New Member - Study Plan Help :)

[sam2428]

Hey Everyone,

I just joined Beat the Gmat and I am really excited to start studying and getting organized to take the exam. I actually started my GMAT studying late last year but a lot of life events (wife got a promotion, had to move, etc) got in the way and I decided to postpone my studies until I knew I could put in the time consistently towards my studies.

I am at that point now and am getting re-organized to create a study plan. A little about me: I am a 26 year male, I work a full time job as a mechanical engineer, and I plan on taking the gmat in the October/November time frame this year. My GMAT goals are to obtain a 650-700 score and I am looking to apply to one of the higher ranked part time MBA programs. I currently live in the LA area and am primarily looking to get into UCLA's part time MBA.

I am really curious about the 60 day beat the gmat study plan and have also been looking into online video studying/practice such as Magoosh (which seems like it would be a little more engaging than just using books). I already have OG13 and the complete Manhattan 5th edition study guides (so the 60 day study plan would work great with the materials I have already purchased).

I can easily put in 2 hrs/day on weekdays and more on the weekends, but I am not sure if I consistently dedicate up to 4 hrs of study time during the work week as the 60 day plan suggests. Would the 60 day study plan still be good for me?

Should I try to sign up for online videos (such as Magoosh) as well as doing the 60 day study plan or would that make things confusing and/or complicated?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[[email protected]]

Hi sam2428,

It sounds like you've got the right attitude to achieve your goals and the proper amount of time to do so. As you move forward, here are some things to keep in mind... First, studying for the GMAT is like learning how to play a musical instrument - it takes time. So do your studying in small chunks and don't try to "cram" in anything. You also don't have to study every day. Next, since there are a variety of online courses and materials out there, be sure to sample them before you buy. Most GMAT Prep companies offer some type of demo or free sample to give you a taste of the course in question. This allows you to find the course that best matches your style and budget. Finally, when you get stuck, don't be shy about asking for help. This forum is a great resource in which to post questions and learn additional tactics.

If you have any specific questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly,

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[sam2428]

Rich,

Thank you for the quick reply. I definitely do not want to rush my studying and try to cram everything in but at the same time I also do not want to spend too long and eventually get burned out of studying. Also, I am never shy about asking for help on forum, which is why it was the first thing I wanted to do as I get prepared to study

I agree with you that studying every day is probably not the best. I would like to take at least Friday's off from studying to allow myself a break before spending more time on the weekends.

The reason I like the 60 day study guide is because I like the fact that is will guide me and tell me exactly what to study and what practice problems to do. When I originally started studying this was something I struggled with and and was left with a little confusion.

Are the 60 day emails available to download so I could potentailly do them at my own pace (taking Friday's off)? I guess I could sign up and follow along at my own pace and just no open the emails until I get to that day...

[[email protected]]

Hi Sam,

I can't really answer any questions about the 60-Day emails, but there is a forum here in which you can post that question (just scroll down the main forum page until you see it).

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich