About To Jump Back Into The Gmat - A Few Questions

[RyanP]

https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba-submissi ... tml#472038

The above is a past post of mine to give a bit of background information. I submitted my application to the school of my choosing and found out that it can take almost two months for a decision (whether or not you're accepted). Because of my low GMAT score (560) I have the possibility of not being accepted. Here is my conundrum; I took my last GMAT early in May and have not studied GMAT materials since then, trying to give my brain a rest. Once I heard about the two month decision, I started wondering if I should study again. Basically what I'm asking is, should I start hardcore studying again or try to just glance over my short list of GMAT notes every once and a while? For those of you who have taken breaks, do you regret them if you have to take the GMAT again or is it easy to pick up where you left off?

[beatthegmat]

That really depends. I think a good place to start would be to take a GMAT Prep practice test to see where you're at. If you're scoring close to your target, maybe you can abbreviate your prep; if you're well below your target, perhaps starting over your prep makes sense.

Keep in mind too that the GMAT changed on June 5 (new Integrated Reasoning section). So there will be new material to learn.

Best of luck! Please leverage this community throughout your prep, we're here for you.

[RyanP]

That really depends. I think a good place to start would be to take a GMAT Prep practice test to see where you're at. If you're scoring close to your target, maybe you can abbreviate your prep; if you're well below your target, perhaps starting over your prep makes sense.

Keep in mind too that the GMAT changed on June 5 (new Integrated Reasoning section). So there will be new material to learn.

Best of luck! Please leverage this community throughout your prep, we're here for you.

If I really hit the MGMAT Math books hard (at least in my opinion), in your opinion what is the next best math book? I feel like my math has gone up slightly (high twenties to an average of low thirties) but nowhere near enough for how much I've focused on it 75% versus about 25% of my time on Verbal. I consistently see success stories on the forums but they always seem to be for people who bump up their verbal whereas I'm fine with my verbal score (low to mid thirties). I think if I could bump up my math score, I could definitely see more of an improvement in my score.

Thanks for the mention of the change in the test. Although my school lets you input your AWA score, they don't really seem to care about it. In that sense, I'll most likely be putting in a minimal amount of studying for IR as even a 30-40th percentile score would most likely be fine.

Edit: GMAT practice tests and real tests

March = Practice (Gmat version 1) - 470, 490 (q27, v31). Actual GMAT: 530 (q33, v29).
April = Practice (Gmat version 1) - 520, MGMAT practice of 650.
May = Practice - 620 (gmat version 2 prep), day before test (gmat version 2 prep): q35,v35 so 580. Actual GMAT: Q32, V35.

[beatthegmat]

Have you exhausted Official Guide 13's math problems? Or the Official Guide for Quantitative Review? Those are probably the very best source of math questions available, anywhere. Check out MBA.com too, they may have some supplemental math sets they sell as well.

Good luck! Can't wait to read your success story.