Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Plan of Attack

In my last post, I outlined that I plan to spend this fall studying for the GMAT, the spring looking at schools, and the summer writing applications. I realize that I should try to break down my fall GMAT studying further, into more tangible blocks. So the following is a makeshift schedule I have organized for the purposes of my preliminary planning. Blame the fact that I used to teach for its uncanny resemblance to a class syllabus.


RESOURCES

Books Currently On-Hand:
  • The Ultimate Math Refresher for the GRE, GMAT, and SAT
  • Kaplan GMAT: 2004 Edition (freebie, missing CD, probably will not use)
  • Kaplan GMAT Comprehensive Program: 2008 Edition (freebie, probably will not use)
  • Kaplan GMAT Premier Program: 2009 Edition, with CD
  • Barron's GMAT: 15th Edition
  • Princeton Review Cracking the GMAT: 2009 Edition
  • The Official Guide for GMAT Review: 11th Edition
  • The Official Guide for GMAT Quantitative Review
Potential Supplemental Materials:
  • The Official Guide for GMAT Review: 12th Edition
  • Manhattan GMAT Preparation Guides
  • Kaplan GMAT Advanced: 2009-2010 Edition
Computer Adaptive Tests (CATs) for Practice:

PRELIMINARY STUDY SCHEDULE

Week of August 17, 2009
MON: Off
TUE: Put together schedule
WED: The Ultimate Math Refresher, Arithmetic, p. 5-95
THU: The Ultimate Math Refresher, Algebra & Word Problems, p. 97-196
FRI: The Ultimate Math Refresher, Geometry, 197-255
SAT: CAT 1
SUN: Off

Week of August 24, 2009
MON: Princeton Review, Orientation, p. 1-48
TUE: Princeton Review, GMAT Math Basic Principles through Arithmetic, p. 49-117
WED: Princeton Review, Algebra & Applied Arithmetic, p. 120-158
THU: Princeton Review, Geometry & Advanced Data Sufficiency, p. 159-219
FRI: Princeton Review, Sentence Correction & Reading Comprehension, p. 221-282
SAT: Off
SUN: Off

Week of August 31, 2009
MON: Princeton Review, Analytical Writing Assessment, p. 283-347
TUE: Princeton Review Warm Up Test
WED: Princeton Review Paper Practice Test, verbal section
THU: Princeton Review Paper Practice Test, quantitative section
FRI: Princeton Review Paper Practice Test, review answers
SAT: CAT 2
SUN: Off

Week of September 7, 2009
MON: Barron's, Introduction, p. 1-48
TUE: Barron's, Diagnostic Test, p. 49-90
WED: Off (away on travel)
THU: Off
FRI: Off
SAT: Off
SUN: Off

Week of September 14, 2009
MON: Off
TUE: Off
WED: Barron's, Essay Writing & Reading Comprehension, p. 91-136
THU: Barron's, Sentence Correction & Critical Reasoning, p.137-172
FRI: Barron's, Arithmetic & Algebra, p. 173-237
SAT: CAT 3
SUN: Off

Week of September 21, 2009
MON: Barron's, Geometry & Tables and Graphs, 238-281
TUE: Barron's, Mathematics Exercises A & B, p. 282-295
WED: Barron's, Mathematics Exercises C & D, p. 296-322
THU: Barron's, Quantitative and Verbal Practice Sections, p. 323-362
FRI: Off
SAT: Barron's, Sample Test 1, p. 363-402
SUN: Off

Week of September 28, 2009
MON: Barron's, Sample Test 1, review answers
TUE: Kaplan Premier 2009, Introduction through Critical Reasoning, p. 1-46
WED: Kaplan, Critical Reasoning Practice Quiz, p. 47-94
THU:Kaplan, Sentence Correction, p. 95-114
FRI: Kaplan, Sentence Correction Practice Quiz, p. 115-154
SAT: Barron's, Sample Test 2, p. 403-444
SUN: Off

Week of October 5, 2009
MON: Barron's, Sample Test 2, review answers
TUE: Kaplan, Reading Comprehension, p. 155-218
WED: Kaplan, Arithmetic & Algebra, p. 219-275
THU: Off (away on work trip)
FRI: Off
SAT: Off
SUN: Off

Week of October 12, 2009
MON: Kaplan, Geometry, p. 276-350
TUE: Kaplan, Problem Solving, p. 351-402
WED: Kaplan, Data Sufficiency, p. 403-468
THU: Kaplan, Word Problems, p. 469-486
FRI: Kaplan, Analytical Writing Assessment & Take Control Of The Test, p. 487-520
SAT: Kaplan Full-Length Paper Practice Test
SUN: Kaplan Full-Length Paper Practice Test, review answers

Week of October 19, 2009
MON: Official Guide 11th Edition, What Is The GMAT & How To Prepare, p. 6-17
TUE: Official Guide, Diagnostic Test (Verbal Only), p. 18-105
WED: Official Guide, Diagnostic Test (Quantitative Only), p. 18-105
THU: Official Guide, Diagnostic Test, review answers
FRI: Official Guide, Math Review, p. 106-147
SAT: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 1-31 only), p. 148-156
SUN: Off

Week of October 26, 2009
MON: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 32-63 only), p. 156-160
TUE: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 64-95 only), p. 160-164
WED: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 96-127 only), p. 164-169
THU: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 128-159 only), p. 169-173
FRI: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 160-191 only), p. 173-178
SAT: CAT 4
SUN: Off

Week of November 2, 2009
MON: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 192-223 only), p. 178-182
TUE: Official Guide, Problem Solving (Sample Questions 224-249 only), p. 182-186
WED: Official Guide, Data Sufficiency (Sample Questions 1-31 only), p. 272-280
THU: Official Guide, Data Sufficiency (Sample Questions 32-63 only), p. 280-282
FRI: Official Guide, Data Sufficiency (Sample Questions 64-95 only), p. 282-286
SAT: Off
SUN: Off

Week of November 9, 2009
MON: Official Guide, Data Sufficiency (Sample Questions 96-127 only), p. 286-288
TUE: Official Guide, Data Sufficiency (Sample Questions 128-155 only), p. 288-290
WED: Official Guide, Reading Comprehension (Sample Questions 1-34 only), p. 340-358
THU: Official Guide, Reading Comprehension (Sample Questions 35-69 only), p. 359-371
FRI: Official Guide, Reading Comprehension (Sample Questions 70-104 only), p. 372-383
SAT: CAT 5
SUN: Off

Week of November 16, 2009
MON: Official Guide, Reading Comprehension (Sample Questions 105-141 only), p. 383-393
TUE: Official Guide, Critical Reasoning (Sample Questions 1-31 only), p. 464-476
WED: Off (away on travel)
THU: Off
FRI: Off
SAT: Off
SUN: Off

Week of November 23, 2009
MON: Off
TUE: Off
WED: Off
THU: Off
FRI: Off
SAT: Off
SUN: Off

Week of November 30, 2009
MON: Official Guide, Critical Reasoning (Sample Questions 32-63 only), p. 476-486
TUE: Official Guide, Critical Reasoning (Sample Questions 64-95 only), p. 486-495
WED: Official Guide, Critical Reasoning (Sample Questions 96-124 only), p. 495-504
THU: Official Guide, Sentence Correction (Sample Questions 1-35 only), p. 630-642
FRI: Official Guide, Sentence Correction (Sample Questions 36-71 only), p. 642-649
SAT: CAT 6
SUN: Off

Week of December 7, 2009
MON: Official Guide, Sentence Correction (Sample Questions 72-106 only), p. 649-654
TUE: Official Guide, Sentence Correction (Sample Questions 107-138 only), p. 655-660
WED: Official Guide, Analytical Writing Assessment, p. 728-797
THU: Review incorrectly answered questions
FRI: Review incorrectly answered questions
SAT: CAT 7
SUN: Off
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4 comments:

  1. xlickAugust 19, 2009 at 2:10 AM

    Hi from the East Coast. Always nice to hear of a new MBA aspirant embarking on this sometimes crazy, but also fullfilling journey. Wow, that is one tight schedule. I think you might have just beaten me on the neurotic scale. Just kidding : ).

    Some advice - Take the official prep tests more than once. You'll get new questions each time. Also, ,the MGMAT Sentence Correction book is a godsend! Many people consider it the bible of SC. Anyway, good luck with your studying.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousAugust 19, 2009 at 10:29 AM

    Thanks for the comment on my blog...I have put a link up to yours.

    The process can get extremely hetic, so the more you planning (although you might have done enough planning for the both of us)you do the better.

    I echo the Manhattan GMAT S/C book being the best...

    Hope everything goes really well for you! Enjoy the ride!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CourtneyAugust 19, 2009 at 10:32 AM

    Thanks for reading my blog, and for the advice! I hadn't considered taking the official prep tests more than once, but that definitely sounds like a good idea. I'll work out a way to fit them it. (Are you trying to contribute to my further neuroses?!? Ha.)

    Thankfully, I am pulling very strong numbers on verbal so far, so I'm not sure if I'll need to do extra work with Sentence Completion. At this point, it seems more likely that I'll need to go to math bootcamp! But I think I'll have a better sense of my standings once I take another practice test.

    ReplyDelete
  4. HampsterAugust 21, 2009 at 10:40 AM

    Best of luck to you. I'm retaking "The Test" sometime in September or October after chocking on the math section a couple of weeks ago.

    Just out of curiosity, what made you decide on Kaplan instead of MGMAT? Have you looked at Jeff Sackmann's GMAT Hacks?

    ReplyDelete

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