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GMAT Preparation Next Steps

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GMAT Preparation Next Steps

by shobhitonnet » Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:44 am
Hi All,
I am new to this forum and recently bitten by GMAT bee.

I have recently (November) started preparing for GMAT. 1 month gone and i have just completed OG 16. I am not sure whether it is a correct way to groom yourself towards GMAT but i directly jumped on to OG, understanding some short notes in start of each section (which is no strategy but very basic tips and concepts) and then completed all the questions from corresponding section (with solution/correct answer analysis).I think it has provided me with some level of familiarity with GMAT structure and question types.

Now to move ahead i can see many roads leading to same destination. Self study: Manhattan, Kaplan, Princeton Online Courses: e-Gmat, Verita etc. Can anybody suggest what should be the most optimized path. Considering that i intend to take GMAT in Feb 2016. so I have only 2 months left and yes i am working 9 am to 9 pm can allocate only 2 hrs/day for GMAT preparations. Please advice on the strategy.
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by [email protected] » Fri Dec 04, 2015 11:38 am
Hi shobhitonnet,

You've defined your timeline, which is good, but I'd like to know a bit more about your overall goals:

1) What is your goal score?
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
3) Have you thought about which Schools you'll be applying to?

Have you taken any FULL-LENGTH CATs yet? If you have not, then you should plan to take one soon (perhaps this weekend).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
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by shobhitonnet » Fri Dec 04, 2015 12:23 pm
Hi Rich.C

Thanks for your reply. Please find my answers inline


1) What is your goal score? - Realistic (but stretched) target for me would be around 730. May be once i start giving Practice CAT i will update this score.
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School? -I am planning to apply to few European b schools by April/May (2nd or 3rd round) and US b schools by October next year. I am planning to start my MBA in 2017
3) Have you thought about which Schools you'll be applying to?- Its too early for me to decide on right choices,as i haven't yet started doing fit gap analysis on school offerings vs my aspiration. At the moment just started with GMAT preparation. Only hint i can give you is , i am looking for 1 year program with specialization such as Consulting & Technology, Value on money will also have strong influence while school selection.
4) Have you taken any FULL-LENGTH CATs yet? If you have not, then you should plan to take one soon (perhaps this weekend)- Yes i will take one this weekend (Fingers crossed)
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by [email protected] » Fri Dec 04, 2015 3:04 pm
Hi shobhitonnet,

This first CAT will provide a lot of useful information into your current strengths and weaknesses, but you shouldn't expect to perform at too high of a level just yet. Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) on their studies before they hit their 'peak' scores, so you still have plenty of work still to do. You should report back here once you have those score results.

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by shobhitonnet » Sun Dec 06, 2015 10:48 am
Hi Rich.C

As suggested i have taken my first CAT (GMAT Prep) this Sunday and i must say this test has shaken my confidence from the roots. I could score only 620 :( , Q49, V30, IR 6. Earlier i had set my target at 730 for GMAT in Feb 16. Now after giving first CAT i think i should slide down my target score or compromise with target dates :(. Although this was first CAT after 1 month with OG 16 so not sure if i run real fast i can still be able to catch the train.
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by MartyMurray » Sun Dec 06, 2015 3:13 pm
Hi shobhitonnet.

Hitting your original score target will likely take getting about a dozen more right answers than you got.

With the right preparation you should be able to get a few more quant questions right and hit Q51 by mid February.

That leaves verbal.

To hit your target score, you need to combine Q51 something around V39 or V40. That's fairly higher than your current verbal score, but definitely achievabl , with the RIGHT approach.

I say the "right approach" because I have seen people fight to increase their verbal scores because they haven't approached their verbal preparation in a way that is effective. Often people think that they just have to learn enough rules and their verbal scores will go up until they hit their targets. The truth is that GMAT verbal is not a test of knowledge of rules. It's a test of ability to analyze situations, assess logic, and notice key details. So in order to hit your target, you need to prepare with what I just said in mind.

Definitely don't get down over that score. People achieve 100 point score increases all the time, and really you have just started to prepare.

You definitely need some more verbal practice and maybe you need to learn more about sentence correction concepts and other key things that you need to understand in order to score high on GMAT verbal.

There are available many great resources that you can use for learning and for practicing.

What were your hit rates in SC, CR, and RC?
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by [email protected] » Sun Dec 06, 2015 6:05 pm
Hi shobhitonnet,

A 620 is a strong baseline CAT score. With your current Test Date, you still have plenty of time to study (over 2+ months) and improve. At this point, it's far too early to change your goals or Test Date.

I agree that using just the OG during your studies is probably not going to be enough to get you to your score goal. When it comes to studying for the GMAT, there are a variety of different options. Most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at out site (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.

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