GMAT - Looking to take the GMAT
Hi All,
I am looking to take the GMAT and was wondering if there were any gmat prep books you found really helpful. I recently went through the Kaplan book but was wondering if there were better guides that go in more depth and that walk you through the more difficult questions, rather than just a general overview. If you found a book particularly helpful please let me know as I would like to maximize my score.
Kaplan 800 OG 12th edition OG Math & Verbal Manhattan GMAT Sentence Correction
And do a ton of practice tests that are available (specifically the CATs). I know Manhattan GMAT has 6 CATs and Kaplan also has a number of them available. There is also the official GMAC prep program that has 2 tests in it which are as close to the real thing (difficulty-wise and verbiage) as you can get.
bigmonkey,
Thank you for your response. Do you mind telling me what your GMAT score was and what you scored prior to studying. I really appreciate your help.
Definitely go with Kaplan GMAT Advanced...don't waste your time on the basic stuff.
Math: ManhattanGMAT series (5 books). I never bought them, just studied in Borders while drinking capuchino, but I am a math major so idk. DS questions fucking suck big time.
Reading Comprehension: ManhattanGMAT hands down.
Critical Reasoning: PowerScore CR Bible is a MUST!!!
Sentence Correction: everyone seems to jizz all over ManhattanGMAT. Personally, I prefer PowerScore SC Bible. Ultimately both suck. If you want to become good at SC, you need to practice, practice, and again practice. You'll remember rules only when you fuck-up your practice questions.
Official Guides: Math section sucks monkey balls, CR section is a joke written for special ed class, but RC and SC are pretty damn good.
I've heard good things about Kaplan 800 (one WSO member got 770 and he recommends it). Definitely don't bother with Veritas Prep. And word of advice, read all the books first, then tackle practice questions.
I'm taking my GMAT in January. Took practice MGMAT two days ago (by far the hardest practice exams) and got 730 (50q 40v).
P.S.: if you are aiming at 600-700, ignore everything I wrote, if you are overachiever and want 750+, PM me. I've got some valuable info to share.
Why don't you share with everyone?
But since you've asked. Here are copy/paste of my PMs (read both).
For Mac
For Winim selling the 8 Manhattan GMAT guides plus the 3 OG books for $125.
check out the details here and PM me if interested.
//www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/gmat-prep-kit-3-og-guides-8-manhattan-gm…
Don't forget to use the GMATPrep software, which you can download for free from MBA.com. Half the challenge of the exam is just being able to excel under test-taking conditions, and this software will definitely help you prepare for it. It's also the best indication of how you will perform on the actual exam; I took four GMATPrep practice tests, and my actual test score was pretty much at the midpoint of the four practice exam scores.
I would not recommend to anyone taking the GMAT to go in without taking at least two full GMATPrep exams.
Word.
When it comes to taking practice tests, the most common strategy is taking GMATPrep, then all six ManhattanGMAT, then again GMATPrep. ManhattanGMAT tests are the most brutal. One of my tests had 1 500-600 level question and the rest 700-800 (quant). I barely finished in time.
numi, did you get any probability/combinatorics questions in the actual test?
PussInBoots, I think I saw one combinatorics question about 3-4 probability questions on my actual exam.
Those sections are definitely worth studying for, but if you're pressed for time, just concentrate on knowing your other concepts cold -- things like number properties and word translations as per the Manhattan GMAT books are the key areas of quant where you should be expected to know.
I think that as long as you get at least a 700, you're in good shape. Some people say that in a competitive application year such as 2009-2010, you might want to break 720. However, I don't think it's that big of a deal. I mean, we all want to get 780 or above but it's just not possible...and frankly not necessary.
I got a mid-700 score myself, which was good enough for a top 3 business school....but am convinced that a 700 would have been fine too, and probably fine for most people on this forum that have some type of front-office finance experience. Anyone I've ever talked to regarding the GMAT views it as a check-the-box type of thing. My biggest tip is to take a lot of practice exams so you know what your range is for the GMAT exam, and use the Manhattan GMAT books to fill the gaps of knowledge that you currently have. Then, work as hard as you can on your business school essays and work with your employers on your recommendations -- these things always take longer than you think, and unlike the GMAT score, they can be make-or-break.
thanks for the info, was wondering about this topic as well
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