My GMAT Experience - 660

Folks

I gave my GMAT today and I made 660 (49Q, 32V). I wanted to thank you all folks that have contributed to the gmat club. The gmat club in general helped me prepare myself for the day of the test (get there early,start early, carry protein bars, liquids with high caffeine content, take the 2 breaks etc) and with math basics (and I took 4 gmat club math tests) in areas that probably added 2 -5 points to my overall score that I may/would have missed out on. Thanks again folks.

I took the GMAT too easy, prepared for about 4 weeks, never took a test without having atleast a beer (which I am not really proud of BTW, but my folks were out and I had to have a good time:)). I was looking to make a 700 to be able to get into one of the Chicago Schools where I live and work. Below is my 2 cents, please dont bother reading if you already have given the GMAT and made over 700 or you are preparing for months for the GMAT or you are taking it real serious. If you are taking it a little easy and trying to just make enough to get into the 700s or so maybe my posting will help you do what I couldnt this time around.

- I studied in a strange way, did a test if I wanted to, studied the basics if I wanted to or whatever. My recommendation is to get to math basics first, not from GMAT books but from math books and also some basics on the gmat club are good too. I would spend about 10-20 hours on them. To me, math is fun (my score isnt really reflective of that); so I didnt mind doing all OG PS and DS, Princeton, Kaplan etc and in addition I did only 4 gmat club math tests. I would recommend doing more of gmat club tests (atleast 10). Keeping track of mistakes -? I dont know about that. Keeping track of weak areas is a good idea according to me. Keeping track of every q may help you get to 51 but I thought with a 50Q, 35V I would still get over a 700 (which I didnt though)

- Verbal - I was weak in SC. I tried the Manhattan SC but I dont think I did all that well even with the help of that book so I cant help you there. But if you are weak in SC, it will be real difficult to get a 700 without improving (I couldnt). But again with a 50 in V, and excellent CR, RC and weak SC you can still easily make 700 though.

- GMAT Prep multiple takes - I took both the GMAT preps twice. I was frustrated with the repeat questions (I scored 660, 710 & 650, 720) and my scores were close so maybe I got the same questions over and over again; but it was frustrating. I recommend getting MGMAT (I did one free online an I found interesting) early on and go the GMAT prep only the last week.

- GMAT Prep comparison to real GMAT - I think the look and feel is pretty close but the questions in my math section were much more difficult. Dont know why. I would defer this to others in the forum who somehow seem to know more about the tests.

-Simulation test scores' compared to real GMAT - For me I got 580, 650, 660 (Princeton), 650, 660 (GMAT Prep), 710, 720 (GMAT Reatakes), 710 (MGMAT) in the chronological order and 660 on the real GMAT. For me it is kinda close although I thought I was doing better in the last week (retakes are a bad indicator I guess, but for me with the frustration due to repeat questions I thought it was a pretty good indicator).

I live and work in Chicago and I will be app'ing to schools in Chicago and I think I will continue to use the forum.

Thanks again to you guys, you guys are nerds but you rock!