The process of putting together a study plan for tackling the GMAT can be a daunting one. First, there are a myriad of different resources. Second, it's tough to predict how much time will be required. Third, there's no way to know if your plan is actually going to help you succeed until you get deep into it (and realize that you may have made some ineffective choices along the way).

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Guest post by Rich Cohen, Co-Founder, EMPOWERgmat

After putting together a reasonable plan and studying for some appreciable amount of time, the nightmare situation happens: you're STUCK at a particular score level! Maybe it's the 500s, maybe it's the low-to-mid 600s, but you can't seem to get past it. So now what?

The above situation is arguably the most common problem to strike GMAT test takers during their studies. Thankfully, the solution isn't that hard to come by, but some serious adjustments must be made.

1) Acknowledge that what you've done so far has not gotten you to your goal. Continuing to approach the GMAT in the same way is NOT going to magically fix your problem. Investing in new materials and lessons, and putting in the necessary practice to change how you approach the GMAT, is what's required.

2) The little areas that you "cheat" on (or skip altogether) during practice are costing you BIG when you take the GMAT. The "reality" of test day should not be ignored. For example, the GMAT requires you to face the Essay and IR sections, so you should include those sections when you take your practice CAT tests. Think about all of the little details that will occur on your test day and do your best to mimic them during practice.

3) YOU are likely causing your pacing problem. Maybe you keep rereading and rereading and rereading prompts. Maybe you don't take enough notes. Maybe you're trying to solve a problem the "long" way when faster, more efficient methods are available.

4) Mental acuity is tied to physical well-being. If you have trouble focusing or you lose your will at the end of the Verbal section (and think "I just want this test to be over"), then your problem might actually be physical.

The EMPOWERgmat Score Booster has become wildly successful in helping thousands of test takers to improve on their existing scores, and it's currently free to try out at www.empowergmat.com. Studying for the GMAT is a BIG task, but it doesn't have to be a hard one. With the right tools and the proper guidance, you can get "unstuck" in a hurry.

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