I need to score 700+ in 4 months!

[mayada]

Hi everyone!

I am a new member in the "beat the gmat" community and i am really impressed from all the extremely useful information available here:)

I have 4 months to study, i had the GMAT exam once and i scored a 550 which is absolutely horrendous given that i want to apply for top schools like stanford so i need to score above 700!

I would really appreciate the advice of what study material is the best given that i need a book that has extensive explanations not just brief descriptions on the main concepts and at the same time i need it to include 700+ level questions

I heard Manhattan would be the best in this case or not?

Would love to hear from you and what you think is the best studying strategy for GMAT in 4 months to get a 700+ score!
Thanks a lot
Mayada

[vineeshp]

Will advice you to check out the study plans on BTG.
there are many available.

The success stories on I beat the GMAT are also a good source of inspiration.
https://www.beatthegmat.com/i-just-beat- ... t-f15.html

The courses are also reviewed here.
https://reviews.beatthegmat.com/

Hope this helps.
All the best.

But a word of caution, don't be obsesses with the 7 number. There are other parts of the application you can work on.

[joannabanana]

700 in 4 months is totally doable! I've been out of school for 7 years (translation: haven't studied, done math or taken a written test in 7 years), and I got a 730 after 3 months of studying. The key is dedication.

I could recommend some of the study materials I found useful, but first tell me where you think your strengths/weaknesses are. If you're not sure yet I would just buy a general study guide (like Kaplan Premier, or the Kaplan math book, forget what it's called) go through the math stuff pretty quickly to see where your weaknesses are, then address those directly. Same thing with verbal (although I have to admit I didn't find the verbal stuff very useful in the Kaplan book).

I would recommend spending the first 1-2 months getting concepts down, in the 3rd month add in practice on timing and a focus on weaknesses, then in the 4th month work on putting it all together. Make sure you're taking practice tests throughout (or at least starting at the beginning of month 3).

How much time are you planning on devoting to study? I averaged 3 hrs per day and 5-6 hrs per day on weekends.

[tpr-becky]

If you are dedicated then you goal is certainly in sight. Be sure to study effectively - look at quality over quantity.

Also, while you want books with good explanations be careful not to treat each question like it stands alone. Each question fits into a relatively limited number of topics the GMAT tests - sure you may be able to use more difficult concepts to solve a problem but ultimately the GMAT was only looking to test a simpler one.

Be sure to take diagnostic tests along the way to chart your progress and correct any misconceptions you have. And if you find that you are not getting the results you are looking for consider hiring a tutor who can help to give you some direction. Many people can self study for this test but some people have a hard time despite their dedication.

Best of Luck