That's it. 680(Q49, V32)

Dear Gmatclub Friends,

I have mixed feeling about my test result. Its on lower side of my expected range continuum yet enough to discourage from retry. The thing that matter is "I tried my best". Moreever, I am exasted with last over three months of eating, sleeping, dreaming this test

So, this is official. I will standby my score:
680 (90%le)
- Q49(90 %le)
- V32(67%le)

How did it all start? A few months back I realised that I need to escape from this "myopic analytical world" of bytes, bugs and LOC(lines of code ) to more synthetic way of thinking where you can see different pieces of the puzzle and possible add some sort of value in harmonizing them.

In last three and half months, I have learnt many things, met so many great, smart ppl(mostly here at GC) and gone through various emotions. At the end, I guess it was worth it. I feel I am slightly better person now than a few months back.

Enough of my ramblings, now back to test emperience:
My test was at 08:30. I can understand matt condition as I too couldn't escape from test enxiety the last night. Intermittently, I spept for 2-3 hrs, no matter how hard I tried.

Basic formalities over, analysis of argument - i got the same argument as I got the last time I took test: good omen I thought Anyway, somehow wrote 3-4 paras forcibly including some of the key terms I had already praticed. The analysis of issue was from management theory (manager vs leader). I was comfortable.

Break, some snacks, back to business. Quant was very simple until I hit 5th question. A percentage-ratio word problem with alot of twists(A or B, not A x%, B y% how much not A and not B %..somthing like this). I finally guessed this one and moved on(error here). Rest of the test was smooth, with an eye on timings. Take away : no geometry figure problems, no SD, 1 simple probability, not many tricky questions).

Break and the decisive section, verbal. First a few SCs(subjunctive, that/which, tense), hit first RC around 7th question. I though I was doing Ok (mistake, I guess messed up with few first SC questions and never came out of it). In all 4 RCs (2 60-75 lines 2 40 lines). 2 RCs on women issues/suffrage (ETS fav), 1 science(black holes), 1 movie stars. I though I was doing better on RCs this time. 1 BF question at the end. In all I was confident I did relatively better this time as I saw many "total underlined" SCs, two 75 liner RCs, 1 BF CR. How wrong I was

I thought I should touch the magic figure 7xx but it was not to be Verbal improvement turned out to be alot more challenging than I thought.

I will prepare study notes and share them, if at all those help. This club has been very important part of my life since last few months. I thank YOU ALL for all the help and encouragements.



Here are a few cents to future test takers:
- GMAT test a finite number of concepts in infinite way, to do well, you will need to be best in ALL concepts. If something is not your strenth, it is your weakness (what if first few questions turn out to be from this area?).

- What we call tricky questions, GMAT tests "Attention to details" - very important trait to seperate boys from men. Things like "non-negative/positive, minutes/hrs, divide of 0, that/which, yet/however, judgement/goal/conclusion make you change your habit to look into details which goes beyong the test. It maked you much reasoned person.

- No matter what ETS says, the score can be improved with persistence and hard work.

- Question that you got RIGHT for a wrong reason is MORE HARMFUL than the question you got WRONG for a right reason. You should REALLY KNOW why an answe is right /wrong.


I used following resources:
- Kaplan GMAT 2006 with CD
- OG 10 and OG 11, MUST for SC/CR
- GMATClub challenges - i will recommend even though some question may be slightly more difficult than actual. Read the EXPLANATIONS for ALL questions. They have alot of wisdom.

Thanks again to ALL of you and best of luck for everything you do. My special thanks to gsr, titleist, laxieqv, nabik, matt, Paul, HongHu, Bhai, Rahulraao, TeCHM, gamjatang (sorry if I missed your name ). To Pretorian for building this site and proving access to challenges . I will certainly try to stick around and will be glad to share my experience.

duttsit