Hey, Nerdygal:
A few thoughts on what you wrote - actually, I don't think 4-5 months is too soon at all, and I'd suggest aiming for something more like 2-3, with an option to add on a few more weeks as they're specifically necessary. 4-5 months is a pretty nebulous amount of time...think about what you were doing 5 months ago in early September - that's just a long time ago. By now, most people have given up on their New Year's resolutions already...pledges that were made 4 months before that are that much tougher to keep.
I'd aim for maybe 12 weeks out, and plan to register for your test along that schedule in 6 weeks. If, at that point, you're behind the schedule you've set for yourself, then plan on moving it back by 2-3 weeks, but have a specific plan for what to do with that time. Otherwise, just "having more time" will often lead directly to procrastination.
When you do study, keep this in mind - the GMAT is much, much more about "how you think" than "what you know". Try to spend your study time more on problem solving than skill building. The more you can ask yourself "why?", the better you'll be:
-Why did you make the mistake that you did?
-Why did you like the wrong answer choice?
-Why did the problem require you to use that equation?
-Why does the algebraic rule hold true?
-etc.
If you hold yourself accountable for deeper understanding of the GMAT concepts and, more importantly, of your own thought process, you'll still pick up the skills, but even more so you'll pick up on how the test is structured to beat you, and how you can accordingly be prepared. I'd even say this - if you blank on a rule or equation when you're going through a problem, don't look it up unless you absolutely have to. Instead, try to derive the rule yourself - if you prove the rule to yourself, you'll remember it much better than if you just look it up and plug the numbers in. The more you focus on "how you think" than "what you know", the quicker your score should improve.
Brian Galvin
GMAT Instructor
Chief Academic Officer
Veritas Prep
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