bmw: They have CRTs. I am used to looking at my laptop but I did not have any issues with the monitor. Btw, I don't live in Brooklyn, that was just the only center in NYC that had available the date that I wanted. However, I really liked the place and if I end up retaking the test I will most likely do it at the same center.
Let me just add something to my first post.
I have seen in previous posts by other users that it is something like a tradition that people who debrief post recommendations and study tips. I don't think that I am in a position to make any recommendations on Verbal so I will focus on Quant only.
- First, all
OG out there and redo GMATPrep as many times as possible.
- Second, equally important - Challenges! All of them.
- The 1000s
- I would also recommend the Sets
Here are my scores from the more relevant practice tests:
GMATPrep #1 690 (Q49,V35) - May
GMATPrep #2 760 (Q49,V44) - August
Powerprep #1 750 (Q50, V41) - August
Challenges: took 20, avg 85%
During my preparation I went over most of the GMAT books out there. I kinda feel that I wasted my time. These are the two elements that I believe mostly contributed to my Quant score.
I also want to add something else. I was born and raised in Eastern Europe. Before I came to USA I attended a high school that put a somewhat greater emphasis on math. I was above-average but never among the best math students in my class. For four years of college I have taken exactly [u]three[/u] math courses - calculus I & II and statistics and probability. In other words, YOU DON'T NEED A SOLID MATH BACKGROUND to do well in Quant. It is all a matter of learning the tricks and recognizing where they are trying to take you. This probably sounds ridiculous but whenever I encountered a question that at first seemed complex I kept saying to myself "This is easier than it seems. You just need to find the shortcut". THERE IS A SHORTCUT 99% of the times.
Also, for AWAs, use templates. Despite being a non-native speaker, I am quite happy with my writing skills. However, it's a completely different story when you are under time pressure. The templates helped me enormously to keep my composure and not panic when things didn't flow.
That's about it. I want to thank the people on this forum who helped me and answered my obsessive questions along the way. This forum's has played a major role in my preparation and improvement. Thanks again and God bless!