Need 700+, need help with how to study

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uhsa: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 38; Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2010 8:04 am; Thanked: 1 times

by uhsa » Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:26 pm

I have MGMAT set of all the books. I first took a practice GMAT test, got 520. I haven't been in school for over a decade. Then I started studying but due to work, on and off study time, couldn't really finish more than 3 MGMAT Quant books and no Verbal book. I couldn't study for 3 weeks before the actual GMAT, and got 480. I feel horrible.

I know the avg range of students do not go move than 50 points, but I want to defy it. Mainly because I never got to study and so the test score is not the right one. I sometimes have trouble focussing, I have two kids under 8 and a full time job. Can you please help me in getting myself a schedule that will get me 700 plus? I can do 2-3 hrs a day, maybe 3 months should do it? Any help is really appreciated.

I looked at the 60 day BTG emails, but they are more Kaplan based. I am looking to get in to Booth Part Time. Have been looking at various things, like form a study group here in Chicago area and/or get an instructor to get me start up. Any help to get me on track is appreciated. Anyone who beat the GMAT and would like to share a "how-to" game plan is really what I need.

Thank you all.

uhsa

Source: Beat The GMAT — GMAT Strategy | Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:26 pm

NextGreatLeader: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 202; Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 7:32 amFollowed by: 4 members; Thanked: 40 times

by NextGreatLeader » Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:03 pm

The biggest thing I can recommend do you is that you make studying an appointment on your calendar. Repeatedly stopping and starting or studying while you're distracted will not help boost your score. I've started waking up an hour earlier to study before work. I had initially been studying after work, but I was often too tired to be truly productive. You may also be able to spend an extra 20-30 minutes working on a few practice problems during your lunch break.

uhsa: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 38; Joined: Sun Jul 25, 2010 8:04 am; Thanked: 1 times

by uhsa » Wed Aug 15, 2012 5:04 pm

Thank you. I have been thinking along the same lines, to wake up early, do an hour before going to work and an hour after work at my work place, before I head out home. Hopefully the 2 hr daily (incl. weekend) would get me on the right track.

I was also wondering -- if I start my Quant first, by the time I am on Verbal - it would probably be 2 month (?) -- when I am doing Verbal, wouldn't I lose the "quick tricks" or "speed" of my Quant being out of daily practice?

Thanks again for the reply.

uhsa

NextGreatLeader: Master | Next Rank: 500 Posts; Posts: 202; Joined: Mon May 21, 2012 7:32 amFollowed by: 4 members; Thanked: 40 times

by NextGreatLeader » Fri Aug 17, 2012 5:35 am

Quant is my weak area, and I definitely feel that if I'm away from it for more than a week, then I start to forget some of the things I learned. Therefore, I'd recommend that even on days when you are studying verbal, you should still add in at least 20-30 minutes of quant.

rijul007: Legendary Member; Posts: 588; Joined: Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:42 amFollowed by: 9 members; Location: New Delhi, India; Thanked: 130 times; GMAT Score:720

by rijul007 » Fri Aug 17, 2012 8:04 am

uhsa wrote: I was also wondering -- if I start my Quant first, by the time I am on Verbal - it would probably be 2 month (?) -- when I am doing Verbal, wouldn't I lose the "quick tricks" or "speed" of my Quant being out of daily practice?

Thanks again for the reply.

uhsa

When you are preparing for verbal, don't cut yourself off from Quant. You will lose out on your skills and tricks that you learnt for 2 months. Make it a point to solve 10 questions 3 days a week, that is, 30 questions in the whole week.
And at some point of the day if you feel tired of studying verbal, review the math questions you did earlier.
You should also take practice tests after certain intervals, so that you can track your progress in verbal and also make sure that you're not losing out in quant.

GMAT/MBA Expert

Brent@GMATPrepNow: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 16207; Joined: Mon Dec 08, 2008 6:26 pmFollowed by: 1268 members; Location: Vancouver, BC; Thanked: 5254 times; GMAT Score:770

by Brent@GMATPrepNow » Sat Aug 18, 2012 8:43 am

uhsa wrote: I looked at the 60 day BTG emails, but they are more Kaplan based.

BTG's 60-Day Study Guide doesn't use any Kaplan resources. To follow the Study Guide, you need either the MGMAT books, or the GMAT Prep Now videos.

Cheers,
Brent

Brent Hanneson - Creator of GMATPrepNow.com

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