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Xavipersonal
Current Student
Joined: 02 Dec 2015
Last visit: 02 May 2018
Posts: 9
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 31
Location: Denmark
Schools: IE Sept18 Intake (A)
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
GPA: 3
14 Dec 2016, 12:29
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi all 
It is now one week since I got a 600 score in my first attempt in the official GMAT, I feel that I can share my story and ask for advice before retaking the test again. I must admit that I feel very disappointed with my score. I was aiming to a 700+ when I started my study. My goal is to get in IESE or INSEAD, and since my age will be above the average I think a strong GMAT will somehow counterbalance this and some other weaknesses in my application.
Lets start from the beginning of my journey, I started around february getting familiar with the GMAT through the Manhattan SC and CR books. Soon, I realized that self-study was not really my thing.
As most of you I do have a pretty tight schedule, no surprises. So in May I signed up for the Economist course as a new way to prepare the GMAT. Economist together with gmatclub (free) is what I have mainly used for preparation.
About the Economist course, I am not either very satisfied in general. Having completed all the theory, I believe the course it is ok, but I wouldn't say very good. It provided me with a strong training for the quant area. Not being that good in the verbal part, which is my weakest area. The main disadvantage I found during the Economist course is that due to the 'let the algorithm decide what is best for you', I did not practice SC for a very very long time and therefore, I arrived to the test with a lack of confidence in that part of the verbal. Something that a month and half before the test, I think I was pretty decent at.
I am gonna take the GMAT again mid April '17. This will give me 3 entire months to study. Since the next 3/4 weeks I will be travelling home for Christmas and dealing with some deadlines at work. To keep myself active I have started to read the economist magazine (a bit ironic) to improve my RC.
And besides that, from mid January to mid April I am thinking to follow a new course to rise my score. However, I might need someone else opinion on that because I nailed down to the following options, but now it is complicated to decide:
option 1: clubmba + e-gmat verbal
option 2: clubmba + magoosh
option 3: clubmba + empowerGmat
Below I include my results from the previous tests.
I can see I did not face it the right way and I was missing also an errorLog etc etc
16th Oct - Sim test #1 Economist -> 640 Q49 V30 IR2
22nd Oct - Sim test #2 Economist -> 670 Q41 V42 IR5
5th Nov - Sim test #3 Economist -> 650 Q48 V32 IR2
21st Nov - Sim test #4 Economist -> 620 Q41 V35 IR3
26ht Nov - GMATPrep -> 640 Q50 V47 IR4
16th Oct - Sim test #5 Economist -> 620 Q50 V27 IR2
5th Dec - GMATPrep -> 600 Q48 V25 IR7
7th Dec - Official test -> 600 Q49 V23 IR5 AWA5
As the last question, does anyone know where can I find more CAT test to take since mba[.]com it was a bit unclear to me.
I will also take a chance to thank for all the good work and help given in this forum!!
It is now one week since I got a 600 score in my first attempt in the official GMAT, I feel that I can share my story and ask for advice before retaking the test again. I must admit that I feel very disappointed with my score. I was aiming to a 700+ when I started my study. My goal is to get in IESE or INSEAD, and since my age will be above the average I think a strong GMAT will somehow counterbalance this and some other weaknesses in my application.
Lets start from the beginning of my journey, I started around february getting familiar with the GMAT through the Manhattan SC and CR books. Soon, I realized that self-study was not really my thing.
As most of you I do have a pretty tight schedule, no surprises. So in May I signed up for the Economist course as a new way to prepare the GMAT. Economist together with gmatclub (free) is what I have mainly used for preparation.
About the Economist course, I am not either very satisfied in general. Having completed all the theory, I believe the course it is ok, but I wouldn't say very good. It provided me with a strong training for the quant area. Not being that good in the verbal part, which is my weakest area. The main disadvantage I found during the Economist course is that due to the 'let the algorithm decide what is best for you', I did not practice SC for a very very long time and therefore, I arrived to the test with a lack of confidence in that part of the verbal. Something that a month and half before the test, I think I was pretty decent at.
I am gonna take the GMAT again mid April '17. This will give me 3 entire months to study. Since the next 3/4 weeks I will be travelling home for Christmas and dealing with some deadlines at work. To keep myself active I have started to read the economist magazine (a bit ironic) to improve my RC.
And besides that, from mid January to mid April I am thinking to follow a new course to rise my score. However, I might need someone else opinion on that because I nailed down to the following options, but now it is complicated to decide:
option 1: clubmba + e-gmat verbal
option 2: clubmba + magoosh
option 3: clubmba + empowerGmat
Below I include my results from the previous tests.
I can see I did not face it the right way and I was missing also an errorLog etc etc
16th Oct - Sim test #1 Economist -> 640 Q49 V30 IR2
22nd Oct - Sim test #2 Economist -> 670 Q41 V42 IR5
5th Nov - Sim test #3 Economist -> 650 Q48 V32 IR2
21st Nov - Sim test #4 Economist -> 620 Q41 V35 IR3
26ht Nov - GMATPrep -> 640 Q50 V47 IR4
16th Oct - Sim test #5 Economist -> 620 Q50 V27 IR2
5th Dec - GMATPrep -> 600 Q48 V25 IR7
7th Dec - Official test -> 600 Q49 V23 IR5 AWA5
As the last question, does anyone know where can I find more CAT test to take since mba[.]com it was a bit unclear to me.
I will also take a chance to thank for all the good work and help given in this forum!!
14 Dec 2016, 12:39
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi Xavipersonal,
To start, you will likely receive more of a response if you also post your story in the Shared Experience Sub-Forum here:
share-gmat-experience-8/
Your Official GMAT score is remarkably similar to your last CAT score (although in the future you should plan to take no more than one FULL CAT per week - and your last CAT should be about a week before your Official GMAT). Given your strong performance in the Quant section, the bulk of the missing points that you're looking for are going to be found in the Verbal section. If your Quant skills remain consistently strong, then you will probably not need another 3 months of study to hit your score goal (another 1-2 months of consistent, guided study could be enough).
If you're not going to be able to re-immerse yourself into your studies until after the holidays, then I suggest that when you start back up you plan to take a new, FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections). That score will help to define how much your GMAT skills may have faded. From there, we can discuss how best to proceed.
As far as practice CATs are concerned, there are plenty of reputable CATs to choose from (including the two Exam Packs from GMAC and the 'blocks' of CATs that are available from Kaplan, MGMAT and Veritas).
1) How many hours do you think you'll be able to consistently study each week (after the holidays)?
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
3) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
To start, you will likely receive more of a response if you also post your story in the Shared Experience Sub-Forum here:
share-gmat-experience-8/
Your Official GMAT score is remarkably similar to your last CAT score (although in the future you should plan to take no more than one FULL CAT per week - and your last CAT should be about a week before your Official GMAT). Given your strong performance in the Quant section, the bulk of the missing points that you're looking for are going to be found in the Verbal section. If your Quant skills remain consistently strong, then you will probably not need another 3 months of study to hit your score goal (another 1-2 months of consistent, guided study could be enough).
If you're not going to be able to re-immerse yourself into your studies until after the holidays, then I suggest that when you start back up you plan to take a new, FULL-LENGTH CAT (with the Essay and IR sections). That score will help to define how much your GMAT skills may have faded. From there, we can discuss how best to proceed.
As far as practice CATs are concerned, there are plenty of reputable CATs to choose from (including the two Exam Packs from GMAC and the 'blocks' of CATs that are available from Kaplan, MGMAT and Veritas).
1) How many hours do you think you'll be able to consistently study each week (after the holidays)?
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
3) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
Xavipersonal
Current Student
Joined: 02 Dec 2015
Last visit: 02 May 2018
Posts: 9
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 31
Location: Denmark
Schools: IE Sept18 Intake (A)
GMAT 1: 690 Q49 V35
GPA: 3
14 Dec 2016, 13:07
Kudos
Bookmarks
Thanks for your quick answer Rich, I will post it now in the subforum you suggested!
I also appreciate your advices about the CATs. I just took as many as possible when getting close to the test date. Afterwards I realized it was the wrong approach.
On regards of my vacations, I will not be able to re-inmerse myself 100% but I would really love to remain active by exercising around 30min every day. Plus reading business magazines to improve RC.
To your questions:
1) How many hours do you think you'll be able to consistently study each week (after the holidays)? 15h/week
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School? I will apply for the 1st round for the MBAs at 2018
3) What Schools are you planning to apply to? IESE and INSEAD
Thanks you one more time for your help!
I also appreciate your advices about the CATs. I just took as many as possible when getting close to the test date. Afterwards I realized it was the wrong approach.
On regards of my vacations, I will not be able to re-inmerse myself 100% but I would really love to remain active by exercising around 30min every day. Plus reading business magazines to improve RC.
To your questions:
1) How many hours do you think you'll be able to consistently study each week (after the holidays)? 15h/week
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School? I will apply for the 1st round for the MBAs at 2018
3) What Schools are you planning to apply to? IESE and INSEAD
Thanks you one more time for your help!
