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24 Jul 2014, 17:04
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On Saturday July 19th, I took the GMAT and received a score of AWA 6, IR 7 and 700 (Q49, V36). I have been very quiet on the forums, however, GMAT Club has been very helpful in my journey to my GMAT score and I want to be able to give back what I can. Hopefully, my GMAT debrief can provide some information, motivation and/or guidance to future GMAT Club members and help them in some small way.
Story Time
As far back as my memory goes, I have always wanted to be an engineer. I was inspired by the fact that humans could see a problem and envision a solution to that problem to better the lives of mankind. Unfortunately, I did not know what area to focus in; there just too many interesting engineering opportunities to explore. However, I lucked out in my first job and found that I really enjoyed project management; it allowed me to be able to explore the many different engineering problems that may crop up in the launch of a program without completely diving into the very fine details. This is what led my decision to obtain a MBA to help me be a better engineering project manager and allow me to transition into the aerospace industry.
GMAT Study
In order to be able to study effectively, I set myself a goal. My desired mark was an AWA 5.5, IR 7, total score of 700 with subset scores of Q50 and V36. I was able to reach my goal, but the real result of the goal setting was creating a target to focus on whether I was on track or not.
The resources I used were:
Manhattan Books (Book 0 to Book 9)
Official Guide 13
2nd Edition Quantitative Review
2nd Edition Verbal Review
GMAT Club
I found that in general, the Manhattan books were very basic, but that they developed the basic fundamental knowledge. As the GMAT tests the principles found in High School, but combined into interesting problems, it is paramount to have a solid foundation in the basics. I found it useful as a quick overview of the GMAT subjects and as a reference during the course of the study period.
The Official Guide 13, the 2nd Edition Quantitative Review and the 2nd Edition Verbal Reviews should be your primary source of questions. If possible, I would not rely on other sources for questions. Sometimes, it is not possible, such as CATS, I found GMAT questions had certain syntax to them, especially verbal, that other questions could not replicate. Other sources questions should only be used as learning opportunities to better understand the GMAT concepts. Furthermore, try not to go see forum problems prior to taking the CATs as they problems may come from CATs and in turn, make the CATs less realistic and less indicative of your true score.
Given the OG & and the Manhattan books, I didn't find it necessary to take any courses. The information was more or less basic and to get a get good score, it seemed like the information had to be refined, which takes time and practice.
I have not used the GMAT Club math tests, but I did use the Brunol’s questions listed in his signature to help develop my understanding of the GMAT Quantitative section. Most of the questions I found were much more difficult and was worded slightly differently, but the concept of the question and answer is really what you are getting from solving the problem.
For Verbal questions, it is even more paramount to rely on OG questions. Other sources typically have different wording and the especially for SC, the choices are not as clear cut; some of the MGMAT CAT answers I found questionable but I have never found an answer questionable on GMAT Prep.
The tools that I used to help me study were:
Error Log
Notes
Calendar
The error log is essential to improving your GMAT score. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it needs to at the very least reference back to the part number, state what went wrong with the question and state what was learned from the problem. Unless mistakes are tracked, it is very easy to repeat the same mistake, so take every incorrect answer as a learning opportunity to better understand the topic at hand.
A lot of people use flash cards to study; however, I didn't like the general format of this type of note taking. I treated the GMAT like a university class so I took notes on each subject. The notes that I write are what I like to call dummy-proof; it is written in a way that makes sense to me because I am the one who is using it. By the end of my preparation for the GMAT, the notes became 49 pages long. I could have been much more concise, but it was purposely written in a way that if for some reason I forgot why a statement was true, I wouldn't have to dive back in to figure it out; it was laid out in a way that I easily understood.
Lastly, a calendar is very useful to keep track of what you are studying this week and what your overall study plan was. Every week, I would update it. If I was behind, the calendar was updated to bring me back to where I should be. If I was ahead, I took advantage of the extra time and used it to shore up my weak area. Use the calendar to keep your studying structured and keep track of where you are in your overall plan.
CATs
2014-06-22 - MGMAT #1 – 620 (QV Only) - Q43 (19 incorrect out of 37) & V32 (19 incorrect out of 41)
2014-06-29 - MGMAT #2 – 640 (QV Only) - Q40 (20 incorrect out of 37) & V37 (16 incorrect out of 41)
2014-07-12 - MGMAT #3 – 670 (Full Test) - IR 3.8, Q45 (17 incorrect out of 37) & V36 (16 incorrect out of 41)
2014-07-14 - GMAT Prep #1 - 740 (Full Test - IR 7, Q49 (12 incorrect out of 37) & V41 (11 incorrect out of 41)
2014-07-15 - GMAT Prep #1 – 730 (Full Test minus same IR as previous) - Q49 (9 incorrect out of 37) & V40 (8 incorrect out of 41)
Use the GMAT (and to a much lesser extent the OG) to guide your study. From the first two MGMAT’s it was very easy to see that my Quantitative was very weak. However, I didn't face this fact until the second MGMAT since as a typical engineer my quantitative skills should be very strong where else my verbal should be much weaker. This fact should have been obvious to me after the first MGMAT, but I stayed focused on the verbal portion. Only after the second MGMAT did I face reality. Do your analysis on the CAT and understand where improvement would be most beneficial. Number properties were where I was weakest so that was where I started. For the MGMAT CAT, my timing was horrible for all three tests. For the GMAT Prep CAT, I found the questions must less calculation heavy and timing was not an issue. For those of you that have difficulty with the MGMAT Quantitative section and respond correctly to a large majority of the OG questions, the GMAT will be easier because you have dealt with the tough MGMAT questions.
Second, do your own analysis. Please don’t go on GMAT Club, state a score and ask for advice with the expectation that the advice will be very relevant. Unfortunately, you are the one writing the CAT and only you know how you felt during each problem, which concept is giving you the most problem, where you are stumbling, etc. Only you know exactly what happened on each step of the GMAT and only you can do the analysis that gives you the most benefit. The GMAT Club members will be glad to help, but the advice provided will be very general and not be as useful as your own analysis.
Lastly, be confident in yourself before the GMAT. You know how much effort and time you have put into studying for this test. If you have left everything on the table from you study efforts and could not have done any more, then be confident. You have done all you could have done to prepare for the GMAT so be confident in yourself. After my last two GMAT Prep exams, I reset my goal to a score of 760. Whether I could have gotten this on the GMAT or not, I do not know. However, I was feeling good and by setting myself a higher goal, I signified that I was more confident in myself and in the amount of effort I put into the GMAT.
GMAT Test
I booked the GMAT test month in advance and had to live with an 8:00 AM time. Since I am not a morning person, I thought that this was a blunder. However, I booked a trip to go to Hong Kong for a cousin’s wedding in early September and the July 19th test take allows for an second GMAT test before the trip if necessary. If I booked for the 11:00 AM test, which was the time that I originally wanted, I would have waited until 12:00 AM to start writing the test since the previous group (me) was not done until right before 12. My advice to anyone planning the test is to be among the first group to write the test on that day so the start time on the appointment will be the actual start time.
The night before the test, it was very hot and humid and I do not deal very well with that kind of weather. I kept tossing and turning and at 6:00 AM when the alarm went off, I only had 3 hours of sleep. Surprisingly, I felt fairly awake and I hoped it would last until the end of the GMAT.
I went off to the test centre and got there 40 minutes early. Looking back, if you are confident in getting there on time, I would only try to get there 15 minutes early. Otherwise, you sit there and stew. During the drive to the test and during the wait, I kept pumping myself up to stay confident and loose. I also stretched while I was waiting to help wake myself up and to help stay relaxed.
The test enter uses a fairly standard keyboard; easy to type on with no sticky key issues. My only gripe is that the keyboard can only tilt so much and the keyboard I am used to can tilt to a higher angle. The keyboard can be stored under the monitor during the other sections which gave enough room to write on the board. However, the desks are very packed. I stretched between the Essay and the IR section and actually hit the head of another participant. I felt really badly but I didn't have the opportunity to talk to her and apologize during the breaks or after the test. If you are reading this, SORRY! When you receive the board, use this as an opportunity to try the pens that they give you to ensure that all the pens have ink. When you first start the test, you will have to read a few pages of disclaimers; use this time as an opportunity to get comfortable writing with the pen and typing with the keyboard. Writing with the board was no different that writing with pen or pencil on paper; the only difference was the fact that the notebooks I used were bound on the vertical side of the paper while the board was bound on the horizontal side. This was a little awkward for me when I was flipping through. Make sure to review MBA's video on the facility to get more comfortable with the venue.
During the Essay portion of the GMAT, I relied heavily on chineseburned's guide to a 6.0 AWA score. Use this resource; it will be all you need. That being said, you should put enough effort when preparing for the essay portion to be confident. Use the essay to steady the nerves, get into your GMAT groove and get off to a good start. I think a lot of people skip the Essay portion of their GMAT prep, and while it is easy, they really should put more effort to gensure that the GMAT gets off to a good start. Case in point, I only started studying for the Essay 2 weeks before the GMAT test date and I received a score of 6 and more importantly, got the GMAT off to a good start.
The Integrated Reasoning was fairly easy and none of the questions were particularly difficult. I think that the GMAT IR is reflected by the OG IR and the GMAT Prep IR. I only did the MGMAT IR once and it was my first one, so I can’t say how comparable the two was.
Always take the break. Wash your face. Eat some food. Drink some water. Clear your head of the Essay and IR material in your head and refocus on the Quantitative section.
The Quantitative section I believe was slightly harder than the GMAT Prep and a lot easier than the MGMAT CATs. However, the concepts in the MGMAT CAT are applicable to the GMAT so use them as a learning opportunity. Timing was not an issue except for the last two questions; to give myself two minutes to answer the last question, I had to guess on the 2nd last question... Unfortunately, the last question was very easy and I answered it in 30 seconds. You have to play the odds though, so stick to the rough concept of two minutes per questions.
Again, take the break. If the Quantitative section went badly, you should forget about it and move on. If it went well, you should use that as a confidence booster when going into the Verbal section.
The verbal section went relatively badly. I am pretty sure my lack of sleep started to affect me now, but I did find the SC questions not as clear cut; I could always narrow it down to two, but I have a devil of a time trying to select the correct answer. RC & CR was always the cornerstone of my Verbal Scores, so I didn't find them any more difficult than the MGMAT or GMAT Prep CAT.
When I got the score, I was ecstatic. I only needed a 627 to reach the school I wanted to go to. I was also disappointed since I wanted to reach 760. Given enough sleep, maybe I could have reached it. However, the 700 score checks off that requirement all schools except the top 15 and actually opens more doors for me. I will actually have to ask for some help to decide where to apply to, which hopefully some friendly GMAT Club members can assist me in.
Anyway, I hope that some of this information was useful for some person. If this helps one person out, I will be happy. If there are any questions, please ask. I'll check back every so often to help out anyone that I can. Wherever you are, I wish you good luck for the GMAT and on the MBA application.
Story Time
As far back as my memory goes, I have always wanted to be an engineer. I was inspired by the fact that humans could see a problem and envision a solution to that problem to better the lives of mankind. Unfortunately, I did not know what area to focus in; there just too many interesting engineering opportunities to explore. However, I lucked out in my first job and found that I really enjoyed project management; it allowed me to be able to explore the many different engineering problems that may crop up in the launch of a program without completely diving into the very fine details. This is what led my decision to obtain a MBA to help me be a better engineering project manager and allow me to transition into the aerospace industry.
GMAT Study
In order to be able to study effectively, I set myself a goal. My desired mark was an AWA 5.5, IR 7, total score of 700 with subset scores of Q50 and V36. I was able to reach my goal, but the real result of the goal setting was creating a target to focus on whether I was on track or not.
The resources I used were:
Manhattan Books (Book 0 to Book 9)
Official Guide 13
2nd Edition Quantitative Review
2nd Edition Verbal Review
GMAT Club
I found that in general, the Manhattan books were very basic, but that they developed the basic fundamental knowledge. As the GMAT tests the principles found in High School, but combined into interesting problems, it is paramount to have a solid foundation in the basics. I found it useful as a quick overview of the GMAT subjects and as a reference during the course of the study period.
The Official Guide 13, the 2nd Edition Quantitative Review and the 2nd Edition Verbal Reviews should be your primary source of questions. If possible, I would not rely on other sources for questions. Sometimes, it is not possible, such as CATS, I found GMAT questions had certain syntax to them, especially verbal, that other questions could not replicate. Other sources questions should only be used as learning opportunities to better understand the GMAT concepts. Furthermore, try not to go see forum problems prior to taking the CATs as they problems may come from CATs and in turn, make the CATs less realistic and less indicative of your true score.
Given the OG & and the Manhattan books, I didn't find it necessary to take any courses. The information was more or less basic and to get a get good score, it seemed like the information had to be refined, which takes time and practice.
I have not used the GMAT Club math tests, but I did use the Brunol’s questions listed in his signature to help develop my understanding of the GMAT Quantitative section. Most of the questions I found were much more difficult and was worded slightly differently, but the concept of the question and answer is really what you are getting from solving the problem.
For Verbal questions, it is even more paramount to rely on OG questions. Other sources typically have different wording and the especially for SC, the choices are not as clear cut; some of the MGMAT CAT answers I found questionable but I have never found an answer questionable on GMAT Prep.
The tools that I used to help me study were:
Error Log
Notes
Calendar
The error log is essential to improving your GMAT score. It doesn't have to be complicated, but it needs to at the very least reference back to the part number, state what went wrong with the question and state what was learned from the problem. Unless mistakes are tracked, it is very easy to repeat the same mistake, so take every incorrect answer as a learning opportunity to better understand the topic at hand.
A lot of people use flash cards to study; however, I didn't like the general format of this type of note taking. I treated the GMAT like a university class so I took notes on each subject. The notes that I write are what I like to call dummy-proof; it is written in a way that makes sense to me because I am the one who is using it. By the end of my preparation for the GMAT, the notes became 49 pages long. I could have been much more concise, but it was purposely written in a way that if for some reason I forgot why a statement was true, I wouldn't have to dive back in to figure it out; it was laid out in a way that I easily understood.
Lastly, a calendar is very useful to keep track of what you are studying this week and what your overall study plan was. Every week, I would update it. If I was behind, the calendar was updated to bring me back to where I should be. If I was ahead, I took advantage of the extra time and used it to shore up my weak area. Use the calendar to keep your studying structured and keep track of where you are in your overall plan.
CATs
2014-06-22 - MGMAT #1 – 620 (QV Only) - Q43 (19 incorrect out of 37) & V32 (19 incorrect out of 41)
2014-06-29 - MGMAT #2 – 640 (QV Only) - Q40 (20 incorrect out of 37) & V37 (16 incorrect out of 41)
2014-07-12 - MGMAT #3 – 670 (Full Test) - IR 3.8, Q45 (17 incorrect out of 37) & V36 (16 incorrect out of 41)
2014-07-14 - GMAT Prep #1 - 740 (Full Test - IR 7, Q49 (12 incorrect out of 37) & V41 (11 incorrect out of 41)
2014-07-15 - GMAT Prep #1 – 730 (Full Test minus same IR as previous) - Q49 (9 incorrect out of 37) & V40 (8 incorrect out of 41)
Use the GMAT (and to a much lesser extent the OG) to guide your study. From the first two MGMAT’s it was very easy to see that my Quantitative was very weak. However, I didn't face this fact until the second MGMAT since as a typical engineer my quantitative skills should be very strong where else my verbal should be much weaker. This fact should have been obvious to me after the first MGMAT, but I stayed focused on the verbal portion. Only after the second MGMAT did I face reality. Do your analysis on the CAT and understand where improvement would be most beneficial. Number properties were where I was weakest so that was where I started. For the MGMAT CAT, my timing was horrible for all three tests. For the GMAT Prep CAT, I found the questions must less calculation heavy and timing was not an issue. For those of you that have difficulty with the MGMAT Quantitative section and respond correctly to a large majority of the OG questions, the GMAT will be easier because you have dealt with the tough MGMAT questions.
Second, do your own analysis. Please don’t go on GMAT Club, state a score and ask for advice with the expectation that the advice will be very relevant. Unfortunately, you are the one writing the CAT and only you know how you felt during each problem, which concept is giving you the most problem, where you are stumbling, etc. Only you know exactly what happened on each step of the GMAT and only you can do the analysis that gives you the most benefit. The GMAT Club members will be glad to help, but the advice provided will be very general and not be as useful as your own analysis.
Lastly, be confident in yourself before the GMAT. You know how much effort and time you have put into studying for this test. If you have left everything on the table from you study efforts and could not have done any more, then be confident. You have done all you could have done to prepare for the GMAT so be confident in yourself. After my last two GMAT Prep exams, I reset my goal to a score of 760. Whether I could have gotten this on the GMAT or not, I do not know. However, I was feeling good and by setting myself a higher goal, I signified that I was more confident in myself and in the amount of effort I put into the GMAT.
GMAT Test
I booked the GMAT test month in advance and had to live with an 8:00 AM time. Since I am not a morning person, I thought that this was a blunder. However, I booked a trip to go to Hong Kong for a cousin’s wedding in early September and the July 19th test take allows for an second GMAT test before the trip if necessary. If I booked for the 11:00 AM test, which was the time that I originally wanted, I would have waited until 12:00 AM to start writing the test since the previous group (me) was not done until right before 12. My advice to anyone planning the test is to be among the first group to write the test on that day so the start time on the appointment will be the actual start time.
The night before the test, it was very hot and humid and I do not deal very well with that kind of weather. I kept tossing and turning and at 6:00 AM when the alarm went off, I only had 3 hours of sleep. Surprisingly, I felt fairly awake and I hoped it would last until the end of the GMAT.
I went off to the test centre and got there 40 minutes early. Looking back, if you are confident in getting there on time, I would only try to get there 15 minutes early. Otherwise, you sit there and stew. During the drive to the test and during the wait, I kept pumping myself up to stay confident and loose. I also stretched while I was waiting to help wake myself up and to help stay relaxed.
The test enter uses a fairly standard keyboard; easy to type on with no sticky key issues. My only gripe is that the keyboard can only tilt so much and the keyboard I am used to can tilt to a higher angle. The keyboard can be stored under the monitor during the other sections which gave enough room to write on the board. However, the desks are very packed. I stretched between the Essay and the IR section and actually hit the head of another participant. I felt really badly but I didn't have the opportunity to talk to her and apologize during the breaks or after the test. If you are reading this, SORRY! When you receive the board, use this as an opportunity to try the pens that they give you to ensure that all the pens have ink. When you first start the test, you will have to read a few pages of disclaimers; use this time as an opportunity to get comfortable writing with the pen and typing with the keyboard. Writing with the board was no different that writing with pen or pencil on paper; the only difference was the fact that the notebooks I used were bound on the vertical side of the paper while the board was bound on the horizontal side. This was a little awkward for me when I was flipping through. Make sure to review MBA's video on the facility to get more comfortable with the venue.
During the Essay portion of the GMAT, I relied heavily on chineseburned's guide to a 6.0 AWA score. Use this resource; it will be all you need. That being said, you should put enough effort when preparing for the essay portion to be confident. Use the essay to steady the nerves, get into your GMAT groove and get off to a good start. I think a lot of people skip the Essay portion of their GMAT prep, and while it is easy, they really should put more effort to gensure that the GMAT gets off to a good start. Case in point, I only started studying for the Essay 2 weeks before the GMAT test date and I received a score of 6 and more importantly, got the GMAT off to a good start.
The Integrated Reasoning was fairly easy and none of the questions were particularly difficult. I think that the GMAT IR is reflected by the OG IR and the GMAT Prep IR. I only did the MGMAT IR once and it was my first one, so I can’t say how comparable the two was.
Always take the break. Wash your face. Eat some food. Drink some water. Clear your head of the Essay and IR material in your head and refocus on the Quantitative section.
The Quantitative section I believe was slightly harder than the GMAT Prep and a lot easier than the MGMAT CATs. However, the concepts in the MGMAT CAT are applicable to the GMAT so use them as a learning opportunity. Timing was not an issue except for the last two questions; to give myself two minutes to answer the last question, I had to guess on the 2nd last question... Unfortunately, the last question was very easy and I answered it in 30 seconds. You have to play the odds though, so stick to the rough concept of two minutes per questions.
Again, take the break. If the Quantitative section went badly, you should forget about it and move on. If it went well, you should use that as a confidence booster when going into the Verbal section.
The verbal section went relatively badly. I am pretty sure my lack of sleep started to affect me now, but I did find the SC questions not as clear cut; I could always narrow it down to two, but I have a devil of a time trying to select the correct answer. RC & CR was always the cornerstone of my Verbal Scores, so I didn't find them any more difficult than the MGMAT or GMAT Prep CAT.
When I got the score, I was ecstatic. I only needed a 627 to reach the school I wanted to go to. I was also disappointed since I wanted to reach 760. Given enough sleep, maybe I could have reached it. However, the 700 score checks off that requirement all schools except the top 15 and actually opens more doors for me. I will actually have to ask for some help to decide where to apply to, which hopefully some friendly GMAT Club members can assist me in.
Anyway, I hope that some of this information was useful for some person. If this helps one person out, I will be happy. If there are any questions, please ask. I'll check back every so often to help out anyone that I can. Wherever you are, I wish you good luck for the GMAT and on the MBA application.
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