culley

I hate to ask this, but what have you / would you wear for a campus visit? I'll be seeing the campus, but also meeting students, faculty, etc. There will NOT be a formal interview at this time. Thank you!!!

Thank you for the swift reply David. Specifically, I have identified TAMU and Iowa because TAMU offers a MS in Finance along with the MBA (and offers a hands on research/investment course) and Iowa has a course where students manage a fund and research securities for the fund. To me, hands on activities in Finance are a big plus in my search for schools in this 30-50 range, especially since I'm a career changer. And yes, I'd like to think I'm being realistic about my post MBA career options. I'm not interested in I-Banking or even working on Wall St, but am looking for a career in equity research or risk/investment management. I would actually prefer a career in the midwest or southwest(gasp!). So in your opinion, what schools should I consider for further review? Also, thanks for the realistic career outlook for this tier of schools, I appreciate your viewpoint. Thank you!

Hi David, I'm probably one of the few people replying to this thread NOT looking at the top 20 schools; realistically I think I'll get accepted (and might possibly reap a decent financial aid package) to a top 30 - 50 school. My problem is that I'm having trouble finding good finance programs in this range. Do you have a comprehensive list of such schools in this range, and do you think I'd be a good candidate for these schools? So far, I believe the U of Iowa and Texas A&M are ideal schools for me. Here's a little background information: Would like to start in the Fall of 2008 Full-time BS Economics '05 at a State School, 3.6 GPA U.S. Citizen 660 GMAT 38V, 43Q and a 5.0 essay score. Work experience: grain trader / logistics coordinator for a major grain company, 1.5 years currently, but 3 years total by the time I start in '08. Nothing ultra impressive here, but I can probably spin it nicely on my resume and essays. Extra curriculars: I volunteer with a social services org, helping elderly folks buy groceries, prescriptions, etc. It might not be worth much, but I'm also going to take the CFA Level I exam in December, 2007. Thank you VERY much!

Ah I'm finally done with the GMAT. I first took the test two years ago and my study plan back then consisted of working some problems from a Barron's GMAT workbook and taking the two GMAT powerprep tests. One year later I graduated from college and discovered this site. After reading a few debriefings I realized my approach was WAY off. Before I go any further, I want you all to know that I'm not extremely intelligent, and my goal was/is not a 700+. I don't think I'm top 20 material and I really don't have the desire to become it either. My goal has always been to score 600+ and get into a bottom of the top 50 schools. By the way I received my undergrad degree from a Midwestern University (in the US - I'm a native) and I'd like to stay out here if possible - no big city dreams for me! I know this post won't be extremely relevant to most of the people who post on this site, but I'm guessing there are quite a few people like me out there, those of you who simply read through debriefings and scour for resources likes 1000 SC and other study guides in your hunt for a 600+ score. I'm writing this debrief with you folks in mind. Here are a few postings that really helped me out: http://www.www.urch.com/forums/just-finished-my-gmat/43989-530-q35-v28-650-q42-v38.html - Motivation http://www.www.urch.com/forums/just-finished-my-gmat/37292-650-85-q41-v38-suggestions-follow.html - Motivation http://www.www.urch.com/forums/just-finished-my-gmat/40261-480-640-ecstatic.html - Motivation http://www.scoretop.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=14159&PN=1 - Motivation http://www.www.urch.com/forums/217346-post77.html - Resources The links above proved to me that you can really bombed the GMAT, yet turn around and achieve a good score. My study plan went as follows: 1. Princeton Review: read whole book, worked every problem 2. Manhattan SC: read book, worked OG practice SC problems alongside 3. OG 11 ed: worked 10 PS, 10 DS, 1 RC block, 7 CR, 8 SC, 5 days a week, under timed conditions thru the whole book. 4. Took a few PR practice tests online, one a Saturday. 5. Took the two gmatprep tests online, one a Saturday. Lately I've been reading a lot of negative comments about PR's book, and it might be true for those people who already know the GMAT format and have an intimate understanding of the question types. Me, I needed this book and I think it's a great foundation for the test. However, it is NOT a great foundation for material!! For that, I used the Manhattan SC guide and the OG. Even though I'm an American, I struggled with sentence correction questions, so I bought the Manhattan SC and continued to review it throughout my study time (of approx 3 months). Working through the problems as the Manhattan guide presents them and then working them all again really helped me out. My time in the OG is what really turned around my score, especially in math. I would spend just over 90 minutes working the problems, and then I'd go through and spend a lot of time learning from my mistakes when looking at my incorrect answers. This is especially key to the learning process - go over your mistakes and learn from them!! Also, by timing my sessions I learned to work fast under pressure and I gained endurance. Last but not least, I followed Skytrax's post and watched The Miracle the night before my test, what a perfect movie to parallel this long endeavor, it provided me with motivation exactly when I needed it the most!

Oh yeah, sorry - the current book I'm working through - doing the 10 PS, 10 DS, 2 reading blocks, 7 CR and 9 SC are from the 1th ed OG. I spent a week or so going through the Manahttan SC guide, as I felt SC is my weakest area / the area I could really improve in. English is my native language, though it's been several years since I've had any formal English "schooling". I bought the Manhattan guide based on the recommendations of this forum. I have definitely seen an improvement in my SC scores, not a huge jump, but every point counts. The little quizzes at the end of each chapter aren't too useful, in my opinion. I would rather have seen a quiz full of sample test problems. Instead, they give you full length sentences with no underlined part and you must identify the error. But that's just me. I did work through all the SC problems in the OG based on how the Manhattan guide has you take them. That is a worthwhile exercise. I also recommend getting a hold of the 1000 SC document and working through many of those. As an American, verbal is my forte, I'm scoring 36+ there, but I'm terrible at math, scoring upper 20's lower 30's. My goal over the next two months is to push verbal to 38+ and math to 40+, hopefully getting me a score in the 610-640 range. I'm looking at lower tier 1 schools. I'll be more than happy to help anyone who needs Verbal help - I'm scoring very well in RC and CR. If anyone has advice for me on math, I"m all ears. My math score is somewhat improving since I've started writing down problem areas / theories / formulas and taking the time to really go over my missed problems. Princeton's Cracking the GMAT was a great starter for me, in my opinion. It covers most of the basic math concepts you'll want to know. It also teaches you some common sense ways to eliminate answers, and the process of "plugging in" has helped me time and time again. I must warn you though, Princeton's math concepts are centered around easier questions, so it is a good book to start with, but I recommend going to something harder afterwards. Kaplan's Premier program has a math reference section at the back of its book that is terrific as well.

Hey guys, I'm signed up with a test date of June 5th. I've actually been studying the last few weeks of March, reading through and completing the Princeton book as well as the Manhattan SC Guide. I'm currently spending 1-2 hours a day going through 10 PS, 10 DS, 2 RC "blocks", as well as 7 CR and 9 SC questions a day, timed. Afterwards I go over the problems I missed and write on notecards the areas I'm having trouble with. This takes about 2 hours a day, and should last me through most of April. On the weekends, I'm taking one full length practice test each Saturday. Not sure exactly what I'm going to do in May, however. Probably go through Kaplan's book, and maybe the 800 book. I dunno though take my plan at face value, so far I'm scoring the mid 500-600 range, though my goal is just a 640. Edit: Forgot to mention, I devote Friday's to the essays - gonna try and write 2 of each timed, every Friday till test day.

Hi All, I took the first PR exam off the cd this morning, and near the end of Quant it locked up on me... I restarted the program and found it had saved my spot, so I continued. Finished the exam with a score of: 29Q, 36V, 550. Questions right: 23/37, 33/41. I also ask because I took the first powerprep a few weeks ago and scored a 590, based on 23/37, and 24/40. (ran out of time on verbal heh) Could my score be off, or do I need to suck it up and get back to work? My apologies, was having trouble adding a new thread to the forums, accidently double posted. If you read this and would like to help me out, please respond here: http://www.www.urch.com/forums/gmat/46006-page-ranking-exam-bugged-my-score-correct.html Admins: feel free to delete this thread as it's a double post. Thanks.

Hi All, I took the first PR exam off the cd this morning, and near the end of Quant it locked up on me... I restarted the program and found it had saved my spot, so I continued. Finished the exam with a score of: 29Q, 36V, 550. Questions right: 23/37, 33/41. I also ask because I took the first powerprep a few weeks ago and scored a 590, based on 23/37, and 24/40. (ran out of time on verbal heh) Could my score be off, or do I need to suck it up and get back to work?

74 reads and no replies? I suppose I can see why, there's lots of good information already established in this forum. :) I guess I'll update on what I've been doing, feel free to add your advice, or say anything at all! I've been working my way through the Manhattan SC book, hitting around 70% on the OG questions - usually narrowing down the choices to 2, then picking the wrong one. I'm definitely learning a lot by reading the OG answer explanations. I'll be done with the Manhattan SC book in a few days, so I'm planning on working on my essay formats, taking a Princeton practice test for all around practice on every subject as well as timing, and then digging in to the OG / Kaplan math review material. As I study one specific subject, should I also work in a little review on other areas as well? For example, spend 2 hours a night learning math, but also take 30 minutes to review some SC stuff? All advice is sincerely appreciated.

First of all, if this is posted in the wrong section, I apologize in advance. My first testing experience occured a year and a half ago. I basically walked in blind to my first GMAT test and scored a 530, not sure how it broke down. My practice consisted of buying the 10th Ed OG and working through many of the problems and studying the math review, but that's it. At best I studied for two hours at a time, and I also took the 2 powerprep exams. After discovering sites such as this one, I realized I have plenty of potential for a decent score, but am needing a solid plan to get me there. Realistically, I'm not 700+ material, at least I don't have the time and ability to commit myself to such an undertaking. I have a 3.6 GPA in my undergrad and will have 2 or 3 solid years of work experience when I apply. I'm targeting tier 2 schools in the midwest and would think a 600-640 would get me in the doors? An assistanship would be nice, otherwise I'll have to opt for a part-time program as money is tight these days! I'm signed up with a test date of April 22nd. I just finished Princeton's "Cracking the GMAT", and took the first powerprep test, scoring a 590. My hit rate was around 60% on math, and 65% on english. I believe I would have scored a bit higher but I forgot how much pressure the timing adds to the test, amongst other things. I'd say my strengths include quick reading/skimming which helps on the RC questions, and I can grasp the basics behind most CR questions, but I seem to get tripped up on many of them. Both SC and math are my weakest areas, though I feel I can greatly improve SC over the next week or two. I have the following books, unopened, but ready to be read: Manhattan SC, OG 11th Ed, and Kaplan's GMAT 2006 book. Where do I go from here? I can devote 2-3 hours a night, as well as 8-10 hours on the weekends with the exception of one weekend and a few individual weeknights. Until I get responses, I'm planning on digging into the Manhattan SC book, followed by the SC questions in the OG 11th Ed, as stated by several other people on this forum. After that, I could seriously use some advice!

Thank you!

Title speaks for itself. I'll be taking the GMAT in 6 weeks, and didn't realize the Manahttan SC book was so good - have ordered off amazon.com, but will also need the OG as well. Just wondering which version of OG is referred by the Manhattan book... Thanks so much!