New to GMAT

[ti_jahan]

I completed my Bachelors in Finance, and although I had planned to take the GMAT for a few years, I never came around doing it.

I have to take the test by March 2008 (admission deadline for the business school I wanna apply to). I am also taking the LSAT in February 2008. I took the LSAT prep course but didnt find it too helpful. I dont want to spend $1500 on another prepcourse that won't work.

I want to prepare for the test on my own. I have read about the prep books mentioned on this site. But there are too many to choose from. Could you advice what I should start with? I am thinking about the GMAT OG and the KAPLAN 800. And are there any preptests available for timed practice (like there are for LSAT)????

Your suggestion is much appreciated

[beatthegmat]

Welcome to the community!

The first thing you need to do is develop a strong study strategy. One example of how you can do this can be found here, https://beatthegmat.blocked.

There are plenty of free practice tests for you to use during your prep. Check them out here: https://del.icio.us/beatthegmat/

The good news is that your LSAT prep should have given you a head start on the verbal section of the GMAT. I hear that the LSAT verbal is significantly harder, so hopefully this section of the GMAT should be a breeze for you.

Good luck!

[beatthegmat]

You're welcome!

[mayonnai5e]

The books you should use really depends on where you are on your prep and also how familiar you are with GMAT math and verbal. The one book that you must have no matter what is the OG11 book. The OG Verbal and Quant Review books are also indispensable.

If you are completely new and have not used math in a long time then you might need another book for that. Also, if you are completely new to GMAT RC, CR, and SC then you may want a book on that also.

If you can provide us with more information, we can probably suggest more/less books based on where you are in your prep.

[ti_jahan]

Thanx Mayo

I will tell you exactly where I stand. I have somewhat prepared for LSAT, will be taking it in February 2nd. I have never touched anything related to GMAT - but I know few things are common (with LSAT) e.g. RC and CR (called Logical Reasoning in LSAT). But GMAT has more things covered like math and grammar. I have gone thru quite a lot of stuff on your site - and I have decided to start with the OG (all three of them) and KAPLAN 800 for the harder questions. I also plan to use the resources you have on your site. I just need a hearstart - never self-prepd before =\

I m a bit confused as to what the CAT is...is it the computer program which is used for GMAT? Can we practice with it somehow?

I want to take GMAT by March - I am quite good with math and grammar ( I suppose ) , but RC and CR freaks me out - I have always been a slow reader.

Thank you again for ur suggestions 8)

[beatthegmat]

CAT stands for 'Computer Adaptive Test'. You have to take the GMAT on the computer, and with each question you get correct you get a subsequently more difficult question. If you get a question wrong, you will be served an easier question. Through this system, the GMAT has an algorithm to instantly award you with a score.

There are plenty of free practice tests, check out: https://del.icio.us/beatthegmat for a list.

Good luck!

[mayonnai5e]

The books that you have chosen are good, but since it sounds like you are not familiar with the format of the GMAT and what a CAT is, you may want to purchase an introductory book too like PR's cracking the gmat. You shouldn't have too many problems with RC and CR nor with the problem solving section since you said you are good with math. But DS maybe be a problem for you if you are not familiar with this question format. It is definitely not your ordinary math format. The Kaplan 800 book is an advanced book and I do not believe it has strategies for DS questions, and I also do not believe the OG books have the strategy laid out.

You could go to your local bookstore and browse through the PR book or Kaplan beginner book and see if the information contained within is new to you - if it is you should buy it and read through it first. If not then you can always try to do the OG11 and Kaplan 800 books first and if you find the material too advanced, you can go back and buy another book to shore up your basics. Here's my take on the priority:

Total beginner without knowledge of test format, questions asked, nor strategies for solving questions in each question type: PR Cracking the GMAT

Hasn't done math in years and needs to relearn some fundamentals: Kaplan Math workbook

Familiar with format and understands the different question types as well as strategies for answering questions from each type (e.g. knows how to solve a weaken CR question vs knows how to solve an inference CR question): OG11, OG V, OG M

Weak in SC: MGMAT SC

Wants to work on harder Q questions: Kaplan 800

Decide which of these you fall into and pick your books.