Hi all!
I didn't post to often here, sorry for that, my life is pretty busy.
I know this is not a very high score, is not 700, or above, but for me it means so much!
So, here is my GMAT history, official tests - I took it four times
1. November 2005 - 470 (Q35, V20)
2. July 2006 - 510 (Q41, V20)
3. July 2007 - 530 (Q35, V27)
4. October 2007 - 640 (Q42, V36)
Four times over a two year period - that does not mean that I studied for 2 years! For the 1st exam I prepared about one month, I did only one practice exam, and I said that should be enough. Well, it was not...
I took the preparation more seriously for the second time. But since I know myself I am not a good test taker. I couldn't cope with the stres of the exam.
About the study:
I started every preparation about 3 months before the exam. I studied like one hour on working days, and about 3-4 hours in weekends. In the last month I took tw practice tests every weekend. That was still not enough for the 2nd and the 3rd time.
After the 3rd time I completely changed strategy! From the July session I already had the basics. So I tried to focus on error logs! Yes this is what I neglected before. So I made error logs and I worked on them. And I took a 10 days holiday for intensive study; is not too much but as a Finance Manager I didn't have time for more holidays.
Verbal:
I did about 20 SC per day, 2 RC passages, 10 CR. All these from July to October. On weekends I paid special attention to the errors I made during the week. It worked, I scored in the 80% on the verbal. From 20%!
Math:
I studied the math section every second day, more extensively during the weekends. I'm a little dissapointed above the math section, I don't know what happend during the exam. I lost to much time on the first 10-15 questions, I wanted to mark good answers on the first questions. I received the first probability question at number 27 or 28, don't remember, then another one at 34. But from 30 I mostly guessed, I didn't have to much time left.
Study materials:
OFFICIAL GMAT REVIEW, 11th edition
OFFICIAL GMAT REVIEW 11TH edition verbal
MANHATTAN GMAT PREP books + online question banks
Kaplan Premier 2006 edition
I really don't remember how many practice exams I did at home, I scored around 550 in Kaplan and around 680 on OFFICIAL GMAT Prep.
I am dissapointed about the math section, but I'll move forward with my application.
I want to apply at Duke and GSB. I have 5 years work experience from which 4 as a Finance Manager, I'm doing pretty well at the company where I work, and at this point I feel confident about my application.
This is my experience I hope it helps. Again, I know is not a spectacular score, but what I want to emphasize here is that an increase in the verbal section from 20% to 80% is possible, even if someone is not a native speaker. All you need is
systematic hard work!.
Cheers,
Adydas78
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!!!