A Beginning

[frigidbar]

Hello!

I am just beginning my GMAT journey and am seeking some advice about where to start. I have booked my test for June 27th and am planning to apply to schools primarily in the Chicago area (Booth wouldn't be my first choice, I think it's a bit out of my range) and Canada for fall 2017.

I know that my math skills are weak. I haven't taken a math course since 2004, my 11th grade in high school. So I am looking for resources to re-teach myself those concepts. I have registered for the Veritas On - Demand course, and have ordered the Kaplan 2016 GMAT complete set along with the OG basic guide, and the MGMAT foundational Math text. I live in Canada's high arctic, and so it will take some time before those resources arrive. I have begun reading some of the Veritas e-books that are available via the online course. I was hoping to take a diagnostic test this weekend to establish a baseline idea of my abilities. But, I must admit, the test seems so daunting! I also work full-time and so I'm trying to psyche myself up for the time I'm going to need to devote to this.

Here are some questions I have:

1. I've read some posts that suggested Khan Academy for some mathematics review. What topics should I focus in on? Are there any specifically valuable lessons?
2. When I take the diagnostic test should I use one of the official GMAT tests that come with registering? Or should I use an alternative that might give more detailed information in the report?
3. Can anyone comment on scheduling / time demands regarding working and studying? Is a couple hours two nights to three nights a week, and some more dedicated time on weekends enough? Should I be aiming for at least an hour every day?
4. I've purchased the basic OG guide, should I also invest in the verbal and quant ones as well?

I think that a 660 might be something really fantastic to aim for in terms of a final score. But I don't really know what I'm starting from yet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

- F

[DavidG@VeritasPrep]

Hello!

I am just beginning my GMAT journey and am seeking some advice about where to start. I have booked my test for June 27th and am planning to apply to schools primarily in the Chicago area (Booth wouldn't be my first choice, I think it's a bit out of my range) and Canada for fall 2017.

I know that my math skills are weak. I haven't taken a math course since 2004, my 11th grade in high school. So I am looking for resources to re-teach myself those concepts. I have registered for the Veritas On - Demand course, and have ordered the Kaplan 2016 GMAT complete set along with the OG basic guide, and the MGMAT foundational Math text. I live in Canada's high arctic, and so it will take some time before those resources arrive. I have begun reading some of the Veritas e-books that are available via the online course. I was hoping to take a diagnostic test this weekend to establish a baseline idea of my abilities. But, I must admit, the test seems so daunting! I also work full-time and so I'm trying to psyche myself up for the time I'm going to need to devote to this.

Here are some questions I have:

1. I've read some posts that suggested Khan Academy for some mathematics review. What topics should I focus in on? Are there any specifically valuable lessons?
2. When I take the diagnostic test should I use one of the official GMAT tests that come with registering? Or should I use an alternative that might give more detailed information in the report?
3. Can anyone comment on scheduling / time demands regarding working and studying? Is a couple hours two nights to three nights a week, and some more dedicated time on weekends enough? Should I be aiming for at least an hour every day?
4. I've purchased the basic OG guide, should I also invest in the verbal and quant ones as well?

I think that a 660 might be something really fantastic to aim for in terms of a final score. But I don't really know what I'm starting from yet.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

- F

It's tough to answer most of these questions before we know what your starting point is. If that first exam is in the 600-range, the recommended study plan will be different from the appropriate plan if you're starting from the 400-range. So check back in after you take that test and give us a full rundown, including the Quant/Verbal split. As for which test to take, there are pros and cons to taking the GMATPrep exam first. The main pro is that this test will give you the most accurate benchmark of where you currently stand. The drawback is that if you were to take this test again in several weeks, there's a chance you'd see some repeat questions, which would undermine the validity of the score the second time around. There's no wrong decision here. Just make sure you do a full adaptive test, whether it's a GMATPrep or a private company's exam, and then give us all the details.

[[email protected]]

Hi frigidbar,

With a June 27th Test Date, you've given yourself over 5 months of study time, which is great. Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) on their studies before they hit their 'peak' scores, so your general timeline looks favorable so far.

Khan Academy IS a great free resource to practice and hone your math skills. While the site is vast, you should limit your focus to basic Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry.

For an initial Diagnostic score, we're looking for a realistic and accurate assessment, so taking a FULL-LENGTH CAT (including the Essay and IR sections) is advisable. The 4 GMAC CATs (from www.mba.com) are the most realistic CATs on the market - since there are 4 of them, you can afford to use one to establish your initial score. Once you've taken that CAT, you should report back here with your scores.

While you don't have to study every day, you'll find that studying in 'small chunks' throughout the week will likely be more effective than trying to 'cram' on the weekends. Your study time 'needs' will depend on your personal strengths and weaknesses.

Right now, it sounds like you have plenty of practice resources to get you started, so you should work with those for now - you can always add additional resources later as needed.

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

[g3lo]

Hi Rich,

Where do you find the 4 GMAC Cats? Are they GMAT Prep that you refer to?

Thank you,
g3lo

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

Hi Rich,

Where do you find the 4 GMAC Cats? Are they GMAT Prep that you refer to?

Thank you,
g3lo

Here are the two free ones: https://www.mba.com/the-gmat/download-fr ... tware.aspx

Here are the two that cost: https://www.mba.com/global/store/store-c ... ack-1.aspx

Cheers,
Brent

[g3lo]

Would you say these 4 are enough practice? Or, would you recommend Manhattan or other providers?

[DavidG@VeritasPrep]

Would you say these 4 are enough practice? Or, would you recommend Manhattan or other providers?

There's no magic number, but 4 is on the lower end at what most test-takers need. You have plenty of options if you need more exams. Most private companies provide a free exam, many of which you can find links to on this site. You can also reset the free GMATPrep tests from mba.com - the question banks they draw from are large enough that you'll see new questions, but you're likely to see some repeats as well, so be mindful of this. More important than the number of tests you take is the diligence with which you analyze your tests once you've done them. Always make a short list of adjustments you can make and consult this list before the next exam.

[[email protected]]

Hi g3lo,

Beyond the 4 CATs that you can get from GMAC (the 2 for free and the 2 that can be purchased), you can also purchase 'blocks' of CATs from Kaplan, MGMAT and Veritas. There's no 'magic number required', but a well-structured study plan should include at least 1 FULL-LENGTH CAT every 1-3 weeks (less frequent in the early part of the Study Plan, more frequent as you get closer to Test Day).

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