ugh... my mind is really bugging me out right now.
i just got a 720 yesterday which i AM happy with, don't get me wrong.
but i'm really aiming for the top 10 schools. with such a wide gap between Q and V and a sub 750 score...
is it worth retaking the exam?
another factor that really weights heavily on my mind is that, i've been searching the internet and apparently i got a perfect math score. will this offset my low verbal score?
i'm currently an engineer and all throughout my life i have greatly feared large amounts of reading and writing... when it comes to things i have no interest in (topic-wise).
should i hit the books and try to raise my total score by raising verbal (and possibly lowering my math score)? or is a low 700 with perfect math score good enough?
any thoughts and advice would be appreciated. thanks!
oh, and if you think i should retake it again, if you can i would appreciate tips on how i can improve verbal.
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Looks like people include how they studied, so i'll include a short piece
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Honestly, i did not take any classes or use any other books besides OG11. considering my low verbal score, you probably don't want to emulate. i just didn't know how to study. i didn't even know these forums existed until i went online to check out how a 720 fares.
1) 4 weeks before exam, bought the all-famous anywhere you go OG11 book... which is a 100% must have
2) The purple and green books to me looked like a waste of money because the concepts are exact copies as from the OG11, all they have new are more practice problems... up to your discretion...
3) Did OG11 for about 2 weeks, then downloaded GMATPrep
4) Took each practice test twice and did some practice verbal because it was always my weak spot
5) Ate Sausage / Egg Mc-Muffin with Orange Juice and Hashbrown on the morning of the test
6) Went to the test center 2 hours ahead of time with my friend (we were taking together). Practiced 1 essay, drank starbucks and played Brain Age.
*** I played Brain Age for Nintendo DS at least once a day as well... which i honestly think helped to some degree. it gets your mind in the right way of thinking!
--- For math at least... OG11 is more than enough in my opinion. I can't imagine learning anything more than what I did in
OG. As long as you can UNDERSTAND the concepts and logic, instead of memorizing things you will be fine. Always UNDERSTAND, NOT MEMORIZE.
--- When reviewing problems you got incorrect... don't review why you got THAT problem wrong and how to get THAT problem right. UNDERSTAND the underlying concepts and logics used.
--- How I see it is this. GMAT uses basic concepts (which are ALL in OG11) and basic logics. They make problems using these in different combinations. mix and match concepts with different logics (types of thinking in a way). Just learn what logics you can use for each problem and understand the logics instead of focusing on getting the problems right.
--- McDonald's breakfast rocks
--- BrainAge is always good and it's fun!
--- As for Verbal, I have not a clue how to prepare. I guess OG11 and GMATPrep wasn't enough.