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abhinavchoudhary
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Location: India
Concentration: Sustainability, Strategy
Schools: INSEAD Aug '26 HEC Sept '26 LBS '26 Judge '26 FT MBA '26 NUS '26 ISB '26 Stanford '26
GMAT 1: 760 Q51 V40
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Schools: INSEAD Aug '26 HEC Sept '26 LBS '26 Judge '26 FT MBA '26 NUS '26 ISB '26 Stanford '26
GMAT 1: 760 Q51 V40
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Need suggestions after performing bad on 1st Attempt. 690 (Q49, V34) 09 Aug 2023, 02:13
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Hey everyone,
I have been preparing for GMAT for the past 2 months using TTP & OG book. I felt pretty confident about the exam as I scored 710, 720, 760, and 720 in the Official mock tests. I gave the test yesterday and scored 690 - Q49, V34, IR8. I underestimated test anxiety as it has been a while since I gave any important exam. I was unable to perform well in the initial questions of quant due to which I struggled with time in the last 5-7 questions.
I needed help with a couple of things.

1. Should I change the order sections to mitigate the initial test anxiety? (I did Q-V-IR-AWA and am thinking of switching it to AWA-IR-Q-V)
2. I have exhausted all 6 OG mock tests and the free trials from some of the other providers. Which CATs should I go for now?
3. My TTP course is expiring tomorrow and I am evaluating whether I should extend it for one month as my aim till the text attempt will be majorly on practice & mocks. Is there any study material provider I should go for?
4. Any other suggestions which you guys think will help me with the second attempt?

Thanks in advance for the replies.
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Need suggestions after performing bad on 1st Attempt. 690 (Q49, V34) 09 Aug 2023, 02:37
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The ESR may be worth getting. If you feel your fundamentals are solid, consider working on your solving approach. Perhaps work with a study buddy who is really strong on Verbal to see how they approach certain questions. If it's been a while since you took Official Mock 1, retaking it may not be a bad idea.

How to get a V40 or higher on the GMAT? What about a V51?
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Need suggestions after performing bad on 1st Attempt. 690 (Q49, V34) 09 Aug 2023, 11:33
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Hi abhinavchoudhary,

I responded to your elsewhere but feel free to reach out to us on live chat, and we can discuss a plan for you.
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GMAT 1: 800 Q51 V49
GRE 1: Q170 V170
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Need suggestions after performing bad on 1st Attempt. 690 (Q49, V34) 09 Aug 2023, 13:14
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Hi abhinavchoudhary,

First off, a 690/Q49 is a strong Score, so it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School (and referring to this as a 'bad' Score makes you sound silly). As such, a retest might not be necessary. Depending on the Schools that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement (and the more time that you have to act on that advice, the better). There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

There's obviously no harm in retesting - and you could pick up points in BOTH the Quant and Verbal sections. Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?

Goals:
3) What is your overall goal score?
4) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

If you took your Official GMAT at a Test Center, then you might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

Contact Rich at: Rich.C@empowergmat.com
www.empowergmat.com
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