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590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes

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Urv27
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590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   16 Dec 2014, 02:26
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Hi!
I gave my GMAT on October 31,2014. I will keep my story brief and apprise you of all those mistakes which you should avoid while preparing for the GMAT and thereby avoid frustration.

I will admit that I wasted a lot of time just thinking/speculating about the GMAT rather than actually devoting time to prepare for it. In February 2014 I joined a classroom course for GMAT prep provided by a well known organisation. For 2.5 months I regularly attended their classes. I scored 480 on my diagnostic test.

Mistake 1: Merely attending classes will not ensure you anything. You have to go back home and practice what you have learnt in the class. Otherwise, it's just a waste. I want to mention that I was not serious about the GMAT at this time, I didn't realize the mistake I was committing.

Since I was merely attending classes obviously I was not improving.
My University exams started in May and so in April I suspended the classes. In June, I resumed with the classes from the "beginning" thinking that it would be beneficial for me. I was wrong again. Since I was attending these classes a second time, I developed a supercilious attitude and assumed that I know what is being taught. Again, I didn't practice. I scored 480 again.

After finally, finishing with the classes in July I became serious about the GMAT. I started studying for it regularly.

Mistake 2: Start studying for the GMAT, ONLY when you are mentally prepared and serious about it!

Mistake 3 : I devoted a lot of time sincerely studying all the books I was given by that organisation but I didn't realise that they were not worth the time. Make sure that the material you use is good and helps you learn a lot more than you expect.

In September I booked the date for October 31,2014. I took a month off from my College to prepare for the GMAT.
(When I prepare for my college/university exams , I actually start my preparation just 30 or 20 days before the exams. And I score decently well!)

Mistake 4 : I mistook GMAT for my college exams. I mean to say that, I thought just as I prepare for my college exams , I can prepare for the GMAT also. But, to prepare for GMAT sincerely, one has to be regular as well as committed.

In September end, I got hold of the Manhattan Guides. I thought I can finish them before my GMAT. But, finishing a book is not important, practicing and learning is!
Every day I would sincerely devote 5-6 hours "finishing" a manhattan guide. I started looking for free practice tests.
MGMAT books were way useful and logical than those books to which I sincerely devoted a lot of time. But I realized I had no time to practice and understand them thoroughly.

Mistake 5: I focused on finishing them.
Do not "finish" your prep material. Learn and understand it.

15 days before my GMAT i started giving practice tests.
1 Economist:GMAT tutor 490
2 800 score 37 on Quant only
3 PlatinumGmat 580- ( 29 V),(40Q)
4 GMAT pill 460
5 The princeton review 620
6 Gmat Prep 1 580
7 The Manhattan GMAT 640
8 Gmat Prep 2 640
9 THE GMAT 590

Sometimes, I got really frustrated with myself. I was devoting a lot of time but I was not getting the expected results. On the final day also, the same happened.
Now I have realized the fault in my strategies and through this message I want people to not repeat my mistakes.

So guys, please make sure that
    -you start preparing for your GMAT ONLY when you are damn serious about it!
    -The material you use is good and worth the time.
    -Don't merely attend a course, but practice a lot by yourself!
    -Do Not focus on finishing a book, rather understand and learn from it thoroughly
    - Be regular and committed!
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EMPOWERgmatRichC
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GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   24 Dec 2014, 15:33
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Hi Urv27,

It sounds like you've done a lot of analysis on your situation and I agree with most of what you've assessed. Now that you've figured out how NOT to prepare, I'm curious what your plans are.

1) When are you planning to retake the GMAT?
2) What is your goal score?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

Thankfully, Business Schools don't care if you take the GMAT more than once, so doing so is not a big deal. Also, since the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Exam, you CAN train to CRUSH it. With your next round of studies, you might need to invest in some new GMAT resources, but you've learned a lot from your mistakes and you've experienced the Official Test, so you have some valuable knowledge that you can take advantage of.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Urv27
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Joined: 16 Dec 2014
Posts: 12
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Schools: LBS
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   25 Dec 2014, 01:12
EMPOWERgmatRichC wrote:
Hi Urv27,

It sounds like you've done a lot of analysis on your situation and I agree with most of what you've assessed. Now that you've figured out how NOT to prepare, I'm curious what your plans are.

1) When are you planning to retake the GMAT?
2) What is your goal score?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

Thankfully, Business Schools don't care if you take the GMAT more than once, so doing so is not a big deal. Also, since the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Exam, you CAN train to CRUSH it. With your next round of studies, you might need to invest in some new GMAT resources, but you've learned a lot from your mistakes and you've experienced the Official Test, so you have some valuable knowledge that you can take advantage of.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich


Hi Rich!
Thank you for taking interest in my study plans.
1) I am planning to re-take the GMAT soon enough so that I can apply in Round 3. However, I have lost a little motivation for it and therefore I have wasted this whole month of December.

2)My goal score is 700+

3) The time of my application actually depends on the time I re-take the GMAT. But I can be hopeful and safely say March. I know when one prepares for the GMAT initially, the time recommended is 2-3 months. But I am not sure when one re-takes the GMAT how much time is sufficient to prepare for it.
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Urv27
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Joined: 16 Dec 2014
Posts: 12
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Location: United States
Concentration: General Management, Finance
Schools: LBS
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   25 Dec 2014, 01:12
EMPOWERgmatRichC wrote:
Hi Urv27,

It sounds like you've done a lot of analysis on your situation and I agree with most of what you've assessed. Now that you've figured out how NOT to prepare, I'm curious what your plans are.

1) When are you planning to retake the GMAT?
2) What is your goal score?
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?

Thankfully, Business Schools don't care if you take the GMAT more than once, so doing so is not a big deal. Also, since the GMAT is a predictable, standardized Exam, you CAN train to CRUSH it. With your next round of studies, you might need to invest in some new GMAT resources, but you've learned a lot from your mistakes and you've experienced the Official Test, so you have some valuable knowledge that you can take advantage of.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich


Hi Rich!
Thank you for taking interest in my study plans.
1) I am planning to re-take the GMAT soon enough so that I can apply in Round 3. However, I have lost a little motivation for it and therefore I have wasted this whole month of December.

2)My goal score is 700+

3) The time of my application actually depends on the time I re-take the GMAT. But I can be hopeful and safely say March. I know when one prepares for the GMAT initially, the time recommended is 2-3 months. But I am not sure when one re-takes the GMAT how much time is sufficient to prepare for it.
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EMPOWERgmatRichC
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Joined: 19 Dec 2014
Status:GMAT Assassin/Co-Founder
Affiliations: EMPOWERgmat
Posts: 21843
Own Kudos [?]: 11674 [1]
Given Kudos: 450
Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   25 Dec 2014, 10:04
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Hi Urv27,

Since you took the GMAT on October 31st, is it safe to assume that you haven't taken any FULL-length CATs since? If you haven't done much studying recently, then it might be a good idea to take another CAT just to get a sense of whether any of your GMAT skills have faded over the last couple of months. You should take the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR section), then we can use those score results to put together a study plan that focuses on your specific needs. With a likely Test Date in March, you have plenty of time to improve, but you'll have to make some serious adjustments to how you "see" (and respond to) the GMAT so that you can hit your score goal.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Urv27
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Joined: 16 Dec 2014
Posts: 12
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Schools: LBS
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   30 Dec 2014, 11:17
EMPOWERgmatRichC wrote:
Hi Urv27,

Since you took the GMAT on October 31st, is it safe to assume that you haven't taken any FULL-length CATs since? If you haven't done much studying recently, then it might be a good idea to take another CAT just to get a sense of whether any of your GMAT skills have faded over the last couple of months. You should take the ENTIRE CAT (including the Essay and IR section), then we can use those score results to put together a study plan that focuses on your specific needs. With a likely Test Date in March, you have plenty of time to improve, but you'll have to make some serious adjustments to how you "see" (and respond to) the GMAT so that you can hit your score goal.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich


Yes. I haven't taken a full length CAT since October. Honestly, I am afraid of giving a full length CAT right away(as if i don't score well I will be demoralized) and so I want to prepare first and then do it. I know that my weaker area is Verbal. I want to work on it. And I am looking for guidance.
Also,I have read a lot about Error logs and flash cards. I searched about them as well. But, I am not able to fathom how they work. I want to know that in error logs, one writes down the question that he/she got wrong along with the answer so that it can be reviewed later?
And what is the concept of flashcards?

I will be really glad if you could help!
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EMPOWERgmatRichC
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Location: United States (CA)
GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   30 Dec 2014, 21:17
Expert Reply
Hi Urv27,

A practice CAT can't hurt you; since it's really the only practical way to measure your progress and readiness to take the Official GMAT, you have to get over whatever apprehension you might have and take one to the best of your ability. There will be some things you do well and some things that you don't, but the end result (the data) is what you can use to make changes and improve. During this process, you can't be afraid of data.

Error Logs and Flash Cards are tools that many Test Takers use during the study process (usually for review). While flash cards are more for writing down individual facts (equations, grammar rules, etc.) so that you can continually test your memory about GMAT concepts that will appear on Test Day, Error Logs can be far more interactive and get you thinking.

A basic error log involves noting questions that you get wrong, WHY you get them wrong, additional notes, the source of the problem, etc. Getting a question wrong during practice is not a bad thing (it's how you learn), but getting it wrong repeatedly because you haven't "fixed" whatever errors were involved IS a bad thing. For example, let's say you take a CAT, then create an error log for all the questions that you got wrong. A month later, after studying and practicing, you can go back and re-attempt those questions that you got wrong. Can you get them correct NOW? If you can, then you've likely "fixed" that particular problem/issue, so when a similar question shows up (say, on your next CAT) you'll be in better shape to handle it. Without the error log, you could conceivably make the same mistakes over and over and, as a result, never hit your true "peak" score.

Don't be afraid to make smart decisions. The GMAT is a remarkably useful Test to Business Schools in that it gives you the score that you EARN. All of these tools (and more) can be used to help you earn a higher score, so you should put in the necessary time and effort to implement whatever you need to improve.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink] New post   05 Jan 2015, 08:09
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Thanks for sharing your insights with us and wish you all the luck for your dream score...

Urv27 wrote:
Hi!
I gave my GMAT on October 31,2014. I will keep my story brief and apprise you of all those mistakes which you should avoid while preparing for the GMAT and thereby avoid frustration.

I will admit that I wasted a lot of time just thinking/speculating about the GMAT rather than actually devoting time to prepare for it. In February 2014 I joined a classroom course for GMAT prep provided by a well known organisation. For 2.5 months I regularly attended their classes. I scored 480 on my diagnostic test.

Mistake 1: Merely attending classes will not ensure you anything. You have to go back home and practice what you have learnt in the class. Otherwise, it's just a waste. I want to mention that I was not serious about the GMAT at this time, I didn't realize the mistake I was committing.

Since I was merely attending classes obviously I was not improving.
My University exams started in May and so in April I suspended the classes. In June, I resumed with the classes from the "beginning" thinking that it would be beneficial for me. I was wrong again. Since I was attending these classes a second time, I developed a supercilious attitude and assumed that I know what is being taught. Again, I didn't practice. I scored 480 again.

After finally, finishing with the classes in July I became serious about the GMAT. I started studying for it regularly.

Mistake 2: Start studying for the GMAT, ONLY when you are mentally prepared and serious about it!

Mistake 3 : I devoted a lot of time sincerely studying all the books I was given by that organisation but I didn't realise that they were not worth the time. Make sure that the material you use is good and helps you learn a lot more than you expect.

In September I booked the date for October 31,2014. I took a month off from my College to prepare for the GMAT.
(When I prepare for my college/university exams , I actually start my preparation just 30 or 20 days before the exams. And I score decently well!)

Mistake 4 : I mistook GMAT for my college exams. I mean to say that, I thought just as I prepare for my college exams , I can prepare for the GMAT also. But, to prepare for GMAT sincerely, one has to be regular as well as committed.

In September end, I got hold of the Manhattan Guides. I thought I can finish them before my GMAT. But, finishing a book is not important, practicing and learning is!
Every day I would sincerely devote 5-6 hours "finishing" a manhattan guide. I started looking for free practice tests.
MGMAT books were way useful and logical than those books to which I sincerely devoted a lot of time. But I realized I had no time to practice and understand them thoroughly.

Mistake 5: I focused on finishing them.
Do not "finish" your prep material. Learn and understand it.

15 days before my GMAT i started giving practice tests.
1 Economist:GMAT tutor 490
2 800 score 37 on Quant only
3 PlatinumGmat 580- ( 29 V),(40Q)
4 GMAT pill 460
5 The princeton review 620
6 Gmat Prep 1 580
7 The Manhattan GMAT 640
8 Gmat Prep 2 640
9 THE GMAT 590

Sometimes, I got really frustrated with myself. I was devoting a lot of time but I was not getting the expected results. On the final day also, the same happened.
Now I have realized the fault in my strategies and through this message I want people to not repeat my mistakes.

So guys, please make sure that
    -you start preparing for your GMAT ONLY when you are damn serious about it!
    -The material you use is good and worth the time.
    -Don't merely attend a course, but practice a lot by yourself!
    -Do Not focus on finishing a book, rather understand and learn from it thoroughly
    - Be regular and committed!
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Re: 590(Q43, V28) - Learn from my mistakes [#permalink]
05 Jan 2015, 08:09
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