700 to 770 - Thank you GMATclub. A debrief.

Hi everyone. I've been a long time lurker on these forums, and reading a lot of the debriefs helped through some difficult moments. In my own small way, I'd like to contribute and give back. Big thanks to the wonderful people of this site, Bunuel, BB, GMATRich, and the rest.

Background

I'm a chemical engineer, graduated top of my class in India, and went on to work in Germany, Malaysia and Singapore, for the same company, after getting consistently promoted. Based on this, and my first GMAT score of 700, I thought I had a pretty good shot of getting into an elite school. Long story short, in December of 2017 I applied and subsequently got dinged from Cambridge and Harvard. Harvard was always a moonshot, but Cambridge really cut deep. I decided to take the GMAT again in June 2018, and apply a year later.

Prep

The good folks on the internet seemed to like the Manhattan, so I bought all 6 strategy guides, which also gave access to the full length CATS. I found the Manhattan quant books excellent, and didn't really use the verbal too much. I've pretty much been a native speaker of English my whole life, so I really just brushed up on a few rules and 'formalized' some concepts. The Manhattan tests, while excellent, are supremely difficult, so to anyone reading this, please don't be disheartened by low scores. Ill leave it to others to comment on scoring algorithms. My test scores were as below, in order

MGMAT 1 - 700
MGMAT 2 - 660 (really got annoyed after this one )
GMATPrep 1 - 770
MGMAT 3 - 690
MGMAT 4 - 700
GMATprep 2 - 770
GMATprep 3 -780
MGMAT 5 - 730
MGMAT 6 - 720
GMATPrep 4 - 770
GMATprep 5 - 780
GMATprep 6 - 770 ( taken two days before the exam)

GMAT - 770 Q50 V46

Takeaways :

1. There's a lot of information and advice out there, most of it well intentioned. The key is to find what works for you. Try out a little of everything, especially if you're still early in your prep, and figure out your own schedules, methods of study, books etc. I discovered the Veritasprep videos 3 weeks before my exam, and they are the only reason I finally understood Combinatorics and Probability. Get them on the app for free.

2. There is no substitute for effort. I've never been one of the more intelligent, just someone who works hard. IF I can do it, believe me so can you ! Make a schedule and stick to it. My job involves a lot of travelling, and I shudder thinking back about the time I spent at airports rummaging through my books, simply exhausted. Now, it all feels worth it.

3. Ask for help. Whether its a friend, a course, or this lovely website. Admit that you don't /can't understand something, and try to find someone or something that can help you. Don't give up, saying this is something Ill leave to chance on the GMAT. ( Of course this applies to people who still have some time for their exam. To those of you in your last weeks, ignore this )

4. Stop trying to learn anything in your last 4 weeks. Keep that time for revising, strengthening, and giving tests.

5. Go over every single question from every single test, especially on the GMATPrep exams. Even the ones you got correct. Ask yourself how you got them correct, and whether any new approaches come to you. I can 100% that while similar questions to what you've done before will show up, they will always have a tiny twist.

6. Manhattan exams are difficult. They're good early on in your prep, but don't touch them in your last 4 weeks. Just don't. Not the Quant, the verbal, no, nothing.

7. Spend the last two day before an exam relaxing, thinking about how much you've studied, how much you know. Don't underestimate the importance of sleep. I flew half way across the world to spend the GMAt week with my parents, and gave the exam after 3 days of chilling, with a little bit of jetlag thrown in.

8. Literally every question you can't answer has been answered on this website by somebody. Use this information to understand as much as you can.

9. The GMAT is a test of intelligence, and application of that intelligence. Don't let that trick you into thinking it can't be conquered. You, yes you reading this, have a 750 inside you. All you need to do is a find the right way to let it out.

Good luck.