FAQ
Q) What is ’30 Day GMAT Success’ about?
A) We know that it is not always possible to spend months studying for the test. Life happens! You might find yourself with a very limited amount of time to cover all of the material necessary for the GMAT.
In an ideal world you might have the luxury of 8 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months to focus on your studies. In reality you are busy and cannot afford this amount of preparation.
The book was written to reassure you that it is possible to cover all of the material necessary to pass the GMAT within a short amount of time: in Brandon’s –the author’s- experience this was 30 days.
What this means is that in 30 days only a few essential techniques and strategies can be covered – not a plethora as is the case with your average study guide. This is certainly not a disadvantage – 30 Day GMAT Success reduces GMAT techniques so that you will only learn the tried and tested ones that Brandon found most effective for the test.
30 Day GMAT Success is based upon Brandon’s real-life experience of having only 30 Days to prepare for the GMAT and scoring a 780 at the end of his preparations. It guides the GMAT- taker through the 30 days prior to the test, and allows the student to customize each day according to his or her strengths and weaknesses by helping the student realize which areas they need most focus on.
At the end of the 30 days, students will have covered all sections of the test in detail, taken several practice tests, and learned the most effective GMAT test-taking techniques. Unlike other GMAT books, 30 Day GMAT Success also gives advice and support on keeping your mind and body healthy during the 30 days in the run up to the GMAT test taking day.
Q) What is this book not about?
A) 30 Day GMAT Success is not going to tell you how to pass the GMAT without studying! We believe that there is no shortcut to GMAT success without putting in the necessary preparations. However, you should follow a study schedule which optimizes the time you have available for your GMAT preparation, and 30 Day GMAT Success will show you how to use that time most wisely and efficiently whilst covering all sections of the test.
30 Day GMAT Success is not simply tons of practice questions – we see no merit in that approach. Please see below.
Q) Do you include lots of practice questions in 30 Day GMAT Success? If yes, how many? If no, why not?
A) Since the only genuine questions are those written by the test-makers themselves, we leave it up to the experts to provide you with the sample questions. This is why we recommend purchasing ‘The Official GMAT Guide‘ with 30 Day GMAT Success to ensure that you become really familiar with the test format and structure prior to the test day. The 30 Day GMAT Success schedule will instruct you as to when to take GMAT practice tests throughout the 30 days, and how to analyze your results each time.
Q) I have less than one month but I would like to use 30 Day GMAT Success to help me improve my GMAT Score. What do you suggest that I do?
A) Use the customized study strategy to focus on your biggest weaknesses. It can help you to prioritize your study needs, but we cannot guarantee that it will be as effective as using it for the full 30 days. You will learn some useful study techniques however, and absorb information that is most relevant to you. This is, of course, preferable to the common pitfall, information overload.
Q) How many hours per day to I need to commit to your study plan?
A) Typically 3-4 hours per day is needed to follow the schedule. This is how much Brandon studied each day in the 30 days prior to taking the GMAT. However, since the study guide gives you a list of tasks to complete each day, the time you need will depend on how long it takes you personally to finish the day’s schedule. 30 Day GMAT Success is intended to benefit both working professionals who have to fit in studying around a full-time job, as well as those who may have more free time to dedicate to studying.
Q) I have already taken the GMAT, but I need to retake in 30 days time. Is this book going to be useful for that purpose?
A) The book requires that you have no prior knowledge of the GMAT. You may therefore find the information in the beginning and some information throughout to be repetitive if you have already completed one round of preparations.
However, what you can gain from 30 Day GMAT Success is a more structured study plan, and the ability to discover your weaknesses and target them directly with the techniques Brandon will introduce you to. Since you can only take the GMAT once every calendar month, the study plan may fit your time frame perfectly!
Q) I already have loads of books containing practice questions. Do I still need to buy the Official Guide as you recommend to accompany “30 Day GMAT Success”?
A) We recommend the Official GMAT Guide because it is the only source of official questions, which you will see replicated on the actual test. However, if you do not want to purchase another guide and feel that you have all of the practice questions you need, these will serve the purpose as well. Please be aware that they may not be as authentic or familiar to the ones you will find on test day as those produced by the Official Guide.
Q) I need the book ASAP – exactly 30 days to go for me! What should I do?
A) If you want the paperback version, go ahead and order from Amazon.com straight away. You can choose the next day shipping option. If you want to get started in the interim, we recommend that you take a practice test on the first day of your 30 day schedule, so go ahead and take one, under the exact time conditions used in the test.
The book is now also available as an e book, so you can download it to your PC, Mac, iPhone/ iPad / iPod, BlackBerry, and all Kindle Devices straight away!
Q) I don’t have an Amazon account.
A) Get one here! Registration is quick, easy and free.
Q) Is this book available in stores?
A) Yes, but you will need to request it using the ISBN number (978-0-615-32627-6). We are currently in the process of expanding our distribution so please watch this space!
Q) What is your return policy?
A) All of our pricing and shipping is handled by Amazon.com. If you have any problems with the physical condition of the book, please contact Amazon directly.
If you have more questions, feel free to contact us and we’ll try to get back to you as soon as possible!