How to Study for GMAT while working FT
Whats a good study plan / routine for people working full time and only have 2-3 hours a day to study? Should we focus on quant for weeks then move on to verbal or should we mix quant and verbal in each study session? I would love to know what your GMAT study schedule was like? I am currently doing quant one day then verbal the next day and repeat.
I have the MGMT books, OG review, verbal and quant books, and GMAT pill.
Thanks!
I would just follow the MGMAT books in order. You can also check their website to see what schedules they use in classes. That is what worked for me. Good luck!
can you do it with CFA level 1?
How do you rate the GMAT pill compared to like Manhattan? Worth the money or is one obsolete?
i used gmatquantum.com and it was great for quant. no experience with GMAT pill but have also heard good things.
Stop what you're doing. Since you have 2-3 hours, it should be easy for you to complete a practice test over the material. You can get two free ones delivered in a format that mimics the actual test from the official website.
Your results will dictate where you study. If you get a near-perfect score in one section you might as well forget about studying that section....or only study it lightly to pick up on the basic tricks they use on the real test.
Divide your study time according to that ratio. Read through the books you have to bring yourself up to basic speed. Your focus should be on identifying any knowledge areas you may have lost since HS/undergrad and you can improve that area. Once you've completed a first pass-through of your study material put your books down, give it a day off, and then take a written practice test....or another computer test if you're willing to shell out for more computerized practice exams. Go into gnat's-ass detail to figure out which specific subjects you're weak in and drill down to correct deficiencies.
I also recommend using Gmatclub.com. They have an enormous, free Q-bank on their forums ranging from easy to hard enough to stump anyone who's not a rainman....they're particularly good because their list of "hardest question" will quickly reveal whether you're capable of thinking outside the box in the manner that the test requires as well as any theorems that you should know but don't.
I echo the above about gmatquantum.com. The explanations to Official Guide answers are really good and he even shows you the fast way to do math problems, which will help you on test day. I mainly just did problems, I felt I gained more out of doing problems than studying material. I did a little of both quant and verbal each day, maybe an hour each. and did about 2 hours of each on Saturdays followed by a practice exam on sundays.
Awesome, thank you everyone!! So far, GMAT Pill has been pretty good. I'm using it primarily for sentence corrections. I agree with Frank, gmatquantum is excellent for quant (I tired it out for the OG13 questions).
Taking the GMAT while working (Originally Posted: 06/27/2007)
between moving out to new york and finishing up undergrad, i never had the opportunity to take the gmat before starting at a bb firm. i'm not even sure how necessary an mba is since i have an undergrad business education. any recommendations about taking the gmat (while working as an analyst) or the necessity of going to b-school?
GMAT is mad ieasy dude
I've been scanning this site looking for the same answer. I'm getting the feeling most people leave Banking to get their Masters and then come back if they choose to. I have an interesing opportunity in banking due to a relative high up. However, I'm just starting my GMAT study/then classes now. I have seven years corporate experience. My question is do people actually go for their MBA and work in IB at the same time. It sounds impossible according to many posts on here. However, when I look at company employee profiles from many banks they all talk about how the job is great while they fulfill their Masters requirements at night/weekends. I'm confused on my next step myself.
while working is quite straightforward. The question is really why do you want to do an MBA.
studying for the GMAT while on the job (Originally Posted: 11/22/2010)
Hey guys, I want to hear some opinions. Maybe some of you have done this, although probably not.
I have an obscene amount of down time in my current role, so instead of browsing the internet/being unproductive during that time, I bring out the study prep books and get to working on some problems/reading. No one at the office seems to care, but I'm not sure.
What do you guys think? Is it acceptable to do this while on the job, during down time? Or will my boss get pissed
I actually did this over the summer. I didn't bring the books with me because I didn't think it would look right. Instead, I purchased the GMAT Club tests from GMATClub.com. They are 80 dollars and they include 25 math and 6 verbal. I didn't do them with timing but it was a great way to do practice problems throughout the day (I tried to do one math a day and 1/5 a verbal each day). Never finished them because I gave up studying midway through the summer but this is a great plan if you have some downtime at work (They knew I was leaving at the end of the summer so I had plenty of downtime - also, keep in mind I was an intern in the BO at a BB)
I bring the books with me, spread out in my cubicle. I guess I just don't get a crap who see's me.
I don't see it as any different than spending your down-time browsing facebook/ESPN/WSO
agree with gmatclub. definitely use that resource and purchase the tests. obviously try not to have the boss notice youd oing it, but if there's truly that much downtime as you say it wont hurt
eyelikecheese you crack me up. my boss would murder me if I attempted that. at least with websites, you can windows key + d and minimize everything real quick. I dont know if this helps, but sometimes I listen to audiobooks or I'll put something I'm studying inbetween a folder so it looks work related. are you planning on applying to b school soon? I'm more or less in the same position as you, but my plan is to take CFA L1 in June, find a better position, then get my mba a few years down the road (I'm 23, planning on going around 29).
Studying the GMAT while doing Ibanking (Originally Posted: 12/06/2010)
Has anyone done this. How do you find the time?
All my buddies took it right before they started their analyst stints. Obviously finding time is really difficult.
what are some other options to studying for and taking it the month and half before you analyst stint ?
All you need is 60 days of 4-5 hour increments. Or 30 days full-time to reach the 700-level checkmark. Some people only need 2 weeks, but having the right support group (beatthegmat.com, gmatclub.com) and intelligence and the books (Manhattan, Official Guides, online exams from Powerscore) will get you there.
GMAT is not a hard test. If you're a good standardized-test taker (e.g. you get "spidey-sense" of what the right answer is just by looking at the choices), it should not be difficult at all. Overall, easier than the SAT.
...Is it possible to learn this power?
Definitely not easier than the SAT. I did well on the SAT, minimal amount of study, but I find the GMAT to be considerably more challenging. Plus, the testing format is completely different. Out 200 kids in my HS graduating class there were six perfect scores. An 800 on the GMAT is a rare feat.
Its all about the time you put in. I went from 480 to 640 to 720.
With any major standardized test, when you are working, it's all about the time commitment. This is why it takes about 2-3 months of study time in addition to a full work load to prep for the exam. I would also be the first to recommend using a Prep program as well. Go with Manhattan GMAT, Vertias or Powerscore. The rest suck.
ibhopeful, I don't know what you're smoking, but you're comparing apples and oranges. While the GMAT and the SAT may have material overlap, they are two completely different exams made to test two very different things. When I took the SAT, it was out of 1600 and didn't require more than 10 hours a week of prep work if you went that route. With the GMAT (and the LSAT, for that matter), if you plan to do well, you need to easily devote 20+ hours a week to learning this stuff, and that doesn't include any prep courses, which can easily add another 10+ hours if it's a quality course.
Plus, CAT-based testing methods are far harder to change answers to. If I recall, once you submit your answer, you can't change it. That makes for a great deal of fun, when compared to a Scantron based exam like the SAT or the LSAT.
http://www.Amazon.com/Manhattan-GMAT-Set-Strategy-Guides/dp/098417804X/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1291658133&sr=8-4
Manhattan GMAT is regarded as the best for GMAT prep. Although there are insights to be gained and aggregated from each service. Just pick those up, 2-3 hours a day pared with sat/sun 10hrs will do well in about 2-3 months.
Will I be okay with just the manhattan guides?
If I start preparing should I also be frequenting beatthegmat.com, gmatclub.com?
Also, I've found a few torrents for the manhattan GMAT, does anyone have the full file or any helpful pdfS?
+1...help would be appreciated
Just buy Manhattan GMAT off Amazon. Make sure to get one that comes with the 6 CAT practice test. Plus each books comes with 25 questions for MGMAT's question bank. Plus access to OG Companion, which allows you to answer OG questions right on your computer screen, keeps track of time, answers correct in each category, etc. Self study with Manhattan GMAT and GMAT Club tests costs about 200 versus 1000 at a class.
answer OG questions on the screen? How is that possible? OG is proprietary information from GMAC?
I should elaborate. It only has the first few words of the question on the screen, as well as the answers, and a timer (plus the category of question). You need the book to actually be able to look at the question (they make this clear the first time you use it). Its basically an "error log" that a lot of people on GMAT Club build with excel but its a little more sophisticated since it can keep track of everything much better than you can
You can also snag 2 free CATs by through the official GMAT prep software and another one by signing up for a free Knewton account (this one grossly understates you score so you'll buy their course). I did CATs from Kaplan, Official GMAT and Knewton these tests all understated my score by as much as 50 points.
ok so there are a lot of sources to use....when is the best time to take ? Before or after your analyst stint ? Is it even possible to study while working as an analyst ?
Buy the 3 Official GMAT guides. They have real questions in the books. Buy Manhattan GMAT. It's like $150. Got to mba.com Download the GMAT software for free which gives you several real GMAT CATs.
Join gmatclub.com Read and write a lot. It'll help with the verbal.
A few folks, not many, can score 700+ in their sleep without ever having to crack a single book. One of my buddies scored a 1580 on the old SAT, thought he was the shit, and didn't study for the GMAT. He scored a 590. GMAT>>>>>SAT.
It'll probably take 2-3 months (3-4 hrs/day) to hit the 700-720+ mark.
Do it before your analyst stint. You'll be fresh out of school (or even still in school) and still have those study habits which will make the math easier.
The manhattan gmat books work really well. Since it's a computerized test, just practice as many exams as possible. When I did it, I read the manhattan books over once and just did nothing but practice exams. If you google, you should be able to find at least 3-4 free GMAT CAT tests to practice with.
You'll also want these: http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/free-gmat-prep-flashcards
Buy the Manhattan books on Ebay. I got all 8 for $59 shipped. Score as high as you can, because for some MS programs, you'll get more and more scholarship $$$.
OG 11/12 OG supplemental Verbal OG supplemental Quant 8 Manhattan Guides (You only need 3: Sentence Correction being most important) The free CATs from gmat.com Buy 2-3 practice exams. ^ and those flashcards. Take an entire day or two to read gmatclub and beatthegmat stories to understand other ppl's strategies.
Powerscore/Vertias guides/practice exams.
Above all, take a diagnostic/practice exam first. I know it's 3-4 hours, but just do it.
Other people have mentioned they keep a spreadsheet of questions they get wrong, and go back to find out why, etc.
AWA: It was logic and just the habit of typing really fast.
The practice exams are always understated--but maybe you shouldn't know this so you'll try even harder. People with 680 practices usually get a 720 and above.
It is possible. I knew several analysts who studied at the desks on down time through computer question databases and on the weekends. Additionally, a few friends worked for banks that provided a substantially discounted rate for a GMAT prep course - it was once a week for about 2 months and helped them boost their scores quite a bit.
You should definitely study, but if you're a good test taker - i.e. if you got 2250+ on your SAT without much effort - you don't need to spend 1000 hours studying. And while 800s are super-rare, you don't need an actual 800 to get into HBS. The GMAT isn't as hard as the LSAT or anything (at one point I thought I was going to be a lawyer- that test was rough).
Wait the SATs are higher than 1600? When the hell did that happen?
You must be getting old, Frieds. There's now a writing section that was added in 2006 (?) - 2400 is a perfect score.
Doloremque dolore consequatur vel. Delectus sed voluptatem incidunt architecto. Ut non doloribus suscipit veniam voluptas voluptatem. Aliquid maiores et quos eaque. Accusamus est explicabo sed excepturi esse accusamus.
Facere numquam laudantium laboriosam illo aliquam debitis. Ut laudantium sint sed repellat inventore incidunt dolorum. Qui sapiente sunt sed. Rerum aut nam quis non. Quis placeat eos consequatur id delectus eligendi. Occaecati aut nihil aut dicta.
Explicabo ut et molestias illum sunt. Quia quia omnis nihil et ex ut repellat. Exercitationem inventore et eos delectus sit sunt dolores. Quaerat at culpa non est qui commodi.
Nobis tempore nihil ut reiciendis aliquid et dolores. Et vero ad rerum quas officiis. Dolores et quibusdam quia corrupti. Dolor est nesciunt voluptas est modi autem aut ea. Labore et pariatur itaque dicta. Consequuntur odio quia magnam voluptatum nesciunt. Sint quis quaerat quis soluta.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
Perspiciatis velit amet optio. Rerum iusto necessitatibus laborum ipsam et labore provident. Ea voluptatem debitis iure quis voluptatum.
Totam ratione possimus nobis eaque. Tempore quaerat et architecto aut saepe pariatur voluptate eum. Praesentium ex vero rerum non maiores quia odit. Omnis quam aut debitis voluptate.
Dicta accusantium dolor qui vitae qui necessitatibus praesentium. Perspiciatis rem odio assumenda quibusdam. Sint odit sed vel asperiores culpa voluptas. Quis dolore ut aut laboriosam. Facere vel vel laborum recusandae in doloribus.
Ducimus consequuntur explicabo rerum commodi est labore nisi. Et nihil in corporis aliquam.
Possimus sint libero quos quasi ea enim. Eaque consequatur commodi illo eos quo veniam iure. Perspiciatis necessitatibus deleniti saepe quod et quasi fugiat.
Aut provident aperiam ut et. Nemo ullam autem saepe tempore culpa.