I have written about scoring a 720 Q50 V38
https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-online- ... 33062.html but I would like to share an in-depth article on the methods that helped me score a 720.
Quant:I struggled with quant until I was introduced to
Target Test prep. I think
TTP was a complete game-changer for me.
TTP is excellent to build your foundation. They have comprehensive chapter-wise tests to ensure you are very thorough with what you study.
TTP has a section called 'Must know' - I thought it was GOLD! I would advise a
TTP user to go through this section frequently and review lessons of the concepts that one can't recall. You HAVE to revise concepts religiously - at least once a week so you don't forget them.
Advice: Make sure to use the course about 4 months before your actual exam. I made the mistake of doing it way too early and forgot all the concepts.
GMAT club tests were very helpful to give me a realistic idea of the stress I would face during the quant section of the exam. They exposed many weak areas and this alerted me to
'what I knew v/s what I thought I knew'. I would recommend doing these tests but do not go by the test scores because I averaged at a 42 while I got a 50 in my actual exam.
In the last week of my exam, since I knew I wasn't taking any more GMAT prep mocks, I attempted GMAT prep questions. I checked for my weak areas in the
GMAT club tests analysis section, started with my weakest area and attempted at least 10 questions of each section, and continued this in a cycle.
Reviewing your mistakes and understanding WHY you got a question wrong is extremely important. There is no point in attempting questions if you are not going to review.
Verbal:SC -
Manhattan SC is the only book that I needed during my prep. I highlighted important points in each chapter and went through those points as many times as possible. The only way you know you are good at SC is when you can explain why the 4 answer choices are wrong and why that one answer is correct. Unless you do this, you definitely cannot improve in SC.
CR - Reading the
CR Bible was extremely helpful. Understanding how to dissect an argument into premises and conclusion, the different types of questions, and the techniques to attempt each type of question will help you attack a CR question well. I had to read the CR bible a couple of times until I understood what it was getting at, so don't worry if you don't understand the book the first few times you read it. But do not give up!
RC - I practiced dense and tough LSAT 700 level RC passages. I didn't bother timing myself because I first of all had to understand how the questions are posed and how I can answer the questions. I perhaps spent over an hour on each passage. I took the time to understand the passage and then took enough time to answer each question and did not move to the next question until I was convinced that I had the right answer. I was convinced only when I could eliminate the wrong answer choices and know why the right answer was right. I did this until I was 100% confident. Because I did this with extremely tough passages, the actual GMAT passages started feeling easier.
Empower GMATI went through the
Empower GMAT course for a month for verbal alone and I think all the sections helped me kick off the process of understanding what the GMAT was testing. The strategies listed for each section are very helpful.
I love the way Rich explains SC questions in the GMAT Club forum. I find his explanations detailed and very easy to follow. I even used his IR explanations in other forums to prepare.
GMAT Ninja is amazing! The SC videos are extremely good and I always looked for his explanations on SC questions when I got a question wrong. I would recommend watching his youtube videos on SC.
I found Aditya Kumar's (Aditya is a quant expert at CrackVerbal) videos on youtube - They are splendid! Especially the Absolute values and inequalities videos helped me understand those concepts well. These videos are a must-watch for anyone struggling with these concepts.
Most importantly, I know that I was able to perform well only when I decided that GMAT was not everything. I kept reminding myself this a million times - "It's just another exam". I decided to be confident and to focus on one question at a time.
I have been at this on and off for almost 2 years and I know how unnerving it can be. I wish I had someone who could guide me during my preparation. Either way, I did it and I'm proud of myself!
I wish you all the very best.
Know that, if you want to do it, YOU CAN DO IT!