Hi guys,
I am happy to share that I gave my GMAT today(first attempt) and scored 710(V40, Q47). I am pretty pleased with the score since it falls in the mid 80% range for most schools that I plan to apply to.
Before starting, I gave a mock and scored 610. This gave me an idea of where I stand, and an idea of how to prepare. I started preparation for the GMAT around 3 months back and relied entirely on self-study. I purchased the
GMAT Official Guide(2018) and solved it in the first couple of weeks. I noticed that I got a lot of questions towards the end wrong, and realized that I needed to get my basics right if I want a 700+ score. I bought the Kaplan Verbal Workbook(good for understanding concepts, not for questions), and went through the Manhattan SC guide and Powerbible CR for verbal. Solving questions on these guides helped me get my basics right, although I noticed I was still struggling with 700+ level questions. It was then I started solving 700+ questions on the GMAT Club Forum, and soon my confidence shot up. For Quant, I used sample worksheets on GMAT and just reviewed the basic concepts online.
I gave my second mock and scored 700. I spent the last week revising and focusing on my weak areas, and though I prepared well during the week, I was nervous about my score. On the last day, I relaxed and did some light revision. On the day of the GMAT, I went to the center on time, and started my exam early, with minimal distraction. I found both sections harder than what was on the GMAT Prep software. In the end, I was pretty satisfied with my overall score. Chineseburned template was a useful source for my AWA practice.
I thank all the GMAT moderators, for the great answers to the questions, and the forum as a whole for making my prep much easier. :D
Please reach out guys, if you need any tips preparing. I would be happy to pay back all the help this wonderful forum has given me