My debrief

I started my GMAT preparations in August 2020 when I gave the first diagnostic test from Manhattan Prep Test and scored a 640 (Q42 and V35). I targeted a score of 750 from the first day of my preparation. I knew one thing from the start - With practice, I would eventually get comfortable in Verbal but Quant would make me nervous even on the test day. And so, I made a mental picture of the scores that I could, with hard work, manage in each of the sections.

One thing that is important in GMAT is research. I spent 7-10 days speaking with others who had given GMAT, reading debriefs, watching videos of 700+ scorers, and browsing through forums such as the GMAT club discussions. The idea was to get a thorough sense of the nature and the structure of each section of the exam and create a repository of all the good resources and practice tests available. I become focused and less nervous when I know the length and breadth of the challenge in-front of me.

Another thing that works best for me is going back to the basics. I brushed up basics from OG and Manhattan Prep Guide. The latter is more detailed and focuses on techniques and approaches very elaborately compared to the former. I picked up Quant first and solved practice questions from OG and Manhattan. And then picked up Verbal and finished both the materials. Having completed a few materials (not selectively but thoroughly) gives a huge boost in confidence as you feel that you have covered a substantial distance in your prep journey.

In terms of time management, to be honest, I was not very consistent in the start which is why I had to push out my planned deadline of November to December. I used to miss studying at all on some days when the work was hectic or a new series released on OTT. . On an average, I dedicated 2 hours a day on weekdays and 3-3.5 hours on weekends. In hindsight, 2-2.5 hours on weekdays and 5 hours on Sat/Sun each is a must to maintain the momentum and peak at the right time. One should also not stretch the prep over months as this exam requires a rigorous training like approach in which if you go slow and lazy, you will lose steam and focus. That means, starting all over again!

And after basics, I decided to work on the weaker areas in both Quant and Verbal. As is generally suggested, I focused on approach and technique first and not timing. I started solving questions in the 700-800 difficulty level from GMAT club and other question banks. I also bought the Manhattan practice tests (set of 5 tests) and planned one every Saturday. As a matter of discipline, I used to tally my answers and understand the solutions for every question since I knew, approach mattered more than accuracy to get a predictable score!

I consistently scored 670-690 on the first 3 Manhattan tests. They are said to be tougher than actual GMAT tests, but that did not give me any relief. CR in Verbal continued to remain somewhat uncertain (V35-V40) and in Quant, I struggled with difficult questions in P&C, geometry and probability (Q41-Q49). I could not complete the sections in the first couple of tests as well.

I continued practicing from Question banks focusing majorly on getting the methodology right so that my timing could improve. Certainly, consistent practice and solution analysis brought in a lot of improvement. I used to get up at 5AM and practice 1-1.5 hours of quant in the morning and spent 1-1.5 hours between 10-11.30pm on verbal. I took the 4th Manhattan test after 2 weeks of practice and got a 710. I followed this with 2 free practice tests on GMAT official website and got an average of 740. Had I finally arrived? NO.

Even after reaching the band of 710-740, I knew that if I were given a curveball question, I may not succeed. My theory was tested when I gave the free Sigma X mock test on EGMAT. I was back to a 670 score. I realized that I had 35 days to the exam and I needed a better cementing strategy. What I did not know was that in some areas especially in CR and some topics in Quant, I needed to get the approach right as well. I consulted the E-GMAT team and found their feedback quite useful. They analyzed 2 sigma X mock tests I had given with 670 and 710 respectively and curated a success plan for my case. When I say my case, I mean that I was far closer to the finishing line than many beginners and a little calibration in the strategy would help to seal the deal.

It turns out that I was at various stages of prep in different areas and hence the study plan focused on different aspects for different topics: approach building, cementing and test readiness. I would recommend students who are struggling with approach to consult the E-GMAT as how they help you grasp the questions without nervousness and reach the solution in the simplest, most elegant way is actually quite unique.

As per the plan, I started dedicating 3 hours a day on weekdays and 10 hours each on Sat/Sun. I saw my Sigma X mock scores improving to 730-750. My scores became more consistent and my confidence level drastically improved. Scores ranged between 740-760 in Manhattan and MBA.com tests as well.

I would also recommend solving free scholaranium quizzes on the platform where one can customize the quizzes to time and difficulty levels and understand where one stands under different scenarios. It is important to get a strong command over easy and mid level questions as it improves the timing and increases the score.

IR & AWA: I would recommend practicing IR well in advance (it is mostly covered as part of the mocks + a couple of question banks) and a lot of free material available online can help with that. If one has a good command over the English language, then AWA is not difficult. What matters is giving a structured, well analyzed and holistic response to the question. I personally dedicated 5-6 hours of effort overall for AWA.

A day before the test, I gave one last mock from the official GMAT website, just to get the pacing right. It certainly helps if you get a 750 on the penultimate day as well . I was calm and clear as to where I was going to land.

On the test day, I woke up on time, continued keeping myself calm through a mix of relaxed breathing and positive mindset. I got ready early, had a good brunch as my test was in second half and I wanted to stay light before the exam. I ensured to stay hydrated and also shut my eyes for some time and rested. 4 hours before the test, I solved 5-7 questions each in Quant and Verbal just to charge up my brain, power my fingers and go into the zone. I also did one AWA practice just to stay conscious of the timing and structure.

At the test center, general easing-in tip: please don't wear jackets/scarfs as you would be asked to keep them aside. Wear a thin pull-over if you are generally not comfortable with air conditioning. In terms of order, I chose Quant-> Verbal->IR->AWA. (Please note that after a couple of experiments, I conditioned myself through the mocks to go into this order). I was slightly more anxious with Quant and did not want any pre-conditioning cos of how other sections went and hence went for it first. Process of right approach + elimination + ballparking helped me finish the test on time. In verbal again, I used a similar strategy while also enjoying the content of every question in itself. This little tactic of relating to the topic helps you stay focused and engaged with the question. One pro-tip: You should not look at the timer every now and then but keep a tab of it periodically. Also, I did take the 7 minute break between the sessions and did not skip it as those 7 minutes helped me decompress and come out of Quant zone and get into Verbal zone.

Staying relaxed and enjoying the process makes a massive difference to the temperament on the mock tests as well as the main day. And finally, take a date, if you have not yet! Once you set the date, everything gets streamlined.