This is my first post on GMAT club, but I must admit that I've benefitted a lot from the forum, and from various posts.
I would like to thank GMAT Club for all information and guidance I got from the forum.
I thought for quite long to take GMAT, and this year in May I decided to take the exam sometime in August starting. Finally I appeared in the exam on 25th September.
I had bought
OG 12th edition, and took one practice test earlier. I started solving questions from OG12. I read some GMAT experiences, and guidance for taking GMAT from different sources.
My GMAT score: 720 (Q 49, V 41); AWA 6.0; IR 8
Books & Materials used:
1.
OG 12th Edition: Sometimes I solved the questions with timer, and sometimes without the timer. I reattempted the questions, for which I gave incorrect answers.
2. Manhattan Review Strategy Guides -> Set of 8 books: Studied the concepts from sentence correction guide, but did not do the all the exercises in it. Quickly went through quant strategy guide.
I could not find much time to study all the strategy guides thoroughly.
3. Some articles found on different forums.
4. For AWA: Studied ‘800 Score’ AWA guide. It was useful to give the marking pattern and strategy for essay. Studied AWA guide by Chineseburned on GMAT Club. It was very useful. In fact, I followed its template for exam.
Practice Scores:
GMAT Prep 1 (earlier edition, without IR section): Do not remember the score, as I took it last year. But score was less than 700 (I guess somewhere 650 or 660).
GMAT Prep 2 (earlier edition, without IR section): 710
Manhattan review test (free practice test): 710
Kaplan Test (free practice test): 650
GMAT Prep 1 (new edition, with IR section): 710
GMAT Prep 2 (new edition, with IR section): 710
I usually took full length test with essay and IR. On GMAT prep 2, I scored 5 on IR section.
Background: B.Tech. (Electronics Engineering): GPA 3.1
Work Experience: 7 years, in Telecom Research & Development organization.
Study time: I studied for 2-3 months; I think effective time would be around 2 months.
I studied mostly in evening after office hours. In fact, I think I did not use weekends very effectively. I mostly relied on
OG for question practice, and for sentence correction concepts, I studied Manhattan strategy guide. For RC & CR section, I did not study many notes. For both of these sections, I mostly relied on question practice. In between, I read articles from ‘The Economist’ as suggested by many for RC section.
It is good, if one makes a strict time line for planning and study material collection as well as for study. If time lines are not strict, then significant time may be passed in planning. Try to finalize the basic study material first, and go through some good articles from various forums, whenever find time. I think it could be a good strategy to get aware with exam pattern, finalize and collect the study material, study for about 1-2 weeks, and then take the examination date. People could have different views on this.
Exam day experience: My exam appointment was at 9 in the morning. I reached near the test centre at about 8 am. The centre was not open till that time. I took a cup of tea, and just waited for the centre to open. When I went inside the centre, it had almost similar arrangement, as shown in exam-day experience video at official GMAC website, so it was comfortable. After initial formalities, I kept my water bottle and other materials in the locker. In the AWA section, I had almost remembered my essay structure, so I started the essay after jotting down some of the points. I feel, I had prepared a bit long essay structure, so I had to rush towards the end. In fact I could not revise it properly, just scanned it in last 1-2 minutes and corrected one spelling also. In IR section, I felt comfortable, though I didn’t prepare much for it. I just did practice questions found in GMAT prep, and some other questions.
I took the break after these sections, washed my face and had some normal and glucose water. Though I brought something to eat also, but didn’t feel the need. When 2-3 minutes remained, the administrator gave the prompt, and I said I’m ready. I entered the test room, and he started the test. I had thought that I’ll relax for 1-2 minutes at my seat.
I felt comfortable in quant section. I checked the speed after about every 15 minutes. After the quant section, I took the break and had almost same routine as in the previous break, except I went inside the test room when 1-2 minutes remained. In the verbal section also, I used speed checks at about every 15 minutes. Towards the end of verbal section, the anxiety started as the score was about to come.
Finally, as I completed the test, I got the score and was happy.
Now, I’ve received my official report also.
If anybody needs any specific details, he or she may mail me directly also.
Thanks for the contribution of all the people at different forums. These forums are generally useful for test takers.