GMAT Help!

[terribletowel]

Hi All,

I took my GMAT in October 2010 and I got a 470. My highest practice score was 570 (the second practice I took) and all of my practice exam scores range from 510-570. I took the Manhattan GMAT course and studied on and off for about couple of months. However, there is a little gap in my study period. I finished my strategy guides in April 2010 and from that point on I just studied and did problems from the OG book until my exam date of October 2010. Was that a mistake? If I alter my study method will it help?

I was devastated with the result and I couldn't open a book for a good few months. I recently started studying and I just completed 2 of the 8 strategy guides and plan to complete them all again. I would like to increase my score by about 100-150 points and plan to retake the exam in the next 2-3 months. Is that realistic? I have signed up for the 60 day study guide from Beat the GMAT. I am not in any type of time constraint so I can take as long as I would like for studying, but I would like to take the exam before June.

I would appreciate any feedback I can get from the forum on how to improve my score and study better and more efficiently.


I was planning on completing all of the strategy guides on the weekdays (my job gives me flexibility to study 2-3 hours a day on the job) and do OG questions on the weekends. IS that an effective plan?

Thanks and again appreciate any advice I can get.


HA

[anuptvm]

Hi,

I guess you got all the ammunition that you need to fire away

The OG guide is good to familiarize yourself with the kind of questions that you would come across, however it doesn't teach you the tips and tricks that are needed to solve fast and solve correctly.

The Manhattan GMAT courses are the best of the lot that I have come across. KAPLAN is okay, but Manhattan GMAT gives you way more tips and shortcuts.

The beattheGMAT 60 day study guide is a good way to plan, but you would have to adjust it depending on your individual strengths. I was strong in some areas and could finish those sections faster than the times suggested in the 60 day plan.

At the end practice, practice and you will be good. Also you might want to analyze what your strengths are in Quant vs Verbal and focus your energies accordingly.

Thanks,
Anup

[cool7241744]

I want to know about the scholarship policy in USA. I am Asian and want to study in USA. I have done my Graduation in Applied Management with CGPA 3.23. Now I am preparing GMAT so that I can get scholarship for Master to PHD program in the field of finance, banking or financial economics.
I got my graduation degree in December 2010 and since then I am preparing GMAT. But I am very confused that how to distinguish myself from others students, because I have no solid research work or any good work experience.
Yes, I wrote a thesis which is in my graduation course and six months internship from Pepsi Cola, and nothing else.
I am very confused when I got to know that to get a scholarship, only GMAT is not enough. Than what more a graduate should do to get a scholarship for M-fill to Phd Program.
Kindly help me and guide me what to do.

[terribletowel]

Thanks Anup. Do you feel that my goal is realistic and doable?

[anuptvm]

Hey,

Its absolutely doable. I followed the 60 day guide, actually it has only hardcore studying for 45-50 days, the rest of it is optional stuff. Anyways, I did use it and hit a 650, I was targeting a 690 but then you should be ready for the +/- 5% swings.

One other thing I would suggest is to focus using MGMAT books for the Quant and CR. The MGMAT SC book is a little too theoretical. Again, that is a personal experience. But the MGMAT books for Quant are far ahead of KAPLAN.

You would have to do extra problems aside from the ones suggested by the 60 day guide.

Plus, I would also suggest to use the 80/20 rule to study stuff. If there are things that are too hard for you like Combinatorics or Probability, don't waste a lot of time studying them. Study the basic formulae and then use educated guessing if you do come across those problems on the actual exam.

ALL the very best.

Anup