One month left for test -- Need study plan help (Stacey/Ron)

[kapoor.sam]

I am an MGMAT student who has completed his course few weeks back and now have exactly 1 month left for actual test date. I am hoping that Stacey or Ron can give me some guidance on how best to use my limited time to study in the last month.

So far I have taken 3 MGMAT cats with scores of 590, 630 and 600. I have taken this in test like conditions. My strategy for the next 4 weeks is to take a CAT test every weekend (2 from MGMAT and 2 from GMAC) and then spend the next few days reviewing the test.

I have about 2 hours per day to dedicate to studying as I have a demanding full time job. My target score is about 650-670. Am I better off doing a CAT test every wknd and then reviewing the results during the week or better off doing practice drills from OG13 and other GMAC problems?

Here is my Assessment summary:
Saket Kapoor Report Date: Oct 23, 2012

Assessment Summary

Quant
PS: Total 66, Right 36, Wrong 30 55% right Avg Time for right 2.01, Avg Time for Wrong 2.13 Avg Diff Right 600, Avg Diff Wrong 650
DS: Total 45, Right 22, Wrong 23 49% right Avg Time for right 1.14, Avg Time for Wrong 1.36 Avg Diff Right 530, Avg Diff Wrong 660
Verbal
SC: Total 45, Right 22, Wrong 23 49% right Avg Time for right 1.25, Avg Time for Wrong 1.28 Avg Diff Right 650, Avg Diff Wrong 690
CR: Total 42, Right 28, Wrong 14 67% right Avg Time for right 1.55, Avg Time for Wrong 2.13 Avg Diff Right 610, Avg Diff Wrong 690
RC: Total 36, Right 17, Wrong 19 47% right Avg Time for right 1.57, Avg Time for Wrong 1.58 Avg Diff Right 660, Avg Diff Wrong 690

Quant:
Geometry - Total 17, Right 9, Wrong 8 Avg Time Right 1.38 Avg Time Wrong 1.24 (Fastest)
Number Properties - Total 19, Right 10, Wrong 9 Avg Time Right 1.34 Avg Time Wrong 1.52
Algebra- Total 26, Right 13, Wrong 13 Avg Time Right 1.58 Avg Time Wrong 1.39
Word Problems- Total 28, Right 13, Wrong 15 Avg Time Right 1.55 Avg Time Wrong 2.12
FDPs- Total 21, Right 13, Wrong 8 Avg Time Right 1.28 Avg Time Wrong 2.34

CAT EXAM #3 Completed 10/20/2012
CAT EXAM #2 Completed 09/15/2012
CAT EXAM #1 Completed 08/12/2012

Thanks in advance for any insight and advice.

-Saket

[StaceyKoprince]

Have you done your PCA yet? (PCA - post-course assessment) Once you've taken your 3 tests, you can sign up for a half-hour meeting (via phone) with an instructor to put together your final plan. (Note to others reading this: this is for people who have taken the course.)

So go sign up for this right away! I believe you sign up under the Office Hours section of your Student Center. (If you have any questions, ask Student Services: studentservices@manhattangmat.com)

A few comments on your post:

My strategy for the next 4 weeks is to take a CAT test every weekend (2 from MGMAT and 2 from GMAC) and then spend the next few days reviewing the test.

Not a good plan. Practice CATs are really good for (a) figuring out where you're scoring right now, (b) practicing stamina, and (c) analyzing your strengths and weaknesses. The actual act of just taking the exam is NOT so useful for improving. It's what you do with the test results / between tests that helps you to improve. And there is WAY more to learn than you can learn in a few days - one test should give you a *minimum* of 2 weeks' worth of stuff to learn!

Use this to analyze your tests:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... ice-tests/

If you'd like, you can then come back here and tell us the results of your analysis and what you think you should do based on that analysis. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data, as you did in your first post. Part of getting better is developing your ability to analyze your results - figure out what they mean and what you think you should do about them!)

Am I better off doing a CAT test every wknd and then reviewing the results during the week or better off doing practice drills from OG13 and other GMAC problems?

Both of those are focused on DOING lots of problems. That's not hte best use of your time - the best use of your time is ANALYZING problems after you've already done them. Use this to learn how to learn / analyze / get better:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-2/

If you have timing issues (nearly everyone does), use these two articles:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... to-win-it/
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... nt-part-1/

Finally, look at this:
http://www.manhattangmat.com/blog/index ... an-part-1/

The nutshell: your practice test scores should be roughly in your desired scoring range between 1 week and 2 weeks before the scheduled test date. If not, then you may need to postpone your test.

You're about 50-70 points short of your target right now, so 4 weeks may be enough time - you'll just have to see how it goes. Good luck! (And of course come back to check in with us / ask other questions!)