GMAT Beginner

Hi bajgmat1239,

Since you're just beginning your studies, then it would be a good idea to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test; you can download 2 for free from www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). If you want to do a little studying first, so that you can familiarize yourself with the basic content and question types, then that's okay - but you shouldn't wait too long to take that initial CAT. That score will give us a good sense of your natural strengths and weaknesses and will help provide a basis for comparison as you continue to study. A FULL CAT takes about 4 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take it in one sitting. Once you have those scores, you should report back here and we can come up with a study plan.

I'd like to know a bit more about your timeline and goals:
1) What is your goal score?
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
3) What Schools are you planning to apply to?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Hi bajgmat1139,

Since you are just starting out your GMAT prep, you should first familiarize yourself with the GMAT exam and then take an MBA.com practice exam. The results of that exam will give you a good idea of what to expect on the GMAT as well as a baseline GMAT score. The scoring data from that practice exam will help you determine how long you will need to prepare, to achieve your GMAT goal score.

In regard to resources, there are many options available, ranging from classes (in person and online) to textbooks to private tutoring (in person and online) to online self-study programs. If you are looking for a self-paced prep program, you may consider using an online self-study course. Self-study courses typically provide detailed study plans and have granular analytics, so you can easily track your progress as you move through the course. By being able to track your progress, you will remain more engaged, and you'll be able to forecast when you are truly ready to take your real GMAT. If you are unsure of which program to choose, check out the verified review section here on Beat The GMAT.

I am happy to provide some more advice, but would like to learn a bit more about your GMAT experience and MBA goals. I have a few questions:

1) For how many hours a day can you study and for how many months?

2) To what schools do you plan to apply?

3) What deadlines are you targeting?

Also, I wrote a detailed article that provides some actionable steps that you can follow to help achieve your GMAT score goal. .