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As I sit down to write this debrief, I feel extremely thankful for the journey that culminated in this score. GmatClub has been a great source of support throughout and no words could do enough justice to how wonderful this community is. I promised myself I'd write this when I get a good enough score to help fellow aspirants who may feel stuck at times.
To give a bit of a background, I graduated in Business in June 2020, and with some time at hand, before I moved onward, I decided to give my GMAT. I gave a cold mock in mid-July and score 600 (Q42, V32) (MGMAT free mock). Now based on a few high scorer accounts I had read before the cold mock, I had very high expectations of what the baseline score should look like and so, I was quite disappointed. Nevertheless, it gave me the push I needed to start my preparation.
I found the resources I needed and decided to give a mock once every 3 weeks at the start and once every 2 weeks eventually, to track my progress. You’ll find my mock scores below and see how things improved a bit-by-bit. In retrospective effect, I realize that it doesn’t matter where you start from or where you want to reach. As long as you are improving and learning, you will get there.
I was doing decently well on mocks by the end of 3 months, and scheduled my exam on 13th October 2020. I was quite confident too; however, on the day of the exam, I was fairly distracted and uncomfortable with the setup at my center. Ended up with a 710 (Q50, V36). I was heartbroken as this was beyond anything I had expected. Everyone usually says that the real exam is +- 30 points of your mock scores, and It’s probably true too, but a 60 point dip was something unimaginable.
After a week of relaxing and unwinding, I decided to get back in. Ordered an ESR and made a detailed plan of action. (I really suggest people disappointed with their scores to get an ESR. It costs a bit but is worth every penny. It made me realize how certain sections such as CR, I considered myself to be strong in, weren’t so strong after all and how there was a scope for improvement in all areas.)
Any attempt after the first brings a lot of fear and uncertainties. In my case too, I knew I shouldn’t be bothered about the last exam, but it did get on to me at times. In such times of self-doubt, I always tried to calm myself by seeing my mock log and error log and telling myself how far I had come. I told myself ‘I’ve not come this far, only to come this far’ (Read this somewhere once and it stayed with me)
.
I scheduled my exam again for 23rd November 2020. As the date approached, my anxiety was peaking too. I tried to shift back my date a few times but thank god for my parents who told me that doing so would only manifest my fears. And they were right. If you feel ready and if your scores look close to your target score (ignoring an unusual deviation somewhere), there is no reason for you to keep pushing your date. Doing so would only give your fears an upper hand.
The D-day came soon enough. Unlike the last time, this time I wasn’t as confident as I would have liked. I was nauseous and puked that morning. A part of me said, here goes another attempt. I popped a pill for nausea, got dressed, did a little stretching, and told myself that I’ll be okay. As soon as I sat on my desk in the center and started the Quant section, a calm came over. I think it’s worth noting that starting with a section you are more comfortable with really helps you set in. In my first attempt, I did the mistake of starting with Verbal- a section I knew needed more attention from my end. But thanks to a friend's advice, I decided to change the order this time around.
Quant had always been a strong section for me, and it was going well. I was taking my time and checking my work after doing it (same as what I had done in all mocks at home). However, trouble started when after the 16th question or so, questions that needed more time started appearing and I landed in a real shortage of time, due to which, I had to hurry at the end. The best thing to do in such a scenario is to half-solve the questions and take an educated guess or to guess alternatively and avoid getting streaks of questions wrong. I did both these things to salvage the situation.
In my break, I just ate some dry fruits and thought to myself, let it go. The next section is a gamechanger, use that to your advantage. In Verbal, I was more comfortable than the last time, thanks to the rigid processes I had developed this time around. Kept time in check and kept moving ahead. I wasn’t very sure about my verbal performance since a lot of questions seemed intuitive rather than requiring some explicit skill application.
Took a break. IR Section was thankfully a breeze and by the time AWA came, I was a little too curious about the score which was just one screen away. I didn't know how I had performed; I just knew it felt better than the last time. Submitted my AWA essay and the screen flashed a 760 (Q49, V44)! I was so happy that I cried (Thank god for the mask haha).
It’s been a few days but the feeling is still sinking in. Makes me realize a lot of things in retrospective effect- Why it didn’t happen the first time around, Why I kept going, and Why that is what made all the difference.
I used all Official Mocks (1-6), Manhattan Mocks (1-4), and a few free mocks and tests (Veritas, Expert Global, GmatClub). Here are my scores-
Manhattan (12.7.20)- 600 (Q42, V32); Experts Global (1.8)- 630 (Q48, V28); Official Mock 1 (28.8)- 700 (Q50, V34); Official Mock 2 (12.9)- 740 (Q49, V42); Veritas (20.9)- 730 (Q50, V40); Gmat Club (22.9)- Q50; Official Mock 3 (26.9)- 770 (Q50, V44); Gmat Club (9 tests)- In range of 48-51; Official Mock 4 (6.10)- 750 (Q51, V40)
Real Exam 1 (13.10)- 710 (Q50, V36)
Official Mock 1 retake (28.10)- 770 (Q51, V45); Manhattan Mocks (760, 720, 730, 740) (Q-48 to 51, V 40 to 45); Official Mock 5 (15.11)- 740 (Q50, V40); Official Mock 6 (19.11)- 760 (Q51, V42)
Final Exam (23.11)- 760 (Q49, V44)
1. Official Mocks- These are your best bet. Use them judiciously and only when you feel like you have progressed considerably. Retakes are alright but consider purchasing more mocks because some questions are repeated.
2. Manhattan Mocks- These aren’t close to the real thing but are great for practice and building the mental agility needed for a high score. The quant section is tough and difficult to complete within 62 minutes. So I usually gave myself some extra time. The verbal section contains great questions- CR passages are well crafted, RC passages are usually tougher, and a lot of SC questions are simply amazing. Don’t take MGMAT mocks for the score. Take them for the experience, the practice, and the analysis you can extract out of them.
3. Veritas Mock- I found both sections to be tougher than the real thing. Might be good for practice.
4. Experts Global- Took these too early on to be able to comment on their accuracy and adeptness.
5. GmatClub Tests- I am all praises for these tests. I just took the free tests available on festivals and the questions are simply too good. As with MGMAT mocks, don’t take them for the score, take them to build the capacity needed for a high quant score!
6. Tracking- Take mocks sparsely at first to not exhaust them but be more regular as you approach your target date and score. I also maintained a mock log. (Basically a google sheet with a summary page of all the scores and a separate page for each mock. On each mock sheet, note the questions you got wrong, and your learnings from the same). Pm me if you want help in designing this for yourself! I made it a point to go through the mock log before every mock and used it extensively to understand my mistakes and to zero in on them.
7. Lastly, take your scores with a pinch of salt. You shouldn’t be too perturbed if your score is unusually low just as you shouldn’t be overconfident about an unusually high score! Focus more on the trends and the problem areas. This is something I realized after my first attempt.
OG 2021, Verbal Review, Quant Review 2021
OG 13
GMAC Advanced Question Bank
Gmat Club (Using directories and filters)
Chiranjeev’s collection of OG questions
Resources used apart from those stated above-
For Practice: 700 level bank by Bunuel, Veritas Data Sufficiency pdf, Advanced Quant by MGMAT, GMAC QP 1 compilation by Sajjad
For Concepts: Gmat Club Math book, MGMAT Strategy Guides, All blogs in the Ultimate Quantitative Thread
Tips:
1. Spend some time upfront studying concepts. You can solidify these concepts simultaneously by practicing questions topic wise from Gmat Club (starting sub 600 and then moving through the ranks (till 700 level) only when you feel comfortable with that level).
2. If you are weak in a topic, give more time, days, etc to that. For instance, I remember feeling pretty flustered with probability at the start, but I gave this topic, both in terms of studying and practicing, a lot of time just to overcome my fear of it.
3. DS questions can be tough at the start since they don’t seem as intuitive as PS questions. It took me a long time to ace these.
- The key is to be extremely methodical. I usually wrote the given info at the top (since missing out on teensy stuff such as odd-even, prime, non zero, etc was a common mistake ), then solve statement 1 on the left side of the page (put a tick or a cross depending on sufficiency) and statement 2 on the right (put a tick or cross).
- Also, make it a habit to think about the constraints (is the number allowed to be negative? Zero? Noninteger? etc) every time you see a DS question, EVEN WHEN the question doesn’t mention these things.
4. Know when to let go of a question on the test/mock.
This is one of those sections in which being a non-native gives you a disadvantage but also one which is the most learnable. The key is to be consistent at it right from the start. Things may not always make sense to you the first time, but don’t lose hope. I went over the concepts so many times, each time finding a newer/better insight than the last time. I did a lot of OG questions multiple times (spaced out), read the MGMAT strategy guide 2-3 times, and basically did everything till it made complete sense to me. All this helped me understand teeny nuances which I couldn’t make sense of the previous time.
Resources used apart from those stated in General Resources-
For concepts: MGMAT Guide, SC Grail by Aristotle, Magoosh Blog posts by Mike (Gamechanger at the end of your prep), E-GMAT Blog posts (will give you some strongholds to hang on to), Some GmatNinja Videos, Veritas Videos
For practice: Just the ones stated in General resources
Tips:
1. Build a solid process for SC. I attended a free webinar by E-GMAT on the Meaning approach and I found it helpful. I emulated the process and perfected it with time. Once you do that, the chances of you missing out on any grammatical/construction based error are less. Your order of priority should be Grammar, Meaning, Concision (abbreviated as GMC by MGMAT).
2. I had a REALLY hard time with questions that rejected one of the two grammatically and logically correct options based on awkwardness or concision. For these,
- Learn the nuances specific to GMAT, what it considers acceptable, and what it considers ‘wordy’ or ‘unnecessary’.
- Follow the VAN process as described in MGMAT.
- Practice a lot from OG sources to develop an ear for such things.
Resources used apart from those stated in General Resources-
For concepts: Gin’s RC Notes (Gamechanger!), MGMAT Guide, Aristotle RC bible (Both are okay resources, good to read if you have time and want to learn a thing or two)
For practice: LSAT Passages (more complex than GMAT, but good if you are out of resources), GRE Passages (except a few types of questions and longer passages, I found them similar to GMAT Passages), Passages on Gmat Club (especially Manhattan Passages).
Tips:
1. Stay wary of RC gimmicks such as reading a few lines, focusing on just the main words, skimming after the first para, etc. These might work for a few people but aren’t good reading techniques especially if you are aiming for a high Verbal score.
2. Read and understand the passage. For every paragraph, you may want to take down a few words, or some notes. This helps recollect at the end and consequently saves time spent looking for answers.
3. Something I had to work very hard to hardwire onto my brain was that Every word matters. What that means is that in the options, even if there is one word you are sure the passage does not agree with, it can NOT be the correct answer. For instance, if a passage expresses inhibitions about a process, and say you are stuck between two options, one of which says ‘the author rejects the validity of the process’, it cannot be the right answer, however, close it may seem like because having reservations about something isn't the same as ‘rejecting’ its validity altogether. So focusing on individual words may help you at times.
4. Follow Gin’s rules to the T.
5. Be interested in what you read! I had a mindset that I would be learning something new with this passage and it helped me stay invested in the passage.
This is a section that I thought I was decent at, but in reality, was struggling with. xD Took me a long time to work around it but picking up a few techniques from here and there, and incorporating them into my process, helped make a difference.
Resources used apart from those stated in General Resources-
For concepts: Powerscore Bible, MGMAT Guide, Magoosh Blog posts, GmatNinja Videos, Veritas videos
For practice: The resources mentioned in concepts and general resources will have enough questions but if you still need more- LSAT Compilation by Broal, Aristotle CR Grail
Tips:
1. The conclusion is king. This is something I realized very late in my preparation but if you are anything like me and get stuck with multiple options to choose from at the end, this is your key. There may be multiple options that stand technically correct in a question, however, if you focus on the conclusion and its links with the premise, you will always be able to reject multiple options and narrow down to one correct option. For instance, in a strengthen question, your contender options may both strengthen a part of the passage, but only one will directly reinforce the conclusion. That is your answer.
2. Always try to Pre-think. Apart from the fact that it helps you know what to look for, it also keeps you sharp throughout and makes sure you engage with the passage.
3. Spend time on the stimulus. I used to run through the stimulus and spend time trying to figure the options out but I realized later that reading slowly and intently worked better for me. As in RCs, this technique helps you pay attention to the nitty-gritty and modifiers, and thus strike out the options faster.
1. Error Log- I know you find this everywhere, but that’s only because it is that good. You don’t necessarily need to use a preformatted one that is available online or even have it online for that matter. I usually made a physical error log for questions done from some book and an online one for questions done online. The point is to use whatever feels natural and convenient. Review your error log and your progress (good things and bad) regularly. I did so every weekend. This makes sure you aren’t just practicing or reading stuff but that you are actually improving, and if not, then why that might be.
2. Emulate the good stuff- In my second time around, I spent a lot of time reading what high scorers did and trying to incorporate some of their strategies into my prep. A word of caution though, don’t compare your trajectory with anyone else. Everyone moves at different paces.
3. Be regular- I used to solve a few questions from all sections every day as a practice for the final exam that requires you to switch between sections seamlessly. By the end of my preparation, I did ‘set practice’ wherein one set comprised 2 RCs, 5 SCs, 5 CRs for Verbal, and 5/10 PS and 5/10 DS for Quant, and I tried to do multiple sets with little break. Even if you don’t have the time to do all sections daily, you can try 'set practice', as described above, or fix up an organized weekly schedule with pre-decided days for sections.
4. On practice- Don't focus on the number of books or questions you cover. Focus on fixing your problems. As long as you strive to do that consciously, it doesn't matter whether it takes you 5 questions or 50.
5. Stay patient- GMAT can be a tiring journey, especially if it's a long one. Stay calm and make sure you aren’t burning yourself out. Study regularly but also take breaks when you need to. GMAT may be an important aspect of your application, but not more so than your mental health.
I have loved being a part of this forum and am very thankful to the founders, moderators, and users for making this community what it is. Please feel free to get in touch with me, if you need specific advice, or wish to discuss something with me. Thank you!
Edit: Have attached my ESRs below!
My background
To give a bit of a background, I graduated in Business in June 2020, and with some time at hand, before I moved onward, I decided to give my GMAT. I gave a cold mock in mid-July and score 600 (Q42, V32) (MGMAT free mock). Now based on a few high scorer accounts I had read before the cold mock, I had very high expectations of what the baseline score should look like and so, I was quite disappointed. Nevertheless, it gave me the push I needed to start my preparation.
Starting off and the First attempt- 710 (Q50, V36)
I found the resources I needed and decided to give a mock once every 3 weeks at the start and once every 2 weeks eventually, to track my progress. You’ll find my mock scores below and see how things improved a bit-by-bit. In retrospective effect, I realize that it doesn’t matter where you start from or where you want to reach. As long as you are improving and learning, you will get there.
I was doing decently well on mocks by the end of 3 months, and scheduled my exam on 13th October 2020. I was quite confident too; however, on the day of the exam, I was fairly distracted and uncomfortable with the setup at my center. Ended up with a 710 (Q50, V36). I was heartbroken as this was beyond anything I had expected. Everyone usually says that the real exam is +- 30 points of your mock scores, and It’s probably true too, but a 60 point dip was something unimaginable.
Getting back up!
After a week of relaxing and unwinding, I decided to get back in. Ordered an ESR and made a detailed plan of action. (I really suggest people disappointed with their scores to get an ESR. It costs a bit but is worth every penny. It made me realize how certain sections such as CR, I considered myself to be strong in, weren’t so strong after all and how there was a scope for improvement in all areas.)
Any attempt after the first brings a lot of fear and uncertainties. In my case too, I knew I shouldn’t be bothered about the last exam, but it did get on to me at times. In such times of self-doubt, I always tried to calm myself by seeing my mock log and error log and telling myself how far I had come. I told myself ‘I’ve not come this far, only to come this far’ (Read this somewhere once and it stayed with me)
.I scheduled my exam again for 23rd November 2020. As the date approached, my anxiety was peaking too. I tried to shift back my date a few times but thank god for my parents who told me that doing so would only manifest my fears. And they were right. If you feel ready and if your scores look close to your target score (ignoring an unusual deviation somewhere), there is no reason for you to keep pushing your date. Doing so would only give your fears an upper hand.
The D-Day!
The D-day came soon enough. Unlike the last time, this time I wasn’t as confident as I would have liked. I was nauseous and puked that morning. A part of me said, here goes another attempt. I popped a pill for nausea, got dressed, did a little stretching, and told myself that I’ll be okay. As soon as I sat on my desk in the center and started the Quant section, a calm came over. I think it’s worth noting that starting with a section you are more comfortable with really helps you set in. In my first attempt, I did the mistake of starting with Verbal- a section I knew needed more attention from my end. But thanks to a friend's advice, I decided to change the order this time around.
Quant had always been a strong section for me, and it was going well. I was taking my time and checking my work after doing it (same as what I had done in all mocks at home). However, trouble started when after the 16th question or so, questions that needed more time started appearing and I landed in a real shortage of time, due to which, I had to hurry at the end. The best thing to do in such a scenario is to half-solve the questions and take an educated guess or to guess alternatively and avoid getting streaks of questions wrong. I did both these things to salvage the situation.
In my break, I just ate some dry fruits and thought to myself, let it go. The next section is a gamechanger, use that to your advantage. In Verbal, I was more comfortable than the last time, thanks to the rigid processes I had developed this time around. Kept time in check and kept moving ahead. I wasn’t very sure about my verbal performance since a lot of questions seemed intuitive rather than requiring some explicit skill application.
Took a break. IR Section was thankfully a breeze and by the time AWA came, I was a little too curious about the score which was just one screen away. I didn't know how I had performed; I just knew it felt better than the last time. Submitted my AWA essay and the screen flashed a 760 (Q49, V44)! I was so happy that I cried (Thank god for the mask haha).
It’s been a few days but the feeling is still sinking in. Makes me realize a lot of things in retrospective effect- Why it didn’t happen the first time around, Why I kept going, and Why that is what made all the difference.
Mock scores
I used all Official Mocks (1-6), Manhattan Mocks (1-4), and a few free mocks and tests (Veritas, Expert Global, GmatClub). Here are my scores-
Manhattan (12.7.20)- 600 (Q42, V32); Experts Global (1.8)- 630 (Q48, V28); Official Mock 1 (28.8)- 700 (Q50, V34); Official Mock 2 (12.9)- 740 (Q49, V42); Veritas (20.9)- 730 (Q50, V40); Gmat Club (22.9)- Q50; Official Mock 3 (26.9)- 770 (Q50, V44); Gmat Club (9 tests)- In range of 48-51; Official Mock 4 (6.10)- 750 (Q51, V40)
Real Exam 1 (13.10)- 710 (Q50, V36)
Official Mock 1 retake (28.10)- 770 (Q51, V45); Manhattan Mocks (760, 720, 730, 740) (Q-48 to 51, V 40 to 45); Official Mock 5 (15.11)- 740 (Q50, V40); Official Mock 6 (19.11)- 760 (Q51, V42)
Final Exam (23.11)- 760 (Q49, V44)
A few insights on mocks-
1. Official Mocks- These are your best bet. Use them judiciously and only when you feel like you have progressed considerably. Retakes are alright but consider purchasing more mocks because some questions are repeated.
2. Manhattan Mocks- These aren’t close to the real thing but are great for practice and building the mental agility needed for a high score. The quant section is tough and difficult to complete within 62 minutes. So I usually gave myself some extra time. The verbal section contains great questions- CR passages are well crafted, RC passages are usually tougher, and a lot of SC questions are simply amazing. Don’t take MGMAT mocks for the score. Take them for the experience, the practice, and the analysis you can extract out of them.
3. Veritas Mock- I found both sections to be tougher than the real thing. Might be good for practice.
4. Experts Global- Took these too early on to be able to comment on their accuracy and adeptness.
5. GmatClub Tests- I am all praises for these tests. I just took the free tests available on festivals and the questions are simply too good. As with MGMAT mocks, don’t take them for the score, take them to build the capacity needed for a high quant score!
6. Tracking- Take mocks sparsely at first to not exhaust them but be more regular as you approach your target date and score. I also maintained a mock log. (Basically a google sheet with a summary page of all the scores and a separate page for each mock. On each mock sheet, note the questions you got wrong, and your learnings from the same). Pm me if you want help in designing this for yourself! I made it a point to go through the mock log before every mock and used it extensively to understand my mistakes and to zero in on them.
7. Lastly, take your scores with a pinch of salt. You shouldn’t be too perturbed if your score is unusually low just as you shouldn’t be overconfident about an unusually high score! Focus more on the trends and the problem areas. This is something I realized after my first attempt.
Section-wise tips + resources
General Resources
OG 2021, Verbal Review, Quant Review 2021
OG 13
GMAC Advanced Question Bank
Gmat Club (Using directories and filters)
Chiranjeev’s collection of OG questions
Quant
Resources used apart from those stated above-
For Practice: 700 level bank by Bunuel, Veritas Data Sufficiency pdf, Advanced Quant by MGMAT, GMAC QP 1 compilation by Sajjad
For Concepts: Gmat Club Math book, MGMAT Strategy Guides, All blogs in the Ultimate Quantitative Thread
Tips:
1. Spend some time upfront studying concepts. You can solidify these concepts simultaneously by practicing questions topic wise from Gmat Club (starting sub 600 and then moving through the ranks (till 700 level) only when you feel comfortable with that level).
2. If you are weak in a topic, give more time, days, etc to that. For instance, I remember feeling pretty flustered with probability at the start, but I gave this topic, both in terms of studying and practicing, a lot of time just to overcome my fear of it.
3. DS questions can be tough at the start since they don’t seem as intuitive as PS questions. It took me a long time to ace these.
- The key is to be extremely methodical. I usually wrote the given info at the top (since missing out on teensy stuff such as odd-even, prime, non zero, etc was a common mistake ), then solve statement 1 on the left side of the page (put a tick or a cross depending on sufficiency) and statement 2 on the right (put a tick or cross).
- Also, make it a habit to think about the constraints (is the number allowed to be negative? Zero? Noninteger? etc) every time you see a DS question, EVEN WHEN the question doesn’t mention these things.
4. Know when to let go of a question on the test/mock.
Sentence Correction
This is one of those sections in which being a non-native gives you a disadvantage but also one which is the most learnable. The key is to be consistent at it right from the start. Things may not always make sense to you the first time, but don’t lose hope. I went over the concepts so many times, each time finding a newer/better insight than the last time. I did a lot of OG questions multiple times (spaced out), read the MGMAT strategy guide 2-3 times, and basically did everything till it made complete sense to me. All this helped me understand teeny nuances which I couldn’t make sense of the previous time.
Resources used apart from those stated in General Resources-
For concepts: MGMAT Guide, SC Grail by Aristotle, Magoosh Blog posts by Mike (Gamechanger at the end of your prep), E-GMAT Blog posts (will give you some strongholds to hang on to), Some GmatNinja Videos, Veritas Videos
For practice: Just the ones stated in General resources
Tips:
1. Build a solid process for SC. I attended a free webinar by E-GMAT on the Meaning approach and I found it helpful. I emulated the process and perfected it with time. Once you do that, the chances of you missing out on any grammatical/construction based error are less. Your order of priority should be Grammar, Meaning, Concision (abbreviated as GMC by MGMAT).
2. I had a REALLY hard time with questions that rejected one of the two grammatically and logically correct options based on awkwardness or concision. For these,
- Learn the nuances specific to GMAT, what it considers acceptable, and what it considers ‘wordy’ or ‘unnecessary’.
- Follow the VAN process as described in MGMAT.
- Practice a lot from OG sources to develop an ear for such things.
Reading Comprehension
Resources used apart from those stated in General Resources-
For concepts: Gin’s RC Notes (Gamechanger!), MGMAT Guide, Aristotle RC bible (Both are okay resources, good to read if you have time and want to learn a thing or two)
For practice: LSAT Passages (more complex than GMAT, but good if you are out of resources), GRE Passages (except a few types of questions and longer passages, I found them similar to GMAT Passages), Passages on Gmat Club (especially Manhattan Passages).
Tips:
1. Stay wary of RC gimmicks such as reading a few lines, focusing on just the main words, skimming after the first para, etc. These might work for a few people but aren’t good reading techniques especially if you are aiming for a high Verbal score.
2. Read and understand the passage. For every paragraph, you may want to take down a few words, or some notes. This helps recollect at the end and consequently saves time spent looking for answers.
3. Something I had to work very hard to hardwire onto my brain was that Every word matters. What that means is that in the options, even if there is one word you are sure the passage does not agree with, it can NOT be the correct answer. For instance, if a passage expresses inhibitions about a process, and say you are stuck between two options, one of which says ‘the author rejects the validity of the process’, it cannot be the right answer, however, close it may seem like because having reservations about something isn't the same as ‘rejecting’ its validity altogether. So focusing on individual words may help you at times.
4. Follow Gin’s rules to the T.
5. Be interested in what you read! I had a mindset that I would be learning something new with this passage and it helped me stay invested in the passage.
Critical Reasoning
This is a section that I thought I was decent at, but in reality, was struggling with. xD Took me a long time to work around it but picking up a few techniques from here and there, and incorporating them into my process, helped make a difference.
Resources used apart from those stated in General Resources-
For concepts: Powerscore Bible, MGMAT Guide, Magoosh Blog posts, GmatNinja Videos, Veritas videos
For practice: The resources mentioned in concepts and general resources will have enough questions but if you still need more- LSAT Compilation by Broal, Aristotle CR Grail
Tips:
1. The conclusion is king. This is something I realized very late in my preparation but if you are anything like me and get stuck with multiple options to choose from at the end, this is your key. There may be multiple options that stand technically correct in a question, however, if you focus on the conclusion and its links with the premise, you will always be able to reject multiple options and narrow down to one correct option. For instance, in a strengthen question, your contender options may both strengthen a part of the passage, but only one will directly reinforce the conclusion. That is your answer.
2. Always try to Pre-think. Apart from the fact that it helps you know what to look for, it also keeps you sharp throughout and makes sure you engage with the passage.
3. Spend time on the stimulus. I used to run through the stimulus and spend time trying to figure the options out but I realized later that reading slowly and intently worked better for me. As in RCs, this technique helps you pay attention to the nitty-gritty and modifiers, and thus strike out the options faster.
General tips/insights
1. Error Log- I know you find this everywhere, but that’s only because it is that good. You don’t necessarily need to use a preformatted one that is available online or even have it online for that matter. I usually made a physical error log for questions done from some book and an online one for questions done online. The point is to use whatever feels natural and convenient. Review your error log and your progress (good things and bad) regularly. I did so every weekend. This makes sure you aren’t just practicing or reading stuff but that you are actually improving, and if not, then why that might be.
2. Emulate the good stuff- In my second time around, I spent a lot of time reading what high scorers did and trying to incorporate some of their strategies into my prep. A word of caution though, don’t compare your trajectory with anyone else. Everyone moves at different paces.
3. Be regular- I used to solve a few questions from all sections every day as a practice for the final exam that requires you to switch between sections seamlessly. By the end of my preparation, I did ‘set practice’ wherein one set comprised 2 RCs, 5 SCs, 5 CRs for Verbal, and 5/10 PS and 5/10 DS for Quant, and I tried to do multiple sets with little break. Even if you don’t have the time to do all sections daily, you can try 'set practice', as described above, or fix up an organized weekly schedule with pre-decided days for sections.
4. On practice- Don't focus on the number of books or questions you cover. Focus on fixing your problems. As long as you strive to do that consciously, it doesn't matter whether it takes you 5 questions or 50.
5. Stay patient- GMAT can be a tiring journey, especially if it's a long one. Stay calm and make sure you aren’t burning yourself out. Study regularly but also take breaks when you need to. GMAT may be an important aspect of your application, but not more so than your mental health.
I have loved being a part of this forum and am very thankful to the founders, moderators, and users for making this community what it is. Please feel free to get in touch with me, if you need specific advice, or wish to discuss something with me. Thank you!
Edit: Have attached my ESRs below!
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28 Nov 2020, 19:06
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anoushki - congratulations on scoring 760 and thank you for providing pertinent advice. I love the fact that you used the meaning-based approach and Prethinking and did not fall for shortcuts.
These three inputs are golden. Everyone needs to understand that they are unique and can do well on the GMAT as long as they emulate and execute the best practices at their own pace.
Good luck with your application!!
Cheers!!
Rajat
Quote:
These three inputs are golden. Everyone needs to understand that they are unique and can do well on the GMAT as long as they emulate and execute the best practices at their own pace.
Good luck with your application!!
Cheers!!
Rajat
28 Nov 2020, 21:39
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Congratulations on 760!
All the best for your applications!
All the best for your applications!
