550 to 750 - How YOU can be just as successful

Man this is solid post. I really like the tips. I've been working through alot of the outside test prep materials (i.e. non OG) and alot of the material is different in the smallest way which is important. But I do love this story! I've been at this GMAT thing for a while and have had my up and downs but I know I'm so close! Its stories like this that keep me going!

This is the most outstading debrief i have seen over the last few months.

I'm preparing with the following faculties:

1. MGMAT Quant Guides
2. Veritas RC Guide ( I personally feel they wrote the books in very communicative way)
3. OG 12 and 13.
4. GMAT Prep Tests.

I'm still not sure whether to use Error log or not. I have the habit of taking notes, writing parllel to my studies and analysing the errors. I think That will suffice.

I was over confident in my earlier practise GMAT test about the verbal sections. I presumed that I would do great in Verbal, but after seeing my score i was humbled and hit to the ground.

Thanks for this wonderful story and GMAT club!! Miles to go before I sleep...

Kudos!!

Most of the things mentioned in this post is against popular views but somehow I am able to relate to it. Thanks for sharing your experience. Good Luck!

Awesome debrief, loaded with tons of useful tidbits ~ happy to have found this gem of a post in the midst of my studies

I think that Error Logs aren't necessarily necessary, as I tend to mark off questions/theories in my notebooks, and just turn back to those pages from time to time. Of course, whatever works, works -- and I think that maintaining that consistency is the key to really improving your score. Especially, after a really long period of studying and picking up new strategies along the way.

And yes ~ DEFINITELY focus on key foundational theories that are consistently tested on GMAT Official Questions. It can be a serious waste of time using material outside of what's generally tested on the GMAT. My motto: ONLY official questions, especially for the Verbal portion. There's so many different things that one can pick up on after doing the same Verbal problems over and over again. I don't think you can ever "exhaust" problems. If you do, then you probably just wasted your time doing them the first few times. You should always be able to learn something new, after going over some of the more "difficult" problems --- because I really don't think there are difficult problems...really ... just problems that TRY to make you think other than what you've been training yourself to think like for this test. It seems that test makers create to problems that attempt to change your line of thinking, and in doing so, make you feel more stressed out. And, since the test is already stressful as it is, any more stress placed on top of what your feeling will certainly force even the more experienced test takers to rattle a bit.

Again, awesome post ~!

The GMAT Test Prep from which you attended the mock tests are from which site??Can you please share the link??

I don't know how many thanks I would say to you to show my appreciation.

This post inspires me a lot.

It's about 1 month since I started finding information about the GMAT (what is GMAT, books, courses, sharing experience, etc.) and then beginning my GMAT journey (honestly 11 days). ALL of the experience that I have read to improve from 600-650 to 720-750 was ALWAYS from the people who were already very good at Quant or Verbal section at the beginning. All they had to do was improve the other section. However, in my 1st test on GMATPrep software I just got 570 and did quite bad on BOTH quant and verbal. I even didn't remember some very basic formulas such as how to calculate the circumference and area of a circle. Nonetheless, didn't remember the formulas does not means that I didn't know how to do those question. If knew the formulas I definitely solved those questions correctly. Then I started reading MGMAT foundation of GMAT Math and GMAT Verbal. I finished those in 11 days (today) and now I believe that I'm in 600s. I will take the next prep-test very soon (maybe tomorrow).

At that time I always wonder if I can improve my score from 570 to 700+ without being good at any section at the beginning (I study 4-5 hours/day). I have sought for an article like this to give me beliefs and inspiration. This is a huge treasure to me. It makes me believe that I absolutely can do it as long as having a good method/strategy.

Thank you again.
Wish you all the best risys82

https://www.mba.com/global/the-gmat-exam ... tware.aspx

Here you are buddy. You need to register an account to download it.

Great to see that this post and comments from people in this community has helped you out! Honestly, I think everyone develops their own best strategy to beating this game, the GMAT. I, for one, did terrible in both sections and scored a measly 440 on my first diagnostic in Kaplan, say 18 months ago. I quickly jumped onto mastering the verbal section, as I am a native of an english-speaking country. Again, to each his or her own --- when it comes to focusing on a section. It was a long climb, filled with many peaks and valleys --- even in focusing on a section that I felt most comfortable with. I "religiously" woke up every morning, feeding myself verbal breakfast --- spending a "focused" 20 minutes reviewing structural concepts (such as "RC: Long Passage, focus on 1st P, and topic sentences...CR: Assumptions, focusing on filling the gap between P and Conc.)...even things that I felt pretty comfortable with, I continued to review them so that I wouldn't even hesitate when I approached those specific problems on the test. This process even had me losing a bit of faith as my study sessions progressed as each "grind", began to feel routine and monotonous. But, I learned that's what's expected. You simply need to KEEP AT IT, no matter what. Don't take that "extra break", leave that fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie alone! Don't feel like just because you spent a GREAT one hour mastering a new concept you deserve to take a break for the rest of the day. Keep going. And, keep going...until you reach your threshold. That barrier where you truly feel like an expert on this test. Because it really is an amazing feeling to have finally reached a new level of knowledge. Only people who have put in the hard, "smart" work can understand this special feeling. And this all starts with ... confidence and self-belief. I spent the "smart" hours working to reach my goal of a 680 because I believed that everyone who got into the 700 range ... had to put in the hours in order to achieve their successes. Without the grind, you can't achieve success. And with having confidence, all the way at the beginning of my journey, allowed me to fully develop my arsenal to take any risk that the GMAT had to offer. Good Luck to You, my friend!

Hi

This is a really inspiring journey for all us who want to touch that elusive score in the GMAT. Your hard work and efforts brought out the desired results and hooping that we all could emulate you. Thanks for such a motivating post.

Kudos to you! a lot of great insight, thank you very much

Inspiring! Thanks for your post!

Congrats.This is very detail plan.Could help to tell bit more about which B-schools you have chosen? what specialization Ru planning to take.

To be honest I am really glad I found this website and read about your struggle. I took a mini practice GMAT and scored a 500 and thought to myself "Wow I thought I was smarter than this". I earned a 4.0 GPA in my undergrad studies in aeronautical science. I assumed I was already smart enough to take the test but wanted to take a practice just to make sure. As a result I fell into alot of the common traps that people fall into when taking the GMAT. I didn't think that I stood a chance to raise my score 200 points in order to even think about applying to the college I want to apply to (London Business School being the primary). Long story short I am glad that I came across this website as well as this post and look forward to improving my analytical abilities and hopefully do well on this test!

CONGRATS and thanks for sharing this . Your story motivated me . I JUST HAVE ONE QUESTION . IN YOUR STORY YOU HAVE MENTIONED TO SKIP THE QUESTION .
SO DOES IT MEAN GUESS , CLICK AND MOVE ON OR SIMPLY PRESS SKIP . WILL IT NOT DEDUCT SOME MARKS ?

The former. You can't skip questions on the GMAT. You have to answer the question in front of you before seeing the next one.

First of all congratulations! And you have shared such great content. Thanks.

This was exactly the motivation I needed this morning!! I know the post is old but the information still rings true. Thanks so much for posting this.

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