Yes, I've written this test 4 times, yet this feels like one of the happiest moments of my life. Before I say anymore,
subscribe to Bunuel's posts and buy the Manhattan 6 test series . More on that later.
Test history: 640 (Q43, V37), 640 (Q42, V38), 710 (Q42, V45), and
740 (97%) today (Q48, V42).
Background: This post is more for those of us who are
not good at Quant, or have re-written multiple times. 90% of these success stories I read start with "Well my quant was already pretty good so I just needed to brush it up and ace verbal". I'm an Indian and my quant sucks, why can't stereotypes me universal and true. In fact, my verbal was pretty average at the beginning too. I would like to say that I'm an average guy, I constantly doubt myself, I got no sleep last night thinking about how I would feel if I didn't do well after the test
- my key message for those of us who are struggling with the GMAT is that if you put your heart and soul into this exam, you can kill it if not improve your old score drastically.Here's what I did differently.
Quant resources: OG 12 and supplement (didn't get time for
OG 13/buy additional questions from GMAC software - epic fail). Manhattan tests (wrote 4 - excellent for both Q and V),
Manhattan books for probability/P&C and Number Properties, nothing else;
GMATClub tests (wrote 4 quant), Jamboree Test Prep Quant section stuff (Giant book with practice proglembs by topic, get an equivalent for topic-specific material). I did the last one for some topics only.
Quant, bumping it up from 42 (58%) to 48 (79%). - very avg score, but still an accomplishment for me.
*1 on 1 math tutoring - I knew that whatever I had done earlier for Quant was not enough. I suffer from being able to do 80% of the problems when I have more time and less pressure, but I don't know the smart shortcuts GMAT requires. I couldn't cover all quant topics (didn't get to P&C/probability, biggest weaknesses) or go in sufficient depth with my totor since I just had 3 weeks in India. I don't think all people who are not so good at quant need tutoring, I just had a mental block against the first question. This helped me overcome it and equipped me with some tips.
* Timing - I read a post from somebody who got 750 last month.
11th Q - 55 min (focus on first 11)
21st Q - 35 m
31st Q - 15 m
When I first tried this 2 weeks back, my score dropped on Manhattan by 20 points, however, it picked up and I feel this GREATLY increased my score.
*Bunuel is The Man: Well I just assumed he's a dude. His daily posts cover a range of topics, somebody got an 800 a month ago and recommended bunuel. I have subscribed to his posts regularly since. Bunuel answers questions generally using short-cut methods, that includes
OG problems.
Bunuel if you read this, thank you, all your posts are gems.*GMAT Club CATs: Very tough, very discouraging, ESSENTIAL for strengthening concepts. bb & Company have clearly drastically improved these over the older questions. I admit to only doing 4 of the Quant, and I got between 15-18 wrong(!). But the questions are designed to test your concepts, excellent answers for each given after. My colleague recommended these, he was able to bump up his Quant from 42 to 49, he says he
just used GMATClub (I wouldn't go that far, but definitely think it has great ROI).
*Guess move on: tough to do. Practice makes perfect and beyond a point I could gauge that after 1:30 min whether I would be able to pinpoint an answer or not, I could not do this the last 3 attempts.
*Using smart numbers in place of variables, self explanatory
*Another tip from a recent post - if you're short of time towards the end (I ended up with 4 question in last 6 min today), spend more time on every alternate question because successive wrong questions hit your score more than alternating wrong answers.
Study time: Started in late June, did 4 hours per day (even on weekdays 1st two weeks, but it took its toll and manager noticed, had to cut it down. I have no time with work so afterwards woke up at 5:45am for the last month, studied an hour and a half before, tried to get in another after work at 8pm, got half an hour when in office cab and read Manhattan SC (easiest thing to revise); 5-6hrs each on weekends. 70% of this was focussed on Quant this time, my Verbal dropped 3 points as a result (45 to 42). Do what you have to do.
Practice test scores over the last month > - Veritas (mainly
OG questions), before prep: 620 (Q41/V35),
MGMAT 1- 700 (Q47/38), GMAC I -700 (Q47/V40), 680 (Q44/V38: tried the new time mentioned above), 750 (Q49/45), GMAC II -720 (Q49/V39)
Rewriting 4 times(!!)I can not stress how much this test has cost me. I've just moved to Costa Rica from India and have not been able to go out at all. My relationships, friendships, job, have all suffered. It took all my will power after getting a 710 last year to say "Ok I'm not going to take the path of least resistance and I will crack this test". I have started studying, ditched my book, etc. at least 4 times in the last 8 months.
Don't despair fellow re-writers, put your mind to it sincerely and objectively, and you can do it. As my friend who's currently in Wharton told me a few weeks back when I was feeling down and couldn't study: "How bad do you want this, if you want it badly enough you'll get your nose back to the grind and crack it, that's all". Take a step back, re-assess your approach, what are you going to do differently this time. If its just blind practice without addressing your weaknesses, not a good idea.
VERBAL: So bumping up that score up from 36 o 45 was a pain too. That's a story by itself. I neglected Verbal this time (dropped 3 points), in fact I didn't even finish
OG 12 RC passages, but on my last GMAC II test few days back, I got all SC right (not even one wrong to emphasize). However, here's what I did for RC last year; was getting about 1/8 wrong in tougher passages as a result:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-improve-my-rc-accuracy-117195.html
Thank you Bunuel, GMATClub Success stories, bb, and everybody who has answered my rather daft Quant questions. I'm finished with this test. Don't hesitate to PM me if there's anything I can help anybody with. On to Apps and school visits.
PS - I didn't have enough time for the last 2 IR questions of IR, big mistake will drop my score big time, but whatever.
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Updated on: 04 Sep 2012, 17:51
