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should I study for the gmat?

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should I study for the gmat?

by steveo22 » Mon Dec 15, 2014 8:20 pm
hey all, just found this place and have been reading for a bit, and now have some questions. i currently have a masters degree in exercise science, and considering going back to get my MBA (jobs you think are cool in college never end up being that cool...). as I currently have a masters degree, many schools will give me waiver for the GMAT requirement. now obviously the schools that make this waiver are NOT top tier (NCSU for example), however with a very time intensive job, a side business and a kid on the way, i am not sure i will be able to dedicate the time needed to get a 680 - my goal score. but if it is the difference between being WORTH going back for my MBA and not doing it, then I will find the time.

and if I do begin the process of studying, the amount of material available is overwhelming. it appears the MGMAT series is the best, however I am curious if something "lighter" to start such as kaplan + 6 practice tests would be better? thanks for any input yall can give, plan on spending significantly more time at this forum!
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by [email protected] » Mon Dec 15, 2014 9:59 pm
Hi steveo22,

If you're interested in schools that require a GMAT score as part of the application process, then it's quite likely that those same schools will accept a GRE score too. Did you have to take the GRE when you applied to your Masters program? If you scored well on that Test already, then you might not need to take the GMAT.

Since you've defined your goal, we now need to know a couple of other things so that we can put together the most effective plan possible:

1) When are you planning to apply to school?
2) With all of the various obligations on your time, how much available time do you think you'll have each week to study?

To help you establish your expectations/plans, you should know that most Test Takers need 3 months (or more) to hit their respective peak scores. During that time, it's quite common to study 10-15 hours per week (or more).

It would be beneficial to know more about your current ability levels, so you should plan to take a FULL-length practice CAT sometime soon (you can download 2 for free from www.mba.com). It takes about 4 hours to complete a full CAT, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to do so. Once you have those scores, you should report back here.

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by steveo22 » Tue Dec 16, 2014 6:33 am
i did the kaplan live test online and it said i got a 530 i think. this was before i started studying, now that i understand it a bit better (especially sentence correction) i would imagine im right around a 550 or 560.

i could find time mostly on weekends and sometimes at night to study, but with this i know i will have to study every single day, use it or lose it. i guess my bigger question is about getting an MBA in general, some of the schools i have eyed (university of florida, UNC, duke) require an updated GMAT score, where as others such as NCSU, FAU do not. is the potential to get admitted to these schools worth the massive time commitment compared to getting accepted to other good, but not as highly ranked schools, without the need for the score. as someone who is switching industries, is it massively important for me to get accepted to the highest ranked MBA school i can find?

thanks for your help. i think what i want to do to "ease" into studying is start with the official GMAC book, followed by the manhattan series, and make an april test date. it pushes back the date i wanted to get admitted by but thats what i have to do.
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by [email protected] » Tue Dec 16, 2014 10:52 am
Hi steveo22,

How long ago did you take the Kaplan practice test? And did you take the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR sections)? Both of those 'issues' will likely impact what your Official Score would be if you took the GMAT today. I still recommend that you take a FULL-length practice CAT sooner rather than later.

As far as the value of a particular degree is concerned, there are a number of factors to consider. You'll have to do some research and figure out which program best helps you with your future plans:

1) What do you want to do with an MBA?
2) Is there are particular field or career path that you want to follow?
3) Will the alumni network of the schools factor into that path?
4) How long do you want to be in school? Onsite or online? What are you willing to pay? Do you need a scholarship? Etc.

Once you define all of these details (and more), then you can get a better handle on what school(s)/program(s) best match YOUR needs/goals.

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Rich
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by steveo22 » Wed Dec 17, 2014 8:06 pm
took the kaplan two weeks ago, did the IR (4/12), verbal and quant. will be doing another practice test this weekend.

as far as what i want to do, im not 100% sure as i will be switching industries. however i believe technology entrepreneurship is the most enticing so far. i want to do full time in person, and will require a scholarship or student loans to do it. the entire process is important to me, top to bottom, as we do not have a large income and i would be moving to run my online business fulltime will attending school, however the end goal NEEDS to be worth it. alot of sunk costs in my current degree to get where im at, hence the reason i am researching my MBA to find something i love and not checking the clock every 3 minutes.

i have a very progressive, logical and rational mindset and want to find something that matches what my wife calls a "unique way of thinking!"

still getting a gauge on some of my schools as I prepare for GMAT, and will be applying to the schools that have granted me a GMAT waiver due to my masters degree.
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by [email protected] » Wed Dec 17, 2014 11:50 pm
Hi steveo22,

I think that your overall idea to "ease" into the process is a good one. It will give you a chance to think through the possibilities and plan for various contingencies. Clearly you have a lot of things happening in your life, so finding a way to properly juggle all of your responsibilities is paramount. You can start of with some general self-study, then establish more of a formal plan/timeline in the next few weeks.

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by manyaabroadtpr » Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:37 pm
Hi,

We have been following this discussion and just wanted to add our two cents based on the experience. It is ok that you start slow and give yourself enough time to prepare. But, we would recommend that as you approach your test date, try and plan your responsibilities such that you are able to find more time every day.

Start with 2 hours or even just 1 hour every day and then gradually increase it to 3, to 4 and to a maximum of 6 hours per day as you get closed to the test date.

Wish you the best. Do let us know if you have any other queries and we would be happy to help.

www.manyagroup.com
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