GMAT first timer debrief, 670

I took the GMAT on 13 Jan 2012 and scored a 670 (Q 43, V 38).

I spent 6 weeks preparing with just OG12 and two diagnostic tests from the MBA website. I'm currently deployed to Afghanistan and work 12+ hours every day, 7 days a week (no weekends or holidays here). On days we went out on mission I was too tired to study after, so I got about 4 weeks of studying in averaging 45-90 minutes per session. My study goal was to familiarize myself with the test format, learn how to manage my time and pace myself for the test, and review some basic math. Though I achieved that, I feel like I should have spent more time on data sufficiency and sentence correction, since I missed 90% of my questions on the diagnostics from those sections. I did not spend much time preparing for the essay, critical reasoning or reading comprehension.

I’m lucky that the base I’m stationed at is one of two in Afghanistan that administers the GMAT at its DOD Education Center. I took the test at 0900, it was pretty much what I expected, there were no surprises. I was a little nervous and second guessed myself a few times, so I had to rush on the last few questions for both sections. 670 was in line with my diagnostics, and I suspect that most of the questions I missed were from data sufficiency and sentence correction.

I’m signed up to take the GRE in 3 weeks so I’m cramming for that right now. Afterwards I will be going home for15 days for a much needed break before I come back and finish up my 1 year tour. I might retake the GMAT when I get back, if I do I plan on getting study book dedicated to sentence correction and practicing a lot more data sufficiency questions. I really want to break 700 on the GMAT, but don’t know if its worth the effort right now. I need to start studying for the PE (Professional Engineer) exam, and I don’t plan on applying to MBA programs at least for another 2 years.