I need your help please

[hraisha]

I just got done taking the GMAT and I'm still under shock. I scored 440 which was not at all expected and which is eliminating my plans to go to business school next year. My score was 29 for Quantitative and 22 for Verbal. I was especially shocked at my score for the verbal section because I thaught I did well on the verbal section. During my preparation, I always scored good in the verbal section.
I'm not sure how to study now for the GMAT before I retake it. I'm considering enrolling in the Kaplan class but I'm not sure how effective will it be in improving my score. Any suggestions on how I should organize my preparations and what should I use would be very much appreciated. (in my preparation I used Kaplan books, Kaplan online quiz bank, OG and took one GMATprep in which I scored 560)

Thank you,

[Prasanna]

There could be multiple reasons for your poor score. I suspect lack of quality preparation to be a major cause, though you seem to have covered sufficient material. You have mentioned that you took one GMAT prep test. Is that all you took? Can you provide additional details on how you prepared, how you identified your weak areas and things like that.

As always the forum is here to help.

Prasanna

[hraisha]

I first took the GMAT in 2003 and got a score of 460. I know that I prepared better for this last one and I just can't understand how I got 440. My weakest area is normally the quantitative section which I concentrated on most of the time I was preparing. I started preparing in the beginning January. I have to admit that there was dome weeks when I did not study a lot for the GMAT because I had to write my essays for my applications for admission.
I worked quite extensively with the Kaplan GMAT quiz back. I need to figure out a better strategy to improve because it looks like the way I was preparing did do me any good. I did not take many complete tests because I thought that with the Kaplan quiz bank, I was working on my time management too.
I'm not sure how to continue preparing? What material should I use and for how long should I prepare? Should get in a GMAT prep class like Kaplan has?
Thank you in advance for your advices.

[beatthegmat]

I would take some time to study this resource: https://beatthegmat.blocked. This blog is one example of how a study strategy should be constructed. It sounds like you need to take some time to figure out a systematic approach to attacking the GMAT.

[hraisha]

Thank you for your advices.