid mistakes
-SC was absolutely awful. Definitely need to hit this hard

Timing
My timing was all sorts of messed up. I finished quant with about 15 minutes left and verbal with a whopping 35 minutes!
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by [email protected] » Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:15 am
Hi Dondarrion,

You've provided a lot of information so far, which is good. I can offer some perspective on this first practice CAT, and I have a few follow-up questions about your timeline and goals.

First, a 470 isn't that bad of a 'baseline' score (the average score on the Official GMAT hovers around 540-550 most years), and guessing on questions is fine in the early going (when used properly, it can be a great tactic on Test Day too). You mention 10 questions that you probably should have gotten correct if it wasn't for stupid errors, but then you ALSO mention finishing both the Quant and Verbal sections significantly EARLY. So, learning to slow down and be more diligent with your work is something you'll need to focus on. In the short term, your emphasis should be on doing organized, accurate work and getting the correct answer - don't worry about your speed just yet.

1) Did you end up taking the Official LSAT? If so, then what were your scores?

2) What is your score goal for the GMAT?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
4) Do you know which Schools you'll be applying to?

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by Dondarrion » Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:42 am
Thanks for the tips Rich! You're spot on with my timing.

1) Did you end up taking the Official LSAT?
Never took the official exam but I took 8 of the last 10 LSATs and I was scoring in the 155-170 range.

2) What is your score goal for the GMAT?
700+

3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
R1 of next year, first semester fall 2017

4) Do you know which Schools you'll be applying to?
Harvard, Darden, Fuqua, Yale, Owen
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by [email protected] » Wed Jul 29, 2015 9:55 am
Hi Dondarrion,

155 to 170 is a big range; did you actually score 170 on any of those Exams the first time you took it? If so, then you likely have the proper logical thinking skills to score at a high level on the GMAT.

You've given yourself plenty of time to study for the GMAT (and eventually work on your applications), which is good. The Schools that you listed are highly competitive, so you'll need a strong OVERALL application to gain an invite (or invites), but we can talk more about that once you're done with the GMAT. You'll likely need 3 months of consistent study time to hit your score goal (although it might be more or less time depending on how quickly you can learn all of the content/tactics).

Have you scheduled your Official Test Date yet?

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by Dondarrion » Wed Jul 29, 2015 10:24 am
Rich,

My scores progressed from 155 up to 170 on my final practice exam. Those we over a year ago so they don't have much merit right now but it definitely helped my CR and RC.

I believe that my package will be competitive at those schools - as long as I can perform well on the GMAT. I am working with a recommended admissions consultant so I am knowledgeable about the process.

At this point I am solely focused on performing well on the GMAT. My target exam date is early December, which gives me about 5 months of consistent studying.
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