Hi all,
I just would like to ask for a little piece of advise from previous GMAT takers.
I never had the GMAT exam before, and am starting my preparation right now (need to pass the GMAT by May 2015).
I am then deciding which course is more suitable to me (in person/online & which course between Optimus Prep/Magoosh/GMAT Pills/Kaplan etc. etc.).
Unfortunately, I do not have a sound math knowledge - actually I have a very weak one - and, joining a few trials of some of the courses mentioned above, I found out that the quantitative session of the GMAT is - definitely - my weakness, where I will need to work harder.
I am not a English native speaker, so of course I will need to work hard also on the verbal session, but the quantitative one will be definitely the greater challenge for me.
I would be grateful if you can share your previous experiences and give me a tip, helping me to choose the right course (in person/online & which course would be better between Optimus Prep/Magoosh/GMAT Pills/Kaplan etc. etc.) given my need of a good "math course" (starting even from the basics...).
Also, to help you addressing me to the right course (THANK YOU for your help!!), be aware that I work from Monday to Friday and I would need then a course that allows me to take lessons in the weekend - it would be great a course that allows me to review the material every time I need, studying at my own pace.
Thank you in advance for your precious contribution.
Look forward to hearing from you soon,
Best,
Andre
How to beat the GMAT: request of advise for prep
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- DavidG@VeritasPrep
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Hi Andre4,
It sounds like you've given your whole situation a lot of thought before you begin your studies, which is good. I assume that you have to take the GMAT by May 2016.
For free math practice and help, I recommend that you set up an account at Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org). The site is completely free and makes the learning a bit more fun and 'game-like' (as opposed to the dry academic approach taken by most books). While the site is vast, you should limit your studies to basic Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. After spending a little time re-building those skills, you can start your GMAT studies.
Before taking your first FULL CAT, you might want to spend a few days familiarizing yourself with the question types and general content/format, but you shouldn't wait too long to establish your 'baseline' score. You can download 2 free practice CATs (and some additional practice materials from www.mba.com
As far as selecting a GMAT Course is concerned, most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at out site (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.
When are you planning to apply to Business School?
Do you know which Schools you're planning to apply to?
If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
It sounds like you've given your whole situation a lot of thought before you begin your studies, which is good. I assume that you have to take the GMAT by May 2016.
For free math practice and help, I recommend that you set up an account at Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org). The site is completely free and makes the learning a bit more fun and 'game-like' (as opposed to the dry academic approach taken by most books). While the site is vast, you should limit your studies to basic Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. After spending a little time re-building those skills, you can start your GMAT studies.
Before taking your first FULL CAT, you might want to spend a few days familiarizing yourself with the question types and general content/format, but you shouldn't wait too long to establish your 'baseline' score. You can download 2 free practice CATs (and some additional practice materials from www.mba.com
As far as selecting a GMAT Course is concerned, most GMAT Companies offer some type of free materials (practice problems, Trial Accounts, videos, etc.) that you can use to 'test out' a product before you buy it. We have a variety of those resources at out site (www.empowergmat.com). I suggest that you take advantage of all of them then choose the one that best matches your personality, timeline and budget.
When are you planning to apply to Business School?
Do you know which Schools you're planning to apply to?
If you have any additional questions, then you can feel free to contact me directly.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
GMAT/MBA Expert
- Dan@VinciaPrep
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Hi Andre,
How basic is your math level ? If your math level is really at the beginners level (lower than 30th percentile) you would do well to buy a foundations of GMAT math book (such as Manhattan's). A book like that would help you bring you mental math up to speed. There are also many mental math apps that you can download for you cell phone (for about 2 dollars). You can find an article that I wrote about starting your GMAT studies here:
https://www.vinciaprep.com/en/blog/how-s ... dying-gmat
As for the timing of the class, most companies offer classes at night and on the weekend so that probably won't be an issue.
I agree with Rich in that you should familiarise yourself with the GMAT question types and then take a practice test. However, I wouldn't start with at GMATPREP practice test from MBA.com because they don't have a very good analysis of your results. I would use Veritas, Kaplan, or Manhattan free online test to start off and figure out what your current level is.
Warm regards,
How basic is your math level ? If your math level is really at the beginners level (lower than 30th percentile) you would do well to buy a foundations of GMAT math book (such as Manhattan's). A book like that would help you bring you mental math up to speed. There are also many mental math apps that you can download for you cell phone (for about 2 dollars). You can find an article that I wrote about starting your GMAT studies here:
https://www.vinciaprep.com/en/blog/how-s ... dying-gmat
As for the timing of the class, most companies offer classes at night and on the weekend so that probably won't be an issue.
I agree with Rich in that you should familiarise yourself with the GMAT question types and then take a practice test. However, I wouldn't start with at GMATPREP practice test from MBA.com because they don't have a very good analysis of your results. I would use Veritas, Kaplan, or Manhattan free online test to start off and figure out what your current level is.
Warm regards,
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- Rich@EconomistGMAT
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Hi Andre4,
Have you had the chance to take a full-length practice exam? If not, I'd suggest diving right in. Don't worry too much about your score. This baseline score will give you an even clearer idea of your strengths and weaknesses, which will allow you to hone your study plan to tackle your weaknesses (and thus, pick a course/materials that work best for you).
That being said, many online resources offer free trials that allow you to get a taste of the program without making an investment. To help you get started, here's a link to try GMAT Tutor for 7 days, which will use adaptive technology similar to the actual GMAT to simulate the exam more accurately and also create a study plan specific to your needs: https://bit.ly/1bPAHuW
Best of luck,
Rich
Have you had the chance to take a full-length practice exam? If not, I'd suggest diving right in. Don't worry too much about your score. This baseline score will give you an even clearer idea of your strengths and weaknesses, which will allow you to hone your study plan to tackle your weaknesses (and thus, pick a course/materials that work best for you).
That being said, many online resources offer free trials that allow you to get a taste of the program without making an investment. To help you get started, here's a link to try GMAT Tutor for 7 days, which will use adaptive technology similar to the actual GMAT to simulate the exam more accurately and also create a study plan specific to your needs: https://bit.ly/1bPAHuW
Best of luck,
Rich