2 Week Boot Camp Course or Self Study?

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First off, let me give you guys my background. I have taken the 9 week course, and I would honestly say that I studied for a full dedicated 2-3 weeks at around 6 hours per day of studying or so prior to the exam. I took the exam 1 week after the course ended. I did take two practice exam prior to the real one and got a 43Q/27V with equated to a 580 on the MGMAT version and a 590 on the GMAT Prep version. I was pleased with the results, and hoped to earn at least a 580 on the actual exam. When I took the actual GMAT I got a 550 on it Q39/27V.

After I got the 550, I rescheduled another exam 30 days later. I needed a 580 to get into the school of my choice, so I got kind of lazy the first week or two and ignored studying. I felt like I was close to what I needed to score, so I felt like just a little bit more studying would get me there. I eventually did get back to studying again for 2 weeks prior to the exam, and again with the same dedicated pace of around 6 hours per day. I was shocked and stunned when I took another practice exam on MGMAT and got a low score. 33Q/30V which equated to a 520. The more shocking part to me was the significantly lower Math score, since this entire time I have focused on only studying the math sections. I felt more comfortable with math, and was hoping that would be my calling card to get me the 580 that I needed. I was even more stunned on the actual day of the exam when I saw a score of 470 (38Q/18V). I was seriously at a loss of words when I saw that score appear on the monitor.

So it comes down to this.... This time around I am fully dedicating myself starting from now, until my next exam date (33 or so days from now), and I am willing to put in more hours per day than in the past. This is my last shot at it, and I am pretty much opening up my schedule, and concentrating on solely the GMAT everyday. My question is, would it be worth it to take the 2 Week Boot Camp course, or would I be better off studying on my own, following the Syllabus and re-watching the online courses available on the member's site.

GMAT boot camp course starts on the 29th of this month. I retake the exam on December 17th. I am open to any options that you suggest to me.

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by manhattanprep » Thu Nov 17, 2011 2:33 pm
Hi BarrettBarrage,

The choice between the 2-Week Boot Camp and Guided Self Study Plus is a tricky one to make. Though the decision lies ultimately with you, here are some things to consider. While no one is calling your resolve into question, you admitted that you got a little lax between your first and second GMAT exam. Even though you seem dedicated and eager to devote your entire time to GMAT prep, procrastination and distractions are all too-real dangers to a successful study period, especially considering the strain this intense period will put you under. It may benefit you to have the strict and regimented plan of study that the Boot Camp provides. Additionally, the resources you receive are much more personalized (all your Office Hours sessions will be with one of your two instructors, so they know who you are and know your strengths and weaknesses). One potential drawback, however, is that the material you go over will be the same as what you've seen previously in your course; this is also true of the class recordings through GSS+, but you would be able to skip topics you're comfortable with, and spend more time on topics you feel you could use more help in.

It's definitely tough, but considering the more personalized service and plethora of online resources you would receive with the Boot Camp, that seems like a more beneficial option. And to sweeten the deal a bit more, as a former student you can take the course at a discounted rate. Call Student Services at 212-721-7400 to hear more.

Shan
Student Services Associate
Manhattan GMAT
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