Hi there,
About me: 5.5 years work experience, female in the public sector
I have completed the GMAT and after months of preparation I am disheartened.

The quant was my main issue. I took a lot of guesses. :(
My scores were: For verbal 42 and for qaunt 35.
I really want to break 700 so that I can apply to good schools. I feel like the other parts of my profile are good but I don't want to skimp on the GMAT.
I will retake the test. I am looking for guidance on how to prepare and what to study.

There are a ton of good resources on this discussion board and elsewhere on the internet, so I won't rehash it all. But basically:

- you'll most likely do better the second time around due to being a bit more comfortable with the exam and the fact that you're now familiar with the format
- target your weaknesses: of course you'll want to focus on the quant section but also look at the specific question types / formats that you're most uncomfortable with and had to guess on. There are a lot of sample questions and even full practice exams out there so take advantage of these.
- if necessary, hire a tutor. A tutor can guide you through the process and help you efficiently target your weaknesses.

Yeah maybe I should hire a tutor. I don't know, I'm not sure how familiarity will help my score but point taken. I guess I'm just stressing out about it all and maybe having some direction would help. Appreciate the tips!

khanacademy has gmat preparation for free. Maybe check it out, you may like it

I will, thank you.