Should I Retake GMAT Thread - Retaking GMAT Strategies

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post here.I am sort of a lurker and I guess time has come for me to post my experience and get some guidance here.This is probably a long debrief.
In case someone wants to go through it quick, go through the red section which summarises everything here.

I have given GMAT on 22ndDec,2014 and secured 690(Q50, V31).I am from India and an engineer with 30 months of experience in Automotive sector (Embedded technology)(so basically trying to distinguish myself from that of Indian IT )

I have started preparing for GMAT in the month of May,2014. First, I got to know the complete pattern of GMAT and then started studying the Princeton Review pdf I found online. After finishing it halfway, I gave GMAT Prep Test1 and got 610 (Q48 V26). Then I finished the princeton review completely and gave Princeton's free exam and secured 590(Q43 V29). I am quite good at maths and hence I thought I should get better at GMAT english.

*********GMAT Prep Test1 -> 610 (Q48 V26) *************************

*******Princeton Free test -> 590 (Q43 V29) *************************

I got the MGMAT sentence correction book and hence started studying it.Though it's quite extensive and tiring, I tried to understand all the concepts.I have also started practising the OG13 with errorlogs. I realised that I was not having great accuracy in verbal.So I started surfing around and found that egmat might suit my needs.I purchased the egmat online and started with the course.Along with egmat course,I got 800score tests and GMATclub tests. I gave one 800score test and got 680(Q50 V38).Though I was quite happy at first, after seeing the reviews of 800score I decide not to give them again.I have also started practising the GMATclub questions. I have gained some confidence because of increase in accuracy in verbal. I have started giving MGMAT mocks in the month of august and september. Around mid september, I had to stop preparing for GMAT since I was planning to give CAT exam here.


*******MGMAT Test1 -> 600 (Q45 V29) *************************

*******MGMAT Test2 -> 610 (Q45 V30) *************************

*******MGMAT Test3 -> 660 (Q46 V34) *************************


Until Mid November I prepared for the CAT and it went quite well. I must say my ability in Quants and Verbal have a gone a notch high. I have gone for a trip and then again started preparing for GMAT in Dec. I have also booked a Dec22nd Morning Slot. I have started practising with the remaining OG13 problems and started revising my egmat notes.I gave 3 MGMAT mocks in period of 1 week and following are my scores.

*******MGMAT Test4 -> 670 (Q45 V36) *************************

*******MGMAT Test5 -> 670 (Q48 V33) *************************

*******MGMAT Test6 -> 680 (Q45 V37) *************************

So from the above MGMAT scores I noticed that I was not doing well in section wise. Two days before the D-day, I resetted the GMAT prep(Since I have given one 7 months back) and gave GMAT Prep Test2 and got 660(Q50 V30)! I was quite shocked and tried to analyse the shortcomings. I was not planning to give a mock before the D-day,but after seeing my 660 score I gave a GMAT Prep Test1 on the day before D-day and got 730!!

*********GMAT Prep Test2 -> 660 (Q48 V26) *************************

*********GMAT Prep Test1 -> 730 (Q48 V26) *************************


I was quite happy but I have realised that fatigue playing a key role here. I am quite confident of solving any question that I face but I need to maintain exam stamina to replicate 730 again.Furthermore, I haven't practised AWA at all. Once I have gone through the chinese burned template long long back.So the day before the D-day, I practised a essay and got an idea on what to write on the exam day.

Finally on the D-day, I wrote the AWA quite okay. I thought I didn't do quite well in IR. In Quants, I guessed only one question somewhere in middle and rest all I solved with 3 minutes left. In verbal, I felt I was not doing well in sentence correction and was always racing against time. Finally when I saw the score, I was not quite sure how to react! 690 is a good score but then remaining 10 would have made this GMAT experience sweeter, So near and yet so Far!!!


--GMAT ->690 ->87%
AWA ->5.5 ->81%
IR ->5 ->52%
Quants ->50 ->88%
Verbal ->31 ->61%

I have started writting essays for the Bschools. I am not aiming for top10 colleges. Furthermore, It is too difficult for me to bear the complete fees,so I need scholarship.Now considering R2 deadlines close, Should i retake GMAT? I am quite confident I can tun around and get 730 by January end. So If I get 730 by January end, is there any chance of getting scholarships in R3?

Suggestions are invited

@bb,@bunuel I have gone through all the retake threads and quite confused.Your suggestion is needed. Thanks for your time