Need some advice about the new guides :)

[tonipit]

Hi Stacey!

After my 3-week preparation, I scored 630 (Q44, V32) on the actual GMAT test yesterday. However, I need to raise my gmat score to 660 in order to improve my chance of getting into my dream school.

In fact, I felt very disappointed with my verbal score because my verbal score on MGMAT CATs ranges from 36 to 38.
My strength lies in SC with a hit rate of 83% (according to the four CATs' assessment). Anyway, I have made it a thing of the past. And all I need is move on. :))

By the way, I ask for your advice as to the new MGMAT Strategy guides. At the moment, I have all 4th edition strategy guides. If I have to sit for the new GMAT, which new strategy guide(s) do you think that I should buy?
I understand that a major difference is found only in the new CR guide, but I am not so sure whether small differences in the other guides (especially Quant guides) will have significant impacts.
What's more, I am wondering that I should buy the GMAT Roadmap (not certain about its existence in the 4th edition, but I didn't get it) in the case that I have quite much background about the GMAT.

In sum, right now I intend to get 2 new guides: (1) CR - 5th edition and (2) IR and Essay - 5th edition, while still studying the other 4th edition strategy guides.
What do you say?
Is it the right path?

Appreciate your time in giving me valuable advice. :)

[StaceyKoprince]

Nice! I know you're looking for a 660, but you're almost there - good job on the first test!

I agree that CR and IR are the two most important new ones to get. There are changes and additions in all of the books, including new problems (maybe 50% of the practice drills in the quant books are new), so if you're looking for new drills in some areas, that might be a reason to get some of the new books - up to you.

Why do you think your verbal performance dropped a bit on the real thing? Did you have any timing issues? Any stamina / mental fatigue issues? Note: mental fatigue does not feel like physical fatigue. See this article to learn how to recognize mental fatigue:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... you-crazy/

The GMAT Roadmap offers a lot of overall strategy and advice in terms of lots of things that we talk about here on the forums actually: time management, stress management, how to study, how to analyze your work and practice tests, etc. Honestly, you can find a lot of it in articles here and on our blog. :) But, it is all in one place in the book, and maybe half of the articles are unique to the book (you can't find them free online here). So, I guess I'm saying it's up to you. You may want to go look at the table of contents (if you haven't already).

(Oh, and no, you wouldn't have gotten it with the 4th edition books - it didn't exist then!)

[tonipit]

Thank you, Stacey.

I'm your big fan. :-)

If my quantitative score is 44, at this level should I study the Advanced GMAT Quant?

When will the 5th edition of the Advanced GMAT Quant be released?

Frankly speaking, I am not good at math but instead very bad at it.
All the persons I know got the Quant score of more than 48.

Appreciate your time in replying my post.

[StaceyKoprince]

Q44 is a bit on the low side for the Advanced Quant book. Generally, people shouldn't use that book until about Q46. If, however, you're having timing problems, it's possible that your theoretical knowledge is enough to use this book but your timing is bringing your score down.

Note that the book assumes that you have already mastered the material in the 5 quant strategy guides (including the advanced chapters there).

There won't be an updated version of that book this year because it was just published about a year ago for the first time.