GMAT Strategy

Needless to say, I was more than disappointed when my 4+ months of studying only resulted in a score of a 570. I was extremely dedicated and studied most mornings before work, and on weekends, averaging about 8-12 hours per week using the guidance of the Kaplan class I was enrolled in. However, despite all this, I saw minimal improvements on the 10+ CAT's that I took. In summary, I've never tried this hard for something, and been so bad at it!

I am planning on applying to MBA programs this fall, and would like advice on how to improve my score.

Were there particular areas you struggled? Scores in the 500s typically mean that you still have some foundational gaps. How would you rate your proficiency with the material?

It's hard to say without knowing which areas you did well on, but I would recommend going through the entire set of Manhattan GMAT books. I took a Kaplan diagnostic test 2 years ago. (lol my GMAT study time has been spread out a bit, but I finally got serious this year). Anyway, I scored a 500 something. My Quant was TERRIBLE. I got 0 Data Sufficiency questions right. I have been working through these MGMAT books and although I wont take my first diagnostic until this upcoming week I think those books gave me a strong quant foundation. There are 5 quant books: 1)Number properties, 2)FDP's-Fractions, Decimals, Percents, 3)Equations, Inequalities, 4) Word Translations 5) Geometry. The 3rd and 4th books take some serious thought and concentration so schedule more time for them. The other books are RC, CR, and SC. You also get 6 CATS included and practice questions at the end of each chapter.

I would also recommend getting the Official Guide's and practicing the questions under timed conditions.