hola!
This forum definitely has helped me a lot, and since I'm in a little bit of a break in between applications, I am trying to pay it forward
My one and only tip to offer (other than those suggested in the debrief template):
Use the
Error Log:
gmat-error-log-86232.html Throughout my entire GMAT Prep, I thought that error logs were a list of technical errors that people faced while using software packages (like unable to log on, bugs in the software etc). Derp.
Less than a week before the exam I realized it wasn't, and I think the scramble to create one in the last week was immensely helpful. So yes. Do that.
- Books & materials used
Kaplan 2015
Manhattan GMAT Guides for Verbal - I also ripped apart the idioms section of sentence correction and memorized it in the final week
Official GuidePurchased additional official GMAT Tests
- Test scores you received along the way
4/28 - GMAT Prep 1: 700 (Q48, V38) - I took this because I wanted to determine if I needed tutoring. Decided NO.
6/10 - KapTest 1: 670 (Q50, V27) - Started test prep proper, and derp.
6/20 - KapTest 2: 720 (Q50, V40)
6/28 - KapTest 3: 730 (Q51, V34)
6/29 - KapTest 4: 720 (Q50, V37)
7/12 - KapTest 5: 750 (Q50, V45) - Took a vacay on 4th July weekend and did much better. You should too!
7/13 - GMAT Prep 2: 710 (Q49, V38)
7/19 - GMAT Prep 3: 710 (Q50, V36)
7/20 - GMAT Prep 4: 740 (Q50, V40)
7/26 - The Real Thing: 750 (Q49, V44, AWA 6.0, IR 6)
- Background information
Engineer. UG in top public school in US. Completed MS Engr in top engr school part time while working. Stalk my profile a little bit and you'll find out more.
- Length of study
7 weeks of proper prep (meaning 3-4 hours a day on weekdays, 8-10 hours on weekends).
- General strategy
Study on weekdays, take 2 timed tests on weekends. Repeated tests gave me assurance that test scores are accurate and also helped me discover test taking habits: for example, what are the effects of various amounts of studying the day before/2 days before..?
- Test experience
I got there about 35 mins early. 2 things I learned: 1) they let you start the test early if you get there early. So don't freak out about arriving TOO early (unless its in the order of hours, I guess); 2) if you choose to reenter early during your break, your break will be cut short. You aren't allowed to stone in front of the computer until time is up like you may do in preps.
AWA went well, but I stumbled on a number of IR questions. I also stumbled on some Quant questions that led to me doing poorly relative to my practice tests. Big regret there. Was super tired by the time I hit verbal (since they didn't let me stone in front of the computer and make full use of my breaks), and was literally droning on towards the end. Fortunately my auto-pilot worked well enough and saved my score.
So that's it! Rest well and remember that error logs are not those that you see when Windows crashes