Took the test on saturday Oct 31, 2009 in Columbus, OH, USA and though far away from a success story, certainly my attempt has given me more insights into the test.
GMAT quant is getting tougher, and harder and way too tougher. There were five questions for which I practically didn't know what to do and as such was losing time with my eagerness to be careful with DS questions, which was comparatively my weak mode as to PS. All GMATPrep practise tests or
OG questions do not even scale to such difficulty levels as the real deal. Personally, I'd suggest start studying complex trigonomety such as formulas for semi-perimeter of triangles, circum-radius and in-radius and other advanced geometry concepts or may be even advanced calculus to calculate circumference and area of intersection portion of two circles using integrals or differential equations, and many more alike. I wonder what complex levels could Statistics and Probability sections go. Gone are the days when percentages, work rates, principal and interest, simple arithmetic and geometric sequences and mixture problems were the deadliest. I am afraid the newer breed of questions is first two years of Engineering Mathematics.
I am the kind of guy who can't solve a math problem without putting my pen on paper. Even the simplest of calculation involving an even number division with 2, I have to write either the number or 2, instinctively to be able to solve it correctly. Never did I ever realize even this practise could cost me hard. The stylus pens and notepads were useless at the test center. I'd write a 2 or an x as variable and that would never appear, rolling my pen between the fingers could sometimes get me lucky or otherwise, I'd have to spot a newer empty space on the laminated erasable notepads which can't be erased by us, even with wet fingers!!!! The worst part, we are not supposed to use or scribble the pens on the notepads until unless the test has started and then, arguing with the examiners during the break between AWA and Quant is nothing but losing focus again!!!! Added to it, both the pens worked fine until the first ten questions I used each of them for and thereafter, when time is ticking like a bomb, my pens stopped working and started aggravating me. I tried to keep my cool and stay composed but I couldn't. Anxiety took me over and the pens added more fuel and I was getting irritated at every question that came ahead.
The test center was cold, it was raining cats and dogs, after a heavy storm the previous night, until that afternoon and my test was scheduled for 8AM in the morning. I foresaw the situation and requested to keep my coat with me at the test console which the test center folks politely denied. I was half-way through my verbal when I started to feel a chill in my spine. My verbal scores weren't something I could boast about, my average range has always been just above 32 and couldn't even cross a 35. But the last week before the real deal, I gave it all. I gave it up to 4 hours each day, despite hectic work schedules at my job and was very confident I did improve. I was eagerly looking forward to beat the 40 mark in verbal and keep my quant above 47, the worst I ever performed with the toughest of GMATPrep mocks I ever faced. I am proud I did keep my quant at 47 despite the kind of questions I had faced but, verbal is like a curse. Staying focussed question after question especially after an irritating quant and in a disgusting cold environment was something I never practised at the comfort of my study table. When I lose focus in verbal, I always read the text without understanding the context and that's exactly what happenned. I knew I was reading, I was understanding something I wished to know of the context and thereafter, go ahead do something with the options and move on. Scoring 32, I am actually impressed that I did quite well and did reach the 40 mark after losing focus very badly owing to the cold. But it is the absolute score that counts and nobody bothers the relativity characteristics so I am keen on retaking the test.
Will comtemplate more questions and pose them in other sections for more suggestions I need.