GMAT - Where do I even start?

[fscalia]

Hi everyone,

I have just graduated with a B.Sc in Pharmacology and am working in a pharmaceutical company. My career goals include working in a managerial level position, and I have decided that I would like to pursue an MBA in the future. I do not have enough work experience yet but would like to write the GMAT this upcoming winter as I am fresh out of school and I don't want to lose my study habits.

I've been scouring this forum and it contains a wealth of information, I work full-time and work a lot of overtime, and would really only be able to study about 1 hour per night, rarely 2 hours. I saw the 3-Month study schedule but it recommends setting aside 1.5-2 hours and I am not sure if that would be possible for me beyond all my other responsibilities. What kind of plan would you recommend following?

Finally, I have no idea where to start with books. I have the 2015 Official GMAT guide (I bought it on sale at some point). There is so much advice given on the forum and I am seeing that the Manhattan Prep series is often recommended, but it seems like everyone uses so many different books.

Thanks for your help

[[email protected]]

Hi fscalia,

Since you're not planning to apply to Business School for several years, you won't be studying under a looming application deadline, so you have the freedom to work at whatever pace your life will allow you to work at. Focusing on the GMAT now, so that you can lock up a great score, is a smart move.

Since it sounds like you're just beginning your studies, then it would be a good idea to take a FULL-LENGTH practice CAT Test; you can download 2 for free from www.mba.com (and they come with some additional practice materials). If you want to do a little studying first, so that you can familiarize yourself with the basic content and question types, then that's okay - but you shouldn't wait too long to take that initial CAT. That score will give us a good sense of your natural strengths and weaknesses and will help provide a basis for comparison as you continue to study. A FULL CAT takes about 4 hours to complete, so make sure that you've set aside enough time to take it in one sitting. Once you have those scores, you should report back here and we can come up with a study plan.

1) Do you have a specific score goal?
2) While it might be a bit premature, do you have any idea about the Schools/Programs that you might want to apply to?

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

[Brent@GMATPrepNow]

You might consider signing up for Beat The GMAT's free 60-Day Study Guide (https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/gmat-guide). Each day, you'll receive an email with a series of learning activities that guide you, step-by-step, from Day 1 to test day. This will ensure that you will cover everything that the GMAT tests.

Here's an outline of all 60 emails: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/gmat-guide-outline

NOTE: Although the Guide is designed to be completed in 60 days, you can take as long as you wish to complete it.

Cheers,
Brent

[OptimusPrep]

Hi everyone,

I have just graduated with a B.Sc in Pharmacology and am working in a pharmaceutical company. My career goals include working in a managerial level position, and I have decided that I would like to pursue an MBA in the future. I do not have enough work experience yet but would like to write the GMAT this upcoming winter as I am fresh out of school and I don't want to lose my study habits.

I've been scouring this forum and it contains a wealth of information, I work full-time and work a lot of overtime, and would really only be able to study about 1 hour per night, rarely 2 hours. I saw the 3-Month study schedule but it recommends setting aside 1.5-2 hours and I am not sure if that would be possible for me beyond all my other responsibilities. What kind of plan would you recommend following?

Finally, I have no idea where to start with books. I have the 2015 Official GMAT guide (I bought it on sale at some point). There is so much advice given on the forum and I am seeing that the Manhattan Prep series is often recommended, but it seems like everyone uses so many different books.

Thanks for your help

Hi fscalia ,

You need to build the concepts/fundamentals before you jump in solving the problems. You can do so by choosing one of the following ways:

1. In person classes/private tutoring
2. Online classes
3. Self paced online preparatory course
4. Book heavy approach

Whatever you choose, make sure that you choose one. Because GMAT tests you on some concepts and fundamentals that you can learn from a course. Most of the preparatory companies including ours offer a free trial of our course. You can take the trial and see if the course suits your needs.

In addition to the preparatory material, buy the Official Guides(both the Official Guide and the Verbal Review), Question Pack 1 and the 4 official mock CATs. They should be an indispensable part of your preparation.

You need close to 3 months to prepare well for the GMAT.

1. Understand the concepts and fundamentals before jumping into problem solving
2. Solve full length CATs including AWA and IR. You can get two free GMAT Prep mock CATs and can purchase two more from mba.com
3. Make sure you solve the official questions from the Official Guide

[MartyMurray]

Hi fscalia.

First tip, my two cents, on the the pharmaceuticals biz - Most, or all, health problems are better solved without pharmaceuticals, which people often get get needlessly hooked on. From what I have seen doctors are often, or even generally, relatively clueless pill pushers, and people are better off learning to take care of themselves and using drugs rarely to never. At one point I considered getting into pharmaceutical sales. Just the other day I was considering how clueless I was then. Eesh. From the animals tortured to the insane side effects to the utter scam and waste of it all, that business is one bad nightmare. You are young. Just want to open your eyes some before you spend years or decades doing something that you are better off not doing.

On a lighter note, regarding the GMAT, even if you don't have much time per day, what you can do is to start with some basic preparation to familiarize yourself with the test, the questions and some of what's necessary for getting right answers, and then take one of the practice tests in the GMAT Prep software, which you can download from mba.com.

Once you have done that, you will have a sense of what you have to do to get to your goal score. For most people increasing their scores takes working on quant questions type by type, becoming good at handling each type in turn, and getting better at seeing what's going on in questions of the three verbal types. Really, you can do those things at whatever pace you want, and if you are learning conceptually and to use logic, you won't have to worry too much about retention, as what you learn will be generally self supporting . Once you can hit your goal, take the test.

[fscalia]

Thank you everyone for the tips! I will take the practice CAT before I really start studying. I think I want to take a book heavy approach just because I have gotten pretty used to teaching myself in university, and I feel like this would be the most cost-effective method. Some courses offered in my city are outrageously expensive and I can't justify a price like 1500$ for a prep course when I know I can study on my own. If anyone could provide me with extra info on online courses this would be great and a possibility. I am looking to limit my spending on this as well though.

I was able to buy the 2016 GMAT book set and the 6th edition of Manhattan Prep for a great price so I will be using those. Would you recommend any other books? I read Kaplan is also good.

1) Do you have a specific score goal?
2) While it might be a bit premature, do you have any idea about the Schools/Programs that you might want to apply to?

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

Hi Rich, after reading on this forum and seeing that it is possible to score in the 700s then I would like to make that my goal. I would like to stay in my city in Canada and am not planning on going abroad or to the US so I am definitely not looking into Ivy League.

First tip, my two cents, on the the pharmaceuticals biz - Most, or all, health problems are better solved without pharmaceuticals, which people often get get needlessly hooked on. From what I have seen doctors are often, or even generally, relatively clueless pill pushers, and people are better off learning to take care of themselves and using drugs rarely to never. At one point I considered getting into pharmaceutical sales. Just the other day I was considering how clueless I was then. Eesh. From the animals tortured to the insane side effects to the utter scam and waste of it all, that business is one bad nightmare. You are young. Just want to open your eyes some before you spend years or decades doing something that you are better off not doing. .

Hi Marty, thank you for the GMAT advice, which you are knowledgeable in and which was helpful, but apart from that you really do not have any reason to give advice on a field you clearly have little knowledge about and have no experience in. I've worked in the medical field and pharma for five years so I think I know what I am getting myself in . You come off as pretty ignorant when it comes to the complexities of the pharmaceutical industry and the wide array of positions that go way beyond pharmaceutical sales. My company alone provides patient support programs to those with chronic illnesses requiring specialty drugs. I think the issues you are alluding to stem from societal problems and major issues in the food industry causing a variety of health problems. You also have NO IDEA about the extremely strict procedures that federal health agencies have in place when it comes to research. I've worked in a research and development facility that had several types of animals and from experience I can say they are treated with the utmost care, safety and dignity. Animals are often euthanized the moment they begin to experience pain and it is done in an ethical manner. Pharmaceuticals are not perfect obviously and yes there are side effects, but for a lot of people, side effects are tolerable when compared to the actual illness they are dealing with. For example, my dad is a cancer patient and he has gone through many treatments that have damaged his body but he is still alive.

So yeah my point is that it is important to be educated about something for an opinion to be valid and when giving advice to others. I will gladly take advice on GMAT and how to succeed at this. But it shouldn't extend beyond that to my choice of profession etc.