Thanks all for the kind words, I really appreciate it! As, promised here is my debrief.
Background:I took the test for the first time back in April of this year. I put in about 200 hours of studying over 3 months. My main sources of material were the
MGMAT guides, although I did use the Powerscore CR & SC Bibles. From the beginning it was clear that Math was my Achilles heel. The
mgmat guides were amazing at addressing a lot of my problems, but I was still struggling on the practice tests. I also utilized the
OG and Math/Verbal supplements and completed every problem.
By the end of my prep I was scoring in the low 700's on the
MGMAT Tests. I also scored in the low 700s on the GMAT Prep tests (can't remember the exact breakdown). I was confident in my ability to score 700+, but I obviously fell short of the big day. I think my main issue was that I psyched myself out. I had worked so hard and put so much pressure on myself that when it came time to execute, I choked. End result was a disappointing 650. I was obvoiusly disappointed, but I knew that with more prep I could get the score I needed.
GMAT Take Two:After my test in April I scheduled my retake for 30 days later. However, I was also starting an Calculus extension course and quickly found out that I wouldn't be able to study and complete the course (I work full time). I think this was a blessing in disguise as I was forced to work on "math" for for several months in a row, even though it was calculus.
To make a long story short, I finished my calc class in mid-june (got an A!) and re-scheduled my retake for August 7th. I found that I actually didnt loose much from my original prep period, and I used the next 5 weeks to fill in all the gaps. Fast forward to last Saturday and I was fortunate enough to pull of a 730.
The Two Big Changes I made Between Tests1. OWN the
OG and Supplements. I think that it is absolutely critical to become an
OG rockstar. I did every single problem two and three times and got to really understand what questions for asking for. You start to notice patterns and the questions become almost predictable. I got to the point in CR and RC where I could almost get the answer correct by reading the first few words of the answer choice. It's hard to articulate what I mean, so I will give you an example. For some RC questions you will see something like "the author of this passage uses the highlighted text primarily in order to ......" The answer choices will be something like
A. Demonstrate support for XYZ
B. Refute the claim that XYZ
C. Offer additional evidence for XYZ
etc. etc.
You'll quickly notice that these types of questions all follow certain patterns and the results are quite predicatble. I improved my RC and CR accuracy to almost 100% just by doing and re-doing
OG Problems. The same is true for PS and DS. Lots of question steps require an automatic response. Things like overlapping sets and work/ rate questions all have certain methods of solving that work 99% of the time. By doing the
OG several times over, I became automatic in solving many problems types.
2.
GMAT Club tests. I paid the $75 and did about 20 of the
GMAT Club tests. I definitely struggled with them (averaged between 70-80%), but found them extremely useful for both timing and accuracy. You pick up little tricks in the answer choices, and it prepares you for what to watch out for on the real thing. One caveat with the tests**: I think that the percentages are artificially inflated because people can reset the test and take it again. This would allow people to study the answers and retake the same tests. My advice would be to take the tests, but don't worry about the percentile rankings.
**disclaimer: I do not know if this is fact, but its my supposition.
Final Tips:1. OWN the
OG: My copy looks like it went to battle and got sent home wounded. If you can get a thorough understanding of the problems and their answers (even the easy ones), then you will be prepared for whatever the real thing throws at you.
2a. Don't let the test beat you before you get a chance to beat it: A major reason why I scored poorly on my first shot was because I was so nervous. This second time I relaxed the morning of the test and did not let it psych me out.
2b. In the same vain, do let the test beat you during the exam. I used to look for certain question types (combinatorics/ probability or bolded CR) to judge how I was doing in the test. I've found you really can't figure out how well you are doing and it's best to just focus on the individuals problems.
3. Create a routine: I found that I was much more calm the second time around because I knew what to expect. I also found that developing a pretest routing took a lot of the stress away. I took practice tests on Saturdays and before each test I did exact same thing. I ate the same dinner, listened to the same music, even wore the same clothes I planned to wear on test day. I know this will sounds ridiculous to some people, but it definitely created peace of mind for me.
I think that's about it. I'm definitely happy to answer any questions you have or provide more specific details about certain area. I really think this test is beatable, you just need to put in the work and not psych yourself out and you will succeed.
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Updated on: 09 Aug 2010, 15:23
