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kaladin123
Current Student
Joined: 06 Jul 2019
Last visit: 10 Jul 2022
Posts: 135
Given Kudos: 747
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
Schools: IIMA PGPX'23 (II)
GMAT 1: 640 Q39 V39
GMAT 2: 700 Q48 V38 (Online)
GPA: 3.11
WE:Project Management (Computer Software)
Products:
Updated on: 19 Aug 2021, 22:51
Originally posted by kaladin123 on 26 Jan 2020, 18:23.
Last edited by kaladin123 on 19 Aug 2021, 22:51, edited 7 times in total.
Last edited by kaladin123 on 19 Aug 2021, 22:51, edited 7 times in total.
Kudos
Bookmarks
Quick Links
1. GMAT 1 - 640 (Q39 V39) - Debrief
2. GMAT 2 - 700 (Q48 V38) - Debrief
3. GMAT Online or Test Center?
4. Kaladin's Magic Pill for a 700 score
Kaladin's Kombat | My GMAT Journey
I have been preparing for the GMAT since 2018.
Took my first GMAT in August 2019 and scored a 640 (Q39 V39).I will post a debrief shortly. My debrief.
Since then I have been trying to up my game, with the ultimate goal of breaking the 700 barrier.
I was planning to take the test again next month. But the illustrious dcummins recommended that I focus on my weaknesses first. And that's what I'm going to do!
Books & materials used
Quant
Test Scores
Scored a 640 (Q39 V39) in August 2019.
Background
I am an IT engineer in India.
In my spare time (when I have it), I enjoy reading science fiction novels.
Length of Study
Have been studying for almost 3 years now.
General strategy
Will work on my weaknesses. Then will take practice tests.
1. GMAT 1 - 640 (Q39 V39) - Debrief
2. GMAT 2 - 700 (Q48 V38) - Debrief
3. GMAT Online or Test Center?
4. Kaladin's Magic Pill for a 700 score
Kaladin's Kombat | My GMAT Journey
I have been preparing for the GMAT since 2018.
Took my first GMAT in August 2019 and scored a 640 (Q39 V39).
Since then I have been trying to up my game, with the ultimate goal of breaking the 700 barrier.
I was planning to take the test again next month. But the illustrious dcummins recommended that I focus on my weaknesses first. And that's what I'm going to do!
Books & materials used
Quant
- Nova's Math Prep, Nova's DS Prep: Good for basics but have a lot of typos
- MathRevolution: Videos helped me review my concepts
- Veritas & GMATClub: Using these two for regular practice
- Nova's GMAT Prep: Good intro to the basics, but didn't find much value in it for SC & CR.
- MGMAT SC Guide: Classic primer. But one also needs to do the practice questions.
- PowerScore CR Bible: Another classic primer. But doesn't have enough practice questions.
- Veritas & GMATClub: Using these two for regular practice
Test Scores
Scored a 640 (Q39 V39) in August 2019.
- 11-Jun-18 | Official 1 | 590(Q36 V35)
- 29-Jun-19 | Veritas 1 | 470(Q29 V26)
- 30-Jun-19 | Veritas 2 | 540(Q37 V27)
- 06-Jul-19 | Veritas 3 | 500(Q28 V32)
- 27-Jul-19 | Veritas 4 | 450(Q31 V22)
- 08-Aug-19 | Official 2 | 590(Q39 V33)
- 09-Aug-19 | Veritas 5 | 670(Q47 V35)
- 10-Aug-19 | Veritas 6 | 600(Q43 V30)
- 10-Aug-19 | Veritas 7 | 650(Q44 V36)
- 11-Aug-19 | Official 3 | 640(Q40 V38)
- 12-Aug-19 | Official 4 | 630(Q41 V35)
- 13-Aug-19 | Re-Official 1 | 710(Q47 V41)
- 14-Aug-19 | Re-Official 2 | 630(Q46 V31)
- 16-Aug-19 | D-Day | 640(Q39 V39)
- 19-Sep-19 | GMC-Q1 | NA(Q27 VNA)
- 22-Sep-19 | GMC-Q2 | NA(Q26 VNA)
- 29-Sep-19 | GMC-Q3 | NA(Q6 VNA)
- 09-Dec-19 | GMC-Q4 | NA(Q39 VNA)
- 28-Dec-19 | GMC-V1 | NA(QNA V23)
Background
I am an IT engineer in India.
In my spare time (when I have it), I enjoy reading science fiction novels.
Length of Study
Have been studying for almost 3 years now.
General strategy
Will work on my weaknesses. Then will take practice tests.
kaladin123
Current Student
Joined: 06 Jul 2019
Last visit: 10 Jul 2022
Posts: 135
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 747
Location: India
Concentration: General Management, Strategy
Schools: IIMA PGPX'23 (II)
GMAT 1: 640 Q39 V39
GMAT 2: 700 Q48 V38 (Online)
GPA: 3.11
WE:Project Management (Computer Software)
Products:
27 Jan 2020, 17:23
Kudos
Bookmarks
Sorry about posting this after so long. 
Books & materials used
Quant
Test Scores
Scored a 640 (Q39 V39) in August 2019.
Background Information
I am an IT engineer in India.
General Strategy
My general strategy was centred around taking lots and lots of practice tests. The practice tests definitely helped me get over my test anxiety. However, I now feel that I should have spent more time working on my basic concepts.
Things I wish I knew
GMAT Test Experience (16-Aug-2019)
My actual test went very much as expected. I scored a 640 (Q39 V39) which was close to what I was getting in my practice tests scores.
I reached the test centre an hour before schedule and had to wait outside for the staff to arrive.
I did not solve any questions before the test to warm-up. This is something I'll do next time.
Overall, my test experience was positive.
I had taken a dozen practice tests so I knew what to expect. In fact, these practice tests had prepared me for the worst. Even though, my computer crashed during the test. I was able to take it in my stride and continue with the test.
I had also practised writing on a scratch pad so that didn't stump me either.
TLDR;
Test experience was positive. The actual test went just like any other practice test.
There were gaps in my preparation that I shall fill before I take the test again.
Books & materials used
Quant
- Nova's Math Prep, Nova's DS Prep: Good for basics but have a lot of typos
- Veritas & GMATPrep: Used these two for practice
- Nova's GMAT Prep: Good intro to the basics, but didn't find much value in it for SC & CR.
- Veritas & GMATPrep: Used these two for regular practice
Test Scores
Scored a 640 (Q39 V39) in August 2019.
- 11-Jun-18 | Official 1 | 590(Q36 V35)
- 29-Jun-19 | Veritas 1 | 470(Q29 V26)
- 30-Jun-19 | Veritas 2 | 540(Q37 V27)
- 06-Jul-19 | Veritas 3 | 500(Q28 V32)
- 27-Jul-19 | Veritas 4 | 450(Q31 V22)
- 08-Aug-19 | Official 2 | 590(Q39 V33)
- 09-Aug-19 | Veritas 5 | 670(Q47 V35)
- 10-Aug-19 | Veritas 6 | 600(Q43 V30)
- 10-Aug-19 | Veritas 7 | 650(Q44 V36)
- 11-Aug-19 | Official 3 | 640(Q40 V38)
- 12-Aug-19 | Official 4 | 630(Q41 V35)
- 13-Aug-19 | Re-Official 1 | 710(Q47 V41)
- 14-Aug-19 | Re-Official 2 | 630(Q46 V31)
- 16-Aug-19 | D-Day | 640(Q39 V39)
Background Information
I am an IT engineer in India.
General Strategy
My general strategy was centred around taking lots and lots of practice tests. The practice tests definitely helped me get over my test anxiety. However, I now feel that I should have spent more time working on my basic concepts.
Things I wish I knew
- No magic pill: l wish I knew that no GMAT course can teach me something instantly. There is no magic pill. No shortcut.
If you've seen 1999 film "The Matrix", you will remember the scene where Neo learns advanced martial arts in a couple of seconds.
In the real world, learning takes time. It happens not when you study the concepts but while you practice problems and re-inforce those concepts through practice.
Unfortunately for me, I realised this too late. I realised this after I fell prey to the hype around a certain GMAT Math product. While the product itself isn't too bad, my expectations from it were unrealistic. - Studying same thing from multiple books: Another mistake that I made: I studied the same topic from multiple books. For example, I studied sentence correction first from Nova, then from Veritas. Instead of wasting time learning the same contents from two books, I could have spent time practising OG questions.
- Taking too many tests: Although, I benefited from taking a dozen practice tests before the actual GMAT, I might have been over zealous in this matter. I realise now that I took too many tests. I should have spent more time working on my foundation. Also, I should have maintained an error log and reviewed my mistakes at regular intervals.
GMAT Test Experience (16-Aug-2019)
My actual test went very much as expected. I scored a 640 (Q39 V39) which was close to what I was getting in my practice tests scores.
I reached the test centre an hour before schedule and had to wait outside for the staff to arrive.
I did not solve any questions before the test to warm-up. This is something I'll do next time.
Overall, my test experience was positive.
I had taken a dozen practice tests so I knew what to expect. In fact, these practice tests had prepared me for the worst. Even though, my computer crashed during the test. I was able to take it in my stride and continue with the test.
I had also practised writing on a scratch pad so that didn't stump me either.
TLDR;
Test experience was positive. The actual test went just like any other practice test.
There were gaps in my preparation that I shall fill before I take the test again.
27 Jan 2020, 20:38
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi kaladin123,
To start, a 640 is a solid Score, but the Q39 will likely be seen as a potential 'red flag' at many Programs - so retesting (with the goal of scoring higher in the Quant section) is a good idea.
Regardless of how you choose to proceed with your studies, it's worth noting that while the most realistic CATs available are the 6 from GMAC, retaking a CAT that you've already taken is NOT a realistic way to assess your skills - since you will likely see some 'repeat' questions that you have already faced. Unfortunately, seeing even a couple of repeats can 'throw off' the Scoring Algorithm and impact your pacing, energy levels, fatigue, etc. (meaning that they would likely all appear to be better than they actually are). Thankfully, the CATs from Kaplan, MGMAT and Veritas are all 'close enough' to the real thing that they will provide you with a relatively realistic score assessment (assuming that you correctly take the CAT in a realistic fashion) - so you can use any NEW CATs from any of those sources during this next phase of your studies.
GMAT skills can 'fade' over time. Between your two recent posts, it appears that you have not taken a FULL-LENGTH CAT since you took the Official GMAT (back in August). As such, I strongly recommend that you take a NEW CAT sometime soon and make sure to take it in a realistic fashion (take the FULL CAT - with the Essay and IR sections, take it away from your home, at the same time of day as when you'll take the Official GMAT, etc.). Once you have that score, you should report back here and we can discuss how best to proceed.
Beyond that data, before I can offer you any additional advice for your studies, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:
1) Since you took the GMAT, what type of study plan have you been following? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What is your overall goal score?
3) What 'brands' of CATs/mocks have you used over the course of ALL of your studies?
4) When are you planning to retake the GMAT?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?
You might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
To start, a 640 is a solid Score, but the Q39 will likely be seen as a potential 'red flag' at many Programs - so retesting (with the goal of scoring higher in the Quant section) is a good idea.
Regardless of how you choose to proceed with your studies, it's worth noting that while the most realistic CATs available are the 6 from GMAC, retaking a CAT that you've already taken is NOT a realistic way to assess your skills - since you will likely see some 'repeat' questions that you have already faced. Unfortunately, seeing even a couple of repeats can 'throw off' the Scoring Algorithm and impact your pacing, energy levels, fatigue, etc. (meaning that they would likely all appear to be better than they actually are). Thankfully, the CATs from Kaplan, MGMAT and Veritas are all 'close enough' to the real thing that they will provide you with a relatively realistic score assessment (assuming that you correctly take the CAT in a realistic fashion) - so you can use any NEW CATs from any of those sources during this next phase of your studies.
GMAT skills can 'fade' over time. Between your two recent posts, it appears that you have not taken a FULL-LENGTH CAT since you took the Official GMAT (back in August). As such, I strongly recommend that you take a NEW CAT sometime soon and make sure to take it in a realistic fashion (take the FULL CAT - with the Essay and IR sections, take it away from your home, at the same time of day as when you'll take the Official GMAT, etc.). Once you have that score, you should report back here and we can discuss how best to proceed.
Beyond that data, before I can offer you any additional advice for your studies, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:
1) Since you took the GMAT, what type of study plan have you been following? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What is your overall goal score?
3) What 'brands' of CATs/mocks have you used over the course of ALL of your studies?
4) When are you planning to retake the GMAT?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?
You might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
