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Joined: 20 Dec 2013
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Location: United States (NY)
GMAT 1: 640 Q44 V34
GMAT 2: 720 Q49 V40
GMAT 3: 710 Q48 V40
GPA: 3.16
WE:Consulting (Venture Capital)
Re: 5 days before the G- Day
[#permalink]
07 Oct 2014, 22:14
Hi - Here are some general test day tips that I wrote up and may help you:
1) The test center is COLD! It doesn’t matter how hot it is outside, wear long pants…trust me. Last thing you want to be when taking your test is cold and uncomfortable. Of course, every Pearson center is different, but I believe the testing rooms are all kept a uniformly frigid temperature so the computers don't overheat or at the very least operate within normal parameters.
2) The 8 minute breaks FLY by. Make sure to give yourself at least a 1 minute buffer for signing in and out of the test room, which includes emptying your pockets and doing a palm scan. Also, when you re-enter the room, one of the supervisors has to sign you back into your PC. In a test where time is always against you, losing even a minute or two can prove quite detrimental.
3) Good to keep your blood moving, given the length of the test. During your breaks, do a couple quick push-ups or stretches.
4) The test centers are not only for GMAT, there are a number of exams taken there (when I was in the waiting room, I overheard the guy in front of me saying he was taking a Florida Real Estate License/Cert. exam -- we were in NJ btw). The tests are all staggered at different times and different lengths, so there is a good chance people will be coming and going as you take your exam. Helps to know this beforehand so you can mentally be prepared for people moving around (or like when I took the test, a guy not knowing where to put his earphones and fumbling with them on the top of the divider between our work stations.
5) Don't lose focus towards the end of the verbal section. Consciously make an effort to expend whatever mental brainpower you have left on those questions...it seems obvious to "try" on any question, but it is a lot easier than you think to blow through those with the first answer that looks right and cross the finish line. I am convinced this is where I dropped the ball..
good luck!