700 (90th percentile) - (V37 – 81st percentile, Q49 – 85th percentile) – May 16th, 2012: First attemptThis is my first post here guys. If I did something wrong, please correct me.
Books & techniques used: 1. For SC:
MGMAT SC Guide – a must have. Read it cover to cover. I did a thousand problems from gmatclub. I did all of the OG12 SC problems. There is not a specific technique here for me, I learned from experience. After you did a thousand SC problems you will pretty much now the right answer afterwards.
2. For RC: No Guides. Used a technique suggested in another thread. It is quite simple. TAKE NOTES while you read. The passages are not that long, but you can easily get bogged down in details and lose the main point and purpose of the passage. I did all of the OG12 RC problems.
3. For CR: No Guides. The most difficult part for me. I cannot offer any particular advice here. I did not take notes while I was reading the question. Just read the question stem first to get what type of question it is. I did all of the OG12 CR problems.
4. For PS/DS (Math): No guides used. I just had to brush up my knowledge and skills with a little bit of OG12 problems.
Courses:1. "Crack" - A local course offered in my city (during the weekends). I am very glad I chose them not because they taught me a lot, but because they kept me on track with my GMAT preparation. It was quite cheap, too – 300$.
2. My advice is to get such a course in case you cannot make yourself study three months before the test.
Background information:1. General info: 21 years old, male, Bulgarian, Economics major – 3rd year student
2. Work experience: I am doing an internship right now at Teach for Bulgaria. I worked last summer in the US as a receptionist and a busboy.
3. I aim at MBA programs such as Harvard 2+2, Yale SOM, Booth, etc. I also aim at European MSc programs in Rotterdam, Vienna, etc.
Length of study: 3 months. During the first two months, while doing the course, I was not actually studying, but rather doing practice problems. During the last month before the test, I concentrated on those areas which I have the least % of right answers in my
error log.
General strategy:1. Watch your time – my biggest problem was doing the problems too quickly. On the only practice test I have done (GMAT Prep - 660), I finished both sections 15 min earlier. So try to establish a system that works for you. My system was:
Question 8 -> 60 min
Question 16 -> 45 min
Question 24 -> 30 min
Question 32 -> 15 min
Question 40 -> 0 min
This means that on question 8 the timer should show approximately 60 min left, on q16 – 45 min and so on. Write them down on the practice sheet during the test.
2. Make an
error log and write down every problem there – I used Saruba’s
error log 2007 version. If you are interested I can upload my
error log.
Practice tests:
1. GMAT PREP: The only test I did before the actual GMAT was 2 days before the test and I got 670 on it. Finished each section 15 min earlier than the given time.
2. I did not do any AWA: Probably I should have. I learned the structure of an Argument Essay, which was enough for me. I should have done more Issue essays.
Test experience:1. The night before I made sure that I go to bed early.
2. On the test day, I arrived one hour early and had to wait in the lobby. I did not mind though, I had a croissant and water.
3. At 8:40 am, I went upstairs and began the registration process. I was a little bit taken aback by all that taking of finger prints. I did not expect it. The girl taking them was pretty nice though.
4. Then I began the test in a small room with 3 computers and two middle age ladies.
5. The Argument Essay was quite easy and frankly, I enjoyed it a lot. The Issue was kind of perplexing as a topic, and I did not write a good essay there. Still I do not have the grade to AWA, so I cannot say. I expect something like 4 or 5 on AWA, though.
6. During the first break, I went to the toilet and ate a banana.
7. Math seemed to me difficult, but I kept on answering. On one of the more difficult questions after I picked the answer and moved on, I realized that I picked the wrong one. That is a difficult thing to get your head around, but I spent ten seconds saying to myself that if I think more about the last question, I would lose more time. So I let it go.
8. During the second break, I did the same thing as I did during the first one – I ate a banana and went to the toilet. I also drank some water because I felt dehydrated. It was also getting past 11:30am and I was getting hungry.
9. Verbal was not that difficult, but not easy either. RC and SC were enjoyable, CR – not so much (lots of assumption questions). At the end 2 min before the end, new people were entering the room and I was distracted by the noise and could not concentrate on the questions.
10. I finished the test and I was expecting something like 630. When I saw the screen with a number starting with a 7, I felt really good.
All in all, it was a great experience. I hope this debrief helped you in some way and I wish you luck with your GMAT studies.
I want to thank gmat club for all the great resources it has. If you want a place where you can find any type of question you like to practice, this is the single best place.
PS. Do you think I should retake?