I found that the Manhattan Online Practice Tests were a good representation of the real thing. This was in 2008, so I don't know if anything has changed since then, but the practice test scores I got were nearly identical to what I actually scored.

One louder.
 

GRE is "easier". So it is crucial you knock the GRE out of the park.

The best GMAT prep depends on how you learn best. If you need one-on-one then get a tutor via Veritas/MGMAT/Kaplan etc.

If you're good on your own then you can't beat the following materials: (personally used all) Wiley Official Guide 13 Barron's GMAT Math (great to brush your math up) Manhattan GMAT Complete Strategy Guide set (all you need for verbal is in there, in addition to amazing quant material) MGMAT Set comes with 6 free online CATs (practice tests). Manhattan GMAT Advanced GMAT Quant

And of course, use free CATs (GMAT Prep) to measure your improvement along the way.

Hope this helped.

"Come at me, bro"- José de Palafox y Melci
 

Books are good but nothing beats mimicking the actual test interface on a computer.

If you're looking for some practice, you can prepare on the interactive Practice Pill Platform:

http://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-test/gmat-sentence-correction-que…

http://www.gmatpill.com/gmat-practice-test/gmat-integrated-reasoning

Enjoy!

 

Hello everyone

I am preparing for the GMAT for the past 10 days and its been about 5 years since i touched maths but I seems to be doing good in maths practise tests. The main thing I am lacking in is verbal. I am planning to do the MBA from melbourne which government funds as I don't have thousands of dollars to invest. I am looking for help or advice from some one who has got 700 or more in GMAT. I need 680+ to get the admission in the college. I have got 35 days from today to sit for my GMAT. I don't have thousands to spend on the courses but I managed to 2 books of Kaplan and same time I am reading from some other maths books. I am giving all the online free test and reading as much as I can from internet and books. I am spending about 7-8 hours studying as it is either now or never. I had a health issue few years back and I was away from work for 2 years and now getting back into work force is even harder. So I decided to do MBA which could give me a good career launch pad. Currently I am unemployed and can spend 24 hours studying. I have worked physically for 24 hours non stop so i believe i can study as well.

This is my last chance to do something in life. I will truly appreciate from bottom of my heart anyone's help or advice regarding my preparation. I just need some tips and if any one wants to share link where I can get free reading materials.

Thanking All Kind Regards Raj

 

Ignore all of the test prep companies' classes. They just want your money. The Manhattan GMAT books, the Chineseburned AWA guide (Google it), and the official guides are enough to get a 700+ if you are moderately intelligent.

 
KKS:
Ignore all of the test prep companies' classes. They just want your money. The Manhattan GMAT books, the Chineseburned AWA guide (Google it), and the official guides are enough to get a 700+ if you are moderately intelligent.

Ditto.

The AWA guide is GOLD. I did not look at ANY AWA material before my GMAT except for a quick scan of chineseburned AWA guide and got a solid 6. http://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-get-6-0-awa-my-guide-64327.html

I am sure (cough cough) you could find video of MGMAT's 9-class course on "The Promo Bay". Super helpful. They use nothing but their own MGMAT set (which you could also find on said website), and the OG (same deal, TPB), and go through every single topic covered on the GMAT with absolute clarity.

With what KKS and myself have suggested, your 700+ should cost $0. Get poppin!

"Come at me, bro"- José de Palafox y Melci
 

Yeah, above two posts are spot on. Especially lasampdoria's highly nautical suggestion. If you're getting big splits in percentiles focus on your weaker area, lower hanging fruit. If english is your second language raising your verbal from bad to serviceable will net you far more than going from great to near perfect on quant. For AWA just find and memorize a good template, should be enough to get above a 5. IR isn't all that important, I didn't study for it specifically and still did fine.

The GMAT software practice exams should give you a good estimate of your final score. You can get 700+ with enough work. Good luck bro.

 

The MGMT guides are good -- a lot of times ppl distribute used ones so maybe you can get your hands on one. These days there are many resources online that are free.

I've taken free practice tests from kaplan and GMATPill.

I've used the chineseburn guy's AWA writing guide.

I've used the gmatclub mobile app, as well as 1000CR documents. There's also the GMATPill mobile app which has free practice questions, but what I found better was the Practice Pill Platform from GMATPill - lots of questions and explanations from the expert himself Zeke. Just google that you and you can find it.

For IR, I used the OG13 online portion -- it cost me like $25 bucks but expired after six months. Oh well.

 

It's not really clear whether the GRE is easier than the GMAT. I was intrigued by this blog post on that very question, here's the intro:

Most tutors and test-takers agree that the GRE “feels” easier than the GMAT, but don’t be fooled by the “feel” of the tests: I very rarely meet students who perform substantially better on one test or the other, even if they “like” the GRE better.

and the continuation of the similarities and differences are here: http://www.gmatninja.com/2013/01/02/difference-between-gre-and-gmat-tes…

For business school, the percentile bar for quant is higher for the GRE than it is for the GMAT, considering the population you are being compared against. I wrote about this earlier this week, with a handy guide for which business schools accept the GRE. //www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/gmat-or-gre-for-business-school-what-top…

Hope this is helpful

Betsy Massar Come see me at my Q&A thread http://www.wallstreetoasis.com/forums/b-school-qa-w-betsy-massar-of-master-admissions Ask away!
 

manhattan gmat books + official guides + extra CATs from gmac.com (all of the non official CATs are very inaccurate) + gmatquantum.com (video answers to all questions in OG which are great plus I found their online course very helpful). That's all you need to get a 720+

 

I studied for about 2 months - started out testing around 650, moving that up to a 710 towards the ends, and somehow getting 750.

My recommendation - take a test that breaks down your weakest four areas. Once you know, buy the MGMAT books for each section and work on those areas. Take a practice test at the end every two weeks to see how you're tracking / if you're improving on this key areas. It'll help you be more targeted in your development. Do that with your first two months. Then in the last month - practice test once a week with targeted focus during the week - should be 1-2 areas max at this point.

Don't overdo it leadIng up to the test with practice exams otherwise you'll just be tired. I had a high tolerance and did one every day in the final week. Though I stopped studying completely two days before the exam.

 

You have good advice above. I would also say mix things up with a variety of sources. Buy all the books out there, and then switch off between them.

Also, everybody has a plateau of what they can reach alone. I think for some people (Especially people who don't naturally test well such as yourself) a gmat course can be very helpful, but that it's more worthwhile once you have hit your limit. So self-study as much and long as you can until you get stuck/saturated. And then try a course. The external help and the dynamism of learning in a group should help you push your limit. (and if you are talking about scheduling, you can do this at the end of month two).

Hope this helps!

 

Yeah I'm definitely picking up the set of 3 official guides it's only like $50 on Amazon. I'm really interested in Math Revolution and PowerCore though. Have you heard anything about them? This Kaplan program seems to be pretty basic. Are you purchasing any extra CATs/taken any yet?

 

Have not heard much about them, albeit most of my GMAT information has been obtained through WSO and have not seen it mentioned as frequently.

Took the diagnostic in the GMAT guide book and scored average in all sections (within verbal & quant) and won't take my first practice CAT until refreshing on some math concepts. Will most likely purchase additional CATs depending on how I score on the practice exams that are included for free.

 

GMATQUANTUM.COM for Quant Manhattan GMAT for Sentence Correction You're already in good hands w/ the Powerscore Critical Reasoning Bible

Those and the Official Guides (along w/ the practice CD) should be all you need.

 

I'd recommend getting the GMAT Official Guide, I believe the 2017 edition was recently released. It's mainly just a book of practice questions & answers, but most certainly helpful.

Also download the GMATPrep software from MBA, it's free and extremely helpful. It comes with 2 free practice exams (with the option to buy an additional 2), 90 practice questions (with the option to buy more), and it also teaches you the math concepts behind the questions.

 

this has been covered here plenty of times but

GMAT Official Guides MGMAT Books Extra practice tests from GMAC (all other CATs suck and are inaccurate) Gmatquantum.com (video answers for all official gmat problems which are great, I also recommend their online quant course)

Best of luck

 

I would probably add Jeff Sackmann's math materials to that. Also if you're weak in the verbal part, sign up for GMAT Pill.

I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, buddy. A player. Or nothing. See my Blog & AMA
 

The Manhattan Guides are great. Be sure to get the Official Guide for GMAT Review. It contains 900 official (retired) questions.

If you need a study plan, sign up for Beat The GMAT's 60-Day Study Guide

Cheers, Brent

Free GMAT video course with 500+ videos and 800+ practice questions
 

Get a job. Work 2-4 years. Get a solid GMAT score. Go to a top b-school for an MBA.

I don't get what you're trying to get into with a PhD in econ? Why a PhD at all? Why MS in Econ? Why would you stay for a graduate education from a non-target school?

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
UFOinsider:
What is your career goal?
Honestly, not 100% sure yet. I know what all the different fields are, and what they do on face value, however I am pretty green when it comes to knowledge of their day to day operations. I figure graduate school would give me more of a direction. As of now though, I am very interested in both Hedge Funds and IB, but nothing is out of the question. Like I said though, SF is where I would like to work. While I haven't been full time due to school, I have had a National professional Pharmacy Tech license for 5 years now, so I have a pretty great knowledge of healthcare, pharmaceuticals in particular.

I am only applying for the MS-Econ at my UG to use as a platform for something better, not as a terminal degree. I will also continue taking math courses into my Masters, diving into analysis and stochastic calculus courses. Best case scenario, get a year of graduate work under my belt then transfer to a program in Financial Engineering (or just quantitative finance) at a big target school like Vandy etc. Do you think that would be the best path? Or is there another I am just not aware of/not thinking of.

I guess the bottom line is I want to work in Finance, as I have developed an intense interest/passion for it through my Undergrad coursework and personal interest. I however do not want to be an Edward Jones Personal Financial Planner with a little office in some strip mall next to a yogurt shop. I want to work at it from a more institutional angle, at an actual bank or some kind of HedgeFund (or other).

 

Applying for that Masters in Econ at your UG would be a complete waste of time if you don't even know what you're after yet. Figure that out first before you committ to something that will bite you in the a$$ later.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
Flake:
Applying for that Masters in Econ at your UG would be a complete waste of time if you don't even know what you're after yet. Figure that out first before you committ to something that will bite you in the a$$ later.
Oh don't get me wrong, i understand what you're saying. The only reason I feel safe doing this is because of my alternative plans. If I get my feet wet in the industry and hate it, I am quite content opting for a PhD in economics and doing consulting work for the gaming and/or healthcare industry. However, finance is something I, at this point of my education, enjoy infinitely more.
 

So you expect to land an IB internship just to "try it out" while you're in grad school, at a non-target, working towards MS or PhD in Economics? Makes sense.

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 
Flake:
So you expect to land an IB internship just to "try it out" while you're in grad school, at a non-target, working towards MS or PhD in Economics? Makes sense.
No, that's where the whole platform thing comes in. I'm using the program here to get some graduate experience in quantitative coursework to get me into a target school. Then I can try hand at an IB internship. I'm fully aware of the implications of being at a non-target, and that's what I'm fixing first.
 

I just don't think you'll have a shot at a top b-school with 0 years of full-time work experience. "Graduate experience in quantitative coursework" is actually not one of the top admission criterias for the elite schools (correct me if I'm wrong please). However, full time work experience IS one of the criterias they look at.

Let me give you an example:

Your stats: 740 GMAT, PhD in Econ, excellent essays, high UG GPA, 0 full-time work experience Some other kid: 720 GMAT, Bachelors degree, 3.5+ GPA, 2-4 years of solid work experience (banking/consulting etc)

Who do you think has the higher chances of getting into the top 5?

Under my tutelage, you will grow from boys to men. From men into gladiators. And from gladiators into SWANSONS.
 

Next Generation GMAT® Home > The GMAT® > Next Generation GMAT®

Changes are coming to the GMAT exam. Schools and programs want to know how you'll perform in today's information-rich climate.

In June 2012, the GMAT exam will gain a new section designed to measure your ability to evaluate information from multiple sources. Incorporating advances in technology and measurement, the next generation GMAT will include a new 30-minute Integrated Reasoning section that will ask you to interpret data presented graphically, analyze different types of information, and evaluate outcomes.

These skills—according to a survey of 740 business school faculty members worldwide—are necessary to respond to the complex challenges presented in business school programs and in today’s information-rich business environment.

The GMAT Verbal, Quantitative and Total Scores will not change. Test takers will receive a separate score for the essay, as they do now, and for the new Integrated Reasoning section. The overall length of the GMAT exam (three and a half hours) will not change. When the Integrated Reasoning section is added, the Analytical Writing assessment will be streamlined to include only one 30-minute essay prompt instead of two.

http://www.mba.com/the-gmat/nex-gen.aspx

 

RodneyBro20,

I used a tutor so I cannot speak from personal experience, but this forum post may provide you with some guidance:

Actually, I am not allowed to post links yet on this forum, but google search "How I got a 770 on the GMAT" and it should be the first link you see. Its a WSO forum post by a user named "phantombanker."

 

Bunch of study plans and schedules out there that you can use. I actually used the Manhattan syllabus since I took their "online class", and while the class was basically a waste of money (moved much to slow for higher scorers), the schedule they provided kept me on track. Was super helpful for me to have something to stick to. But again, there are a ton out there. Go to Beatthegmat.com or Gmatclub.com, or as the above poster said, look around here.

 

I did it in 3 weeks and got a 710 and i had to re-teach myself a lot of things so I would say it is possible to get 80-90% of your potential. I would suggest doing a weekend intense study course to get some of the basics ASAP and then just study as much as possible.

 
[Comment removed by mod team]
 

a lot of people at my target school took the GMATs this semester. most studied for 1-3 weeks, and they all scored about as well as they did on the SAT's (i.e. GMAT = SAT / 3). the deviation from SAT was literally no more than +-30 points

 

I have a set of MGMAT books and the OG Main, Verbal and Quant that I am going to getting rid of in the next month. They are great....have helped me a lot. Let me know if you are interested. I will be selling all of them for $70-100. Also have a couple of other random GMAT books.

 

Hi,

If you are interested in GMAT prep material, remember that you can receive 2 free official GMAT tests at MBA.com (official GMAT website).

Please let me know if I can answer any other questions.

Best,

Conrad and the Stacy Blackman Team

www.StacyBlackman.com
 

Hi scok15,

Although this isn't specifically related to your question, just to let you know for GMAT Prep materials, MBA.com offers 2 free official practice tests. These are a great resource for studying.

I hope this was of help.

Conrad and the Stacy Blackman Team

www.StacyBlackman.com
 

If you study for 9 weeks using the Manhattan GMAT Prep and the Official GMAT Guides you should be able to hit 700 by self studying.

Create an Error Log to track questions you got wrong and review your practice tests for questions you got wrong.

Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis - when I was dead broke man I couldn't picture this
 

Develop good habits, and focus on your weaknesses throughout your prep. Also, do not underprepare for quant. I think many people--myself included--think that the quant will be pretty simple and straightforward. The test will adapt to make the questions time consuming for you, unless you are a super genius. Keep this in mind, and make sure to take a CAT practice once or twice.

 

Hi Raj,

If you are looking for free GMAT prep material, I recommend you visit MBA.com, which provides 2 free official GMAT practice tests.

We also provide free GMAT tips here:

Best,

Conrad and the Stacy Blackman Team

www.StacyBlackman.com
 

Yes, One of my friend, an asian girl, only prepared GMAT for like 1 WEEK and scored 770. Got accepted by Stanford GSB as a college senior. Another of my friend spent about 1 months and scored 750. Got accepted by Yale Silver Scholar (with BB BO internship). I also know of a person who did not even prepare, and he simply went to take GMAT as to "experience what gmat is like", and got 740. HBS 2+2 now.

Crazy people are everywhere.

 

I do. I've been studying a for a while now. I took a Kaplan class and it helped a whole lot in understanding what techniques to use to TAKE the test. But I need a good amount of help in understanding the actual math material and how to work the problems etc.

 

I would also purchase the Official GMAT Guide.

For sentence correction Manhattan guide isn't too bad. I think the Powerscore sentence correction bible was better for me. I liked the official guide for CR and RC. Make sure you go through the answers if you get one wrong for an explanation.

Try taking the official practice exam http://www.mba.com/us/the-GMAT-exam/prepare-for-the-gmat-exam/test-prep-materials/free-gmat-prep-software.aspx

This is more accurate.

 

I would try to use as many different sources as possible. I did this and I noticed that each brand of study material emphasizes different concepts, IE. Kaplan=quick tricks and pattern recognition to solve questions, Manhattan=Focus on teaching you subject material, GMATClub=obscure question types (especially on more difficult math problems). Like ERWB said Manhattan is great for math and I really liked GMAT Club's Ultimate GMAT Grammar book if you are deficient at sentence correction (Like I was)

 

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