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11 Jul 2005, 18:09
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Thanks to all
Like so many others here, i'm sure, i'm a lurker on this message board. I don't post often, but I love reading about everyone's dedicated stories/experiences and draw inspiration from them. I 've just recently also begun using the board to solve math and verbal questions...and plan on utilizing them much more by posting several questions in the future now that i'll be studying for one more month.
My Story
I began studing in late April planning on taking the test at the end of May. 1 week before my first test date, i got cold feet and pushed the test out to today, July 11th...BIG MISTAKE. I'm not sure how i would have done back then, but i can tell you that i've drawn the GMAT process out WAY too far. Even though it's given me more time to study, i just feel as if don't have the time, resources, and drive to keep myself at peak performance any longer. had i taken the test in May...this would have been my 2nd (and hopefully) last attempt after 3 months of studying. (this is just my 2 cents for anyone who is considering pushing their test date back - personally, if i had it to do over again, I wouldn't.)
My Prep
I started with the Peterson ARCO book in April...realized it sucked and got the OG 10th Ed., PR, and Kap. I've studied from them all as well as this forum in a hodgepodge sort of fashion...a little bit from here...a little bit from there. In addition to this, i've also been paying a personal tutor to the tune of $75/hr!!
My initial PP score (cold turkey) was 520...i slowly improved over time getting a 540, 590, 610, and then 660. (yes i took them several times). I also took the PR tests...got btwn 550-650...and the Kaplan I scored around 580. I guess from these examples, i shouldn't be too surprised with my score...but what i am surprised is that my raw quant score was higher than my raw verbal score! I'm a native speaker and have always felt more comfortable with the verbal, but apparently, i have some studying to do there. I find the quant portion to be very difficult and can't seem to get my arms around the difficult questions no matter how many times i do them. I think that i do too many problems without truly understanding the concepts.
My Test
I arrived early (very important!) as i didn't want to feel rushed. I did some "warm-up" DS and PS questions that i felt helped to calm me down a lot. Got in, picked my schools and all that good stuff...then to the AWA's...for me they were no big deal...i'm not sure how i did, but i can't imagine getting less than a 5.0 and i really don't care. But i will say that the AWA's were great for calming my nerves (again).
On to the math...first question was an easy DS and next a little more difficult PS question...next was a (to me at least) monster probability question that ate up a lot of my time. to be honest i can't remember much after that other than looking up and seeing that i had 22 questions left with 30 minutes on the clock! I freaked out and went as fast as possible...somehow i finished on time...but can't remember much. I do remember getting alot of those - how would solve for this in term of x? - questions though. it was all a blur, but i was just happy to be done with quant!
Took my break...ate a clif bar quickly and downed a vitamin water...wanted to make sure i had some energy for verbal. I think that the quant was still in my head as i was doing verbal...i kept thinking that i did poorly and wasn't as focused as i usually am. Normally i take notes for all the RC and cross out answers for SC/RC. For the most part I didn't do that on the test, i felt as if i was under too much pressure from the clock. Somehow i fell behind again and had to rush through the last thrid of the test.
I'm not sure where i went wrong...i think i need to focus on (what this board calls "intermediate" and what i call "hard") quant problems and truly grasping the concepts rather than just doing problem after problem after problem! Then i plan on really bearing down on verbal...as i native speaker i should be able to at least get a raw verbal of 45...i should be more proficient at that than quant.
so, i can't say that i'm inspirational (like the rest of you guys) YET...but i'll be back in a month with an update to let you know. i'm going to really give it my all for the next 22 days (30 days - the weekends)
thanks for creating the site and for everyone participating so much. this site is truly amazing...i've never seen anything like it.
jp
Like so many others here, i'm sure, i'm a lurker on this message board. I don't post often, but I love reading about everyone's dedicated stories/experiences and draw inspiration from them. I 've just recently also begun using the board to solve math and verbal questions...and plan on utilizing them much more by posting several questions in the future now that i'll be studying for one more month.
My Story
I began studing in late April planning on taking the test at the end of May. 1 week before my first test date, i got cold feet and pushed the test out to today, July 11th...BIG MISTAKE. I'm not sure how i would have done back then, but i can tell you that i've drawn the GMAT process out WAY too far. Even though it's given me more time to study, i just feel as if don't have the time, resources, and drive to keep myself at peak performance any longer. had i taken the test in May...this would have been my 2nd (and hopefully) last attempt after 3 months of studying. (this is just my 2 cents for anyone who is considering pushing their test date back - personally, if i had it to do over again, I wouldn't.)
My Prep
I started with the Peterson ARCO book in April...realized it sucked and got the OG 10th Ed., PR, and Kap. I've studied from them all as well as this forum in a hodgepodge sort of fashion...a little bit from here...a little bit from there. In addition to this, i've also been paying a personal tutor to the tune of $75/hr!!
My initial PP score (cold turkey) was 520...i slowly improved over time getting a 540, 590, 610, and then 660. (yes i took them several times). I also took the PR tests...got btwn 550-650...and the Kaplan I scored around 580. I guess from these examples, i shouldn't be too surprised with my score...but what i am surprised is that my raw quant score was higher than my raw verbal score! I'm a native speaker and have always felt more comfortable with the verbal, but apparently, i have some studying to do there. I find the quant portion to be very difficult and can't seem to get my arms around the difficult questions no matter how many times i do them. I think that i do too many problems without truly understanding the concepts.
My Test
I arrived early (very important!) as i didn't want to feel rushed. I did some "warm-up" DS and PS questions that i felt helped to calm me down a lot. Got in, picked my schools and all that good stuff...then to the AWA's...for me they were no big deal...i'm not sure how i did, but i can't imagine getting less than a 5.0 and i really don't care. But i will say that the AWA's were great for calming my nerves (again).
On to the math...first question was an easy DS and next a little more difficult PS question...next was a (to me at least) monster probability question that ate up a lot of my time. to be honest i can't remember much after that other than looking up and seeing that i had 22 questions left with 30 minutes on the clock! I freaked out and went as fast as possible...somehow i finished on time...but can't remember much. I do remember getting alot of those - how would solve for this in term of x? - questions though. it was all a blur, but i was just happy to be done with quant!
Took my break...ate a clif bar quickly and downed a vitamin water...wanted to make sure i had some energy for verbal. I think that the quant was still in my head as i was doing verbal...i kept thinking that i did poorly and wasn't as focused as i usually am. Normally i take notes for all the RC and cross out answers for SC/RC. For the most part I didn't do that on the test, i felt as if i was under too much pressure from the clock. Somehow i fell behind again and had to rush through the last thrid of the test.
I'm not sure where i went wrong...i think i need to focus on (what this board calls "intermediate" and what i call "hard") quant problems and truly grasping the concepts rather than just doing problem after problem after problem! Then i plan on really bearing down on verbal...as i native speaker i should be able to at least get a raw verbal of 45...i should be more proficient at that than quant.
so, i can't say that i'm inspirational (like the rest of you guys) YET...but i'll be back in a month with an update to let you know. i'm going to really give it my all for the next 22 days (30 days - the weekends)
thanks for creating the site and for everyone participating so much. this site is truly amazing...i've never seen anything like it.
jp
11 Jul 2005, 23:32
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi jp, although you would not think of your story as such, it is very inspirational and it will certainly help other test takers. Clearly, it is not your score which will make your story inspirational, it is how you tell your story, how you can dissect what you did good good from what you did not as good as you would have wanted to. Remember that many test takers will be just happy to have your score and depending on which school you are targeting, your score might be sufficient.
12 Jul 2005, 12:45
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi 700,
Thanks for the story. It's interesting. I have a question, were those private tutor lessons helpful? Were they worth $75/h?
22 questions in 30 minutes - that's quite a race
You have to work on those math problems. I am sure you will score much much better on your second attempt. Good luck.
Thanks for the story. It's interesting. I have a question, were those private tutor lessons helpful? Were they worth $75/h?
22 questions in 30 minutes - that's quite a race
You have to work on those math problems. I am sure you will score much much better on your second attempt. Good luck.
12 Jul 2005, 13:44
Kudos
Bookmarks
Paul
Thanks Paul...I don't feel it's a very bad score, but just dissappointed after three LONG months of studying, you know? I'm retaking because I believe the schools i'm looking at would require a higher score. Here's the short list:
Most Likely:
1.) UCLA
2.) Duke
Lower End:
3.) Texas
High End:
4.) Harvard
5.) Northwestern
Obvioulsy my score will have to be higher to get into Harvard/Northwestern...I am still "slaving" away for that potential 700 next time around!
