Hello Everyone,
my GMAT score:720 - Q:50, V:36. Overall percentile:94. I am waiting for official score.
I started preparing for GMAT 2 months back.
Kaplan Test 1 before preparation: 640
Books used:
SC - Manahattan - must have for non-native folks
CR - Powerscore - very good for basics and understanding different question types
Kaplan 800 - verbal is good, not just for the questions but also the explanation it provides. PS and DS are ok
OG 12 - revised 2 times
Practice test scores:
Manhattan - 690 - Math paper is unrealistic from GMAT perspective. Time consuming questions and 95% of them were 700-800 category as per them
GMAT prep1:700 (Q:49, V:37)
GMAT prep2:710 (Q:50, V:36)
So much so on the books and the score I got.
Now the most important elements to get 700+
1. My test center was in another city (Lausanne) and I live in Geneva. I went to check the test center just 1 day before the exam date (15 Dec 2011). 2 reasons - avoid last minute tension and second avoid last day study. Go out, eat out, get tired and sleep well. There was a guy who reached the center at 6:30 am for 8:30 am check in because he too was coming from Geneva and had not checked the center before. Imagine, this guy woke up at 4am.
2. take at least 2 days off from office before the exam date
3. I took public transport to reach the test center. Of course the public transport is outstanding in Switzerland but my logic was simple. See people talking, smiling and it takes your mind off the exam. You are in better shape than sitting in a cab and thinking about the exam
4. BE SUPER CONFIDENT, after all you have prepared for the exam
5. DO NOT make mistake in the 1st 2 questions. Else you are doomed. 1st qs is medium level implying 600+ level and if you are wrong, then you are playing catching game
6. Stay relaxed, things are different in actual GMAT center from home or coaching class exam center. There you have to scan your hand, at times it doesn't work 4-5 times, there may be noise because of work going around or because your neighbor has never used keyboard, etc. If you are not used to using ear plugs, then you have write test in that noise. In addition, the exam lasts for around 4 hours, add another 1.5 hours when you started from home. So, basically 6.5 hours with little food, smoke, etc. It is the not the level of questions but the overall set up which leads to lesser score as compared to what each one of us are capable of.
7. Build yourself against such atrocities. Write your test after coming back from office or after a class. Increase your concentration level by doing CR and RC test while your parents are watching TV and top of it - ALWAYS KEEP A WATCH. ALWAYS. It is a magic pill that all star players take to reach top - ask Djoker/Nadal/Fed/Murray
9. Read
OG explanation. It gives you insight into GMAT's way of thinking.
I wish you all luck and success. Attached are some "good" notes.
Neon