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My GMAT Story!
Hi! Let me share my GMAT story about how an average yet diligent kid improved his 640 to a 760 (99th percentile).
Background
I’ve completed my schooling in one of the finest schools in the country. I’ve grown in an environment where ‘English’ was often the language for communicating. Moreover, I’ve always been fond of mathematics. Numbers have never scared me. I’d consider myself to be a perfect student to undertake the GMAT exam. After completing my engineering, and having fairly excelled in my corporate career, I started to sense monotony at work. Pursuing an MBA seemed like the best route to unlearn and learn new skills, interact with new minds and open the gates to some of the best career opportunities. However, I had one thing to be aware of – I have never been a great test-taker and haven’t had the taste of too many timed tests.
My 1st attempt – 640 (V 31, Q 47, IR 7)
Nevertheless, I decided to start with my preparation in 2020. I had ample amount of time to experiment, given the pandemic. After some brief research, I decided to enroll in one of the reputed online GMAT classes. I must admit that the classes helped me revise the mathematics concepts that I’d long forgotten. It also helped me know the grammatical rules and helped me brush through the basics of my beloved language. To sum up my preparation technique, I’ll break it down as –
1. Verbal section – Completed practicing and revising all the OG questions, and must have completed attempting 3-4 sectional tests as well as 3-4 mocks tests (including 2 official mocks). The strategy to answer the SC question was to read the question stem, identify the grammatical mistake, and eliminate the option choices. The strategy to answer the CR question was to read the question, plug the option choices and select the right one. The strategy to answer the RC question was to read the paragraph thoroughly, make a brief note on my notepad, and answer accordingly. My overall process included utilizing set grammatical rules to my advantage.
2. Quant section – Typical classroom teaching method adopted, wherein I completed each topic in detail, solved questions to get the concepts cleared, and practiced almost 1000+ questions to solidify my learning.
At the end of my 3 months of preparation (including several inconsistent breaks due to an increased workload), I was scoring in the range of 650-710 in my mock exams. I knew that managing time in my verbal section was something that I wasn’t too confident about. After a few more days of practice, I gave my first attempt and scored a 640 (I aimed to score a 700+, given that I belong to an overrepresented pool of candidates – Indian Male Engineer). Looking at the score, I instantly felt and realized the following –
1. This isn’t a true representation of my potential.
2. The GMAT doesn’t only test your grammatical or quantitative skills but rather tests your ability to comprehend data, visualize data, eliminate noise/unwanted data and identify the missing pointer. It’s an exam of logic and reasoning, and not just rules/formulas.
3. One must develop as a proficient test-taker as mindset/composure during the exam plays an integral role.
Identifying e-GMAT
It was sometime in September 2021, that I completed my first attempt. I was disappointed with my score, but my obsession with the exam never phased out. I used to often watch debriefs on YouTube, and read blogs on GMAT Club, to identify the missing link in my journey. On one such occasion in August 2022, I ended up watching a debrief of a student who had enrolled in e-GMAT. Having read multiple reviews, where students have lauded the verbal content of e-GMAT, I finally decided to enroll myself. Now that I look back, I consider this to be my best decision!
Preparing with e-GMAT
The team at e-GMAT asked me to take a diagnostic test. This was one of the Sigma-X mocks (Will come back to this later). I scored 600. It essentially meant that my current preparation will help me score somewhere in the range of 610-630 on the GMAT.
Post this I had the option to set my target score. I must confess – I decided to go a step ahead and kept my target score at 750! Too ambitious, right? We will see!
Instantly, the platform was able to chart out a personalized study plan. It deconstructed the exam into individual sub-sections. For example – in SC I was in the 75th percentile, and to score 760, I must be in the 90th+ percentile. The platform was able to judge this accurately and allotted the number of hours that I must dedicate to ace this sub-section. Highly impressive!
Once the study plan was created, I decided to start with my preparation. The entire portion of the exam is divided into multiple sub-sections, and each sub-section has multiple video lessons and practice tests. When aligned chronologically, it helps you move in a structured manner.
Verbal Section -
1. Master Comprehension – This is a separate module within the e-GMAT’s Verbal section that helps the student understand the basics of the language. Concepts such as subject, object, phrase, clause, conjunctions et. al. are covered. This helps one build the mindset that understanding/comprehending the meaning of the sentence is the key to answering any verbal question.
2. Sentence Correction – I had always used grammatical rules to answer the SC questions. However, I ended up repeating one fatal mistake. At times, the exam tricks you into selecting a grammatically correct answer choice. However, the meaning conveyed isn’t the one intended. This is where the meaning-based approach steps in. e-GMAT helped me follow this strategy, wherein we read the question stem, understand the meaning of the sentence, apply the rules, and then select the option. Voila! Perhaps the simplest and most obvious rule out there, however, this is something that most students tend to ignore. Under pressure, we often tend to read the sentence superficially and try using tricks/shortcuts to answer.
3. Critical Reasoning – Once the SC module was completed, I decided to watch the CR modules. This is where the major overhaul took place. Pre-thinking approach! It’s a method where we visualize the question stem, think of a situation where the argument doesn’t stand, negate that thought and then select the option. This may not have been articulated perfectly, but in all honesty, it’s the best approach to tackle CR questions.
4. Reading Comprehension – Love the passage! Be interested in knowing what’s next! There is no other alternative.
As and when I was completing each of these modules, I was taking multiple tests (timed and limited questions) to cement my concepts. Only when I passed the threshold, would I move to the next module. This often became taxing. However, the target was 750.
Quant Section –
As mentioned earlier, my engineering background powered my capability to solve the quants question. However, I was still unable to score the much-lauded Q51! It was only after reviewing selective modules within the quants course (thanks to e-GMAT’s P.A.C.E algorithm that manages to chart out the preparation plan for the quants section based on the result of the diagnostic test taken), I was able to solve the most complex and time-consuming quant questions with ease.
Post completion of the modules, I took several tests – tests that were timed, customized as per difficulty, sub-section and mixed, and with the help of AI-generated insights, was able to accurately measure my level of preparation. The insights included understanding the average time spent per question, the luck factor involved, accuracy required and accuracy derived et. al.
Once I was confident with my learning, I decided to take 2 Sigma-X mock tests (Tests that replicate the GMAT exam accurately and one can expect a difference of 10/20 points in their final score). I scored a 640 and a 730. To be further sure, I took an official mock and scored a 760.
I was confident.
D-Day and Heart-break: 2nd Attempt – 640 (V 29, Q 48, IR 8)
I’m sure that the header will give you a fair idea regarding my situation at that time. So let me take the liberty to digress from this and tell you a short story.
While I was contemplating, I decided to shrug off my blanket of sorrow and watch a football match. I witnessed a player who didn’t perform well. He ended up losing the match. Does it mean that he isn’t a good player? Is he not skilled enough? Absolutely not! Perhaps it was a bad day.
Similarly, a bad score doesn’t necessarily translate into superficial knowledge. Maybe it was just a bad day. Maybe the test anxiety kicked in.
Conquering the last mile with my mentor and the incredible LMP (Last Mile Program)!
Immediately after the second attempt, I realized that something was missing. If I’m able to score well in my mock exams, why am I not able to replicate the same in the final exam? This is where my e-GMAT mentor Rida Shafeek stepped in. After a considerable amount of time spent brainstorming, we were able to analyze the following –
1. Numbers don’t lie! My practice tests were proof enough to convey that I am prepared and that I am conceptually sound.
2. Given that I’m not a great test taker, I’m unable to strike a balance between managing time while switching to questions of different types and improving my accuracy.
3. We shouldn’t waste a lot of time before making my final attempt, as I have reached the peak of my preparation and if delayed further, the momentum will be lost.
For the next 24 days, I took 15-16 test readiness quizzes. The objective of these tests was to ensure that I’m comfortable switching my brain in sync with the question type. These tests were sectional and timed. It also helped me get used to the exam pattern, thereby helping me maintain my composure during the final exam.
But my story is an emotional roller coaster! On the 22nd day of the LMP, I decided to take one final mock exam and scored a disappointing 640. Again! With less than 2 days to my final exam, I tried not to take it too seriously. I knew that I was prepared. I trusted the process. I had faith in my preparation and candidature.
Victory – 760 (V 42, Q 50, IR 7)
Verbal Section – Accuracy triumphs. Didn’t move to the next question unless I was completely sure of the fact that I was choosing the right option. Read every word carefully. Kept my calm.
Quant Section – Started on a bad note, spent way more time than required, and picked my pace after the first 10 questions.
What has really changed in these 24 days? My mindset. I was able to channel my efforts in the right direction. I was able to keep my cool during this test. How was I able to do so? By trusting my learning and incorporating corrective measures after every practice test. By analyzing every test thoroughly, understanding the scores, and the metrics, and fixing those errors immediately.
To summarize, my journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions. But thanks to Rida and the entire e-GMAT team, I was able to end this on a high note. I hope that this long and detailed note will help motivate every GMAT aspirant. To every GMAT aspirant out there, ‘It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!’
Hi! Let me share my GMAT story about how an average yet diligent kid improved his 640 to a 760 (99th percentile).
Background
I’ve completed my schooling in one of the finest schools in the country. I’ve grown in an environment where ‘English’ was often the language for communicating. Moreover, I’ve always been fond of mathematics. Numbers have never scared me. I’d consider myself to be a perfect student to undertake the GMAT exam. After completing my engineering, and having fairly excelled in my corporate career, I started to sense monotony at work. Pursuing an MBA seemed like the best route to unlearn and learn new skills, interact with new minds and open the gates to some of the best career opportunities. However, I had one thing to be aware of – I have never been a great test-taker and haven’t had the taste of too many timed tests.
My 1st attempt – 640 (V 31, Q 47, IR 7)
Nevertheless, I decided to start with my preparation in 2020. I had ample amount of time to experiment, given the pandemic. After some brief research, I decided to enroll in one of the reputed online GMAT classes. I must admit that the classes helped me revise the mathematics concepts that I’d long forgotten. It also helped me know the grammatical rules and helped me brush through the basics of my beloved language. To sum up my preparation technique, I’ll break it down as –
1. Verbal section – Completed practicing and revising all the OG questions, and must have completed attempting 3-4 sectional tests as well as 3-4 mocks tests (including 2 official mocks). The strategy to answer the SC question was to read the question stem, identify the grammatical mistake, and eliminate the option choices. The strategy to answer the CR question was to read the question, plug the option choices and select the right one. The strategy to answer the RC question was to read the paragraph thoroughly, make a brief note on my notepad, and answer accordingly. My overall process included utilizing set grammatical rules to my advantage.
2. Quant section – Typical classroom teaching method adopted, wherein I completed each topic in detail, solved questions to get the concepts cleared, and practiced almost 1000+ questions to solidify my learning.
At the end of my 3 months of preparation (including several inconsistent breaks due to an increased workload), I was scoring in the range of 650-710 in my mock exams. I knew that managing time in my verbal section was something that I wasn’t too confident about. After a few more days of practice, I gave my first attempt and scored a 640 (I aimed to score a 700+, given that I belong to an overrepresented pool of candidates – Indian Male Engineer). Looking at the score, I instantly felt and realized the following –
1. This isn’t a true representation of my potential.
2. The GMAT doesn’t only test your grammatical or quantitative skills but rather tests your ability to comprehend data, visualize data, eliminate noise/unwanted data and identify the missing pointer. It’s an exam of logic and reasoning, and not just rules/formulas.
3. One must develop as a proficient test-taker as mindset/composure during the exam plays an integral role.
Identifying e-GMAT
It was sometime in September 2021, that I completed my first attempt. I was disappointed with my score, but my obsession with the exam never phased out. I used to often watch debriefs on YouTube, and read blogs on GMAT Club, to identify the missing link in my journey. On one such occasion in August 2022, I ended up watching a debrief of a student who had enrolled in e-GMAT. Having read multiple reviews, where students have lauded the verbal content of e-GMAT, I finally decided to enroll myself. Now that I look back, I consider this to be my best decision!
Preparing with e-GMAT
The team at e-GMAT asked me to take a diagnostic test. This was one of the Sigma-X mocks (Will come back to this later). I scored 600. It essentially meant that my current preparation will help me score somewhere in the range of 610-630 on the GMAT.
Post this I had the option to set my target score. I must confess – I decided to go a step ahead and kept my target score at 750! Too ambitious, right? We will see!
Instantly, the platform was able to chart out a personalized study plan. It deconstructed the exam into individual sub-sections. For example – in SC I was in the 75th percentile, and to score 760, I must be in the 90th+ percentile. The platform was able to judge this accurately and allotted the number of hours that I must dedicate to ace this sub-section. Highly impressive!
Once the study plan was created, I decided to start with my preparation. The entire portion of the exam is divided into multiple sub-sections, and each sub-section has multiple video lessons and practice tests. When aligned chronologically, it helps you move in a structured manner.
Verbal Section -
1. Master Comprehension – This is a separate module within the e-GMAT’s Verbal section that helps the student understand the basics of the language. Concepts such as subject, object, phrase, clause, conjunctions et. al. are covered. This helps one build the mindset that understanding/comprehending the meaning of the sentence is the key to answering any verbal question.
2. Sentence Correction – I had always used grammatical rules to answer the SC questions. However, I ended up repeating one fatal mistake. At times, the exam tricks you into selecting a grammatically correct answer choice. However, the meaning conveyed isn’t the one intended. This is where the meaning-based approach steps in. e-GMAT helped me follow this strategy, wherein we read the question stem, understand the meaning of the sentence, apply the rules, and then select the option. Voila! Perhaps the simplest and most obvious rule out there, however, this is something that most students tend to ignore. Under pressure, we often tend to read the sentence superficially and try using tricks/shortcuts to answer.
3. Critical Reasoning – Once the SC module was completed, I decided to watch the CR modules. This is where the major overhaul took place. Pre-thinking approach! It’s a method where we visualize the question stem, think of a situation where the argument doesn’t stand, negate that thought and then select the option. This may not have been articulated perfectly, but in all honesty, it’s the best approach to tackle CR questions.
4. Reading Comprehension – Love the passage! Be interested in knowing what’s next! There is no other alternative.
As and when I was completing each of these modules, I was taking multiple tests (timed and limited questions) to cement my concepts. Only when I passed the threshold, would I move to the next module. This often became taxing. However, the target was 750.
Quant Section –
As mentioned earlier, my engineering background powered my capability to solve the quants question. However, I was still unable to score the much-lauded Q51! It was only after reviewing selective modules within the quants course (thanks to e-GMAT’s P.A.C.E algorithm that manages to chart out the preparation plan for the quants section based on the result of the diagnostic test taken), I was able to solve the most complex and time-consuming quant questions with ease.
Post completion of the modules, I took several tests – tests that were timed, customized as per difficulty, sub-section and mixed, and with the help of AI-generated insights, was able to accurately measure my level of preparation. The insights included understanding the average time spent per question, the luck factor involved, accuracy required and accuracy derived et. al.
Once I was confident with my learning, I decided to take 2 Sigma-X mock tests (Tests that replicate the GMAT exam accurately and one can expect a difference of 10/20 points in their final score). I scored a 640 and a 730. To be further sure, I took an official mock and scored a 760.
I was confident.
D-Day and Heart-break: 2nd Attempt – 640 (V 29, Q 48, IR 8)
I’m sure that the header will give you a fair idea regarding my situation at that time. So let me take the liberty to digress from this and tell you a short story.
While I was contemplating, I decided to shrug off my blanket of sorrow and watch a football match. I witnessed a player who didn’t perform well. He ended up losing the match. Does it mean that he isn’t a good player? Is he not skilled enough? Absolutely not! Perhaps it was a bad day.
Similarly, a bad score doesn’t necessarily translate into superficial knowledge. Maybe it was just a bad day. Maybe the test anxiety kicked in.
Conquering the last mile with my mentor and the incredible LMP (Last Mile Program)!
Immediately after the second attempt, I realized that something was missing. If I’m able to score well in my mock exams, why am I not able to replicate the same in the final exam? This is where my e-GMAT mentor Rida Shafeek stepped in. After a considerable amount of time spent brainstorming, we were able to analyze the following –
1. Numbers don’t lie! My practice tests were proof enough to convey that I am prepared and that I am conceptually sound.
2. Given that I’m not a great test taker, I’m unable to strike a balance between managing time while switching to questions of different types and improving my accuracy.
3. We shouldn’t waste a lot of time before making my final attempt, as I have reached the peak of my preparation and if delayed further, the momentum will be lost.
For the next 24 days, I took 15-16 test readiness quizzes. The objective of these tests was to ensure that I’m comfortable switching my brain in sync with the question type. These tests were sectional and timed. It also helped me get used to the exam pattern, thereby helping me maintain my composure during the final exam.
But my story is an emotional roller coaster! On the 22nd day of the LMP, I decided to take one final mock exam and scored a disappointing 640. Again! With less than 2 days to my final exam, I tried not to take it too seriously. I knew that I was prepared. I trusted the process. I had faith in my preparation and candidature.
Victory – 760 (V 42, Q 50, IR 7)
Verbal Section – Accuracy triumphs. Didn’t move to the next question unless I was completely sure of the fact that I was choosing the right option. Read every word carefully. Kept my calm.
Quant Section – Started on a bad note, spent way more time than required, and picked my pace after the first 10 questions.
What has really changed in these 24 days? My mindset. I was able to channel my efforts in the right direction. I was able to keep my cool during this test. How was I able to do so? By trusting my learning and incorporating corrective measures after every practice test. By analyzing every test thoroughly, understanding the scores, and the metrics, and fixing those errors immediately.
To summarize, my journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions. But thanks to Rida and the entire e-GMAT team, I was able to end this on a high note. I hope that this long and detailed note will help motivate every GMAT aspirant. To every GMAT aspirant out there, ‘It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!’
12 Jan 2023, 23:52
Kudos
Bookmarks
akash812
Hey Akash,
Many congratulations on this phenomenal achievement. Your personal account is inspiring on so many levels. Your journey had its ups and downs, but you believed in yourself, stuck to your guns, and not just achieved but exceeded your goal. Kudos!
Also, thank you for the wonderful insights into our course. It's very encouraging to know that you benefited from our pedagogy and tools.
All the best for the next leg of your journey.
Warm regards,
Abhishek
Hey Akash,
Many congratulations on this phenomenal achievement. Your personal account is inspiring on so many levels. Your journey had its ups and downs, but you believed in yourself, stuck to your guns, and not just achieved but exceeded your goal. Kudos!
Also, thank you for the wonderful insights into our course. It's very encouraging to know that you benefited from our pedagogy and tools.
All the best for the next leg of your journey.
Warm regards,
Abhishek
