690(Q48, V36) - what happened!

I can only say that 'the force' saved me. I know that 690 is NO GREAT score but going by what I was expecting AFTER MY VERBAL section this score is satisfactory.

It was the most amazing test-taking experience of my life.

the 2 essay questions were easy and straightforward. Be sure to have a template as it saves time and gives clarity in thinking.

Quantitative - I was upset a bit at the start because I could not finish my argument essay properly and in fact i think that I did not clos ethe essay preperly at all (yeah imagine that!). The section was ok at start but then I got THE SHOCK. I was actually asked to calculate the standard deviation for a set of 4 numbers. Though the method to calculate was given in the problem itself, still i did not expect it. initially while reading the problem I thought that I had to solve the 'method' itself ... but then I realised that it was just the base of a problem (don't have time to write in detail). Everything else was pretty ok. As said so many times, if you do the basics right for Probability, combinations and permutations then the related problems are a breeze. They were pretty straightforward. Thanks stolyar for the problems on the forum. They helped a lot and some of them were quite similar ... shall find and post the links of those problems if anone interested. And yes, I was short on time for the last 5 questions (3 mins left) and so solved 2 correctly and guess 'intelligently' on the other 3.

Verbal - MAN WHAT DID I DO!! All the time strategies, the planning - everything went for a big toss. The way I solved this section is truly unbelievable and I won't blame you guys if you think I am lying .. but seriously I am not lying here. RC has ALWAYS been my weakest point in GMAT preparation and it proved to be my downfall in the final analysis too. I was praying God not to give me RC first up - and guess what I got ... 8 out of the first 12 questions we RC questions. First 2 were SC, then 4 RC (40 lines) then 2 (1 SC and 1CR) and then again 4 RC (75 lines). And now is the stupid UNBELIEVABLE part on my side ..... guess how much time I took 18-20 FREAKIN' MINUTES per RC. When I finished the first 12 questions I WAS LEFT WITH ONLY 35 minutes ... at that time I TOTALLY LOST IT and the thought of cancelling the score started creeping in (though knowing myself I would have never done it). Then I took some more time for the next 8 questions - these were solved very badly as I was frustrated with myself for having spent so much time for the first 8 qsns. Then finally i realized that I had to do last 21 questions in 23 minutes .. just imagine what state. PLEASE GUYS DO NOT FALL INTO THIS SITUATION . PLEASE PLAN THE TIMING THING PROPERLY. Then came the best part of the exam as I re-motivated myself and decided that I am into it for better or for worse nad decided to give it all that I have. So 1 min per qsn for the last 20 qsns - my strategy was to not to worry about RC qsn (which were 7 after this point) and solve with 'instinct' and 'intelligent guessing' the remaining CR and SC qsns. I literally did not and could not spend more than 1 min on any of the qsns. For RC I was following the strategy of reading the qsn and then the part of the paragraph to which it was related and answering that qsn.
SC and CR were not difficult 'technically' difficult at all but SCs were definitely long. Practise in the forum helped a lot. Though, very interestingly I might add, I think what helped me most is the fact that I solved most of the CR and SC questions on this forum during my office hours at work where I had the pressue of someone possibly watching me, and having the luxury of reading the questions only once in a min and answering them and then moving ahead with work or another questions. It was a similar situation that I faced in the exam and so i think i could answer each of the last 20 qsns in 1 minute or less. ALSO, if you practise enough I have also found out that you can eliminate 3 choices AT LEAST without even looking at the original sentence. I did end up guessing on the last 3 qsns though.

I do remember a lot from the exam but I cant reveal the actual questions as we know. I shall try to recollect the questions and frame similar ones if I can after 1 week and if anyone is still interested.

Details later (if the above are not enuff) as taking off for vacation. Shall post the details after a week. Please post comments or questions if any.

i hope this score is good enuff for me to secure an admission. What my experience taught me is that I should have PLANNED it better in terms of timing and also that if I take it again I am 110% confident of getting atleast 730.

FINALLY - it definitely helps if someone (read wife) is literally waiting for you in the center waiting area for all 4 hours and is there to give you moral support and water and some food during each and every break. Thanks ....