GMAT- 1 month study plan

Expert replies

Ravishh: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 4; Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:41 am; Location: Hyderabad,India

by Ravishh » Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:10 am

Hello All,

Iam currently following the 2- month study plan available from BEAT the GMAT and have completed roughly 6 days of it.

My mock scores earlier were:
GMAT Prep1: 350
GMAT Prep2: 400
GMAT Prep3: 390(Installed again and gave the exam)
MGMAT free mock:500
Veritas free mock:470

Iam in a compulsion to give my GMAT by next month.Is there any 1 month study plan,through which I can understand the basic concepts as well as get ready for a 700 + in a month?

I have only the official GMAT guide 2016,Quant & Verbal review 2016 books with me.(And a free GMAT prep course too).

Please suggest any other possibilities if applicable in my case.

Thanks and Regards,

Ravishankar Nagarajan

Source: Beat The GMAT — The GMAT Avengers Study Group | Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:10 am

GMAT/MBA Expert

[email protected]: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 10392; Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members; Location: Palo Alto, CA; Thanked: 2867 times; GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Thu Sep 08, 2016 8:55 am

Hi Ravishankar,

It's not clear how or when you took these CATs, but if we assume that that 500 is an accurate measure of your current abilities, then it will take some serious work to raise that to a 700+. By extension, raising that score 200+ points in one month is not realistic - you're likely going to need at least another 3 months months of consistent, guided study to get to that level.

1) What Business Schools are you planning to apply to?
2) When are you planning to apply?

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

Contact Rich at [email protected]

Ravishh: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 4; Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:41 am; Location: Hyderabad,India

by Ravishh » Fri Sep 09, 2016 3:47 am

Hello Rich,

Thanks for the reply.

Iam quite confused at many levels.

About me: Age - 23.Indian IT male (3 year UG degree- non engineer ), with 3 + years of experience in a service based company at Hyderabad.

I was initially planning only for a full time MBA ( Tepper,Tippie,BYU mariott,ISB,NUS/NTU)(Fall 2017 batch)

But after introspecting my profile for quite a while , I arrived at the conclusion that my profile may not be competitive enough for an MBA (considering the IIM tag,age,years of work experience and GPA(7.37/10 ) lesser than the average of most b - schools and nothing "out of the ordinary" in the profile)

Iam considering an MS too(MS in Business analytics or MIM), but they emphasize heavily on academics such as GMAT-720+ and GPA-3.6+ and need work experience related to analytics field( for well known b-schools such as Mccombs or IIM-C)

Due to family issues, I need to take up atleast the GMAT by next month ( other parts of applications, can be taken care later) and need a stellar score to strengthen my ridiculously weak profile.

Kindly suggest if there is an alternative for getting a decent GMAT score for my profile and the course I can opt for, given my background.

Thanks in advance!

Ravishankar Nagarajan

GMAT/MBA Expert

[email protected]: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 10392; Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members; Location: Palo Alto, CA; Thanked: 2867 times; GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Fri Sep 09, 2016 9:32 am

Hi Ravishankar,

Competitive Business Schools look for applicants with a strong OVERALL profile, so having a strong GMAT score is only part of what you'll ultimately end up needing. Given what you describe, that high GMAT score will be essential to your future applications - without it, your broader goals might become harder to achieve. Unfortunately, the process of properly training for the GMAT cannot be 'rushed', so you might have to rethink your overall timeline. You can certainly take the GMAT in a month, but it's unlikely that you'll be up to the 720+ level by then.

You seem to understand that you'll need to gain the proper Work Experience before you can apply to School, and that will likely take YEARS to achieve. Knowing that, why are you forcing yourself into such a short timeframe to study for the GMAT (you could take the Test later on, after putting in the proper amount of study)?

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

Contact Rich at [email protected]

Ravishh: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 4; Joined: Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:41 am; Location: Hyderabad,India

by Ravishh » Fri Sep 09, 2016 11:09 am

Hello Rich,

What you say is absolutely right.It makes sense to wait and add few more years of quality work experience and test preparation and then give GMAT.But already 3 + years out of college, and Iam struggling to get into study mode.

If one or two more years added to it, I may become too lethargic to give standardized tests.

To be honest,Iam preparing for GMAT for more than an year, but in bits and pieces.My main problem is I lack basics and the discipline to study

Iam considering this as a now or never oppurtunity.

GMAT/MBA Expert

[email protected]: Elite Legendary Member; Posts: 10392; Joined: Sun Jun 23, 2013 6:38 pmFollowed by: 511 members; Location: Palo Alto, CA; Thanked: 2867 times; GMAT Score:800

by [email protected] » Fri Sep 09, 2016 5:26 pm

Hi Ravishankar,

Since you're in 'study mode' now, I'm not suggesting that you put off your studies for a couple of years. However, I am suggesting that you give yourself enough time NOW to hit your score goal (and not try to rush into a Test Date when you likely need more time to study).

Many Test Takers who use a 'book heavy' study approach end up getting 'stuck' at a particular score level. If you're in a similar situation, then you'll likely end up needing to invest in some new, non-book resources. As it stands, you don't have to make any decisions about that right now (unless you want to). You can study as you like and we can see how far you progress with your current plan.

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

Contact Rich at [email protected]

GMAT Course Reviews

563 reviews

1168 reviews

431 reviews

359 reviews

147 reviews

5/5

5 Star (563 Reviews)

"Target Test Prep is the closest to the official version of the GMAT exam, about 99% accuracy in terms of the quality and quantity of information. The course has excellently created singular sets of focused lessons and tests for every possible topic that one could come across in the official GMAT exam."

"The TTP course maximizes the efficiency of the time you spend studying. It will take time and effort but I could almost guarantee that if you complete the course exactly as it is laid out you will get an amazing score. They also have a very responsive team willing to help with any questions you might have."

"TTP has two things that I think no other test prep company offers: A teaching approach that reinforces understanding and an attitude that will give you the mental preparedness needed to succeed on the test. TTP gives you a deep understanding of the concept you need to know while teaching you how to think."

Write a Review