My GMAT prep officially went live in Mar'22. Prior to this, I watched several GMAT videos on YouTube just to get an idea of what the exam entails.
Initially, my main method of preparation was to complete as many
OG questions as possible, thinking that solving as many questions as I can will help me cover every single possible type of question that I might encounter during the exam. Also, I did not have a structured approach to prepare for the exams, often jumping from one topic / section to another. Part of reason why I approached my preparation process in such a way (not recommended) was because I had some confidence in both my quant and verbal abilities, having graduated with an Engineering degree from a university where English is the main medium of communication. Lo and behold, I only managed to score a V34 in the test, with my overall score amounting to a 710 (Q50, V34, IR 7, AWA 6.0), even after 2+ months of preparation.
I actually stumbled upon the
e-GMAT platform 3 days prior to my 710 attempt. When going through the free version, I thought that the materials were very succinct and informative (essentially a one-stop shop for everything GMAT), with Scholaranium, in particular, serving as the perfect companion to ensure I put into practice what I have learn from the platform. So, upon receiving my results, it was a no brainer for me to immediately sign up for the full version as I wish to take my next attempt exactly a month later. Equipped with my new "wonder-weapon", I got to work going through the online course diligently, spending roughly 20+ hours per week on average. With the help of the
e-GMAT platform, I was able to structured my preparation better and focus down on my weaker areas especially in the verbal section. The lessons I learned during this phase of my preparation are as listed below:
Sentence Correction
- Understanding the key message the author is trying to convey is utmost important. It is the essence of the sentence and it should always be kept in mind when screening through the answer choices.
- Meaning > Grammar. The are times where sentences are grammatically correct but conveys a different meaning to the original sentence.
- Often, grammar errors can be identified using logic. Equipped with the meaning-based approach and a strong arsenal of grammatical knowledge, the wrong answers can frequently be viewed as illogical.
Critical Reasoning
- Pre-thinking the answers for yourself goes a long way in not only building your ability to solve higher difficulty questions, but also your ability to do so within a short amount of time.
- Identifying the purpose of each sentence within the argument will help in ensuring you do not deviate from the main focus of the argument. (i.e. the conclusion, premises etc)
- Refrain from looking at the answer choices first for you will be immediately attached to it, stifling your ability to pre-think effectively.
Reading Comprehension
- Be engaged while reading the passage. There is a reason the section is called “Reading Comprehension” and not just “Reading”.
- Take short notes while reading to identify the message behind each paragraph. It will help in solving questions relatively quickly, especially for questions that require one to make an inference.
- It is okay to spend more time to read the passage if you need to. A complete understanding of the passage will help one to answer a question with much more certainty within a shorter duration of time.
e-GMAT is as much about its comprehensive online course as it is about its people, as evidence by my interactions with Rida, whom I had the pleasure of meeting while working on my GMAT preparation. Besides being a very dedicated individual, Rida is also someone who is very invested in her tutee's success. From organising regular catch up sessions to providing me with extra practice when I needed it, Rida has gone above and beyond her call of duty and I owe much of my success in the GMAT to her.
Equipped with all the knowledge and guidance stated above, I was able to improve my score to a 740. (Q49, V41, IR 8, AWA 6.0). Before I conclude, here are some extra tips that you may find useful:
1. Do not cramp your mock exam attempts towards the end of your preparation as doing so may be counter-productive. Treat the limited mock exam attempts instead as checkpoints to gauge your progress and highlight any weaknesses you may have. The scores are not as important as the learnings you gained from the mock exam.
2. Be consistent in your preparation - Rome is not build in a day. Ensure that you are engaging in some GMAT material everyday (a few verbal or quant questions, online courses, or mock test). Consistency in your preparation will go a long way in ensuring the whole process will be as smooth and stress-free as possible.
3. Be aware of any technical issue in the test centre. Do ensure that your computer, mouse etc are in proper working condition before you attempt the exam. The last thing you want to happen is for a technical error to derail your attempt of getting a high score in the exam.
To all readers, I wish you the very best of luck in your respective exams. No matter how tough things may be, always remember to keep calm and carry on. You are already well on your way to your GMAT heaven.
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Updated on: 23 Aug 2022, 07:12
The way I see it - someone wrote a review of the course with glowing colors (that's their opinion) and then they copy/pasted it it with a number of helpful tips, which is good but it is fair to call it out since it is a more of a product review rather than what I am used to seeing as a traditional debrief. (I do want to point out that even though the user does not have their score verified on the forum, they did indeed verify it for the review as indicated on this page: https://gmatclub.com/reviews/user/UltimatePotato - our Forum and Reviews separate verification so that users can keep their scores on the forum private if they wished to). 
