I rewrote the test 2 days back. Turns out I messed up math again, also, its not that great a score I know. That said, it marks a 70+ increase for me and thus I'm pretty happy. Here's my breakdown - you'll laugh when you see it:
710 (92%), M42 (69%), V45 (99%)

Here's the sad part, I wrote the GMAT twice within a span of 32 days last year in Jan 2010 & then again in Feb. Here are my past scores:
1st attempt (Jan 2nd, 2010): 640 (M44, V36) - AWA 6
2nd attempt (Feb 3rd, 2010): 640 (M42, V38) - AWA 6
So, as you can see, my math performance is outright disappointing, especially when you see my math scores in the various practice tests that I wrote (last two GMAC official prep tests, M47, then M48, and on my last Manhattan GMAT - M49!!!).

I wanted to write in detail about what I did differently this time and also avoid repetition with some of the other great advice on this forum. I feel that what I've done will be of particular importance to those who are rewriting, are discouraged by their past scores, and also those who are not too great at math (I suck apparently!).

I can't adequately express how much I want to thank this forum, all the posts, the tremendous encouragement, and of course its founder - bb. Thank you so much, I feel you have helped me with something that will change my life.

Please let me know if any of you would like me to post what I did differently.

Aximili

Most definitely!! How did you take that verbal score of yours to a 45?? What material made the most difference??

Congrats for the wonderful score Aximili and thanks for the motivation.

Congrats Aximili85...I was checking all the forums since Wednesday for your story !!! 710 is a damn good score. If you can pad up your application with other aspects, I am pretty sure you can get in a good school.

Congratulations again !!

Just a small clarification. Does the test center provide the earplugs ?

Crick

Persistence is key! great job!

Ok, Akhilesh you've given me some great advice in the past few months, thank you for that, I'm sure you'll do great. Background for my prep this time.
Duration of prep:
Started ~ 3 months back. I work between 1pm - 1am. Getting in daily study time is difficult since my sleep cycle is skewed. I wasn't getting in more than half an hour - 1 hr (ideal) per day + 5 hours on Saturday and Sunday (each). I took 2 weeks off from work. This varies, my friend took one day off and got a 740, I would say take a few days at the least to just get into that test-taking frame of mind.

Also, I can't stress how important I feel a regular study cycle is for the GMAT. You have to constantly stay in touch.

VERBAL
This is what pulled me through, I'll start here. Overall prep material, Manhattan SC Guide 4th Ed, RC - NO other books, reading the Economist/Wallstreet Journal over 4 months (not blindly, read and summarize first 4 paras as fast as possible, train myself to avoid rereading, OG 12, OG Supplement), CR - Manhattan test series questions, nothing else but OG just OG 12.

Sounds average? Here's what I did with this material.
SC - Everytime I read 4 Manhattan SC Guide chapters, I would practice 30 questions from OG (any more and I can't fully absorb lessons from mistakes). I would recommend that you buy this book in the beginning, and as you read chapters, practice more questions. Don't exhaust OG sources too fast. Go through the idioms list thoroughly. My accuracy rate was ~65% prior to Manhattan, and about 85% after. That said, when I did the last 40 questions of SC from OG 10 one day prior to my test, I still got 5 wrong!
I feel its imperative that one make notes, not detailed, but very brief. I had condensed the key points from Manhattan into a 5 sheet hand written page. Don't memorize all the idioms, just understand trends in idiom usage structure (e.g. half the idioms have "that" after them, memorize some of the silly uncommon ones that GMAT loves to trip people on, like "so as.. so").

RC - I posted in depth what I did for RC a few days back on another link, here's the link.
http://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-improve-my-rc-accuracy-117195.html#p953457
A GMATPill instructor gave some more formal good advice below my post as well. To add to that, I only did one timed RC section from the Kaplan CD. I would recommend Kaplan only for increasing your reading speed, their questions are too literal (not tricky like the GMAT) and their passages too long. If you score poorly, its probably because you didn't finish on time. That said, OG resources are scarce, so don't waste the OG passages until you're able to identify specific weaknesses. Kaplan passages are good in that sense. DO RC ON A TIMER. Its a lot easier when your goofing around without pressure and can afford to reread.

CR - I wish I could list strategies for this. All I did was OG 12. I read the question stem first, then I read the actual question. This is a given, with every other piece of advice, I would say adapt it to what suits you, with CR, if you're not doing that, you're not doing it right according to me. Many other posts have advocated this, it helps you focus on how to deconstruct the CR para as you read it. With enough practice, the answers come intuitively. The Manhattan test series CR passages were good too, I did not buy any books for these.
I remember when I wrote the Verbal section 2 days back, I was scratching my head at some of the CR questions because they were so brutal. I could tell Verbal was going well as a result, since I'd never encountered such difficult questions in my GMAC prep tests (V42, V41 second time)! That said, the sheer OG 12 practice, reading the explanations in depth for wrong answers, reading explanations in depth from Manhattan, all paid off here.
I would like to add one line on how I felt I just did not know how to get better at CR last year, I could not figure out the strategy. On this GMAT, the answers almost came intuitively to me. Like there are fixed patterns in logic with CR, and once you identify them, no matter how convoluted the question, the answer fits a predetermined logic "type". Did that make sense?

AWA - Everytime you write a practice test, WRITE THE ESSAYS. I got 6 the last two times, I'm sure I'll get 6 this time as my Arguments essay was on healthcare (my domain).
Arguments essay format - I used a format very similar to Chinbuds one on this forum. It plain works - that said, I always have at least 4 critical points, manage to write min 1000 words in 30 minutes (fast typer), and I always try to provide one additional suggestion, per point, on how the author could have made that point more valid by doing xyz. Do you need 4 points & 1000 words? Nah, I think even 2/3 really well articulated ones will do, but do aim for 3. Concluding paragraph is crucial!! For more tips, please ask.

Analysis Essay - I haven't seen Chinbud's for this. I use a mix of the sample Score 6 OG 12 essay at the back and my own points. In a nutshell, first para - paraphrase the statement concisely, mention where you stand with a crisp "In this argument I will discuss points which refute the former and support the latter.."
I wanted to add something odd that I noticed with this essay this time. I got a very vague topic, which I will not post post as its a breach I believe of GMAT rules. Basically, it gave a very vague definition of a term, and said that employers should have the right to prohibit employees from engaging in that term at home AND at work. Now, I agreed with one part, but not the other, but the term itself was so vague!! In such a case, I would suggest you define the term as per your understanding, then take your stand (you can refute one part of it and support the other). Always give at least one example!!

Your attitude
I did badly twice, and was very demoralized. I remember a family friend and MBA career counselor, on hearing my second GMAT score, said "well, its an aptitude test", implying I could not crack it. Can I just say one thing? That's a bunch of bull. This is not a test of intelligence, its an intelligent psychological test.
Reading success stories on this club kept me motivated, adapting all the different advice to suit me really helped.

Test prep I used
I had bought limited access to Knewton tests for 3 weeks last year, before I got 640. I found the exercises on Knewton to be quite exhaustive and targeted. For those with specific weaknesses, Knewton allows you to deep dive into problem areas with well broken down sections and corresponding PS/DS questions. Problem is, for Indian/other international students, their fees are hefty and its difficult to attend online classes due to the time diff. Also, their tests are simpler than the GMAT, and I rarely saw 700-800 level questions. I did not take the full course though, I would like to add that.

This time: Mix your tests!! This will keep you from getting familiar with any one algorithm and cracking the test just because you cracked the algorithm. I bought the Manhattan test series (6 CATs), but wrote other free tests inbetween for exposure (Veritas/Knewton/Princeton).

Manhattan test series all the way! The 6 tests are great! I won't go indepth on this, other forums have spoken about Manhattan tests. In a nutshell, the tougher Math questions on Manhattan helped me overcome two very important barriers - timing and guessing. On the actual GMAT, nerves got the best of me and I remember my hands were shaking so much I almost dropped my pen on the first Math question (don't worry, that's just me, its not that bad). Manhattan is great though, does test your concepts well.

THE TEST CENTRE
Ok this is important - the testing conditions are NOT ideal. The keyboards I got were the "clackity clack type", and I'm not used to using earplugs, so people who started later had their essay section spill into my math section (distracting keyboard clacking!). Buy ear plugs, use them during your prac tests if you're not used to them! The person next to me kept clearing their throats etc. Now, I was aware of this, it happened the first two times as well. When you practice your tests, don't create ideal quiet scenarios. Counter intuitive? Well, keep your door open, if something distracting happens, your goal should be to maintain focus irrespective of that. Sorry to get all Miyagi Karate Kid on you, but seriously, test with minor distractions, never hurts to be prepared for the worst.

I'm at work, so going to get home and post my prep test scores too to give people an indication of how I performed throughout. I want to end this by saying, if you're feeling down about your score, it does not define you. Be honest with yourself when you analyze whether you really gave the GMAT everything that you had, and if not, will you be able to in your next prep episode? If yes, do it systematically, don't blindly launch into practice material, and of course - have faith in yourself and kill the GMAT.

Once again, I can't thank this forum enough. A relative, also a math genius, is suggesting that I brush up on math with him and rewrite again in a month and try for 740+, I'm in two minds as to whether I should focus writing essays and bolstering my community services instead. Advice here would, of course, be welcome.

Aximili

Akhilesh - I was looking at your test patterns. One quick point, I had an older 2008 GMAC CD. I wrote the first two GMAT tests off that (710, 720). I then deleted this, and downloaded the latest GMAC software - that gave me almost completely new questions! Got 720 again. Try to get hold of an older CD if possible. I think GMAC renews the question bank.

Yea its here online.

Your advice is wonderful. I see you have done a terrific job with your Verbal. Do post your scores perhaps they will give me some motivation.

I am not too worried about CR, I feel I have been pushed off-track by non-standard material. GMATPREP documents will take me on track.

Its just a matter of a few mistakes that is pulling my score down.

My scores as you see are very erratic and I need a high score. But I don't think I will postpone my test, which is on this 20th! I will decide with the next GMATPrep that I will take after a couple of days!

What do you think should I do in the last few days? or you think I should postpone?

I can't post more than ONE line from without seeing 503 service error argh! MTNL nightmare. Akhilesh can u message me your email

Check inbox akhileshgupta05@gmail.com

Crick - Yes they do, some random advice, pinch the end of the ear plug before putting it in your ear, so it expands and effectively blocks noise. I know I know I bet I'm the only person on this planet who didn't know that.
Akhilesh - I don't think your scores are that erratic. Here is a quick excel attachment with my progress over the last 3 months, GMAT score breakdown/ verbal effort breakdown etc.
For RC, I ignored the questions (OG12/supplement) till the last 2 weeks literally, just maintained magazine reading prior to that. If you're relatively solid on SC/CR, keep brushing them up till your last day by switching between types from OG's, but put more effort on your RC (passage comprehension, avoiding trap answers etc.). Do view my scores attached below. That said, if you'd like a benchmark, I can ask a colleague who scored a 760 last month (I think you're looking at 750+). She said she'd been preparing on and off for a year though, and her math was already killer (prepared for the CAT before). Would that be helpful? I would like to mention, don't do overkill on tests. Instead, are there particular topics or issues you're having difficulties with? Focus on that. If you can confidently say no, then do what a Manhattan Instructor advised me to do in my last two weeks, check out this link for his great advice to me, applies to all.

oops, attachment here