Hi sdc10,

You've given yourself plenty of time to prepare, which is a good move.

It's important to define your goals, so that you can better put together a plan that will help you to achieve those goals.

1) What is your goal score?
2) What schools are you planning to apply to?
3) Do you know what the average GMAT score is for those schools?

Since you have almost no experience with this type of standardized testing, I suspect that you'll need a structured study plan and consistent, professional guidance to help you succeed. As such, working with a couple of books is probably not going to be the best approach.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:
1) You can download 2 FREE practice CAT tests and a set of practice problems from www.mba.com
2) For free "math" help/lessons, try Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org)
3) Before purchasing any Course resources, you should take advantage of all the various free materials (practice problems, CAT tests, videos, etc.) offered by the various GMAT companies. We offer a variety of Stage 1 resources for free use (www.empowergmat.com). Once you've had a chance to consider the options, you should pick the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.

Studying for the GMAT is like having a part-time job; you should plan on spending 10-15 hours per week for 3 months (or more) to properly prepare. It's a big task, but the GMAT is a predictable, standardized exam, so you CAN train to crush it.

If you have any additional questions, then feel free to contact me directly.

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

Hi sdc10,

Your situation is atypical in that you might not actually need to take the GMAT. With the information provided, it seems to me that you wouldn't necessarily have to score at a really high level on the GMAT to satisfy what this school is looking for.

That all having been said, this whole process can seem a bit intimidating. Thankfully, there are plenty of free resources to take advantage of, so you experiment a bit before you commit to spending too much money.

To get a sense of your current strengths and weaknesses, you might consider taking a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT. It takes about 4 hours to complete a CAT, so make sure that you have enough time set aside. Once you take one, you should post back here with your scores and we can talk through the options.

If you have any additional questions, then feel free to contact me directly.

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