I started my GMAT journey in January 2023. As someone who had prepared for multiple undergraduate admission tests in India, I knew what was the way to go for me: a strong quant section and even a moderate to good verbal section were good enough for me to end up in the mid-700s, which was my target.
However, the GMAT was still a test that, at least initially, confused me. I quickly realised that I should probably opt for a course, simply because it would add structure to my preparation and give me an idea as to where I stand at each step of the journey, and that’s where
e-Gmat came in.
Initial stage
The first month or so of my journey was spent on sharpening my processes. I felt that an initial upfront investment in terms of time was needed to ensure that i had the foundations to score in the top percentiles of the GMAT. Throughout this stage, I never timed myself and ensured that I built a strong review process, where i reviewed each question regardless of whether it was right or wrong.
e-gmat was particularly useful for me here, as their
error log template is a fantastic addition to any review process toolkit. That combined with the detailed video solutions for each question set me up for good reviewing. The videos were particularly helpful as most
OG questions tend to use a lot of jargon in their answer explanations, particularly in the verbal section, and scouring through all of it in a written format can be highly taxing. Add to that the scholaranium analytics, which show you a topic-by-topic analysis of your accuracies, and I quickly realised the worth of buying the course.
The prep process
Verbal
1. Sentence Correction: Sentence correction is a very peculiar section. You can get a ton of questions right without good process, but as soon as the difficulty ramps up, you’ll realise why efficient process is the key to solving SC questions, even if it can slow you down on some of the easier questions. For me I spent hours and hours on medium difficulty questions without timing myself, until I felt I had developed a methodical approach to solving every SC question. The
e-gmat meaning based approach is a fantastic start for anyone in that regard.
2. Critical reasoning: This was the section with the highest upside for me. If I were to share a couple of tips, I would say that you should not fear taking a little extra time reading the initial passage and making sense of it before jumping to the answer choices, as it really pays off when you’re eliminating the incorrect ones.
3. Reading comprehension: Much like CR, do not fear spending a little extra time on reading the passage. Go para by para and start thinking about what argument/description is being built. Another useful tip is to always keep it clear in your mind whether what you read were the author’s words or someone else’s words. Really helps with the difficult questions.
4. Quant: Preparing for quant is simple, its just practice, practice and more practice. With practice you instinctively start seeing patterns on how to solve questions, and are able to apply them effectively. I struggled a ton with geometry initially, but after a few days of constant practice I had bumped up my accuracy to a Q51 level.
The LMP
In my second month, I joined the LMP program with
e-gmat. This meant that I had access to a personalised plan for the final leg of my preparation as well as a dedicated mentor. Akash, the aforementioned mentor, was a pivotal figure in the closing stages of my prep as he brought experience to the table, and his insights into what I needed to work on were a real game-changer. Further, he knew exactly what my accuracy numbers pointed to in terms of actual test scores, and his assurance that I was on the right track relieved a ton of anxiety for me.
The mock plan
About 30 days prior to my exam, Akash and I quickly realised that I was ready to hit my target score on the mocks. However, my exam was a little too far away for the regular 4 mock process to be efficient. To counter that, he came up with a detailed plan where I gave 6 mocks, followed them up with an ironclad review process and attacked every weakness that I could identify from my mock. About a couple of weeks from my exam, I was down with a viral fever that could have derailed my preparation at a crucial stage, but Akash was able to help me work around that and ensure I stayed sharp without taking on too much burden. My mocks were generally quite consistent, with 2 740’s, 2 750’s and one 730. On the actual test, illness set in, so much so that the sound of me coughing made the rest of the exam centre wear noise-cancelling headphones! The mock plan really helped with confidence, and barring a few initial jitters in the verbal section I was relatively calm throughout the duration of my exam.
Final thoughts
The GMAT can be daunting at first, but the key to a good GMAT score is structure and efficiency. Knowing how to prepare is a fantastic start, and
e-gmat is a master of that. You also need to be efficient in your solving process, and with regards to your time. Knowing when to bail on a question is a valuable addition to your roster and will save you tons of invaluable time on the exam.
All the best everyone!
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30 May 2023, 22:46
