Re: Should I Retake GMAT Thread - Retaking GMAT Strategies
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27 Aug 2012, 02:44
How I changed a 680 to a 760 on GMAT in 45 days
GMAT 760 (Q49 V44) debrief
After around two month of preparation and numerous practice tests, I took my first GMAT on 23rd June’12. I ended up scoring a, what I called “not good but reasonable”, 680(q47 v37).
Being an Indian Applicant, I knew somewhere that it was definitely a below par score and that I will need to work very hard to churn out exceptional essays to even stand a chance of an interview call from any of the top US B-schools. I was massively disappointed with my Quant performance coming from an engineering background from a very reputed Institute in Pune, India. Somewhere I knew I could do at least slightly better if not something seriously over the top.
I was readying myself for the Essays part when I heard of MBAdream.in. In my first conversation with Rahul there, he came across as a person who’s been there and done that, what he is actually in fact. I expressed my disappointment with my first GMAT score and he gave me a logic that turned out to be the final nail in the coffin of my first GMAT attempt.
Rahul asked me the score I expected of myself before the exam, which to me was anywhere in the 700-720 range. He then asked me to divide the additional expense I will have to bear just because I scored lesser than my expectations with the difference in expected score and actual score. At 680 GMAT, with very low chances of scholarships from top schools, I was staring at an additional expense of anywhere between INR 20-30 Lacs. Each mark had cost me at least a lakh rupees. It is this realization that pushed me to retake the test and I booked a slot for 18th Aug’12, approx a month’s time away from when I talked to Rahul. During the entire month of preparation, talking to Rahul kept me going at the target of getting myself ready. He kept on highlighting the importance of a higher GMAT Score.
This time I had no nerves and had a better understanding of the test and experience of an actual test. All I had to do was raise my verbal score significantly and perform on quant to my natural ability. Over the next month, I went through RC99 and Aristotle SC document and defined clear strategies for the CR section. Earlier I had believed that CR was all instinctive and in RC, the passage was not worth a second glace while answering. These two things precisely led to my downfall. Corrected these two basic errors in my approach and I was ready for it.
I gave 5 tests on my way to the actual test day, one every weekend and one somewhere in the middle. Following are the scores. Don’t have the break-ups in my study log though.
GMAT prep1 – 730
Manhattan GMAT1 – 730
Manhattan GMAT2 – 660 (don’t know how!!)
Manhattan GMAT1 – 740
GMAT prep2 – 740
A 740 on the official test prep just a day before the d-day gave me a lot of confidence and I didn’t look at a single document that day after the test. Didn’t even analyze my errors. Just chilled out and hoped that I’d be at least this good on the test.
On the test day, as I had an afternoon slot, lazed around till around 12.30 in the afternoon and started for the test center. I was anxious but nowhere close to the anxiety levels of the first test. I knew I had nothing to loose, except for the additional money I had paid in retaking the test of course
When it started, I breezed through the Argument and IR and waited patiently during the break to take on Quant. I had repeated the MBAdream logic to myself on numerous occasions but I replayed it once again in my head. That was all I had ever needed.
Frankly, I remember neither a single question nor a single minute of the next 158 minutes of my life. And when the screen hanged to calculate the score, I’m sure I skipped a heartbeat. But when the score flashed, I could breath again. The shoulders were lighter and world seemed like a better place all of a sudden. I had aced the GMAT, at least by my standards. A neat 760 was right there in front of me. Although Quant still showed an average 49, I couldn’t have asked for more on Verbal (V44), and I could most definitely not complain about the overall score.
Came out of the test centre and called Rahul #firstthing! He was as elated as an elder brother would be. We knew we had at least made it easier on the pocket.
In customary MBAdream style, he said, “Bhai tu mane ya na mane, teri aaj ki kamaai kam se kam 10-15 laakh rupaye hai, Congrats!!”. I shared the same feeling.
I’m still in the midst application process, but for all that has come to pass, I thank MBAdream and Rahul for the support I’ve got till date and hope that it continues in the future. At the same time, I wish MBAdream loads of success and all the luck they need in time to come.
I know this isn’t exactly the kind of debrief most aspirants look out for or most people pen down once their exam is done. But for me, after reaching 680 in the first attempt, it was all about that last push I needed to decide on retaking the GMAT. I feel that after a certain point, the GMAT doesn’t really test your knowledge but it checks your confidence and strategy, if you have any, to take the test. If one can cover those two bases, the GMAT isn’t really a big deal.
So anyone who is mulling on retaking the test may play the MBAdream logic to themselves or get in touch with Rahul or me if you need to. Irrespective of whether or not I land a big Fish next fall, this GMAT experience will stay with me forever, reminding me of the famous Edison quote, “Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
Cheers and best luck in all your quests.