I’m thinking about starting to prepare for the gmat… if I don’t want to take a test prep course, what are peoples opinions on the best text to use (Princeton review, kaplan, official guide to gmat 800 q book, etc?) in general whats the best course of action for me to take without taking a course, and what do you think is a fair estimate of time required for prep? thanks
I’m currently using The Manhattan GMAT Prep’s guidebooks and GMAC’s Official GMAT review book for my GMAT prep. I’ve actually just started preparing for the GMAT this week. Based on the Manhattan’s GMAT self-study schedule, its going to take me about 10 weeks. Then again, my GMAT prep might be postponed, depends on the CFA Level I exam result on July 29th, 9 am ET !!!
Hugeyuj Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I’m currently using The Manhattan GMAT Prep’s > guidebooks and GMAC’s Official GMAT review book > for my GMAT prep. I’ve actually just started > preparing for the GMAT this week. Based on the > Manhattan’s GMAT self-study schedule, its going to > take me about 10 weeks. > > Then again, my GMAT prep might be postponed, > depends on the CFA Level I exam result on July > 29th, 9 am ET !!! did you get the plus package or the regular one?
engineer, how long are those 8 manhattan gmat prep books?
Jamms Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > engineer, > > how long are those 8 manhattan gmat prep books? no clue, didn’t get them yet
very short. just buy them at b&n and return them in less than 2 weeks. for real.
maratikus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > go to gmatclub.com > > I’m using OG 11 and GMATprep. Everyone suggests > using Manhattan SC guide. Trust me…use the OG11 and GMATprep (free with test registration on mba.com) before wasting a dime on anything else. If you can master the questions in OG11, a 700+ score shouldn’t be a problem.
I have GMAT Powerprep from ETS on my hard drive. Has anyone used this?
i bought 2 books, barron’s and princeton review. princeton review is GREAT for teaching you how to take the test. barron’s is pretty solid for all the english i didnt know. i was finishing up engineering school at the time so i didnt even look at the math. 8 days of prep (2-3 hrs/day) using those two books and i got a very good score. i highly reccomend the combo of those two books.
MPT Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > maratikus Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > go to gmatclub.com > > > > I’m using OG 11 and GMATprep. Everyone > suggests > > using Manhattan SC guide. > > > Trust me…use the OG11 and GMATprep (free with > test registration on mba.com) before wasting a > dime on anything else. If you can master the > questions in OG11, a 700+ score shouldn’t be a > problem. how beneficial are the Manhattan GMAT prep books? I have the OG11 right now. How true is MPT’s statement?
I haven’t started studying for the GMAT yet, but will be shortly. I talked to several friends and also read some posts at GMATclub.com (also a good resource) and will be using the following books, most likely in the order specified below: (1) Princeton Review - Cracking the GMAT (2) Manhattan GMAT - Sentence Correction (3) OG 11 (4) GMATPrep software (free from MBA.com) (5) OG Verbal Review and Quantitative Review I have some flexibility as far as when to take the GMAT, but I’m thinking I’ll get it done by the first quarter of 2009. Just want to get it out of the way. Has anyone else here used the sources I mentioned above, and can they comment on whether that is an appropriate order for me to go through those sources? Thanks.
numi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I haven’t started studying for the GMAT yet, but > will be shortly. I talked to several friends and > also read some posts at GMATclub.com (also a good > resource) and will be using the following books, > most likely in the order specified below: > > (1) Princeton Review - Cracking the GMAT > (2) Manhattan GMAT - Sentence Correction > (3) OG 11 > (4) GMATPrep software (free from MBA.com) > (5) OG Verbal Review and Quantitative Review > > I have some flexibility as far as when to take the > GMAT, but I’m thinking I’ll get it done by the > first quarter of 2009. Just want to get it out of > the way. Has anyone else here used the sources I > mentioned above, and can they comment on whether > that is an appropriate order for me to go through > those sources? Thanks. Creepy… we have a lot in common!! I started last nigh and so far only have the “KAPLAN GMAT PREMIER PROGAM 2008” book that I picked up craigslist. I like it bc it has an online component like schweser… allowing for some work hour forays. I’m nervous about the data sufficiency problems- not worried about the verbal parts really. Plan on picking up the OG’s too, seems like there is a collective agreement that those are absolute necessities.
(1) Princeton Review - Cracking the GMAT - Would not recommend (2) Manhattan GMAT - Sentence Correction - A MUST (3) OG 11 - A MUST (4) GMATPrep software (free from MBA.com) - A MUST (5) OG Verbal Review and Quantitative Review - A MUST Basically all OGs you can get your hands on and some MGMAT (Dont pay attention to MGMAT math as i found it more confusing then real test) Know probability! Alot of curve ball questions there
Best one is OG11. I suggest saving OG11 after you review OG Verbal and Math + mgmat + kaplan + pr. That way, you will be familiar to the questions and the styles before you start wasting precious OG 11 questions.
OG11 is the best source for questions. If you’re looking for a tutorial, I’d recommend Manhatten Prep or Princeton Review. The official software from mba.com is a must.
akanska Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Creepy… we have a lot in common!! > akanska, i agree. this is too uncanny to be purely coincidental. something must be up! by the way, how about some tennis later this afternoon? gorgeous day outside and i can’t believe that none of my normal hitting partners are around. and i thought getting out early today was going to have its rewards…
joemontana, ancientmtk, and comp_sci_kid – thanks for your suggestions, guys. aside from the Manhattan GMAT book for Sentence Corrections, were there others that you’d highly recommend? I would say that I’m comparable strength in both math and verbal. My coursework in college and SAT scores produced pretty similar results on both verbal and quantitative stuff. However, I don’t want to miss out on any low-hanging fruit so let me know if there are any other books besides the ones I mentioned that you think are indispensible.
I’m studying now. Every minute has been torturous. CFA burnout is tough to overcome. I’m using the OG 11 and the OG Quant Review. I also have the Princeton Review Verbal Book. I probably will purchase practice exams from this website I stumbled on. They offer four online GMAT exams for 40 bucks that are fully CAT. I Joined GMAT Club but have not found it very useful. So far, I’ve been humbled by the quant section and murdered the verbal (based on my OG 11 diagnostic scores). I was math TA in undergrad, so I figured I’d cruise through the quant section. Nope, GMAT is almost wholly composed of my mathematical nemesis – word problems. I’ve always had trouble converting words into algebraic equations. I’m always off slightly enough in my setup to blow the problem. When I can easily figure how to set up the problems in terms of numbers and variables, I crush them. That said, I’m thinking about purchasing “Word Problems Demystified”. If I can get over this hump, I feel pretty good about scoring in the 680 to 700 range. Doesn’t help that I find the material mind numbingly boring. Every hour so far has been an exercise in trying to stay awake. I have nowhere near the level of natural interest as I did for the CFA material. Anybody else having any issues with a particular element of GMAT.
I would say flip thru all the Manhatten books and use what you need. Manhatten books are really thin. Each book is broken into multiple small readings. Each reading has about 15 questions. If you know it, skip it. comp_sci is a math genius, so he didn’t need math, but I did. I personally got 6 of the 8 books. I skipped geometry and something else. They’ve all included readings that I didn’t need, and some that I did. I think that most people would find “low hanging fruit” in every book. You can get them fairly cheap on amazon.