GMAT scores and more

Hello GMATers. As a veteran of the GMAT battle awarded the order of 730 (50Q, 38V) November 2002, I testifyтАж I donтАЩt think any prep book says it, but I personally found it very helpful to have benchmarks while preparing for the test. They are important to track your progress and compare your results against the results of other test takers who eventually scored at about the same level you are aiming at. I used PowerPrep as one of the benchmarks. Unfortunately, it has only 2 tests. So you cannot waste it and need to use it really wisely cause this is the best indicator of your actual score level. Do not take the PowerPrep tests before you get well acquainted with the test structure and question types and before you brush up on your math and grammar. I used KaplanтАЩs 2003 book to learn the strategies and review math and grammar and I think this is the best book. I would say, you need to spend not more than 2 weeks on this kind of GMAT orientation. Then after this brief desk study, take the first PowerPrep test. I scored 650 (48,31) on the first test while my desired score was 720-730. Compare your score to the desired, identify your problem areas in general. Like in my case, it was the Verbal section. And plan your studies, develop timings and go ahead. Take the second PowerPrep test when you think that you have done pretty much everything to raise you score but still have some time left before the date you are going to take the real test. I scored 700 (49, 37) on the second PowerPrep test. Actually, basing on my personal experience and experience of a few other people, you may add up to 20-30 points to your PowerPrep score to see what the score would be if you took the actual GMAT.
As you can see, my studies brought me 50 points on top. It took me about 3 months to raise the score by these 50 points. If you do not raise your score, it would be a good indicator that you do something wrong, concentrate on the wrong areas, do not study regularly or something like that.
But if you use another set of benchmarks along with the PowerPrep, you will learn about the effectiveness of your studies earlier and will have enough time and enough information on your strong and weak points to adapt and perfection your study plan.
4 CATтАЩs on the CD provided with the KaplanтАЩs 2003 book may be used as a set of benchmarks. ItтАЩs not that I am so crazy about benchmarking that I forget about other aspects of the prep tests, but other advantages of taking as many CATтАЩs as possible are pretty obvious. I just want to stress that it is very important to track your progress and use the tests as indicators of your strengths and weaknesses, and see if your study plan is any good and whether you do not waste your time.
Kaplan tests offer a very thorough report on your results. The reports show how well you are at timing your test and how well you do on each type of the questions. So, take the first KaplanтАЩs CAT right after you take the first PowerPrep. Do not be shocked when you score significantly less on the KaplanтАЩs test. I scored 550 on my first Kaplan, which is 100 points less than on my first PowerPrep. KaplanтАЩs tests are underscored. I would say the verbal section on KaplanтАЩs is more difficult than on the real test; however, math is very close to the real. Take those 4 tests systematically. I mean if you, for example, have 3 - 4 months till the official test, you may take one test every 3 weeks, or you may take them each time you finish a certain round of your preparation studies if you broke them into units or something like that. On my last KaplanтАЩs test I scored 620. Add about a 100 to your KaplanтАЩs score to adapt its score to the official GMAT.
Finally, get advice from the right people on what strategies or prep materials to use. Before you ask for their advice, ask about their score history, math, verbal, what were their strong and weak points, etc. I donтАЩt think it would be very wise to use strategies or study plans or prep materials that were very helpful to a person who progressed from 550 to 650, for instance, while your current PowerPrep score is 650 and you desire 750. It might be a waste of time and money. If someone recommends you the Princeton Review book to learn the strategies, chances are the advisor didnтАЩt score higher than 650. Or, contrarily, if your friend tells you KaplanтАЩs GMAT 800 was a very good book, chances are your friend aimed at 750+, donтАЩt rush to purchase the book if you do not need a score that high.
Anyway, if anybody wants to use me as a benchmark or an advisor, I donтАЩt mind . I am willing to share my experience so long as my memories of the test are fresh and I am still able to recall what I did right or wrong .