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Updated on: 20 Aug 2011, 06:44
Originally posted by akhileshgupta05 on 31 Jul 2011, 20:40.
Last edited by akhileshgupta05 on 20 Aug 2011, 06:44, edited 81 times in total.
Last edited by akhileshgupta05 on 20 Aug 2011, 06:44, edited 81 times in total.
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To keep track of my productivity, I will write my preparation for the last 20 days. Wish me luck!
P.S. Its filled with grammatical errors. So if you find many, congrats your SC is getting stronger!
01-08-2011:Revisit to Error Log
-Redid the incorrect SCs and CRs from previous MGMAT CATs and Knewton Free CAT.
-Redid the incorrect Quant questions from previous MGMAT CATs.
I wont do the SCs from Kaplan - did not find them much of value add!
Took the MGMAT 4 for a 760 - Q49 V45 (9 mistakes in each section - 4 CR 2 SC and 3 RC)
Don't know what to make of this!
Bad News: The score seems inflated because I did not feel like writing the AWAs and I was so bored that I guessed on the last 5 quant questions - 2 turned out to be correct. Still plagued with silly mistakes - MGMAT is tricky and subtle. Involves too much of calculation to drain out mental strength. Perhaps thats the reason for my low verbal scores.Verbal score is encouraging but inflated nevertheless.
Good News: I was very confident on RC and I saw 2 bold face questions, both of which were super tough and I got correct.
Perhaps I had a high score because I did not get a string of questions incorrect. That had been a problem earlier!
And I am done for the day with some analysis on the last MGMAT!
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02-08-11: Error Log Review
- I had the GMATPrep Docs. I did not want to touch them before exhausting the Prep Tests. But I was too tempted. So I opened the SC Document and practised 10 random questions. Got 4 INCORRECT! Crap, these sentences are much more complicated than anything in the OG or the 11 mocks that I have taken. And that shattered my SC confidence. It wasn't the grammar, but the sentence itself is tricky. Saw the solutions to them on MGMAT Forum, Ron agreed that they are tricky. I realise that the difficult SC questions are more about the original intent of the author and less about pure grammar. This will be very difficult.
- Nevertheless, I started working on OG 12 questions I had gotten incorrect earlier. Got them all correct this time. They seemed like cakewalk - I could solve them in 30 secs.
- Re-did the 13-14 questions from Jeff Sackmann Extreme that I had gotten incorrect earlier. Got 3 incorrect again! I loved this set. It is difficult, yes, but very very good.
- I din study anything else today! Disappointing!
We had college results today so I was euphoric. Also I am feeling a little feverish, so rather I take rest and not exert myself too much. I am prepared but am also very scared.
-Probably won't get to study much tomorrow, I have to be somewhere! But I will review all my notes tomorrow morning and redo some questions from the Error Log.
I will take the GMATPrep II for my ultimate assessment the day after. Along with the drink/snacks I have planned for the real thing. Hope it all works out and I get my target score.
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03-08-11: Flash Cards and Key Concepts Review
I did not study at all since morning. But I managed to review my notebook. From tomorrow I will eat, drink and sleep GMAT!
Tomorrow will be the ultimate assessment of my prep. I hope I score well cause I don't want to postpone my test and I have already exhausted most of the material I have left.
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04-08-11: Big Day
With just 16 days to go, I have to take the GMATPrep II today so at least I can gauge whether I am prepared or not. Will review my concepts and take the test at the same time as the real thing is scheduled - 1 PM. I dunno how well I will do since I did not get much sleep last night. Also I am somewhat nervous and tensed. Will try Red Bull and an Energy Bar to see if at all they help!!! Wish me luck.
So I took the GMATPREP II and scored a meagre 700!! Q50 V34. The SCs were killer! Beyond anything I have ever seen. I am very upset now!
I have just 14 days to go and I don't know what to do now!!
I had 17 SC, 12 CR and 13 RC questions. It felt as if I am seeing only SCs!!! I guess I have to practise more SCs now! I ll time to pull out some big guns cause its now or never! I will do like 50 SCs tomorrow and more of verbal and verbal!
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05-08-2011:Verbal Annihilation
With fewer than 15 days to go, and with a pathetic 700 on GMATPrep II, I am worried now. Started working through the Kaplan 800 SCs. Though I did make as many as 4 mistakes on CR as well, but only 1 of them was very difficult and otherwise rest of the answers made perfect sense to me. I could recognize patterns and realized where I had gone wrong. Some RCs that I saw were too complicated, very similar to the LSAT RC
passages!!
Took the final MGMAT to score a 730 (q50 v40) Doesn't relieve me because the score is inflated and I am still plagued with mistakes. Each day passing makes me more worried. Still have another 4-5 day window before I decide whether I will take the test or reschedule. I want the former but I also want the score. It is what I had targetted when I started.
-Read some good debriefs and feel little more motivated now. I am burned out in Quant, leading to silly mistakes. So from tomorrow I will simply work through 10-15 quant problems, just to stay on track, and dedicate rest of the time to verbal. I have a feeling that even though my mocks say otherwise, I can achieve my desired test score on that 20th. Its just a very strong gut feeling.
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06-08-2011:Verbal Annihilation Continues
-Exactly two weeks to go from today. I won't take any mocks today. Just finish off Kaplan 800 SCs, but even those aren't as monstrous as the GMAT Prep SCs. Then practice OG 10 RC, CR and SC for entire day. I will have to give in 7-8 hours of study today. Hate this but have to do it.
- Finished off the last 40 SCs from Kaplan 800 in 25 minutes- Got about 8 incorrect. But these were quite easy. No challenge whatsoever. Yet I got 8 incorrect - CONCENTRATE!
-Did 5 RCs back to back from OG 10. Some had as many as 7 questions. But overall I got about 4 questions incorrect out of 25. Feel better, I spend an extra minute to understand the passage better, the answers became a cake walk.
- Read through CRs 100-150 from OG 10. I got 1 incorrect, I knew the answers to all 50 of them from some place or the other. My head hurts now.
Deeper analysis reveals that the mistakes I made on RC and CR were merely concentration issues. The 4 RC questions I got incorrect, out them none were too complicated, but merely restatements of some sentence in the passage itself. I just missed it. Out of 4 CR questions, only 1 was extremely tough, rest all I could understand and was left with 2 options, where the option I did not choose turned out to be a STRONGER one.
- Did Paper Test 25
22 SCs - got 2 incorrect - 1 was a monster.
RC 1 - 2/8 incorrect.
RC 2 was a pathetic biology passage - I got 4/6 incorrect - I barely understood the passage.
RC 3 - 1/7 incorrect. I realise that I need to spend more time diagramming the passage. But with just 3-4 questions in the real test, it doesn't seem the have high returns.
22 CR - I knew the answers to all the questions!
- Did another last 30 SCs from OG 10 - 4 incorrect, careless mistake. The explanations in OG 10 are kinda sad but good practise. I remember seeing a couple and getting them incorrect on GMATPrep. Have a bad headache now for staring at the computer for 5-6 hours every day. Probably before sleeping I will revise Aristotle SC. Tomorrow - more practise!
-OK so I did not revise and I am dead sleepy. Night GMATClubbers!
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07-08-2011:Verbal Annihilation STILL Continues
-Now just 13 days to go, I still have to finish the GMATPrep documents! Today I will practice as many as 10 RCs back-to-back (I can just imagine how boring it is going to be) Then more of SC and CR. When my head starts hurting, I will revise MGMAT SC guide once and I also plan to watch some Thursdays with Ron videos, I ll start buffering them and watch them fast-fowarding! I am coming for you 750!!!!! BTW I hope my Quant accuracy hasn't crashed, else I am a goner!!
- Finished 30 SCs in 24 minutes - had seen most of them earlier but did not remember the answers - I got 1 incorrect.
- Did 5 RCs - 1/29 incorrect. They felt quite easy with diagramming - lots of scattered lists. I am beginning to recognize some patterns in GMAT RC. Quite often, it gives a list in the beginning of the passage and completes it at the end. One can expect a typical question from that list. Its easy when diagrammed but I am getting lost in the details to lose sight of the big picture. Time for a 30 minute break.
- My 30 minute break turned into a 90 minute break, Damn you FRIENDS!
Started with paper test 28 - Did 16 CR in 5 mins. Nothing to be excited - knew all the answers.
Some of the SCs in Paper Tests are really good. Not unnecessarily difficult but very very similar to those in the GMATPrep. Good practice! Its so typical, you get an RC question incorrect and when you read the explanation you say, damn, the stupid answer is right there in front of my eyes! Just hidden in the details.
- Did 16 CR questions from Paper Test - all new. I got 3 incorrect - there is huge disparity between easy and difficult questions. Easy ones are ridiculously simple whereas the tough ones are too convulted.
- Now I am watching Thursdays with RON videos. I buffered them beforehand so I could fast-forward and watch. The videos are kinda long 1.5 hours and slow,meant for the General Public. But everytime in those 1.5 hours there is a very important 2 minute advice that is not present in any forum or test book for that matter. So thats what I am looking for. Its a good watch when I am stressed with excess studying!
- So finally watched about 5 videos in 1.5 hours' time. Fair enough I came to know about some excellent concepts. I am sure I would have got them incorrect otherwise.
- I thought of revising SC Grail once but then DARK KNIGHT is telecasting. Sorry I can't say no to Heath Ledger! So I will watch this and start the Verbal Onslaught tomorrow again!!
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08-08-2011:Verbal Destruction
-Nothing unique to do today, just the usual. Probably I will try to complete OG 10 today and then do a couple of Paper tests. Quite many questions are known yet its good practice. 12 days to go and my heart is pounding.
Am I scared? Yes.
Am I nervous? Yes.
Am I jittery? Hell yes. But I will give it all I've got nevertheless.
- Working through Paper test 37.
SC 3/22 incorrect. 1 was too difficult for me. 2 silly mistakes. I got the extra toughies correct and stupid ones incorrect. (No guesses)
CR 2/16 incorrect. Very-very difficult CR questions and some felt as though they have been lifted from the LSAT. In the questions concerning percentages, ratios and averages, almost always the most weirdest and incomprehensible answer choice is correct. Very important to use POE table in such cases.
RC 1/12 incorrect. Got all the answers correct of a very difficult RC passage on feminism. The 3rd passage on the paper test is usually very difficult!
-Raw score to verbal comes as 43! Good Job - considering I did not know any of the answers this time.
- Working through Paper test 42
SC 1/22 incorrect. That incorrect one is a big hole in my skill. Time to work on such problems.
CR 3/16 incorrect. Got it incorrect because I did not read the entire sentence clearly. Read advantage as disadvantage. Need to Concentrate!
RC 5/18 incorrect. All 5 incorrect ones are from a sad passage on astronomy. Most of the incorrect ones - I did not read all the choices. I did not understand too much. I have to anticipate a monstrous RC and perform well on it!!!
- Raw score comes to a 40! Not bad. Just need to be a little scrappier on that ONE monster RC!
- Time for some more Thursday with RON videos. I tried watching but they are too slow. Guess its time I move from them.
- The Quant questions in the paper tests are a joke. Very calculation intensive but very easy. Nothing compared to the problems even in GMATPrep. But Verbal is decent. Another 3 tests to go before I can reassess my progress. If this doesn't help, I daresay nothing will.
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09-08-2011:Verbal Madness
- Including today, I have just 11 more days to go. I also need to finish off GMAT Prep Documents and Reviewing them properly will take time. So today I plan to finish off the 3 remaining paper tests. One right now. One in the afternoon and then one in the evening. With proper review of mistakes and difficult ones.
But yesterday I read that ETS Papers are very different from what GMAT is right now. This makes me wonder, if this is so, why is GMAC selling those papers at such high prices. Just a money making scam? Seems unfair. And if they are so different, why are those questions included in the Official Guides ? Nevertheless no time to think about this, need to get back to studying!!
- Working through paper test 48:
0/22 SC incorrect. Finished in 17 minutes. Quite easy I'll have to say. Not that complicated.
3/10 CR incorrect. I have no clue what is happening. These CR questions are so difficult!! They too convulted. I guess I'd rather not do them. Time to move on to RC.
3/18 RC incorrect. BREAK TIME!
- Working through Paper Test 52:
When I am done with all paper tests , I will work through the last 10 questions from all the quant sections in those tests. Just so that I don't miss out anything.
4/22 SC incorrect.
Okay 1/10 CR incorrect. Okay I will stop practising CR from these papers now. They are too weird. Plus without explanation there doesn't seem a point.
RCs are a waste - I already have done them once, maybe twice, and I remember the answers to most of them. I feel a little bummed out today. My only weak topics in RC as things related to art, biology and American History/politics.
- Working through Paper Test 55:
I won't be using the CR questions and I know all the answers to the RC questions. Move to SC. Finishing off SC questions so later on I can finish off the remaining questions in OG 10 and work through the verbal error log. And I am done!
- I am mostly done with OG 10 as well, I couldn't find a new question. So I guess its safe to say that I have completed all the material I had. Still have a major part of the day left today and nothing to do. Guess I will go through the idiom table and chill for the day.
- So I end the day by just chilling. I realize I have become addicted to caffeine! We will see tomorrow if it does really help. Will retake the GMAT Prep, primarily to see my verbal progress. I hope I don't see too many repeats so that I can assess my progress till now. Nevertheless I have made my mind that I won't postpone the test! I have to start preparing for the applications and a lot of work has to be done that will consume time. So this is where it all ends!!
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10-08-2011: Big Day Version 2.0
-Whenever I plan to take a test next day, I don't get proper sleep. Today too I am sleep deprived. Damn! Hope it doesn't have an impact on my test. I don't feel drowsy though.
-So I retook the GMAT Prep I and BOOM! 780 (Q51 V47) Not too many repeats. I think about 4 in each section that I would have gotten correct anyway! I made 3 mistakes in each section and all 3 mistakes were SCs. I am happy that I got the monstrous RCs correct!! Among the incorrect SCs 2 were error of meaning and one of idiom I guess, I have never even read about that idiom!
-I took an exactly 4 minute break after every section. In the first I was kind of hungry so I ate a snickers. One problem with it was that I had kept it in the refrigerator and it became rock solid and I had difficulty in chewing it. Good thing I had kept it outside before starting the test so it became warmer in 1 hour, else I could have had a brain freeze (downright stupid huh?!)
Nevertheless, I took one minute extra to eat that thing but it was delicious.
In the next break, I had a Cloud 9 Energy Drink, small shot. Pathetic taste, but I guess it did its job. I had no concentration issues, but during the later part I want to pee real bad. Have to retest it if I want to use it for the real day. Though this score is inflated but the good news is I got all the new, difficult CR and RCs correct without much trouble!
- With just 10 days to go, this performance has given me a lot of confidence. The CR questions were a cake walk, on a couple of questions I just laughed at the apparant trick in the incorrect answers. So, I had rightly caught that concentration was a major issue. Red Bull had made me jittery in my last performance, leading to a sad V34! So no more Red Bull !!!
- After reviewing my mistakes, I realize that I should spend extra 5-10 seconds to understand the meaning of the sentence. One error was because I skipped past looking at the original intent of the author. Second error, I usually always check the entire sentence if the parallel structures are matching or not, but this time I did not and BAM! a mistake. I thought the idiom was incorrect, but turned out to be correct. Third Error, I don't think I could have cracked it. It was very difficult!
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11-08-2011: 9 days to go
-I haven't decided what to do today. I won't take another test. Will take it tomorrow probably before jumping into the GMATPrep Documents. I have exhausted all the standard material I had, redone the questions from my error log. Perhaps today what I can do is practice the questions I got incorrect on MGMAT CATs, also I have some sets of questions on such specific topics as mods, inequalities, co-ordinate geometry. So I can do questions on these topics to fill the remaining holes in my skill. Though I am euphoric over yesterdays 780, but I shouldn't have made those 3 mistakes. DAMN! Need to make sure that I never make those mistakes again!
- Damn I didn't study at all today just 10-12 SCs from error log! I was really worked up researching about schools.
Crap! Tomorrow GMATPrep II retake and then GMATPrep Documents' destruction! Everyday my stress level increases thinking about the schools. I might have to take the TOEFL too, I plan to take the IELTS as my friend said its a cake walk but I am not going to study for more than 3-4 days for either of them.
But dates are not available in India. Hundreds of students are taking the tests every weekend. Damn Damn! This GMAT journey has made me a lunatic!
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12-08-2011: Big Day ver. 3.0 and 4.0
-Just 7 more days to go and I will sitting at the Pearson Center fighting the monster commonly known as the GMAT!
-Today I will retake GMATPrep II in complete testing conditions. Also I plan to do something monstrous today. I will take two prep tests back to back !! I think that I have ample amount of time till the test and I should really get scrappier and give it all I have got.
- So I had got up early, so I thought that I would retake the GMATPrep I again! 760 Q51 V42 those quant questions were extremely difficult. I made 5 mistakes in Quant and 5 in verbal 2 SC 1 RC 2 CR. Those CR mistakes were caused by concentration issues because I did not eat anything before sitting for the test, take any break or even drink water. So that can be worked on. I was very very drowsy.
- In quant those questions that I got incorrect 3 were super difficult. I remember reading the question atleast 10 times yet not understanding what it meant. Again, concentration issues. Looks like I need that cup of coffee to be awake and alert enough to think!
But somehow I feel that Q51 is totally out of scope! It is going to be extremely difficult. There are some questions that you just can't prepare for. You have to think and if your mind works in the right capacity, you crack it. Otherwise you can't! But I got a Q51 in this again with 5 mistakes! Probably because they were at the end of the test with only 1 in the middle.
Verbal - RC 1 - I still cannot understand why it is incorrect. CR 1 Did not read the answer choice properly - concentration. CR 2 - I had seen the question before and marked the answer without even reading (damn stupid). SC 1 - too difficult. SC 2 - Again the meaning of the word changed everything. I knew the meaning but the opposite one.
But one thing is little interesting that the difference of just 2 mistakes shifted my score from a V47 to V42 - I am usually not bothered with CAT scoring algorithm. But its true that the GMAT scoring system is incomprehensible, especially for a commerce grad such as I. Also it does give me a faint idea of how many mistakes I can make. I would have to try to manage time and all such variables at all costs. Because Verbal allows for much fewer mistakes than does Quant.
- Now some rest for a couple of hours, food, caffeine and then retake Prep II. I have to make the most out of these 7 days.
Also, I have a feeling that Prep I and II do not have different question banks. I might be wrong but somehow I feel that couple of question I saw in today's retake were similar to those in Prep II that I had taken earlier. Nevertheless, it doesn't matter. Though the high difficult of some quant questions has started to worry me a little, reading that the real thing is much difficult than Prep. Damn!
- I couldn't take the tests back to back but I did finally I retake GMATPrep II for the first time - Damn! 760 Q51 V41!! It was very difficult!! I did see few repeats in the test I guess, but otherwise, the questions were all new and very difficult. This test had much fewer repeats than the earlier GMAT Prep Retake.
Quant 2 mistakes! I think I did quant beautifully. I could simply perceive some of the tricks and I managed to breach them! Its all about the mind working. If it does work in the right capacity at the right time, you golden. If it doesn't, you're screwed on those difficult tricky ones.
Once I tried to find the difficulty of the question, almost slapped myself and asked to continue ignoring the difficulty!
Verbal 7 MISTAKES! Damn! Those CR questions were very difficult. 3 SCs 3CR and 1RC. In those 2 CRs the options were too close and I faltered under pressure.
SCs:
1. Mistake of Subject-verb
For the freaking 1st time!
2. Modifier error, options were too close. Need to check with MGMAT.
3. Was the 41st question. I did not feel like answering properly, so I made an educated guess, which din turn out to be too educated I guess.
1 RC: Again very close options.
-But I am quite content with the performance, not with the score, since its inflated but with how I did under pressure. Actually I am very cold and also my stomach's cramping. I took a break but just for 1 minute. CLOUD 9 works wonders. It did not make me pee this time so I guess I can risk using it for the real thing. But I am still making mistakes, I need to fix that. I wasn't going to, but I guess I should revise the entire MGMAT SC guide to do some fine tunings.
- Damn I feel exhausted! Two tests in a day. I won't take any other test for another 3 days. I will work through the Prep Documents for a few days now.
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13-08-2011: 7 days to go
- So its just few days more before all this is over. I plan to finish all the documents within 3-4 days leaving the last couple of days for relaxing. But 200 SCs!! Solving them will take 30 secs but, understanding the solutions each almost each one will take a hell of a slog.
-I started working through the GMATPrep Documents. It seems that the moment I reduce practice, my accuracy falls! I did 50 questions from the Quant Document - I knew the answers to plenty of them. But I made 3 mistakes!! I knew the fundamental in those questions, just forgot!!!! Damn!
- Now working on the SC Document. I did around 15 SC questions. Got them all correct and went through the explanations for the same on MGMAT forums. Couldn't study beyond this. I tried solving CR but, I think I am still burned from yesterday's onslaught. Tomorrow I will try to nail more questions.
- I must finish off all the GMATPrep Documents in 5 days, leaving 1 day for chilling before the test. Tomorrow. probably 25 Quant questions and 30 SCs 20 CRs and 3 RCs. Need to stay consistent with the RC. Also once in a while when I am bored, I will use gmatclub tags to get some more questions and discuss as well. It is helpful at time.
- One very important thing I realised that I have made this entire journey very complicated unnecessarily. All these prep companies, the plethora of resources and n number of tips have made a test, which is though not simple, even more complicated. Remember: Keep it Simple, Stupid.
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14-08-2011: Reverse Countdown Begins
- Only 6 more days to go and with a couple of expected high scorers scoring little less, I too am a little concerned. Especially after seeing the SC monsters in the GMATPrep Docs.
- I did 50 SC, 30 CR and 4 RCs from the prep documents. These are huge and I am not sure whether I will be able to complete them.
- I was a little bored so I retook the GMATPrep II, skipping the quant questions (I kept pressing random answers turned out to be a Q 6 )
I did the Verbal properly, though I saw some repeats, mostly all the questions were new. I wanted to finish before time since, I couldn't counted the answers for questions that I knew how to solve. So I finished 20 minutes before time. V 45! 4 mistakes. 1 SC and 3 CR. Damn! Still CR mistakes, should've got them all correct. Also the SC. But otherwise a decent score, I got all RCs correct even though couple were long but my diagramming technique worked wonders.
- I feel exhausted from today's prep. Gosh I've been studying for 4.5 hours at a stretch.
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15-08-2011: Just 5 more days
- Started practising, GMATPrep Quant problems. I did 50 of them. I got quite many incorrect this because of low concentration. I am a little tired now. And what this to get over with ASAP!
- Moved on to SC - Did about 60 SC questions from the SC document. Again got quite many incorrect. Some the questions were too easy and some too difficult. Again a huge disparity between the difficulty of questions.
-I think I should chill for a while. I cannot risk burning out right now. Will finish the day with 20 CR questions and 5 RC passages. I probably will retake a prep one last time day after tomorrow to leave 2 sufficient days before the real test.
- I did 15- CR questions and got quite a few incorrect. Damn! I donno what I am going to do. I don't know whether I ll get a 700-720 also, leave aside a 750+. I stopped practising further because I fear that a burnout is the cause of this. I'd rather relax. Tomorrow back to practising more.
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16-08-2011: 4 more days and pressure mounts
- Nothing different today, just the usual practice from GMAT Prep Documents. I have a feeling that I won't be able to complete them. I am peaking at this moment and need to take the test ASAP!
- I feel I have missed out something and can't remember it.
I do prefer taking tests rather than practising from documents. But tests are turning up too many repeats. Yesterday I took another Prep Verbal and scored a V47 - 50% repeats. I finished in 25 minutes. V47 with just 2 mistakes. Damn! Verbal section is a miser when it comes to giving scores. Even a very few mistakes can have a dramatic impact on the scores.
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17-08-2011: 3 more days and its a war
After reading everybody's recommendation, I decided to relax and not over-practise.
However, I have decided that I will practice a little in the morning and little in the afternoon at the time when my test is scheduled. I have almost exhausted the prep documents, so might as well finish them. I have too much time to spare and I get bored to death!
- So I finished the GMAT Prep Quant Document. I knew the answers to most of the questions so that did not take much time. Quite easy I must say, but I need to watch out for silly mistakes.
I had always been weak on co-ordinate geometry and I still am. I know the fundamentals in and out but still there is some loophole I cannot fill. So I will check out the questions and solutions to some 20-25 questions on the day before last. I cannot fret over one small topic. I can crack most of the questions, its just some extremely difficult ones that give me the jitters. Thus, if I am hard pressed for time and need to guess, co-ordinate geometry will be guessed on.
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19-08-2011:So it is tomorrow
-So this is where it all ends. tomorrow at this hour I will sitting at a Pearson VUE center battling with time and the GMAT. I have the perfect time slot, 1 pm. I've had ample time for preparation, I feel great i.e. I am not sick or anything, I am properly rested. I should have revised something yesterday, but I did not. I exhausted all my material and have nothing left.
- Today I will go to check out the center at the same time as my test is scheduled to see traffic issues, if any. Once I come back, I will sit with all my notes and revise the entire thing once. Then I will prepare my bag -
I plan to carry - Confirmation letter, Passport, 3 bars of Snickers, 2 small cans of Cloud 9, a bottle of water, 2 handkerchiefs and maybe one extra pair of glasses (just in case).
Post that I will decide what to wear.
- I need to remember to inform the Procter to keep an extra scratchpad ready because I am sure I WILL need it. Damn you big handwriting! Yet I will try to save as much space as possible and will call for the extra pad when I am on the last side.
- There is something seriously wrong with my eyes. I don't know what. I don't know whether it will have an impact on my test or not. And I have become very very irritable. Perhaps from the frustration of the test.
I am heading down to check out the center. After returning, I plan to work out a little and go through my notes for Quant and Verbal once and I will see the AWA template one last time, I don't care whether I get a 4.5 or a 6
- So I checked out the test center location. I returned from the Gate of Pearson VUE. The place is like 20-25 minutes away from my house. So no worries of travel. Time to revise some stuff and I am done.
- I headed to the gym and worked out a little, after a long time. Feels great. My headache is gone. I will revise my notes and before sleeping I plan to do some questions from my error log and see the AWA template once again. Tomorrow morning I will take a Kalpan 20 question quiz that covers all sections before leaving for the test to get my mind on the GMAT mode. That too if I really feel like.
- I must say that its really overwhelming to see the kind of support I have got from my friends. Not my friends out here, whom I have known for years and most of them dont even know I am taking the GMAT, but from the people I dont even know personally, thanks to gmatclub. I can't believe the number of pms, emails and posts I've got wishing me luck. Social Media has truly changed our lives. And I promise a very very descriptive Debrief after the test.
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20-08-2011:Lost the battle, not the war
Yea, the GMAT got better of me - scored a 670 q 48 v 35. I don't feel happy, obviously, but for some reason I dont feel too sad at all. I had started the journey some months back with diagnostics of 420 Q24 V27, some say that a 250 point improvement is remarkable, but I am not even thinking about that.
The thing that upsets me is that I couldn't get my goal. When I had started, I made a goal that I will go against all odds (I am not an engineer, so haven't even done say 2+3 in 5-6 years) and score a 99%tile and not fulfilling that goal is what makes me upset.
I am applying to Masters programs and my score is above the median score of the class. So I guess its a goodbye to the GMAT. I wanted the scholarship, but that seems dim now.
P.S. Its filled with grammatical errors. So if you find many, congrats your SC is getting stronger!
01-08-2011:Revisit to Error Log
-Redid the incorrect SCs and CRs from previous MGMAT CATs and Knewton Free CAT.
-Redid the incorrect Quant questions from previous MGMAT CATs.
I wont do the SCs from Kaplan - did not find them much of value add!
Took the MGMAT 4 for a 760 - Q49 V45 (9 mistakes in each section - 4 CR 2 SC and 3 RC)
Don't know what to make of this!
Bad News: The score seems inflated because I did not feel like writing the AWAs and I was so bored that I guessed on the last 5 quant questions - 2 turned out to be correct. Still plagued with silly mistakes - MGMAT is tricky and subtle. Involves too much of calculation to drain out mental strength. Perhaps thats the reason for my low verbal scores.Verbal score is encouraging but inflated nevertheless.
Good News: I was very confident on RC and I saw 2 bold face questions, both of which were super tough and I got correct.
Perhaps I had a high score because I did not get a string of questions incorrect. That had been a problem earlier!
And I am done for the day with some analysis on the last MGMAT!
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02-08-11: Error Log Review
- I had the GMATPrep Docs. I did not want to touch them before exhausting the Prep Tests. But I was too tempted. So I opened the SC Document and practised 10 random questions. Got 4 INCORRECT! Crap, these sentences are much more complicated than anything in the OG or the 11 mocks that I have taken. And that shattered my SC confidence. It wasn't the grammar, but the sentence itself is tricky. Saw the solutions to them on MGMAT Forum, Ron agreed that they are tricky. I realise that the difficult SC questions are more about the original intent of the author and less about pure grammar. This will be very difficult.
- Nevertheless, I started working on OG 12 questions I had gotten incorrect earlier. Got them all correct this time. They seemed like cakewalk - I could solve them in 30 secs.
- Re-did the 13-14 questions from Jeff Sackmann Extreme that I had gotten incorrect earlier. Got 3 incorrect again! I loved this set. It is difficult, yes, but very very good.
- I din study anything else today! Disappointing!
We had college results today so I was euphoric. Also I am feeling a little feverish, so rather I take rest and not exert myself too much. I am prepared but am also very scared.
-Probably won't get to study much tomorrow, I have to be somewhere! But I will review all my notes tomorrow morning and redo some questions from the Error Log.
I will take the GMATPrep II for my ultimate assessment the day after. Along with the drink/snacks I have planned for the real thing. Hope it all works out and I get my target score.
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03-08-11: Flash Cards and Key Concepts Review
I did not study at all since morning. But I managed to review my notebook. From tomorrow I will eat, drink and sleep GMAT!
Tomorrow will be the ultimate assessment of my prep. I hope I score well cause I don't want to postpone my test and I have already exhausted most of the material I have left.
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04-08-11: Big Day
With just 16 days to go, I have to take the GMATPrep II today so at least I can gauge whether I am prepared or not. Will review my concepts and take the test at the same time as the real thing is scheduled - 1 PM. I dunno how well I will do since I did not get much sleep last night. Also I am somewhat nervous and tensed. Will try Red Bull and an Energy Bar to see if at all they help!!! Wish me luck.
So I took the GMATPREP II and scored a meagre 700!! Q50 V34. The SCs were killer! Beyond anything I have ever seen. I am very upset now!
I have just 14 days to go and I don't know what to do now!!
I had 17 SC, 12 CR and 13 RC questions. It felt as if I am seeing only SCs!!! I guess I have to practise more SCs now! I ll time to pull out some big guns cause its now or never! I will do like 50 SCs tomorrow and more of verbal and verbal!
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05-08-2011:Verbal Annihilation
With fewer than 15 days to go, and with a pathetic 700 on GMATPrep II, I am worried now. Started working through the Kaplan 800 SCs. Though I did make as many as 4 mistakes on CR as well, but only 1 of them was very difficult and otherwise rest of the answers made perfect sense to me. I could recognize patterns and realized where I had gone wrong. Some RCs that I saw were too complicated, very similar to the LSAT RC
passages!!
Took the final MGMAT to score a 730 (q50 v40) Doesn't relieve me because the score is inflated and I am still plagued with mistakes. Each day passing makes me more worried. Still have another 4-5 day window before I decide whether I will take the test or reschedule. I want the former but I also want the score. It is what I had targetted when I started.
-Read some good debriefs and feel little more motivated now. I am burned out in Quant, leading to silly mistakes. So from tomorrow I will simply work through 10-15 quant problems, just to stay on track, and dedicate rest of the time to verbal. I have a feeling that even though my mocks say otherwise, I can achieve my desired test score on that 20th. Its just a very strong gut feeling.
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06-08-2011:Verbal Annihilation Continues
-Exactly two weeks to go from today. I won't take any mocks today. Just finish off Kaplan 800 SCs, but even those aren't as monstrous as the GMAT Prep SCs. Then practice OG 10 RC, CR and SC for entire day. I will have to give in 7-8 hours of study today. Hate this but have to do it.
- Finished off the last 40 SCs from Kaplan 800 in 25 minutes- Got about 8 incorrect. But these were quite easy. No challenge whatsoever. Yet I got 8 incorrect - CONCENTRATE!
-Did 5 RCs back to back from OG 10. Some had as many as 7 questions. But overall I got about 4 questions incorrect out of 25. Feel better, I spend an extra minute to understand the passage better, the answers became a cake walk.
- Read through CRs 100-150 from OG 10. I got 1 incorrect, I knew the answers to all 50 of them from some place or the other. My head hurts now.
Deeper analysis reveals that the mistakes I made on RC and CR were merely concentration issues. The 4 RC questions I got incorrect, out them none were too complicated, but merely restatements of some sentence in the passage itself. I just missed it. Out of 4 CR questions, only 1 was extremely tough, rest all I could understand and was left with 2 options, where the option I did not choose turned out to be a STRONGER one.
- Did Paper Test 25
22 SCs - got 2 incorrect - 1 was a monster.
RC 1 - 2/8 incorrect.
RC 2 was a pathetic biology passage - I got 4/6 incorrect - I barely understood the passage.
RC 3 - 1/7 incorrect. I realise that I need to spend more time diagramming the passage. But with just 3-4 questions in the real test, it doesn't seem the have high returns.
22 CR - I knew the answers to all the questions!
- Did another last 30 SCs from OG 10 - 4 incorrect, careless mistake. The explanations in OG 10 are kinda sad but good practise. I remember seeing a couple and getting them incorrect on GMATPrep. Have a bad headache now for staring at the computer for 5-6 hours every day. Probably before sleeping I will revise Aristotle SC. Tomorrow - more practise!
-OK so I did not revise and I am dead sleepy. Night GMATClubbers!
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07-08-2011:Verbal Annihilation STILL Continues
-Now just 13 days to go, I still have to finish the GMATPrep documents! Today I will practice as many as 10 RCs back-to-back (I can just imagine how boring it is going to be) Then more of SC and CR. When my head starts hurting, I will revise MGMAT SC guide once and I also plan to watch some Thursdays with Ron videos, I ll start buffering them and watch them fast-fowarding! I am coming for you 750!!!!! BTW I hope my Quant accuracy hasn't crashed, else I am a goner!!
- Finished 30 SCs in 24 minutes - had seen most of them earlier but did not remember the answers - I got 1 incorrect.
- Did 5 RCs - 1/29 incorrect. They felt quite easy with diagramming - lots of scattered lists. I am beginning to recognize some patterns in GMAT RC. Quite often, it gives a list in the beginning of the passage and completes it at the end. One can expect a typical question from that list. Its easy when diagrammed but I am getting lost in the details to lose sight of the big picture. Time for a 30 minute break.
- My 30 minute break turned into a 90 minute break, Damn you FRIENDS!
Started with paper test 28 - Did 16 CR in 5 mins. Nothing to be excited - knew all the answers.
Some of the SCs in Paper Tests are really good. Not unnecessarily difficult but very very similar to those in the GMATPrep. Good practice! Its so typical, you get an RC question incorrect and when you read the explanation you say, damn, the stupid answer is right there in front of my eyes! Just hidden in the details.
- Did 16 CR questions from Paper Test - all new. I got 3 incorrect - there is huge disparity between easy and difficult questions. Easy ones are ridiculously simple whereas the tough ones are too convulted.
- Now I am watching Thursdays with RON videos. I buffered them beforehand so I could fast-forward and watch. The videos are kinda long 1.5 hours and slow,meant for the General Public. But everytime in those 1.5 hours there is a very important 2 minute advice that is not present in any forum or test book for that matter. So thats what I am looking for. Its a good watch when I am stressed with excess studying!
- So finally watched about 5 videos in 1.5 hours' time. Fair enough I came to know about some excellent concepts. I am sure I would have got them incorrect otherwise.
- I thought of revising SC Grail once but then DARK KNIGHT is telecasting. Sorry I can't say no to Heath Ledger! So I will watch this and start the Verbal Onslaught tomorrow again!!
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08-08-2011:Verbal Destruction
-Nothing unique to do today, just the usual. Probably I will try to complete OG 10 today and then do a couple of Paper tests. Quite many questions are known yet its good practice. 12 days to go and my heart is pounding.
Am I scared? Yes.
Am I nervous? Yes.
Am I jittery? Hell yes. But I will give it all I've got nevertheless.
- Working through Paper test 37.
SC 3/22 incorrect. 1 was too difficult for me. 2 silly mistakes. I got the extra toughies correct and stupid ones incorrect. (No guesses)
CR 2/16 incorrect. Very-very difficult CR questions and some felt as though they have been lifted from the LSAT. In the questions concerning percentages, ratios and averages, almost always the most weirdest and incomprehensible answer choice is correct. Very important to use POE table in such cases.
RC 1/12 incorrect. Got all the answers correct of a very difficult RC passage on feminism. The 3rd passage on the paper test is usually very difficult!
-Raw score to verbal comes as 43! Good Job - considering I did not know any of the answers this time.
- Working through Paper test 42
SC 1/22 incorrect. That incorrect one is a big hole in my skill. Time to work on such problems.
CR 3/16 incorrect. Got it incorrect because I did not read the entire sentence clearly. Read advantage as disadvantage. Need to Concentrate!
RC 5/18 incorrect. All 5 incorrect ones are from a sad passage on astronomy. Most of the incorrect ones - I did not read all the choices. I did not understand too much. I have to anticipate a monstrous RC and perform well on it!!!
- Raw score comes to a 40! Not bad. Just need to be a little scrappier on that ONE monster RC!
- Time for some more Thursday with RON videos. I tried watching but they are too slow. Guess its time I move from them.
- The Quant questions in the paper tests are a joke. Very calculation intensive but very easy. Nothing compared to the problems even in GMATPrep. But Verbal is decent. Another 3 tests to go before I can reassess my progress. If this doesn't help, I daresay nothing will.
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09-08-2011:Verbal Madness
- Including today, I have just 11 more days to go. I also need to finish off GMAT Prep Documents and Reviewing them properly will take time. So today I plan to finish off the 3 remaining paper tests. One right now. One in the afternoon and then one in the evening. With proper review of mistakes and difficult ones.
But yesterday I read that ETS Papers are very different from what GMAT is right now. This makes me wonder, if this is so, why is GMAC selling those papers at such high prices. Just a money making scam? Seems unfair. And if they are so different, why are those questions included in the Official Guides ? Nevertheless no time to think about this, need to get back to studying!!
- Working through paper test 48:
0/22 SC incorrect. Finished in 17 minutes. Quite easy I'll have to say. Not that complicated.
3/10 CR incorrect. I have no clue what is happening. These CR questions are so difficult!! They too convulted. I guess I'd rather not do them. Time to move on to RC.
3/18 RC incorrect. BREAK TIME!
- Working through Paper Test 52:
When I am done with all paper tests , I will work through the last 10 questions from all the quant sections in those tests. Just so that I don't miss out anything.
4/22 SC incorrect.
Okay 1/10 CR incorrect. Okay I will stop practising CR from these papers now. They are too weird. Plus without explanation there doesn't seem a point.
RCs are a waste - I already have done them once, maybe twice, and I remember the answers to most of them. I feel a little bummed out today. My only weak topics in RC as things related to art, biology and American History/politics.
- Working through Paper Test 55:
I won't be using the CR questions and I know all the answers to the RC questions. Move to SC. Finishing off SC questions so later on I can finish off the remaining questions in OG 10 and work through the verbal error log. And I am done!
- I am mostly done with OG 10 as well, I couldn't find a new question. So I guess its safe to say that I have completed all the material I had. Still have a major part of the day left today and nothing to do. Guess I will go through the idiom table and chill for the day.
- So I end the day by just chilling. I realize I have become addicted to caffeine! We will see tomorrow if it does really help. Will retake the GMAT Prep, primarily to see my verbal progress. I hope I don't see too many repeats so that I can assess my progress till now. Nevertheless I have made my mind that I won't postpone the test! I have to start preparing for the applications and a lot of work has to be done that will consume time. So this is where it all ends!!
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10-08-2011: Big Day Version 2.0
-Whenever I plan to take a test next day, I don't get proper sleep. Today too I am sleep deprived. Damn! Hope it doesn't have an impact on my test. I don't feel drowsy though.
-So I retook the GMAT Prep I and BOOM! 780 (Q51 V47) Not too many repeats. I think about 4 in each section that I would have gotten correct anyway! I made 3 mistakes in each section and all 3 mistakes were SCs. I am happy that I got the monstrous RCs correct!! Among the incorrect SCs 2 were error of meaning and one of idiom I guess, I have never even read about that idiom!
-I took an exactly 4 minute break after every section. In the first I was kind of hungry so I ate a snickers. One problem with it was that I had kept it in the refrigerator and it became rock solid and I had difficulty in chewing it. Good thing I had kept it outside before starting the test so it became warmer in 1 hour, else I could have had a brain freeze (downright stupid huh?!)
Nevertheless, I took one minute extra to eat that thing but it was delicious.
In the next break, I had a Cloud 9 Energy Drink, small shot. Pathetic taste, but I guess it did its job. I had no concentration issues, but during the later part I want to pee real bad. Have to retest it if I want to use it for the real day. Though this score is inflated but the good news is I got all the new, difficult CR and RCs correct without much trouble!
- With just 10 days to go, this performance has given me a lot of confidence. The CR questions were a cake walk, on a couple of questions I just laughed at the apparant trick in the incorrect answers. So, I had rightly caught that concentration was a major issue. Red Bull had made me jittery in my last performance, leading to a sad V34! So no more Red Bull !!!
- After reviewing my mistakes, I realize that I should spend extra 5-10 seconds to understand the meaning of the sentence. One error was because I skipped past looking at the original intent of the author. Second error, I usually always check the entire sentence if the parallel structures are matching or not, but this time I did not and BAM! a mistake. I thought the idiom was incorrect, but turned out to be correct. Third Error, I don't think I could have cracked it. It was very difficult!
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11-08-2011: 9 days to go
-I haven't decided what to do today. I won't take another test. Will take it tomorrow probably before jumping into the GMATPrep Documents. I have exhausted all the standard material I had, redone the questions from my error log. Perhaps today what I can do is practice the questions I got incorrect on MGMAT CATs, also I have some sets of questions on such specific topics as mods, inequalities, co-ordinate geometry. So I can do questions on these topics to fill the remaining holes in my skill. Though I am euphoric over yesterdays 780, but I shouldn't have made those 3 mistakes. DAMN! Need to make sure that I never make those mistakes again!
- Damn I didn't study at all today just 10-12 SCs from error log! I was really worked up researching about schools.
Crap! Tomorrow GMATPrep II retake and then GMATPrep Documents' destruction! Everyday my stress level increases thinking about the schools. I might have to take the TOEFL too, I plan to take the IELTS as my friend said its a cake walk but I am not going to study for more than 3-4 days for either of them.
But dates are not available in India. Hundreds of students are taking the tests every weekend. Damn Damn! This GMAT journey has made me a lunatic!
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12-08-2011: Big Day ver. 3.0 and 4.0
-Just 7 more days to go and I will sitting at the Pearson Center fighting the monster commonly known as the GMAT!
-Today I will retake GMATPrep II in complete testing conditions. Also I plan to do something monstrous today. I will take two prep tests back to back !! I think that I have ample amount of time till the test and I should really get scrappier and give it all I have got.
- So I had got up early, so I thought that I would retake the GMATPrep I again! 760 Q51 V42 those quant questions were extremely difficult. I made 5 mistakes in Quant and 5 in verbal 2 SC 1 RC 2 CR. Those CR mistakes were caused by concentration issues because I did not eat anything before sitting for the test, take any break or even drink water. So that can be worked on. I was very very drowsy.
- In quant those questions that I got incorrect 3 were super difficult. I remember reading the question atleast 10 times yet not understanding what it meant. Again, concentration issues. Looks like I need that cup of coffee to be awake and alert enough to think!
But somehow I feel that Q51 is totally out of scope! It is going to be extremely difficult. There are some questions that you just can't prepare for. You have to think and if your mind works in the right capacity, you crack it. Otherwise you can't! But I got a Q51 in this again with 5 mistakes! Probably because they were at the end of the test with only 1 in the middle.
Verbal - RC 1 - I still cannot understand why it is incorrect. CR 1 Did not read the answer choice properly - concentration. CR 2 - I had seen the question before and marked the answer without even reading (damn stupid). SC 1 - too difficult. SC 2 - Again the meaning of the word changed everything. I knew the meaning but the opposite one.
But one thing is little interesting that the difference of just 2 mistakes shifted my score from a V47 to V42 - I am usually not bothered with CAT scoring algorithm. But its true that the GMAT scoring system is incomprehensible, especially for a commerce grad such as I. Also it does give me a faint idea of how many mistakes I can make. I would have to try to manage time and all such variables at all costs. Because Verbal allows for much fewer mistakes than does Quant.
- Now some rest for a couple of hours, food, caffeine and then retake Prep II. I have to make the most out of these 7 days.
Also, I have a feeling that Prep I and II do not have different question banks. I might be wrong but somehow I feel that couple of question I saw in today's retake were similar to those in Prep II that I had taken earlier. Nevertheless, it doesn't matter. Though the high difficult of some quant questions has started to worry me a little, reading that the real thing is much difficult than Prep. Damn!
- I couldn't take the tests back to back but I did finally I retake GMATPrep II for the first time - Damn! 760 Q51 V41!! It was very difficult!! I did see few repeats in the test I guess, but otherwise, the questions were all new and very difficult. This test had much fewer repeats than the earlier GMAT Prep Retake.
Quant 2 mistakes! I think I did quant beautifully. I could simply perceive some of the tricks and I managed to breach them! Its all about the mind working. If it does work in the right capacity at the right time, you golden. If it doesn't, you're screwed on those difficult tricky ones.
Once I tried to find the difficulty of the question, almost slapped myself and asked to continue ignoring the difficulty!
Verbal 7 MISTAKES! Damn! Those CR questions were very difficult. 3 SCs 3CR and 1RC. In those 2 CRs the options were too close and I faltered under pressure.
SCs:
1. Mistake of Subject-verb
For the freaking 1st time!2. Modifier error, options were too close. Need to check with MGMAT.
3. Was the 41st question. I did not feel like answering properly, so I made an educated guess, which din turn out to be too educated I guess.
1 RC: Again very close options.
-But I am quite content with the performance, not with the score, since its inflated but with how I did under pressure. Actually I am very cold and also my stomach's cramping. I took a break but just for 1 minute. CLOUD 9 works wonders. It did not make me pee this time so I guess I can risk using it for the real thing. But I am still making mistakes, I need to fix that. I wasn't going to, but I guess I should revise the entire MGMAT SC guide to do some fine tunings.
- Damn I feel exhausted! Two tests in a day. I won't take any other test for another 3 days. I will work through the Prep Documents for a few days now.
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13-08-2011: 7 days to go
- So its just few days more before all this is over. I plan to finish all the documents within 3-4 days leaving the last couple of days for relaxing. But 200 SCs!! Solving them will take 30 secs but, understanding the solutions each almost each one will take a hell of a slog.
-I started working through the GMATPrep Documents. It seems that the moment I reduce practice, my accuracy falls! I did 50 questions from the Quant Document - I knew the answers to plenty of them. But I made 3 mistakes!! I knew the fundamental in those questions, just forgot!!!! Damn!
- Now working on the SC Document. I did around 15 SC questions. Got them all correct and went through the explanations for the same on MGMAT forums. Couldn't study beyond this. I tried solving CR but, I think I am still burned from yesterday's onslaught. Tomorrow I will try to nail more questions.
- I must finish off all the GMATPrep Documents in 5 days, leaving 1 day for chilling before the test. Tomorrow. probably 25 Quant questions and 30 SCs 20 CRs and 3 RCs. Need to stay consistent with the RC. Also once in a while when I am bored, I will use gmatclub tags to get some more questions and discuss as well. It is helpful at time.
- One very important thing I realised that I have made this entire journey very complicated unnecessarily. All these prep companies, the plethora of resources and n number of tips have made a test, which is though not simple, even more complicated. Remember: Keep it Simple, Stupid.
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14-08-2011: Reverse Countdown Begins
- Only 6 more days to go and with a couple of expected high scorers scoring little less, I too am a little concerned. Especially after seeing the SC monsters in the GMATPrep Docs.
- I did 50 SC, 30 CR and 4 RCs from the prep documents. These are huge and I am not sure whether I will be able to complete them.
- I was a little bored so I retook the GMATPrep II, skipping the quant questions (I kept pressing random answers turned out to be a Q 6
)I did the Verbal properly, though I saw some repeats, mostly all the questions were new. I wanted to finish before time since, I couldn't counted the answers for questions that I knew how to solve. So I finished 20 minutes before time. V 45! 4 mistakes. 1 SC and 3 CR. Damn! Still CR mistakes, should've got them all correct. Also the SC. But otherwise a decent score, I got all RCs correct even though couple were long but my diagramming technique worked wonders.
- I feel exhausted from today's prep. Gosh I've been studying for 4.5 hours at a stretch.
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15-08-2011: Just 5 more days
- Started practising, GMATPrep Quant problems. I did 50 of them. I got quite many incorrect this because of low concentration. I am a little tired now. And what this to get over with ASAP!
- Moved on to SC - Did about 60 SC questions from the SC document. Again got quite many incorrect. Some the questions were too easy and some too difficult. Again a huge disparity between the difficulty of questions.
-I think I should chill for a while. I cannot risk burning out right now. Will finish the day with 20 CR questions and 5 RC passages. I probably will retake a prep one last time day after tomorrow to leave 2 sufficient days before the real test.
- I did 15- CR questions and got quite a few incorrect. Damn! I donno what I am going to do. I don't know whether I ll get a 700-720 also, leave aside a 750+. I stopped practising further because I fear that a burnout is the cause of this. I'd rather relax. Tomorrow back to practising more.
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16-08-2011: 4 more days and pressure mounts
- Nothing different today, just the usual practice from GMAT Prep Documents. I have a feeling that I won't be able to complete them. I am peaking at this moment and need to take the test ASAP!
- I feel I have missed out something and can't remember it.
I do prefer taking tests rather than practising from documents. But tests are turning up too many repeats. Yesterday I took another Prep Verbal and scored a V47 - 50% repeats. I finished in 25 minutes. V47 with just 2 mistakes. Damn! Verbal section is a miser when it comes to giving scores. Even a very few mistakes can have a dramatic impact on the scores.
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17-08-2011: 3 more days and its a war
After reading everybody's recommendation, I decided to relax and not over-practise.
However, I have decided that I will practice a little in the morning and little in the afternoon at the time when my test is scheduled. I have almost exhausted the prep documents, so might as well finish them. I have too much time to spare and I get bored to death!
- So I finished the GMAT Prep Quant Document. I knew the answers to most of the questions so that did not take much time. Quite easy I must say, but I need to watch out for silly mistakes.
I had always been weak on co-ordinate geometry and I still am. I know the fundamentals in and out but still there is some loophole I cannot fill. So I will check out the questions and solutions to some 20-25 questions on the day before last. I cannot fret over one small topic. I can crack most of the questions, its just some extremely difficult ones that give me the jitters. Thus, if I am hard pressed for time and need to guess, co-ordinate geometry will be guessed on.
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19-08-2011:So it is tomorrow
-So this is where it all ends. tomorrow at this hour I will sitting at a Pearson VUE center battling with time and the GMAT. I have the perfect time slot, 1 pm. I've had ample time for preparation, I feel great i.e. I am not sick or anything, I am properly rested. I should have revised something yesterday, but I did not. I exhausted all my material and have nothing left.
- Today I will go to check out the center at the same time as my test is scheduled to see traffic issues, if any. Once I come back, I will sit with all my notes and revise the entire thing once. Then I will prepare my bag -
I plan to carry - Confirmation letter, Passport, 3 bars of Snickers, 2 small cans of Cloud 9, a bottle of water, 2 handkerchiefs and maybe one extra pair of glasses (just in case).
Post that I will decide what to wear.
- I need to remember to inform the Procter to keep an extra scratchpad ready because I am sure I WILL need it. Damn you big handwriting! Yet I will try to save as much space as possible and will call for the extra pad when I am on the last side.
- There is something seriously wrong with my eyes. I don't know what. I don't know whether it will have an impact on my test or not. And I have become very very irritable. Perhaps from the frustration of the test.
I am heading down to check out the center. After returning, I plan to work out a little and go through my notes for Quant and Verbal once and I will see the AWA template one last time, I don't care whether I get a 4.5 or a 6
- So I checked out the test center location. I returned from the Gate of Pearson VUE. The place is like 20-25 minutes away from my house. So no worries of travel. Time to revise some stuff and I am done.
- I headed to the gym and worked out a little, after a long time. Feels great. My headache is gone. I will revise my notes and before sleeping I plan to do some questions from my error log and see the AWA template once again. Tomorrow morning I will take a Kalpan 20 question quiz that covers all sections before leaving for the test to get my mind on the GMAT mode. That too if I really feel like.
- I must say that its really overwhelming to see the kind of support I have got from my friends. Not my friends out here, whom I have known for years and most of them dont even know I am taking the GMAT, but from the people I dont even know personally, thanks to gmatclub. I can't believe the number of pms, emails and posts I've got wishing me luck. Social Media has truly changed our lives. And I promise a very very descriptive Debrief after the test.
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20-08-2011:Lost the battle, not the war
Yea, the GMAT got better of me - scored a 670 q 48 v 35. I don't feel happy, obviously, but for some reason I dont feel too sad at all. I had started the journey some months back with diagnostics of 420 Q24 V27, some say that a 250 point improvement is remarkable, but I am not even thinking about that.
The thing that upsets me is that I couldn't get my goal. When I had started, I made a goal that I will go against all odds (I am not an engineer, so haven't even done say 2+3 in 5-6 years) and score a 99%tile and not fulfilling that goal is what makes me upset.
I am applying to Masters programs and my score is above the median score of the class. So I guess its a goodbye to the GMAT. I wanted the scholarship, but that seems dim now.
gmatkoopa
Joined: 04 Jun 2011
Last visit: 16 Apr 2015
Posts: 123
Given Kudos: 40
Location: United States
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
Schools: HBS '16 (D) Stanford '16 (M)
GMAT 1: 770 Q50 V47
GPA: 3.8
01 Aug 2011, 08:41
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Focus is important. I think that for your last couple CATs you should definitely try to take the AWA along with them. You may think that on test day you will be able to be at your best mentally, but you can't assume that.
I would go as far as to say that if you feel up to it, take two CATs back to back in one day to build up stamina and focus (I did this and it made the real GMAT feel easy in comparison). Try to keep your concentration even if you get "bored." Of course, still carefully review your mistakes afterwards.
Good luck!
I would go as far as to say that if you feel up to it, take two CATs back to back in one day to build up stamina and focus (I did this and it made the real GMAT feel easy in comparison). Try to keep your concentration even if you get "bored." Of course, still carefully review your mistakes afterwards.
Good luck!
01 Aug 2011, 08:48
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Good luck man! You seem to be all set for your target. You have the time in your hands, and you can capitalize on that by focusing even harder. I am sure you will get 750 in the finale 
