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Whether you are just beginning your MBA journey or fine-tuning your path to a 700+ score, GMAT Day is designed to give you a competitive edge.
stinger02in
Updated on: 25 Jun 2015, 00:03
Originally posted by stinger02in on 22 Jun 2015, 00:10.
Last edited by stinger02in on 25 Jun 2015, 00:03, edited 2 times in total.
Last edited by stinger02in on 25 Jun 2015, 00:03, edited 2 times in total.
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****Added the AWA score****
First of all I would like to thank GMATClub for all the valuable posts. I have been 'lurking' around this forum regularly for the last few months but was never really active.
I have a bachelor's degree in Engineering from an Indian Engineering college. I passed out in 2005 and since then for 10 years have been working in IT industry moving from being a junior developer to now being a Tech Lead and hopefully a manager this year. I have been working in U.S. on H1B from 2009. I am 33 now.
I never had any plans to study further, I was content with moving up the ladder in my current workplace. However my girlfriend always wanted me to go for my MBA and she had pushed me a lot in 2012 but I was not interested at that time. But things change - I became very serious about MBA at the start of this year. I didn't start my GMAT preparations before mid-April, but I planned to get it over with by June.
I had used the following -
1. MGMAT - Full Set including IR. (60% of the books were very helpful for me to learn the different question types)
2. OG 13th Edition - extremely important for its actual GMAT questions.
3. eGMAT - Sentence Correction (bought it 3 days before my GMAT exam)
4. GMATPrep - got the additional exam and questions set too.
5. GMATClub iPhone app - browsed many SC and DS questions and test day experiences.
I started off by studying the MGMAT books - Maths mainly to brush up my skills not used since my Bachelor's. My progress was pretty slow initially and I had no idea if I would be ready by June to take the exam. However, things changed when I took my first full length GMATPrep test (no Essay) and got a 590. This was within a week or 2 of the start of my prep. The score made me believe that if I can complete going through all the topics tested in GMAT, 700 might be possible for me. Before the first mock test I was mostly looking at getting a 650 (as one of my friends had got and he joined a IIM back in India in an Executive MBA program).
I didn't go through all the MGMAT books - books like the CR, fractions/decimals/ RC were skipped. The ones I did read, I highlighted important points for my later revisions. After I was through with the rest of the books (I didn't do all the practice questions in the MGMAT book - sometimes did the odd numbered ones and sometimes the even numbered ones; always marked the ones that I got wrong), I started doing the OG questions - I would do 10 of each - SCs, Problem Solving and DS and would time myself to see if I am within 1.5 minutes avg per question for all. Also I was taking the MGMAT free full length CATs now with essay and IR - once every week. The week before the exam I took two CATs. And on the week of the exam, I took my last mock CAT on Wednesday (Friday was my exam). I was mainly revising all my mistakes in the last week.
Also on the last week I read a GMATClub post where people were praising the eGMAT verbal portion - I was interested and bought the SC package and went through some of the chapters - they seem good to me in my short stint with them.
GMATPREP CAT 1 - 590 (no essay)
MGMAT CAT 1 - 420 (Disaster! Never expected that the questions would be harder than GMATPrep)
GMATPREP CAT 2 - 690
MGMAT CAT 2 - 620
GMATPREP CAT 3 - 690
GMATPREPCAT 4 - 690
MGMAT CAT 3 - 640
GMATPREP CAT 1 (retake, got some common questions) - 730
GMATPREP CAT 3 (retake, got some common questions) - 730
GMAT - 710 (Quant-49, Verbal-39, IR-6, AWA 6)
So as you can see, the MGMAT mocks returned lower scores; the GMATPrep was much closer.
Test day - As per suggestions from different GMATClub posts I took it easy. My exam was at 3:45 PM. I took a day off from my work, went out and spent time at a coffee shop and relaxed in the morning. I turned up at the exam center around an hour before my test. I had previously visited the place twice just as some of the GMATClub posts had suggested.
Essay went pretty fine. I had a big time crunch in my IR and had to guess last 4 questions. Quant was going good, but then ran out of time and could not finish the last question (couldn't move my mouse in time to the submit button, damn!). verbal was ok and I managed to finish on time with some guesses.
I took a break between quant and verbal and had a energy bar and Red Bull (the red Bull effect lasted till 5 AM that night and I couldn't sleep after the exam for a long time)
Tip - Do strategize to guess and move through some hard questions. It's not like college test where you have to attempt to do all the questions and get them right.
Post GMAT -
Now comes the second phase of my MBA experience. Till now I was only focusing on the GMAT test. I didn't do any research on any schools (I am in California). I just selected some California favorites like Haas, Anderson to send my score on the test day.
So again my profile is a 33 year old Indian engineer with H1B and who doesn't have any U.S. degrees. I have to now decide what best suites me - full time, part time or executive MBA. Initial research on my part is suggesting that I should not consider full time programs. I do want to work in U.S. so I believe I have to do my MBA in U.S. only (not in India).
Another thing - I have been thinking of retaking the GMAT and try to get 30-40 more. So that with my average profile, I get a better shot at good schools. If I do, then I will take it within a month again.
Do let me know if you have any questions about my preparations and also if you have any suggestions for my future application steps.
First of all I would like to thank GMATClub for all the valuable posts. I have been 'lurking' around this forum regularly for the last few months but was never really active.
I have a bachelor's degree in Engineering from an Indian Engineering college. I passed out in 2005 and since then for 10 years have been working in IT industry moving from being a junior developer to now being a Tech Lead and hopefully a manager this year. I have been working in U.S. on H1B from 2009. I am 33 now.
I never had any plans to study further, I was content with moving up the ladder in my current workplace. However my girlfriend always wanted me to go for my MBA and she had pushed me a lot in 2012 but I was not interested at that time. But things change - I became very serious about MBA at the start of this year. I didn't start my GMAT preparations before mid-April, but I planned to get it over with by June.
I had used the following -
1. MGMAT - Full Set including IR. (60% of the books were very helpful for me to learn the different question types)
2. OG 13th Edition - extremely important for its actual GMAT questions.
3. eGMAT - Sentence Correction (bought it 3 days before my GMAT exam)
4. GMATPrep - got the additional exam and questions set too.
5. GMATClub iPhone app - browsed many SC and DS questions and test day experiences.
I started off by studying the MGMAT books - Maths mainly to brush up my skills not used since my Bachelor's. My progress was pretty slow initially and I had no idea if I would be ready by June to take the exam. However, things changed when I took my first full length GMATPrep test (no Essay) and got a 590. This was within a week or 2 of the start of my prep. The score made me believe that if I can complete going through all the topics tested in GMAT, 700 might be possible for me. Before the first mock test I was mostly looking at getting a 650 (as one of my friends had got and he joined a IIM back in India in an Executive MBA program).
I didn't go through all the MGMAT books - books like the CR, fractions/decimals/ RC were skipped. The ones I did read, I highlighted important points for my later revisions. After I was through with the rest of the books (I didn't do all the practice questions in the MGMAT book - sometimes did the odd numbered ones and sometimes the even numbered ones; always marked the ones that I got wrong), I started doing the OG questions - I would do 10 of each - SCs, Problem Solving and DS and would time myself to see if I am within 1.5 minutes avg per question for all. Also I was taking the MGMAT free full length CATs now with essay and IR - once every week. The week before the exam I took two CATs. And on the week of the exam, I took my last mock CAT on Wednesday (Friday was my exam). I was mainly revising all my mistakes in the last week.
Also on the last week I read a GMATClub post where people were praising the eGMAT verbal portion - I was interested and bought the SC package and went through some of the chapters - they seem good to me in my short stint with them.
GMATPREP CAT 1 - 590 (no essay)
MGMAT CAT 1 - 420 (Disaster! Never expected that the questions would be harder than GMATPrep)
GMATPREP CAT 2 - 690
MGMAT CAT 2 - 620
GMATPREP CAT 3 - 690
GMATPREPCAT 4 - 690
MGMAT CAT 3 - 640
GMATPREP CAT 1 (retake, got some common questions) - 730
GMATPREP CAT 3 (retake, got some common questions) - 730
GMAT - 710 (Quant-49, Verbal-39, IR-6, AWA 6)
So as you can see, the MGMAT mocks returned lower scores; the GMATPrep was much closer.
Test day - As per suggestions from different GMATClub posts I took it easy. My exam was at 3:45 PM. I took a day off from my work, went out and spent time at a coffee shop and relaxed in the morning. I turned up at the exam center around an hour before my test. I had previously visited the place twice just as some of the GMATClub posts had suggested.
Essay went pretty fine. I had a big time crunch in my IR and had to guess last 4 questions. Quant was going good, but then ran out of time and could not finish the last question (couldn't move my mouse in time to the submit button, damn!). verbal was ok and I managed to finish on time with some guesses.
I took a break between quant and verbal and had a energy bar and Red Bull (the red Bull effect lasted till 5 AM that night and I couldn't sleep after the exam for a long time)
Tip - Do strategize to guess and move through some hard questions. It's not like college test where you have to attempt to do all the questions and get them right.
Post GMAT -
Now comes the second phase of my MBA experience. Till now I was only focusing on the GMAT test. I didn't do any research on any schools (I am in California). I just selected some California favorites like Haas, Anderson to send my score on the test day.
So again my profile is a 33 year old Indian engineer with H1B and who doesn't have any U.S. degrees. I have to now decide what best suites me - full time, part time or executive MBA. Initial research on my part is suggesting that I should not consider full time programs. I do want to work in U.S. so I believe I have to do my MBA in U.S. only (not in India).
Another thing - I have been thinking of retaking the GMAT and try to get 30-40 more. So that with my average profile, I get a better shot at good schools. If I do, then I will take it within a month again.
Do let me know if you have any questions about my preparations and also if you have any suggestions for my future application steps.
24 Jun 2015, 23:11
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Bookmarks
I think the decision for the program to pursue should come from more of a consideration than just a GMAT score.
For one, one of the inputs is your age - you are on the verge and pretty old by the MBA standards, so an EMBA may be more appropriate and feasible. PT is also a good option if you can pull off working and studying at the same time (can be quite demanding and usually takes 3 years).
Moreover, your goals, plans for where you want to work and what you want to do. PT and EMBA programs will probably be not overly helpful with employment since they assume you have a job and will stay within your company. If you are planning to switch industries/career tracks/etc, then Full time is the best option.
Just my 2 cents.
For one, one of the inputs is your age - you are on the verge and pretty old by the MBA standards, so an EMBA may be more appropriate and feasible. PT is also a good option if you can pull off working and studying at the same time (can be quite demanding and usually takes 3 years).
Moreover, your goals, plans for where you want to work and what you want to do. PT and EMBA programs will probably be not overly helpful with employment since they assume you have a job and will stay within your company. If you are planning to switch industries/career tracks/etc, then Full time is the best option.
Just my 2 cents.
stinger02in
Joined: 21 Jun 2015
Last visit: 07 Oct 2016
Posts: 4
Own Kudos:
Schools: Haas EWMBA'19 (A)
GMAT 1: 710 Q49 V39
25 Jun 2015, 07:51
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Thanks bb. I agree, I would like to have peer students from similar age group during my MBA. Between Part Time and EMBA, I am more inclined towards Part Time because it will help me get my paycheck every 2 weeks while I study. I might get married by the time 2016 classes start up, so the paychecks would help me there.
I am currently in IT industry and do not plan to change to any other. My short term goal is to move up the ladder from being a Tech Lead to a Project/Program manager at a U.S. Company. Even though their wont be any recruitments in part time programs, I am hoping that I will be able to connect with fellow students and get some opportunity. At the very least after my MBA I can expect promotions in my current company. Since I want to continue in IT, I am looking at schools close to CA Bay area to be close to the companies.
I am also wary about the loan I will need for MBA. I have been in U.S. For 6 years and have a good credit history, but I have moderate savings. While a HAAS Part Time program over 3 years is 130k, a Santa Clara University Part time program is 70k and 2 years. I am not sure borrowing what amount is safe for me, still researching that aspect.
Posted from GMAT ToolKit
I am currently in IT industry and do not plan to change to any other. My short term goal is to move up the ladder from being a Tech Lead to a Project/Program manager at a U.S. Company. Even though their wont be any recruitments in part time programs, I am hoping that I will be able to connect with fellow students and get some opportunity. At the very least after my MBA I can expect promotions in my current company. Since I want to continue in IT, I am looking at schools close to CA Bay area to be close to the companies.
I am also wary about the loan I will need for MBA. I have been in U.S. For 6 years and have a good credit history, but I have moderate savings. While a HAAS Part Time program over 3 years is 130k, a Santa Clara University Part time program is 70k and 2 years. I am not sure borrowing what amount is safe for me, still researching that aspect.
Posted from GMAT ToolKit 
