GMAT Prep

So a bunch of people have asked me about how I prepared for the GMAT, so here is some of my advice:

Give yourself at least a couple months to prepare if you're gunning for a top score--I spent at least an hour a day preparing (thank you BART public transit), while also spending a sporadic 2-3 hour time period to take a practice exam.

I didn't take any classes, and from what I have heard they really are only valuable in two cases:
1. If you need extensive work on your quantitative skills (more than review)
2. You need to be forced to study

However, if you're not taking a class, it is useful to have someone to study with, if at the very least to keep you honest. A coworker of mine also studied for the GMAT at the same time I did, and while we rarely sat down and studied together, we would quiz each other on some of the more difficult quant questions that we came upon.

Kaplan and Princeton Review are NOT the same. From my observation, and those of others I have talked to, Kaplan is much more difficult in math. Princeton review might be a little more difficult in verbal, but overall the scores I got from Kaplan were significantly lower than my actual score (Princeton Review was about the same score on average).

One thing I recommend for those who are starting the studying process is to download the PowerPrep software and take one of the two GMAT tests early on. Then a week before you take the actual exam, take the second practice test. I think most people agree that this test is the most accurate descriptor of your score (for me, I scored exactly the same on the real test--even the same on the verbal and quant sections!).

The test is not as important as I thought it was--do not compare it to the LSAT (which combined with gpa can predict acceptance remarkably well--I don't even know why they ask for essays!). What is much more important for business schools are the essays, and depending upon how many schools you apply to, you will probably spend more time on them than studying for the GMAT.

If you have any other questions, I'd be happy to talk!
Justin