GMAT: Is it that bad?

[KevinmH9]

So I've begun studying for the GMAT in preparation for the test in a month or so. Is it that bad for those who've taken it? I went to Border's this morning and picked up a study guide, and upon glancing through it, I sat there and pondered, "Can I do this?"

I've never been a good test taker. I did awful on my SATs when I took it years ago. I'm confident in my abilities to complete all the other sections without problem, but my main concern is the math section(s).

To put it bluntly: Am I forked?

 

[playthrough]

I prefer Barnnes and Nobel.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

I buy my stuff online at Anazom's these days

 

[Sneed]

Man, wish I could've taken the GMAT instead of the GRE. That GRE was a bench.

There's math on the GMAT? If there is, it won't be harder than the GRE math. I might be wrong, but if it's like the GRE, it'll be math up to like, a junior high level. Just go to Borders or B&N and ask them what the best study guides are, or at least where to find them. Then just look through them, pick the one you think you'd be most comfortable with, and go through it. I ended up doing better on the math portion of my GRE than the verbal, which I found pretty embarrassing as a writer, but hey, math's what I was stressing about most too.

I hate tests like that too, though, so I feel your pain. Good luck.

 

[fishwrapper]

I would have spelled it backwards.

 

[Piotr Rasputin]

I thought he picked up the study guide at a halfway house . . . .

I'm chuckling at the irony that Kevin says "I want to go into business, but I'm concerned about the math portion." "Hey, I wanna take the MCAT, but I never did well in biology." "Journalism sounds great, but that whole their, they're there thing is beyond me."

I know you were probably just referring to how screwed up these tests can be. And you're right.

So my initial reaction is: if you have a background in journalism and you're attempting to transition into business, I would say, yes. It is that bad. But I'm probably off base, since my knowledge of the curriculum of business master's programs is pretty minimal.

In any event, it does take real guts to make such a move. I wish you well.

 

[dooley_womack1]

I prefer B. Daulton myself

 

[NoOneLikesUs]

An ex-girlfriend business major who was not too bright did do well enough to get into an accredited MBA program. It took her three times though.

The math stuff seemed like a tremendous pain in the ass, yet it didn't seem out of the realm of impossible even for a guy with minimal math skills like me. I mean if I sat down with some choice study guides and watched endless hours of youtube math lectures, I'm sure I could probably get by.

 

[Point of Order]

It's not that bad a test to take -- much easier than the LSAT. I took it cold a few years ago and easily did well enough to get into the program I was shooting for.

When I took it the test was on a computer, and the questions were not pre-determined. Instead, in each particular section, if you got question 1 correct, then question two would be more difficult. If you answered question 1 incorrectly, then question 2 would be on the same level of difficulty as question 1, and so on until you finished. Each time you get one right the next question is a level hard. If you miss, your next question would be easier.

It would really fork with your head, though, because when you're unsure about your answer on a question, then the next question seems really easy, you think you must've missed the last one (which you probably did).


Whether you're forked or not really depends on what you're going for, though. Figure out what you need to score to get where you want to go, then take one of the diagnostic practice tests that's shorter than the actual test but gives you a range of scores. If you're within 30 points of where you want to be, you'll likely be okay with some quality study. If you're more than 40 away from your target, then you may be forked.

 

[WaylonJennings]

I looked into it for a while. The math is tough because a lot of it isn't straight math, but a problem where you have to determine something along the lines of which of the following facts you need to know to solve it. So they'll give you some convoluted problem and then say, what else do you need to know? a) x=3 b) x=4 and y=17, etc., etc.

I don't completely agree with the person who said to go to Borders and pick up whatever GMAT guide you feel comfortable with. There is a science to acing standardized tests, and, except for the actual guide put out by GMAT, most of the mass marketed guides by Kaplan, Barron's, etc., etc., are complete garbage. Go with one of the more expensive publishers like Powerscore, or root around the Internet for message board recommendations from companies that pay for actual GMAT problems, not stuff they half-ass cook up in their own laboratory like Kaplan.

 

[somewriter]

I'll disagree with Waylon. Got the Kaplan's guide and found it more than satisfactory. I found the test manageable after I remembered all of the high school algebra that I hadn't thought about for 15 years. After studying that material, I did about 6 practice tests and a few hundred other practice questions. The real test was very, very similar to the practice ones and my score was nearly identical to what I did in practice. You should be able to handle the English part of it.

 

[WaylonJennings]

I'll disagree with Waylon. Got the Kaplan's guide and found it more than satisfactory. I found the test manageable after I remembered all of the high school algebra that I hadn't thought about for 15 years. After studying that material, I did about 6 practice tests and a few hundred other practice questions. The real test was very, very similar to the practice ones and my score was nearly identical to what I did in practice. You should be able to handle the English part of it.

If that is indeed the case, I stand corrected. I ended up not taking it and going the LSAT route instead, and what I said was very much true for that test. The Kaplan's tests and such were a fraud. But perhaps that is not the case with the GMAT, for whatever reason.