How much prep time do I need for a 700+ ???

[sarzan]

I realize study time varies from person to person, but I just wanted to get an idea from some previous test takers on how long they prepared before taking the GMAT.

Here are my stats:
Age: 28
Occupation: Geophysicist
Education: MSc from top Canadian school
GMAT Prep duration: aiming for 2 months of studying for a 700+

[mayonnai5e]

Some gifted test takers study 2 weeks and break 700, but that is the very rare individual. Most people on this forum that break 700 study many weeks and some take the test multiple times over several months. I personally studied on and off for 4 months then got serious and studied non-stop in addition to my normal 40 hr workweek for 3 months.

Two months sounds like a decent amount of time, but again it depends on how much progress you make and how many hours per week you spend studying during those two months.

[sarzan]

Some gifted test takers study 2 weeks and break 700, but that is the very rare individual. Most people on this forum that break 700 study many weeks and some take the test multiple times over several months. I personally studied on and off for 4 months then got serious and studied non-stop in addition to my normal 40 hr workweek for 3 months.

Two months sounds like a decent amount of time, but again it depends on how much progress you make and how many hours per week you spend studying during those two months.

Thanks for your feedback mayonnai5e. I have been studying on and off for the past 2 months, but I recently realized that my GMAT brain functions like an athlete's most important muscle group: I can't passively read and exercise a few minutes here and there like I did in college for a science course - it has to be concentrated studying. So I was hoping for a two-month long crunch time because I want to get this out of my way and my summer.

I am using the 8 Manhattan GMAT books, in addition to the OG 11 Edition, OG Quant, and OG Verbal.

[mayonnai5e]

Let me just say this: I studied like I've never studied before for the GMAT. I majored in computer science at the University of California, San Diego, which is a top 20 public engineering school in the US, and graduated with 3.81 GPA. With that GPA, I graduated in the top 4% of my class and received Magna Cumme Laude distinction yet studying for the GMAT was like nothing I had ever done before. It was like studying for finals everyday non-stop. College was cake for me comparatively speaking.

[Stacey Koprince]

Also, obviously, your starting point factors into how long it might take you to reach your goal. Someone starting at a 650 doesn't have as far to go to get to 700 as someone starting at a 500 or 600. So take that first practice test, if you haven't already, and see where you're at!

Also, I totally agree with you guys that you have to study every day (or almost every day) - I liken it to an exercise regimen. If you're trying to improve your performance, and not just stay the same, you won't make much progress if you only exercise a couple of times a week.

[OnapiIndia]

Have u got your answer, What u have decided?

[wwallace1]

ya atleast 20hrs a week...

[resilient]

I think that the best and most important step is to focus all your efforts on teh goal and not on the amount of work it will cost. THis is when goals are achieved. I came from the basement floor with a diagnostic 340 and now I score 650. Its not easy but its possible. I need to break into the 700s a few times to take the exam. There are hard days and easy days but the goals it find a mistake and stick to it like glue!

This is a perfect place to ask: how can I boost my 650 to a 700? I am noticing on almost all practice I will get a 70-80 percent correct and the remaining wrong answers I can quickly fix half because of a foolish mistake.

[resilient]

btw the studies do become addictive. If you are like me.

[Stacey Koprince]

First, are you doing that practice (a) timed and holding yourself to the time you'll have on the test, and (b) with groups of random problems, so that you have to figure out what topic / concept is being tested in that problem? (Otherwise, the data doesn't mean much.)

If so, second, WHY are you making those mistakes? Careless mistakes are rarely truly random - there's a reason why you made the mistake. Figure that out, then figure out what habit you can change / put in place to minimize the chance of making that same mistake in future. Not easy, but you can do it! (And nice improvement so far, by the way!!)

[resilient]

the more I set myself up in 25 question banks and try to go through them the faster I get. In order to get faster, I learn my mistakes from a flash card. BUt the higher level questions take much more of my time because they require more steps. This is my next battle.ONe great thing I learned this week is to try to answer questions in the most logical and childlike manner. In other words, the questions do not really require extreme calculations. INstead, step back and understand the situation in order to fix the problem. I hope this is helping!