Just opened GMAT prep book for 1st time. How screwed am i?

Expert replies

fstep: Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts; Posts: 5; Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:58 pm

by fstep » Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:59 pm

i have a 3.8gpa from a good school so i was hoping to get into a top MBA program but i just opened up the book to start studying for the GMAT (supposed to take the test in 5 months) and well i'm sorta freaking out. the verbal part seems pretty easy but that might be because a lot of my major, labor studies and employment relations, has similar stuff, however my major has basically no math courses and the last time i took a math course was years ago. to be honest if i had to take this thing right now i'd probably get like 30% of the questions right on the math sections if that. i'm ready to study my ass off for this thing but i honestly don't even know where to start, it seems to cover so much different material and i'm having a hard time even remembering the basic "math rules".

i was planning on getting a tutor, etc but how much can you improve for something like this in 5 months realistically?

Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Thu Mar 25, 2010 9:59 pm

FC: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 37; Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:13 pm; Thanked: 3 times; GMAT Score:690

by FC » Fri Mar 26, 2010 12:08 pm

fstep wrote:i have a 3.8gpa from a good school so i was hoping to get into a top MBA program but i just opened up the book to start studying for the GMAT (supposed to take the test in 5 months) and well i'm sorta freaking out. the verbal part seems pretty easy but that might be because a lot of my major, labor studies and employment relations, has similar stuff, however my major has basically no math courses and the last time i took a math course was years ago. to be honest if i had to take this thing right now i'd probably get like 30% of the questions right on the math sections if that. i'm ready to study my ass off for this thing but i honestly don't even know where to start, it seems to cover so much different material and i'm having a hard time even remembering the basic "math rules".

i was planning on getting a tutor, etc but how much can you improve for something like this in 5 months realistically?

In your case you need a decent stragy guide for math. Since you are not a quant person, get all the Manhattan GMAT quant guides and follow them in conjuction with the Official Guide. 5 months is more than enough.

grockit_andrea: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 357; Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:31 pmFollowed by: 7 members; Thanked: 128 times

by grockit_andrea » Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:20 pm

5 months is more than enough time to get a significant improvement. You really don't need a strong math background to master most of the methods you need for the quant section. I've seen students with no formal math studies beyond Algebra II do just fine on this test. You're in fine shape to begin your GMAT prep, especially if you're already planning to get a tutor to guide you through the material and help you create a study plan. Good luck!

Andrea A.
Grockit Tutor
https://www.grockit.com

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