GMAT Strategy

Hi,

I've looked at numerous study strategies and plans out there for people who have both been successful and unsuccessful at their usage. The problem I've noticed however, is that I can't seem to make "my" study plan work out for me based on past experiences with frustration. Here is my thought and if you can provide any feedback, I sincerely appreciate it:

The first time I started studying for my exam, I gave myself 4 months. I didn't schedule the exam, but the first 2 months, I dedicatedly studied only quant 2 hours a day on the weekdays and 6 hours on the weekend. By the third month I jumped straight into verbal and repeated the process. I started forgetting my quant and this was frustrating (even after making notecards). - This was problem #1

During my 2 hour days of only studying either quant or verbal, I told myself that I would allocate 1 hour for foundation work, 0.5 hours of problem set review, and 0.5 hours of problem set review. I realized that I wasn't spending enough time reviewing the problems, so I lessened my foundation development. I again realized that my foundations were not strong enough. Not only did I lose time, but it was a tug-of-war situation on where to draw the line - This was problem #2.

From all the study schedules I've found online, no one addresses the following issues in any level of granularity:

1. Best practices on studying both quant and verbal simultaneously without forgetting one or the other.
2. How to effectively allocate and time manage foundations development, problem solving, and problems reviewing.

So my obvious questions:

1. How do I effectively and only a daily basis tackle both the quant and the verbal sections? I don't want to land in my past experience with forgetting key topics because I spent so much time on one section over another.

2. I haven't started studying again, but I will begin to create an action plan in 24 hours. What's the most efficient method to spend time building my foundations, working on problems, and reviewing problems simultaneously?

For example, if you look at Dana's study plan for one with a verbal focus (a focus I clearly need), she breaks down the gmat by sections, by treating both the quant and verbal sections independently. It didn't work for me.

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/01/ ... -gmat-plan

Help?

A few months back, i had the same problem and dilemma as you have now. Check this post,
https://www.manhattangmat.com/forums/pos ... tml#p33454

You may find some solution to your problem.

Hey -

Thanks. How do I use the cycle study process though?

So for example, do I study Math on Monday and Tuesday, jump to verbal Wednesday and Thursday, and back to Math, Friday and saturday? Then review Sunday?

This is confusing.

Firstly, Did you completely go through Stacey's posts in the link?

I will explain you though. You are supposed to break down Quants and Verbal into various topics. When you first start a topic, completely dwell into that topic's fundamentals. After you finish with your fundamentals, apply in non-GMAT problems. Once you know that you are doing fine, then start doing OG problems (Questions that are ONLY related to that topic). After you are completely fine with the first topic, only then go to the second topic. When you are in the mid of any succcessive topic, just test a few problems of what you have studied in previous topics. This is what Stacey is trying to say. This is actually a wonderful plan and it really worked for me. I would advice you to go through her posts if you haven't done it properly.

You must do this for both quants and verbal. You can either work on quants and verbal simultaneously or work one after the other.

Hey -

Thanks for posting your thoughts. I read Staceys responses to the gent who asked the question, but Stacey does not explicitly explain how to successfully manage the Verbal and Quant simultaneously.

Here is what I'm thinking for this week:

Monday - Quant (2 hours)
Tuesday - Quant (2 hours)
Wednesday - Quant (1 hour, if so)
Thursday - Verbal
Friday - Verbal
Saturday - Verbal
Sunday - Comprehensive Review + Exam

Note that every day includes reading 2 GMAT type RC articles from a magazine. This gives me more verbal experience. What are your thoughts?

hi papgust..
could you elaborate on how and where can i get non GMAT material to practise my fundamentals????

cheers,
pd