Aiming for 740 - Strategy and books required??

[Shilpa77]

Hello All,

I am new to this forum and have just started preparing for GMAT.
My aim is to score a 740 with a preparation time of 4-5 months.
As I am a working professional, the only time I would be able to study is weekends
and 1-2 hours a day on weekdays. Coming to the preparation strategy, I have read a couple
of posts which talk about giving a practice test first to analyze where you stand and then
work on your weak areas. Can anyone help me out with the best test I can take first?
Also what books should I refer once I start preparing.

Thanks in advance.

[[email protected]]

Hi Shilpa77,

The most realistic practice CAT tests are the Official GMAC tests that you can get from www.mba.com (you can get 2 for free, then 2 more for $40). An ENTIRE CAT takes about 4 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take the entire exam. During your studies, you'll likely need to take additional CATs - thankfully there are plenty to be had (some can be found for free, others can be purchased for a small fee).

As far as books are concerned, the GMAT 13th Official Guide is a "must have" (or the GMAT 2015 book - they're the same book, it's just the newer version comes with some additional online resources that you can use in tandem with the book).

You're not the first person to juggle a career with studying for the GMAT (and whatever else you might have going on in your life), so your available study time should be enough, given the 4-5 months that you've planned for. With a 740+ goal, you'll likely need to invest in a GMAT Course of some kind, but we can talk more about that once you've taken your first practice CAT.

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

[David@VeritasPrep]

Have you taken that first practice test?

I echo what Rich says about taking the GMATPrep - just use one of the two free practice tests it will give you an indication of where you stand and if you do end up studying for several months you can retake that test since you will have forgotten the exact questions after months of studying.

As for what to do once you have the results: you will likely need to do a comprehensive study plan. Few people are able to just address their weaknesses. Even someone who has a talent for Sentence Correction or Algebra will definitely benefit from studying those subjects in-depth.

The Official Guide for GMAT Review is a great book to have, but I look on that more as a set of official practice questions to use when you are implementing the strategies you have learned.

You can self-study with a complete set of strategy guides or you can use one of the many courses out there that help guide your study.

I recommend taking the practice test first, if you are within 100 points of your goal then you can likely self-study your way toward that 740. If you are at a lower starting point you may need some assistance to reach your lofty goals!

Hope that helps you to think about your first steps.

David