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28 Sep 2014, 02:16
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hello all!
First - thanks a ton! There was a snowball's chance in hell of me getting anywhere without all the invaluable help, support and insights this site, its members and the various forums provided me with. No way was I hitting 99%ile without GMAT Club. Thanks a lot guys!
My profile:
I graduated last June from Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) with a B.Tech in Civil Engineering. Since then I've been working at Credit Suisse in their Prime Services division within IB as an Analyst. I decided in June that I would give the GMAT. I plan to apply to the Masters in Finance program for entry Fall
The Beginning
I had absolutely no clue as to how I would need to go about the exam and prepare for it. I was guided to this site by a colleague. I would advise everyone to start by reading the "How to Start Your GMAT Prep" thread in the General Questions and Strategies section of the main forum. This is the most important thread on the site. The main post on this thread by bb also contains various links to how the CAT algorithm works and the secret behind the calculation of the raw and composite scores. I decided to set the date for my exam well in advance, and I'd advise other test-takers to do the same. Without a date, its easy to lose focus and procrastinate. My date was Sep 27th, three and a half months from the day I paid the fee. To test my capabilities and identify my weaknesses I decided to give one of the free GMATPrep tests that come included with the exam fee. I scored 720 (Q51, V36). I've always prided myself in my quant skills and was happy that I wouldn't need to concentrate much on that section of the exam. I clearly had a ways to go on my verbal though but I had three months in hand. I decided to set 750 as my target score.
Verbal
I had 14 weeks give or take to the D-Day. My study approach was simple. Attempt as many verbal questions as I could and gain practice. I borrowed the Kaplan Verbal Study Guide and a GMAT Official Verbal Review from a friend. On an average I put in 10 - 12 hours per week. Since I was working, I could manage only 2 to 4 hours on weekdays. The most important aspect of my preparation was analysis. I can't stress enough on how useful this was to my overall preparation. I would attempt 30 questions at a stretch and then go through the solutions for each and every question regardless of whether I was wrong. Error analysis is, of course, very important but analyzing the questions attempted correctly is equally, if not more, important. For one, I didn't want to incorrectly exaggerate my performance in case I got lucky on a few questions. Secondly, validating my line of thought for every question ensured that I identified the right approach towards solving it correctly.
Tests
I didn't give my next test till mid-August. I wasted my second free GMATPrep test. I scored the exact same as before and it was time, I decided, that I gain better practice and that meant giving more tests. I went through a forums and spoke to a couple of friends who gave the GMAT previously and I decided to buy the Manhattan test series. From the third week of August, right up to the main test, I gave 10 practice tests. My test scores were -
GMATPrep 1 - 720 (Q51, V36)
GMATPrep 2 - 720 (Q51, V36)
MGMAT1 - 690 (Q51, V33)
MGMAT2 - 690 (Q51, V34)
Kaplan (free) - 750 (Q51,V41)
Princeton Review (free) - 740 (Q51, V40)
GMAT Club - Q51, V41
Veritas Prep (free) - 750 (Q51, V41)
MGMAT3 - 730 (Q51, V39)
MGMAT4 - 730 (Q51, V39)
MGMAT5 - 740 (Q51, V40)
MGMAT6 - 730 (Q51, V39)
GMAT - 770 (Q50, V46)
That last exam I took two days before the main test. For each and every one of those tests, I spent an hour going through the solution for each and every question (including quant). Manhattan's solutions, especially in the verbal section, were of tremendous help. I owe all my sentence correction prowess to their solution reviews. I was comfortable with the scores I earned in the practice tests thanks to Manhattan's reputation as being tougher than the actual test. I was more or less certain of my target now. 750 was a reasonable goal. Note: I didn't bother with the AWA section for any of these tests. I hardly did any prep at all for the essay portion.
Exam Day
My test was at 1pm so I woke up late, had breakfast and read through Kaplan's AWA section. They had a template that they recommended and a few keywords that they felt bettered one's score. With that out of the way, I made my way across to the center and reached well over an hour in advance. The test center processed me through immediately and I began my test half an hour before the scheduled time. The essay and IR were a walk in the park. I finished them well in time and without any problems. I took a break, had a glass of water and came back to tackle quant. This was my strong suit, and I wasn't lacking in confidence. I began attempting and ticked them off one after another. My pace in the quant section, honestly, shocked me. Within 20 minutes I was done with 15 questions and I faced no difficulty whatsoever. In hindsight, the speed meant that I overlooked a few minute details here and there which lead to an imperfect 50 in quant after regularly acing that portion in every practice test. I finished Quant with 26 mins to spare. The proctor was shocked that I got out so quickly. I myself wasn't very confident at this point. I decided that I needed the break to cool down and take a deep breath or two. I quieted my nerves, told myself that the questions were just very very easy and that's why I could finish the test so quickly. I had another glass of water and got back to hit the Verbal. This has traditionally been my weakness. I used the scratch book to cross out options that I felt were obviously incorrect. I boiled every question (except for the very easy ones) to two or three likely options. I then looked deeper and figured out my answer. Writing down the option numbers and crossing them out helped me in not feeling too crowded with the large amount of text on the screen. The questions were much easier than those I tackled in the MGMAT practice tests. I finished the exam, validated my background data and voila, 770! It took me a moment to register that piece of information. First - Q50 - unexpected. I didn't get below 51 in any of my tests. Second - V46 - never got above 41 in any of my tests. Third - 770 - easily my highest score across all exams. I collected my unofficial report, got my things out of the locker and cruised out. That verbal score made my day.
Study Material
Kaplan Verbal - Very effective. They broke things down. CR was made as easy as can be. Would very much recommend.
Manhattan Tests - A resounding YES! Solutions were crystal clear and those 246 questions ensured that I worked on my errors and learnt new approaches towards questions
Advice
1. Analyze the solution for every single question attempted, especially in verbal. Quant could be straightforward, you solve a question, but verbal is more subjective and requires more practice, IMO. For example, in SC, you might have arrived at the right answer after finding an error with the rest but that doesn't necessarily mean that you identified all such errors. Take some time and go through the solution. Make a note of the errors you missed out on and why they're considered incorrect forms of representation.
2. Give as many tests as you can. There are a bunch of free tests out there. Coupled with one series (Manhattan was perfect for me) you should have around 10 to 12 tests. Nothing helps improve your performance better than working in the actual test environment.
3. Be confident. That's the key. Don't be cowed down by the magnitude of the test. It really isn't that tough a test. It boils down to 78 questions.
Again, thanks a ton! I wouldn't have achieved this without this forum. I hope this debrief helps other test-takers. All the best!
Ravi
First - thanks a ton! There was a snowball's chance in hell of me getting anywhere without all the invaluable help, support and insights this site, its members and the various forums provided me with. No way was I hitting 99%ile without GMAT Club. Thanks a lot guys!
My profile:
I graduated last June from Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) with a B.Tech in Civil Engineering. Since then I've been working at Credit Suisse in their Prime Services division within IB as an Analyst. I decided in June that I would give the GMAT. I plan to apply to the Masters in Finance program for entry Fall
The Beginning
I had absolutely no clue as to how I would need to go about the exam and prepare for it. I was guided to this site by a colleague. I would advise everyone to start by reading the "How to Start Your GMAT Prep" thread in the General Questions and Strategies section of the main forum. This is the most important thread on the site. The main post on this thread by bb also contains various links to how the CAT algorithm works and the secret behind the calculation of the raw and composite scores. I decided to set the date for my exam well in advance, and I'd advise other test-takers to do the same. Without a date, its easy to lose focus and procrastinate. My date was Sep 27th, three and a half months from the day I paid the fee. To test my capabilities and identify my weaknesses I decided to give one of the free GMATPrep tests that come included with the exam fee. I scored 720 (Q51, V36). I've always prided myself in my quant skills and was happy that I wouldn't need to concentrate much on that section of the exam. I clearly had a ways to go on my verbal though but I had three months in hand. I decided to set 750 as my target score.
Verbal
I had 14 weeks give or take to the D-Day. My study approach was simple. Attempt as many verbal questions as I could and gain practice. I borrowed the Kaplan Verbal Study Guide and a GMAT Official Verbal Review from a friend. On an average I put in 10 - 12 hours per week. Since I was working, I could manage only 2 to 4 hours on weekdays. The most important aspect of my preparation was analysis. I can't stress enough on how useful this was to my overall preparation. I would attempt 30 questions at a stretch and then go through the solutions for each and every question regardless of whether I was wrong. Error analysis is, of course, very important but analyzing the questions attempted correctly is equally, if not more, important. For one, I didn't want to incorrectly exaggerate my performance in case I got lucky on a few questions. Secondly, validating my line of thought for every question ensured that I identified the right approach towards solving it correctly.
Tests
I didn't give my next test till mid-August. I wasted my second free GMATPrep test. I scored the exact same as before and it was time, I decided, that I gain better practice and that meant giving more tests. I went through a forums and spoke to a couple of friends who gave the GMAT previously and I decided to buy the Manhattan test series. From the third week of August, right up to the main test, I gave 10 practice tests. My test scores were -
GMATPrep 1 - 720 (Q51, V36)
GMATPrep 2 - 720 (Q51, V36)
MGMAT1 - 690 (Q51, V33)
MGMAT2 - 690 (Q51, V34)
Kaplan (free) - 750 (Q51,V41)
Princeton Review (free) - 740 (Q51, V40)
GMAT Club - Q51, V41
Veritas Prep (free) - 750 (Q51, V41)
MGMAT3 - 730 (Q51, V39)
MGMAT4 - 730 (Q51, V39)
MGMAT5 - 740 (Q51, V40)
MGMAT6 - 730 (Q51, V39)
GMAT - 770 (Q50, V46)
That last exam I took two days before the main test. For each and every one of those tests, I spent an hour going through the solution for each and every question (including quant). Manhattan's solutions, especially in the verbal section, were of tremendous help. I owe all my sentence correction prowess to their solution reviews. I was comfortable with the scores I earned in the practice tests thanks to Manhattan's reputation as being tougher than the actual test. I was more or less certain of my target now. 750 was a reasonable goal. Note: I didn't bother with the AWA section for any of these tests. I hardly did any prep at all for the essay portion.
Exam Day
My test was at 1pm so I woke up late, had breakfast and read through Kaplan's AWA section. They had a template that they recommended and a few keywords that they felt bettered one's score. With that out of the way, I made my way across to the center and reached well over an hour in advance. The test center processed me through immediately and I began my test half an hour before the scheduled time. The essay and IR were a walk in the park. I finished them well in time and without any problems. I took a break, had a glass of water and came back to tackle quant. This was my strong suit, and I wasn't lacking in confidence. I began attempting and ticked them off one after another. My pace in the quant section, honestly, shocked me. Within 20 minutes I was done with 15 questions and I faced no difficulty whatsoever. In hindsight, the speed meant that I overlooked a few minute details here and there which lead to an imperfect 50 in quant after regularly acing that portion in every practice test. I finished Quant with 26 mins to spare. The proctor was shocked that I got out so quickly. I myself wasn't very confident at this point. I decided that I needed the break to cool down and take a deep breath or two. I quieted my nerves, told myself that the questions were just very very easy and that's why I could finish the test so quickly. I had another glass of water and got back to hit the Verbal. This has traditionally been my weakness. I used the scratch book to cross out options that I felt were obviously incorrect. I boiled every question (except for the very easy ones) to two or three likely options. I then looked deeper and figured out my answer. Writing down the option numbers and crossing them out helped me in not feeling too crowded with the large amount of text on the screen. The questions were much easier than those I tackled in the MGMAT practice tests. I finished the exam, validated my background data and voila, 770! It took me a moment to register that piece of information. First - Q50 - unexpected. I didn't get below 51 in any of my tests. Second - V46 - never got above 41 in any of my tests. Third - 770 - easily my highest score across all exams. I collected my unofficial report, got my things out of the locker and cruised out. That verbal score made my day.
Study Material
Kaplan Verbal - Very effective. They broke things down. CR was made as easy as can be. Would very much recommend.
Manhattan Tests - A resounding YES! Solutions were crystal clear and those 246 questions ensured that I worked on my errors and learnt new approaches towards questions
Advice
1. Analyze the solution for every single question attempted, especially in verbal. Quant could be straightforward, you solve a question, but verbal is more subjective and requires more practice, IMO. For example, in SC, you might have arrived at the right answer after finding an error with the rest but that doesn't necessarily mean that you identified all such errors. Take some time and go through the solution. Make a note of the errors you missed out on and why they're considered incorrect forms of representation.
2. Give as many tests as you can. There are a bunch of free tests out there. Coupled with one series (Manhattan was perfect for me) you should have around 10 to 12 tests. Nothing helps improve your performance better than working in the actual test environment.
3. Be confident. That's the key. Don't be cowed down by the magnitude of the test. It really isn't that tough a test. It boils down to 78 questions.
Again, thanks a ton! I wouldn't have achieved this without this forum. I hope this debrief helps other test-takers. All the best!
Ravi
04 Dec 2018, 06:08
Kudos
Bookmarks
Congratulations on the amazing score, and thank you for sharing your debrief.
All the best with the application process!
All the best with the application process!
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