[ads22uk]

Hi there, I'm new to this GMAT test and I've read at a few of the universities that i've been looking at for postgrad courses that they would recommend I take this test.

I'm completely new to it. If anyone has any advice on what to expect and how best to try and study for this test it would be appreciated. The universities I am looking at have recommended that a candidate should have over 650 points for this exam so I would be attempting to achieve this, although ideally I would like to hit 700 or more.

Months of practice and practice?

[Teenage Pirate]

The more you practice, the better you do. It's pretty simple.

[ads22uk]

(Original post by Teenage Pirate)
The more you practice, the better you do. It's pretty simple.

It is simple yes and I am happy to dedicate my time towards the exam. I was hoping for some input in terms of tips to study..or if there was a specific way of preparing for this particular exam which proved to be successful for some of the individuals on this forum.

[Jakeh]

It's completely down to you. If you have plenty of money I've met candidates who did a course for a week (Veritas) and sat the test scoring 790+. I sat the test by paying for Manhattan GMAT revision material and practice papers (by far the best i used, steer clear of Kaplan). I'd recommend doing it before third year, over this summer as it's much easier to prepare and focus on.


As im sure you are aware the test changes this August i think, with only writing 1 essay and not two. I found the essays particularly easy using a veritas model.

In terms of revision this is what I did:

I sat a full practice test and saw my score (it wasn't good like 590) without revision.

I looked back at where I failed, and then tried to focus on those subjects. The good thing about Manhattan GMAT (Kaplan didnt offer this) was that you could order your wrong answers in terms of topics and they have specific chapters covering those topics.

I did similar for the verbal section.

I think realistically it comes down to just continual practice and getting used to the problems, especially the ones where they give you two statements to answer the question, can be difficult to get your head around.


One final tip would be, the weighting of the GMAT favours verbal over maths. The higher the verbal in general the better your score. People seem to think if they 51+ the maths regardless of their verbal they'll do fine, but its better to 51+ the verbal.

[Teenage Pirate]

(Original post by ads22uk)
It is simple yes and I am happy to dedicate my time towards the exam. I was hoping for some input in terms of tips to study..or if there was a specific way of preparing for this particular exam which proved to be successful for some of the individuals on this forum.

My score was in your "successful" range and I used the recommended book, just did exercises and practice tests. It's probably the best source (along with other revision books) for tips on how to tackle the various sections.

Only thing that I would mention (and it doesn't matter much because it's for the writing section) is change your sentence structure every sentence and make sure you avoid stupid grammar mistakes and you'll do well on writing.

[Jakeh]

(Original post by Teenage Pirate)
My score was in your "successful" range and I used the recommended book, just did exercises and practice tests. It's probably the best source (along with other revision books) for tips on how to tackle the various sections.

Only thing that I would mention (and it doesn't matter much because it's for the writing section) is change your sentence structure every sentence and make sure you avoid stupid grammar mistakes and you'll do well on writing.

I found that there is a simple "6" structure to follow, regardless of sentence structure. Though you're spot on with grammar point.

[Teenage Pirate]

(Original post by Jakeh)
I found that there is a simple "6" structure to follow, regardless of sentence structure. Though you're spot on with grammar point.

I guess. Don't worry too much about writing in general. I did two practice essays (ie max 1 hour practice time) and got 6.0 through "bull****ting." It's not really important towards your scores or any schools you apply to (I think).

[Jakeh]

(Original post by Teenage Pirate)
I guess. Don't worry too much about writing in general. I did two practice essays (ie max 1 hour practice time) and got 6.0 through "bull****ting." It's not really important towards your scores or any schools you apply to (I think).

Yeah I 100% agree with you. They were incredibly simple. And no school I've applied to has cared.

[Teenage Pirate]

Also as for the verbal weighting, the main difference is that math scores are more bunched up near the top of the distribution (ie 50 will be like 93% for math vs 99.x% for verbal when I did the test)

[Jakeh]

http://gmathints.com/gmat-info/gmatscores

[Teenage Pirate]

(Original post by Jakeh)
http://gmathints.com/gmat-info/gmatscores

Interesting

edit: link from the page explains the mystery of "why the hell did I do a writing section?" :P

[ads22uk]

(Original post by Jakeh)

As im sure you are aware the test changes this August i think, with only writing 1 essay and not two. I found the essays particularly easy using a veritas model.

I wasn't aware of this, I am completely new to the exam. I've actually graduated last year but now decided to pursue a masters in finance. I have good A levels and a high 2.1 at a reputable university of London in Management and Accounting. I just read on a few websites for some of the universities that I would like to apply to e.g. LSE or Imperial, that they would 'recommend' taking a GMAT and they look for over 650.

Would you recommend I try and take it before August then? It would only give me a couple of months to study...and I'm also going to be working full time

Thanks for your help.

[Jakeh]

(Original post by ads22uk)
I wasn't aware of this, I am completely new to the exam. I've actually graduated last year but now decided to pursue a masters in finance. I have good A levels and a high 2.1 at a reputable university of London in Management and Accounting. I just read on a few websites for some of the universities that I would like to apply to e.g. LSE or Imperial, that they would 'recommend' taking a GMAT and they look for over 650.

Would you recommend I try and take it before August then? It would only give me a couple of months to study...and I'm also going to be working full time

Thanks for your help.

I'd say you need to spend 3-4 hours a day for 2months for an incredible score i guess (unless you're naturally strong at maths/verbal topics). Imperial don't need GMAT scores and LSE will prefer around 700+ mark than 650...

I do think LSE may be out of reach with a 2.1 degree unless you're scoring 750+ GMAT but maybe I'm wrong. Imperial will certainly take 2.1's and a 650 GMAT score (I called up and they said a 690 GMAT is something advantageous as I came from UEA).

I've heard Imperial MSc Finance isnt all what it's cracked up to be and many people suggest Warwick > Imperial (except because its in London).

But its down to you, I'd personally take it before the changes because no-one knows what these changes will mean to your score and what schools will look for in the new section. Where as the current GMAT has been used for a while, schools dont care about the essay.

But in relation to the test the only difference is

Before changes:
2 Essays
Verbal
Maths

After changes:
1 Essay
Data Sufficiency
Verbal
Maths

It's just what the schools plan to do about the new section in regards to applications that would scare me.

[Jakeh]

(Original post by Teenage Pirate)
Interesting

edit: link from the page explains the mystery of "why the hell did I do a writing section?" :P

I contemplated not sitting it, straight up passing and focusing on the actual parts that count. But thought, **** it, they're easy anyway.

[ads22uk]

(Original post by Jakeh)
I'd say you need to spend 3-4 hours a day for 2months for an incredible score i guess (unless you're naturally strong at maths/verbal topics). Imperial don't need GMAT scores and LSE will prefer around 700+ mark than 650...

I do think LSE may be out of reach with a 2.1 degree unless you're scoring 750+ GMAT but maybe I'm wrong. Imperial will certainly take 2.1's and a 650 GMAT score (I called up and they said a 690 GMAT is something advantageous as I came from UEA).

I've heard Imperial MSc Finance isnt all what it's cracked up to be and many people suggest Warwick > Imperial (except because its in London).

But its down to you, I'd personally take it before the changes because no-one knows what these changes will mean to your score and what schools will look for in the new section. Where as the current GMAT has been used for a while, schools dont care about the essay.

But in relation to the test the only difference is

Before changes:
2 Essays
Verbal
Maths

After changes:
1 Essay
Data Sufficiency
Verbal
Maths

It's just what the schools plan to do about the new section in regards to applications that would scare me.

hmm one of my friends got a 2.1 with a lower percentage than me and he's doing a finance masters at LSE and it does say on their website that a 2.1 is the minimum. I mean i can understand if someone scraped a 60% but I was on 68%...I had one bad exam which cost me my 1st.

I understand what you're saying though with the high level of competition...but anyway i think I'm gonna try and see what they say. My verbal reasoning ability is very good..my maths needs some work. Do you know the exact date in changes? I read some of the websites and they were talking about about an 'integrated reasoning' part which kicked in earlier this year too.

[ads22uk]

www.knewton.com/GMAT_Prep

Has anyone used this site as a resource? Is it worth purchasing?

[Kerpal]

(Original post by Jakeh)
It's completely down to you. If you have plenty of money I've met candidates who did a course for a week (Veritas) and sat the test scoring 790+. I sat the test by paying for Manhattan GMAT revision material and practice papers (by far the best i used, steer clear of Kaplan). I'd recommend doing it before third year, over this summer as it's much easier to prepare and focus on.

Really interesting that you don't recommend Kaplan.

Is it purely because you can't order your answers based on where you're going wrong or also because you think the information and questions they ask you aren't sufficient to score really high?

[Jakeh]

(Original post by Kerpal)
Really interesting that you don't recommend Kaplan.

Is it purely because you can't order your answers based on where you're going wrong or also because you think the information and questions they ask you aren't sufficient to score really high?

I found Kaplan far far too easy. The questions they offer are just terrible and Manhattan GMAT offered a more complex question base for me to practice with. Kaplan seem to offer some messed up products, they offer the "How to score highely on GMAT" - 600-800 questions apparently, then off an 800 question book aswell?

Manhattan offers books directly targeted at all levels and their practice paper base, 6, are excellent.

[Alexisonfire]

What is everyone's opinion on the official gmat prep series (premium)? There's an offer on the official fb page at the moment. Is it worth it, or is manhattan best nevertheless?

http://www.facebook.com/OfficialGMAT...00648330055774

[Jakeh]

(Original post by Alexisonfire)
What is everyone's opinion on the official gmat prep series (premium)? There's an offer on the official fb page at the moment. Is it worth it, or is manhattan best nevertheless?

http://www.facebook.com/OfficialGMAT...00648330055774

I'd still get manhattan, the deal I had came with a few of those official books to review questions.