GMAT Strategy

I have kind of decided to take the GMAT in a rush. There are about 2 weeks left in the test and I only started studying about 5 days ago. I have been averaging about 3 to 4 hours a day.

I studied the math review from the Princeton Review - Cracking the GMAT book. I have not studied anything from the verbal.

I took the first practice test from GmatPrep tonight and scored a 530: Q38, V25.

I tried to implement some of the stratgies from the review book and I think it helped. Since I haven't studied anything regarding the verbal section, I can't comment on that right now.

My goal is to score in the upper 600's on the actual exam.

My strategy from now until the exam is as follows:

Study the rest of the Cracking the GMAT book
Do all of the practice problems & tests in the book
Do the 4 practice test online that come with the book

Study from Kaplan Premiere
Study from Kaplan 800
Do every single problem from the Official Guide.

Take and retake the tests from GMATPrep.

Eventhough my score is a bit low, I think I did fairly well considering I've only studied the math strategy from a book that is intended to help you achieve around 600.

Any tips or other ideas? Let me know!

I think that your deadline is a bit too soon, can't you push it a bit ? say, a month from now?

IMO a study period of ~2.5 weeks is just not enough in order to assimilate the basic and the advanced concepts.

You're going to study 3-4 hours a day, but only the CATs from PR/ GMATPrep take 3 hours to do, and another 3 hours to review the entire test, so each CAT will take you 2 studying days. Assuming you'll do the 4 Kaplan CATs and the 2 GMATPrep CATs, you'll put 12 days only to do and review the exams, leaving you about ~7 days to study.

So, my $0.02 are -
1. Try to push the exam date a bit, aiming to do it in a month sounds ok.
2. If you really can't push it any further - focus on cracking the PR/Kaplan/OG books for 6-7 hours a day, and do the CATs only during the last 4 days, in a rate of a CAT+its review each day.


Good luck!

Thanks for all the tips!

I have been trying to figure out if I can push the gmat. The school I want to apply to has a deadline of April 15 and they want the applicant to have taken the GMAT before submitting the application.

I have a meeting with them in a few days and I will get exact answers then. Until then I will do as many hours as humanly possible. I was thinking of taking the week before the exam off from work so I can give this a 200% effort .

From what I've read on these forums, the materials that I have are tried and tested. If given enough time with them, I can achieve my goal.

Good luck, dublued