GMAT FE 715 in 3.5 months (99% in DI) - Debrief & Takeaways

Question

Overview:  I never had any intention of taking GMAT, nor much idea about it, till the second half of May 2024. Though I registered with e-GMAT in the last week of May, I could begin my preparation only by July 1st week due to work. I gave my 1st GMAT attempt in the first week of October and got a 645 (Q84, V81, D80). After working on my weaker areas in the next two weeks in a very focused manner, and I managed to secure a 715 (Q86, V84, D86) in my second attempt.

Since numerous generic debriefs are available in this platform, I'd like to make this one more specific and as short as possible (Hence I'm skipping the usual, well-known aspects). I'd begin with the  Challenges (or Negative Traits)  I had faced during my preparation (will be more beneficial for those with similar challenges):
 
  Not an avid reader  (would've read only 4-5 novels in my entire life) -> hence was very apprehensive about Verbal Section 
 Was very hesitant and lazy to make  Error Logs -> Never Made One.  
  Quite slow in solving questions  & reading -> always left 5-7 questions unattempted in all 3 sections till the last quarter of my preparation. 
  Out of touch with Quants  -> though I did engineering, almost 10 years had passed since my under-graduation. 
 Managed to score only 80 or below in DI in 90% of the mocks I took -> had a  misbelief that 82 is maximum I could do in DI  and so there was no point in investing more time in this section. 
 Exam Day Troubles - I had a fever during my 1st attempt; and on top of that,  my Actual test began 1:15 hours delayed  than the scheduled time due to some server issues at the Center (earlier, they had also given a warning that the test might have to be rescheduled) - all of these added up to my exhaustion and reduced my confidence level.

Positive Traits  (What Helped me!):
 
 foundation of Quants was decent -  practicing more quizzes and regular revisions  helped me overcome the prior challenge (kept on revising the mathematical concepts or summary pdfs, whenever possible) 
 was  Consistent in my preparation  - diligently followed the Personalized Study plan of e-GMAT and dedicated more than 5-6 hours daily to preparation 
 keen to do quizzes and Tests - this interest in practicing helped me push my limits and improve day-by-day 
 did a  thorough analysis of every question  - analyzed 'what went wrong, how to rectify in future, etc.' in a detailed manner; I considered this process as a part of doing the quiz itself (I think this compensated for the lack of Error Logs).  
 Mocks - I did several mocks (about 21) and followed the exam day schedule since 2 weeks before my actual exam date; hence, giving the  actual GMAT was just like giving another mock for me ; I almost knew what to expect next in Verbal and DI sections as I was almost thorough with the pattern.

Resources: 
 -> Purchases: e-GMAT Course, 6 Official Mocks 
 -> Freebies: GMAT Club + Forum Quizzes; Any Free Mock available in various platforms

I'd like to share some other Insights which I had realized during my preparation, mainly by analyzing the 21 mocks I had attempted (including all 12 Official ones).

Stay Away from Misconceptions: 
 
  Quant and Verbal preparation will cover your DI Section - not fully correct ; you need to prepare intensively for this section as well; a score of 86 gives you 99% which is not possible in other sections. 
 
 I did a lot of practice (keeping away my belief that I can't score 82+ in DI) after my 1st attempt, on all 4 sub-sections in a focused manner. 
 attempted several sub-sectional and sectional quizzes from GMAT Club Forum and e-GMAT Scholaranium in those 2 weeks.  
 
 Linear Adaptivity - if you get  a very easy question in between, it doesn't always mean you're doing bad  and don't get demotivated (maybe the algorithm is just trying to play with your mind).
 
 Even while I scored Q90 in mocks, I've got extremely silly questions towards the end.  
 
 Spending more time on initial 4-5 questions - this is a big mistake, as you'll end up with much less time for the final questions which can get you bigger penalties.
 
 even after making mistakes in the beginning, you can still end with a good sectional score by performing well on other questions. 
 In a Mock (Mock 4 in the screenshot below),   I got 7 out of the first 11 questions incorrect but still received V81 .

Other Tips/Advices: 
 
 Definitely attempt the Official Mocks - as it gives the real exam scenario and feeling; Also, how many ever questions you practice before, always expect a new type or pattern of question. 
  Attempt all Questions in All Sections at any cost  - the only warning that GMAC gives in its OG or just before the exam is that failure to complete a section will get you a penalty. 
 Learn to ADAPT TO THE SITUATION:
 
 don't panic when you're unable to do a question; bookmark it then and come back later with a calm mind 
 Hard Passage - not able to understand anything? Don't waste time trying to read it over and over again; read the questions, try to find the answer from the passage and move on.  
 
  Any section can be your lifesaver  - don't focus on any single section, or leave out any small sub-section; always prepare for the worst and be ready to expect the unexpected (I expected Q90,D82- and received Q86,D86).

Please find attached a Snap of the Scores of the 6 Official Mocks I took before my 2nd attempt (I used to make a chart of all the mocks I've taken and analyze what goes wrong each time.

Last but not the least, keep yourself motivated and stay calm, throughout your preparation and especially on the Test day. After all, most competitive tests are kind of a   MIND GAME  . The main aspect which helped me during my 2nd attempt was the focus given on improving my mental calmness - I took deep breaths before every section (longer ones before the DI Section) and never panicked when I got a tougher question.

PS: Wanted to make it short, but failed I guess. Feel free to contact me for any help or advice. It would be my pleasure.

nitwgmat2024 · Answer

Nice insights abt official mocks... +1 on treating actual GMAT like another mock test. 
Quick q - did u take all 6 mocks in last 2 weeks or spread them out?

Lokster · Answer

Well done on the improvement! Appreciate u sharing the misconceptions part... esp the one about not spending too much time on first few qs 🤯👍

shamil13ss · Answer

Hi,

I took 6 official mocks before my first attempt, and the next 6 before my attempt. FYI, we can take all the 6 mocks twice, i.e. purchasing 6 mocks mean you can attempt 12 mocks with different question (I got to know this only during the last 2 weeks of my 2nd attempt).

Now, answer to your question - Yeah the dates mentioned in the image is correct. I forced myself to take all Mocks before the Actual attempt. The main reason was that I didn't have much time to give gaps between the mocks. But after every mock, I did a detailed analysis for about 1-2 hours (tried doing the incorrect answers without checking the answer). After that, I did 2-3 questions on the weaker areas/sub-sections.

But if you have ample time for preparation, I won't suggest following this. The best way would be to take a mock, do detailed analysis, identify weaker areas, work on that for required time, and then give the next Mock.

Annieprep90 · Answer

Really helpful points about DI section... was also thinking quant n verbal prep wud be enough. Will def focus more on DI practice now.

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

Gratz and all the best going forward.

Ayeka · Answer

Treating GMAT like any other mock indeed helps to overcome nervousness 
Congrats and all the best for applications

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