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Best way to study on the fixed budget.

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Best way to study on the fixed budget.

by nasharussia » Sat May 23, 2009 7:48 am
Self explanatory post lol. I got no money, I went through the Princeton Review. Studied hard for a week or two got 520 on the first cat, although a few time distructed by the people at home. Since then havent really studied, just brushed up on the weak areas. Half a sleep and exhausted from work and study (still completing undergrad degree) got 500.

The question is, how can I improve this really low score on a really limited budget. I was exploring two alternatives, getting the whole set of mgmat or buying individual books on the subject, not related to gmat. Which way should I go? Leaning more towards mgmat but i think that the general concensus is that its more useful for improving the score if you are at or above 600 level. Also everyone compares Kaplan and mgmat here, what about Princeton Review. Anyone has any experiance with their cats?
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by Stacey Koprince » Mon May 25, 2009 10:34 am
I won't comment on which stuff to use from which company, because obviously I'm biased. :) But I will mention that you can get a lot of stuff for free or for a pretty low cost.

Pretty much all of the companies will let you take a free practice test, so sign up for those, and you can also download two free practice tests from the makers of the real test - go to www.mba.com and look for GMATPrep.

Most companies also have free info sessions and although, yes, we're trying to get people to like our stuff so they'll spend money, that doesn't mean you have to actually spend money! Sign up for and attend whatever free stuff you can. For example, you can sign up for a free 2-hour info session with my company, held either in person (if you're in one of the cities we're in) or online. We also let people sit in on the first class of a new course for free (again, either in person or online). Check out our web site for details on how to sign up. I don't know the details on free sessions given by other companies, but I'm sure they exist, so you should check out their web sites.

Also, these free sessions are typically given by instructors, so make sure you have a couple of questions that you can ask after the class - advice about how best to prepare in your situation or something like that.

Finally, you don't mention OG books - perhaps that's because you already know that part of your budget is going to go towards the official materials, but I wanted to mention just in case. The first thing you need to buy is OG12 (and OG11 is fine, too, if you already have it). OG12 = The Official Guide, 12th edition, published by the people who make the test and containing real, past GMAT questions. The book is not so great for teaching you how to study, but it is great in terms of providing the highest-quality practice questions available.

Good luck!
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by Vitalina » Mon May 25, 2009 10:42 am
I would say, go for Mgmat. I learnt more from Free flash cards compiled my manh move than from a whole kaplan course, or so it feels/seems.
manh tests are harder than the real thing, but i think it's for the best.
princeton is really good when you start, gives you a prettygood basis in all the concepts. other than that, it's not particularly good, imo

p.s. nice nickname! ))
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by Neo2000 » Mon May 25, 2009 10:59 am
You get a 10% discount on books via BTG as well. Just click on the "Discounts" tab on the top :)
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by VP_Jim » Mon May 25, 2009 11:04 am
I'll recommend a couple of cheap "non-GMAT" books to help you out. Note that none of these are Veritas books and I don't get a commission or anything. :)

First, a mental math book. I've had a few students get this, and they've really liked it. I had a look at it and agree - this book is a great way to get you in the right mindset, math-wise.

https://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Mental-Ma ... 099&sr=8-1

Next, I love the "Algebra for Dummies" workbook if you're rusty on your math basics:

https://www.amazon.com/Algebra-Workbook- ... 202&sr=1-1

Finally, for verbal - start reading any well written material you can get your hands on. I'm a fan of the Wall Street Journal, which you should be able to acquire for cheap or free.

Good luck!
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by 4score20 » Mon May 25, 2009 11:18 am
There are a lot of free resources - practice tests and study questions - online. Just do some searches for GMAT and you'll have more than enough free material. Good Luck!
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