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29 Jan 2024, 06:06
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Hi
I would like to share my GMAT journey with you guys. I am an orthodontist by profession. But despite studying dentistry for eight years and having a decent work experience post it, I always felt that a career in management was my calling and I took a significant turn in my career last year when I decided to take the GMAT. As I had not been actively involved in academics for a long time, getting back into the examination mode was an uphill task. However, I am glad to share that my hard work and perseverance, along with the mentorship I received from the e-GMAT team helped me achieve a 96th percentile score on the GMAT.
Experience with the GMAT Exam
The journey from being an orthodontist to acing the GMAT was challenging, to say the least. After much deliberation, at the behest of a couple of family friends who had taken the GMAT earlier, I enrolled in the e-GMAT Online course in April 2023. The first time I took the diagnostic mock, I barely managed to score a dismal 580, and needless to say I was disheartened. Coming from a medical background, I had not touched quant for 13 years and I was quite concerned about starting afresh. Moreover, much to my surprise, despite being an avid reader I found the verbal to be extremely difficult. Improving my score by 150 points was tough, especially because I am working full time but seeing a score of 730 (Q 48, V 41, IR 6, AWA 5) on the screen felt surreal as finally, my hard work had paid off.
Apart from going through the e-GMAT course, I also made use of the Manhattan GMAT Strategy guides, the GMAT Official, Verbal, and Quant Guide 2022 as well as the GMAT Official Advanced Questions Guide. Moreover, I also exhausted all the Official GMAT mocks (practice tests 1-6) as well as the Sigma X mocks. I gave an attempt in Nov 2023, however, my preparation wasn't up to the mark and I canceled my score. I gave an attempt in the first week of Jan 2024 and scored 700 (Q 49, V 35, IR 7, AWA 5), which is when I got in touch with e-GMAT mentor Rashmi who helped me improve my score by an impressive 30 points within 18 days.
Initial preparation:
After joining the e-GMAT course, I followed the personalized study plan which was based on my diagnostic quiz results and my current skill set. After going through the concepts file I went ahead with the diagnostic and cementing quizzes. However, I did not opt for the test readiness quizzes, a mistake I rectified in my last attempt. I feel that taking the test readiness quizzes apart from the practice mocks really helps in building stamina as well as the required speed for the test.
1.1 Improvement in Verbal Section:
I improved from V 31 to V 41 in verbal. I used to think that verbal wouldn't be all that tough but I could not have been more wrong. My strength actually wasn't working in my favor as the structure of the GMAT is totally different and one needs to rewire oneself. Right from SC, CR to RC, I was surprised to realize that I had major room for improvement in all areas.
1.1.1 Reading Comprehension (RC) - One thing I realized during RC is that contrary to what people think, being a voracious reader isn't all that helpful because one builds the habit of skimming through passages, something that can be very detrimental in an exam like the GMAT. I realized that the GMAT RC required a different approach. It's not just about understanding the content but the structure and the author's intent behind the passage. Master Comprehension ably guides students about the importance of strategic pausing and following a structure-based approach. Both of these, according to me, are prerequisites for nailing hard RC passages. Mastering this approach made a significant difference in my performance.
1.1.2 Critical Reasoning – Even though I had gone through the concept files emphasizing the importance of pre-thinking earlier, I was skeptical about the same and did not follow the approach initially and my previous ESR showed that my accuracy in CR was less than 50 %. On the suggestion of the mentors at e-GMAT, during my last attempt, I followed the process of pre-thinking and was surprised to find out that I could solve most CR questions in under 1.5 minutes. I attribute my improved score majorly to adopting the process of pre-thinking. It helped me navigate through the tricky questions that the GMAT is known for, saving me precious time and making me avoid traps, especially in the harder questions.
1.1.3 Strategy for Sentence Correction –
I cannot emphasize enough on the importance of following the Meaning Based Approach in Sentence Correction (SC). I lot of right answers in GMAT sound awkward and relying on what sounds right isn't going to help much. Following the meaning-based approach, on the other hand, made me more efficient at avoiding grammatically correct wrong answers. Understanding the meaning and structure in SC was vital as most Medium to Hard questions in SC incorporate subtle changes in the meaning between the closest options. Timing in the GMAT, especially in the verbal section, is critical and saving time on SC and CR allowed me to allocate more time to RC passages, which was a game-changer.
1.1.4 Importance of Cementing -
Cementing and Test readiness quizzes are extremely important as they made me realize the gap between my conceptual knowledge and the practical application of concepts. More importantly, these quizzes helped me in time management and also made me realize the importance of guessing and moving on. Every hard question cannot be solved in a timed environment and one needs to devout time judiciously to questions that are manageable in order to improve the overall score.
1.2 Quantitative Preparation Journey
For Quant, I started with a lower ability, considering I hadn't studied Quant since 12th grade, followed by years of dentistry. However, I managed to make a substantial improvement. PACE tailors the course to the individual needs of every student and helped me save more than 40 hours on my Quant Prep. Apart from the practice quizzes, I did a lot of custom quizzes as well. I paid special attention to topics like number properties, algebra, etc. which were my weak points. Focusing on my weak areas as identified through Scholaranium, helped me improve my Quant score significantly. Despite some challenges on the day of the test, my preparation was solid enough to achieve a high score.
1.3 Utilizing Scholaranium for Targeted Practice
Scholaranium was particularly vital in my preparation. It offered a platform where I could identify my weak points and focus specifically on them. Data Insights is an invaluable tool in critically identifying weak areas and also offers the chance to track improvement. My mentor helped me work on my flaws and play on my strengths. This was especially true for the Quant and CR sections, where I needed the maximum improvement. Scholaranium's targeted practice questions and the analytical tools provided a structured approach to tackling my weaknesses.
GMAT Attempt – 700
I scored 700 on the Sigma X Mock before the GMAT and scored the same in the GMAT in the first week of Jan 2024. I was hoping for a score in the 730-740 range as I was scoring around the same in the official GMAT practice mocks. I couldn't understand what went wrong as I was under the impression that I was doing rather well throughout the test. With hardly three weeks left to give another attempt as the GMAT Classical Edition was coming to an end, I contacted the e-GMAT team to enroll in the LMP program as I wanted to rely on someone experienced enough to guide me through this phase.
Final Push with Last Mile Push Program:
The Last Mile Push Program in the final stages of my preparation was pivotal. Rashmi advised me to get the ESR of my previous attempt so that we could figure out what went wrong and in the meantime started me on various test readiness quizzes. It provided an objective view of my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to focus on critical areas for improvement. This objective analysis was something I couldn't have done as effectively on my own.
Rashmi gave me the insight that timing was an issue and that I was losing out on some questions by spending a considerable amount of time on some difficult questions that I was anyways getting wrong. I took the corrective action of wrapping up and moving on to questions whenever I crossed the threshold time. Prior to the exam I scored 740 on the Sigma X mock and was hoping to get a similar score. I managed a 730 but I am content with the fact that the LMP program helped me increase my score by 30 points in a matter of a few days (I need to mention that this happened despite me not getting an adequate amount of rest before the exam because of exam anxiety, something I strongly advise against). Also, I would like to mention that the Sigma X Mock scores were within +/- 10 points of my actual GMAT score both times and were an accurate representation of where I stood in terms of my preparation.
1.4 Final GMAT Attempt – 730😊
On the day of the exam, I felt that the exam wasn't going well and that the questions were too tough. But the adaptive nature of the exam is such that with increasing accuracy the questions start getting progressively harder. Now, I feel that when things appear too easy there is a possibility that the exam isn't going that well because when accuracy is low in the Medium and the Medium – Hard range, one would start getting easier questions which is detrimental when aiming for a 90 percentile plus score. However, seeing a 730 score flash on my screen made all the hard work worth it.
1.5 Conclusion and Advice to Aspirants
In summary, my advice to other GMAT aspirants is to trust the process and the system. Don't be overconfident, but also don't underestimate your abilities. A balanced approach and trust in the methodology, including the tools and resources like Scholaranium, can lead to significant improvements and success on the GMAT. I cannot emphasize enough on the Pre-thinking approach in CR and the Structure-based approach in RC. A difference in your approach in these sections can make a critical difference in your score.
I would like to share my GMAT journey with you guys. I am an orthodontist by profession. But despite studying dentistry for eight years and having a decent work experience post it, I always felt that a career in management was my calling and I took a significant turn in my career last year when I decided to take the GMAT. As I had not been actively involved in academics for a long time, getting back into the examination mode was an uphill task. However, I am glad to share that my hard work and perseverance, along with the mentorship I received from the e-GMAT team helped me achieve a 96th percentile score on the GMAT.
Experience with the GMAT Exam
The journey from being an orthodontist to acing the GMAT was challenging, to say the least. After much deliberation, at the behest of a couple of family friends who had taken the GMAT earlier, I enrolled in the e-GMAT Online course in April 2023. The first time I took the diagnostic mock, I barely managed to score a dismal 580, and needless to say I was disheartened. Coming from a medical background, I had not touched quant for 13 years and I was quite concerned about starting afresh. Moreover, much to my surprise, despite being an avid reader I found the verbal to be extremely difficult. Improving my score by 150 points was tough, especially because I am working full time but seeing a score of 730 (Q 48, V 41, IR 6, AWA 5) on the screen felt surreal as finally, my hard work had paid off.
Apart from going through the e-GMAT course, I also made use of the Manhattan GMAT Strategy guides, the GMAT Official, Verbal, and Quant Guide 2022 as well as the GMAT Official Advanced Questions Guide. Moreover, I also exhausted all the Official GMAT mocks (practice tests 1-6) as well as the Sigma X mocks. I gave an attempt in Nov 2023, however, my preparation wasn't up to the mark and I canceled my score. I gave an attempt in the first week of Jan 2024 and scored 700 (Q 49, V 35, IR 7, AWA 5), which is when I got in touch with e-GMAT mentor Rashmi who helped me improve my score by an impressive 30 points within 18 days.
Initial preparation:
After joining the e-GMAT course, I followed the personalized study plan which was based on my diagnostic quiz results and my current skill set. After going through the concepts file I went ahead with the diagnostic and cementing quizzes. However, I did not opt for the test readiness quizzes, a mistake I rectified in my last attempt. I feel that taking the test readiness quizzes apart from the practice mocks really helps in building stamina as well as the required speed for the test.
1.1 Improvement in Verbal Section:
I improved from V 31 to V 41 in verbal. I used to think that verbal wouldn't be all that tough but I could not have been more wrong. My strength actually wasn't working in my favor as the structure of the GMAT is totally different and one needs to rewire oneself. Right from SC, CR to RC, I was surprised to realize that I had major room for improvement in all areas.
1.1.1 Reading Comprehension (RC) - One thing I realized during RC is that contrary to what people think, being a voracious reader isn't all that helpful because one builds the habit of skimming through passages, something that can be very detrimental in an exam like the GMAT. I realized that the GMAT RC required a different approach. It's not just about understanding the content but the structure and the author's intent behind the passage. Master Comprehension ably guides students about the importance of strategic pausing and following a structure-based approach. Both of these, according to me, are prerequisites for nailing hard RC passages. Mastering this approach made a significant difference in my performance.
1.1.2 Critical Reasoning – Even though I had gone through the concept files emphasizing the importance of pre-thinking earlier, I was skeptical about the same and did not follow the approach initially and my previous ESR showed that my accuracy in CR was less than 50 %. On the suggestion of the mentors at e-GMAT, during my last attempt, I followed the process of pre-thinking and was surprised to find out that I could solve most CR questions in under 1.5 minutes. I attribute my improved score majorly to adopting the process of pre-thinking. It helped me navigate through the tricky questions that the GMAT is known for, saving me precious time and making me avoid traps, especially in the harder questions.
1.1.3 Strategy for Sentence Correction –
I cannot emphasize enough on the importance of following the Meaning Based Approach in Sentence Correction (SC). I lot of right answers in GMAT sound awkward and relying on what sounds right isn't going to help much. Following the meaning-based approach, on the other hand, made me more efficient at avoiding grammatically correct wrong answers. Understanding the meaning and structure in SC was vital as most Medium to Hard questions in SC incorporate subtle changes in the meaning between the closest options. Timing in the GMAT, especially in the verbal section, is critical and saving time on SC and CR allowed me to allocate more time to RC passages, which was a game-changer.
1.1.4 Importance of Cementing -
Cementing and Test readiness quizzes are extremely important as they made me realize the gap between my conceptual knowledge and the practical application of concepts. More importantly, these quizzes helped me in time management and also made me realize the importance of guessing and moving on. Every hard question cannot be solved in a timed environment and one needs to devout time judiciously to questions that are manageable in order to improve the overall score.
1.2 Quantitative Preparation Journey
For Quant, I started with a lower ability, considering I hadn't studied Quant since 12th grade, followed by years of dentistry. However, I managed to make a substantial improvement. PACE tailors the course to the individual needs of every student and helped me save more than 40 hours on my Quant Prep. Apart from the practice quizzes, I did a lot of custom quizzes as well. I paid special attention to topics like number properties, algebra, etc. which were my weak points. Focusing on my weak areas as identified through Scholaranium, helped me improve my Quant score significantly. Despite some challenges on the day of the test, my preparation was solid enough to achieve a high score.
1.3 Utilizing Scholaranium for Targeted Practice
Scholaranium was particularly vital in my preparation. It offered a platform where I could identify my weak points and focus specifically on them. Data Insights is an invaluable tool in critically identifying weak areas and also offers the chance to track improvement. My mentor helped me work on my flaws and play on my strengths. This was especially true for the Quant and CR sections, where I needed the maximum improvement. Scholaranium's targeted practice questions and the analytical tools provided a structured approach to tackling my weaknesses.
GMAT Attempt – 700
I scored 700 on the Sigma X Mock before the GMAT and scored the same in the GMAT in the first week of Jan 2024. I was hoping for a score in the 730-740 range as I was scoring around the same in the official GMAT practice mocks. I couldn't understand what went wrong as I was under the impression that I was doing rather well throughout the test. With hardly three weeks left to give another attempt as the GMAT Classical Edition was coming to an end, I contacted the e-GMAT team to enroll in the LMP program as I wanted to rely on someone experienced enough to guide me through this phase.
Final Push with Last Mile Push Program:
The Last Mile Push Program in the final stages of my preparation was pivotal. Rashmi advised me to get the ESR of my previous attempt so that we could figure out what went wrong and in the meantime started me on various test readiness quizzes. It provided an objective view of my strengths and weaknesses, allowing me to focus on critical areas for improvement. This objective analysis was something I couldn't have done as effectively on my own.
Rashmi gave me the insight that timing was an issue and that I was losing out on some questions by spending a considerable amount of time on some difficult questions that I was anyways getting wrong. I took the corrective action of wrapping up and moving on to questions whenever I crossed the threshold time. Prior to the exam I scored 740 on the Sigma X mock and was hoping to get a similar score. I managed a 730 but I am content with the fact that the LMP program helped me increase my score by 30 points in a matter of a few days (I need to mention that this happened despite me not getting an adequate amount of rest before the exam because of exam anxiety, something I strongly advise against). Also, I would like to mention that the Sigma X Mock scores were within +/- 10 points of my actual GMAT score both times and were an accurate representation of where I stood in terms of my preparation.
1.4 Final GMAT Attempt – 730😊
On the day of the exam, I felt that the exam wasn't going well and that the questions were too tough. But the adaptive nature of the exam is such that with increasing accuracy the questions start getting progressively harder. Now, I feel that when things appear too easy there is a possibility that the exam isn't going that well because when accuracy is low in the Medium and the Medium – Hard range, one would start getting easier questions which is detrimental when aiming for a 90 percentile plus score. However, seeing a 730 score flash on my screen made all the hard work worth it.
1.5 Conclusion and Advice to Aspirants
In summary, my advice to other GMAT aspirants is to trust the process and the system. Don't be overconfident, but also don't underestimate your abilities. A balanced approach and trust in the methodology, including the tools and resources like Scholaranium, can lead to significant improvements and success on the GMAT. I cannot emphasize enough on the Pre-thinking approach in CR and the Structure-based approach in RC. A difference in your approach in these sections can make a critical difference in your score.
Archit3110
Major Poster
29 Jan 2024, 09:43
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congratulations for score.. all the best for applications...
