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Apr 2301:30 AM EDT
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Struggling with GMAT Verbal as a non-native speaker? Harsh improved his score from 595 to 695 in just 45 days—and scored a 99 %ile in Verbal (V88)! Learn how smart strategy, clarity, and guided prep helped him gain 100 points.
Apr 2212:30 AM EDT
-01:30 AM EDT
At one point, she believed GMAT wasn’t for her. After scoring 595, self-doubt crept in and she questioned her potential. But instead of quitting, she made the right strategic changes. The result? A remarkable comeback to 695. Check out how Saakshi did it.
Apr 2308:00 PM PDT
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Video explanations + diagnosis of 10 weakest areas + 150+ short videos + study plan!
Apr 2610:00 AM EDT
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The Target Test Prep course represents a quantum leap forward in GMAT preparation, a radical reinterpretation of the way that students should study. Try before you buy with a 5-day, full-access trial of the course for FREE!
Apr 2711:00 AM EDT
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Prefer video-based learning? The Target Test Prep OnDemand course is a one-of-a-kind video masterclass featuring 400 hours of lecture-style teaching by Scott Woodbury-Stewart, founder of Target Test Prep and one of the most accomplished GMAT instructors
Apr 2808:00 AM PDT
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Whether you are just beginning your MBA journey or fine-tuning your path to a 700+ score, GMAT Day is designed to give you a competitive edge.
aushmanchowdhury
GMAT 1: 730 Q49 V40
Posts: 11
01 Apr 2021, 22:05
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Hello everyone,
I am Aushman. I took the GMAT and scored a 730.
My GMAT prep was not perfect in the beginning. It is only after two attempts that I realized that there might be something wrong with my approach.
When I was preparing for the exam, a lot of success stories helped me understand how to approach the exam. And, I got a lot of motivation from them too.
I guess my story will help at least a few of you. So, here’s my GMAT journey.
I was born and brought up in Kolkata. I am a mechanical engineer who graduated from the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT). In the final year of my college, I got placed in ABB, which is a Swiss conglomerate, for their management trainee program. I was assigned to their turbocharging business unit in Baroda and I will be completing four years here in their supply chain domain.
In the entire value chain, I am the one who is actually dealing with their customers in Switzerland and China. I also guide the operations team so that we can deliver the parts on time to ensure that the delivery of our turbochargers to Switzerland and China takes place without any hindrances.
Over the past 4 years, I have worked in operations and I have seen how systems and processes are formed in a Fortune 500 company. But, I also felt that my next job role should be a strategic role with which I should be able to guide the company’s operations and other functions.
One option for me is to stay in ABB long enough to get that job role. The other option is to do an MBA, build skill sets, and network. This option will help me fast-track my career.
Given my experience, the transition from my current role to a strategic role will be quite smooth.
I started preparing for the GMAT in 2018. This is after I started working. But initially, I was coping with my career and GMAT. So, I wasn’t very serious about the exam preparation.
When I started the preparation, I realized that Quant wasn’t too difficult for me. But I struggled with GMAT Verbal. I understood this very soon when I took my initial mock tests. But I didn’t know how to improve it.
When it comes to Quant, there are certain rules that you can apply. But in Verbal, it doesn’t work exactly that way.
What I understood about Verbal is that the meaning is the most important thing. This comes naturally to people who are fluent in English and have a good background in English. I wasn’t a reader per se but I realized the importance of reading when I started preparing for the GMAT.
Let’s say that I was reading a sentence. I never understood the meaning of it. I was always looking for formulas or clues to help me understand it. But, I realized that that was not the right approach. It is later on that I started focussing on the sentences and actually began to understand their meaning.
And, I believe that understanding the meaning is what helped me improve my Verbal score from 29 in my first GMAT attempt to 40 in my third attempt.
I used to be on YouTube to know more about the GMAT and to know how people were improving their scores.
That is when I came across CrackVerbal. Like any other GMAT aspirant, I was watching the success stories and I felt that I should give it a try.
Like I mentioned earlier, understanding the meaning of a sentence is really important. This is true for Reading Comprehension (RC), Sentence Correction (SC), and Critical Reasoning (CR).
People actually think that SC is about rules. They think that if they know the rules and practice a few questions, it is good enough. They become confident that they can solve these questions. But I think the first step is understanding the meaning of the sentence. The second step will be the application of rules.
Similarly in CR, after you read the initial prompt, you should try to understand what it is trying to infer. Only then should you go to the options.
I think in CR, trying to think of the answer before looking at the answer options is something that worked for me.
If you look at my GMAT scores with and without mentorship, you will realize that it is my Verbal score that went up drastically from V29 to V40.
I joined CrackVerbal’s personal tutoring program after my second GMAT attempt. And it is my mentor who actually guided me saying that I should understand the meaning of the sentence before I chose the answer on the GMAT.
Secondly, I used to get very nervous at the beginning of the GMAT. Due to this, I use to get a lot of the initial questions wrong. But my mentor actually helped me overcome this. He even analyzed the time I was taking to complete a question and informed me about where I was going wrong.
We should spend a maximum of 2 minutes on a GMAT question. But sometimes, we feel that we will get the right answer if we spend 10 seconds more. But you need to learn to fight with yourself and let go of that ego. You should remind yourself that there are more questions that will help you get a good score. It was a battle for me.
Until I overcame this battle, I could not complete the exam. The exam used to end when I was on the 30th question. I used to have three to four questions left.
Before you start your GMAT prep, you should take a mock test. You will get to know your level from this. But once you take this mock test and you figure out where you lack, after that, you should take a step back and work on your weak areas. You shouldn’t keep taking the mock tests. You should take your mock tests systematically.
Unlike CAT, GMAT does not have infinite mock tests that you can take. You will get a limited number of quality mock tests. There will be mock tests that will give you the score that you need and make you feel good. But those scores are not reliable.
When it comes to mock tests, I feel that you should set some goals and use them judiciously. I spent around 1.5-2 years (not consistent prep) on my GMAT prep. I didn’t have a lot of mock tests left. But I had a few of them that I could take towards the end of my prep. I actually mimicked the test environment while taking these tests. I think that helps a lot.
Moreover, every time you take a mock test, you should analyze your mistakes. This is very important because it helps you understand the level of the mistake that you have committed. I found this practice very helpful.
Since I took GMAT twice earlier and scored 630 and 640, I thought that the best-case scenario would be if I can improve by 30 points. That was my mindset.
I took the at-home GMAT the last time. So, I was at home and I got to prep better. Like I mentioned earlier, I could mimic the actual test center experience.
I feel that taking the GMAT at home worked in my favor. There were no hassles of travel or staying overnight at a hotel. I could peacefully take the exam from home.
After I took the exam, the result was published in three days. But I did not receive any email. And on the fifth day, when I got really anxious, I went to the GMAC profile. That is when I saw my score - 730!
Understand what the GMAT tests: The skill sets required for the GMAT are very different from the other tests. Every GMAT aspirant should understand this in order to crack the exam. You should understand what it tests so that you know more about the process.
Maintain an error log: In my final attempt, that is when I thought I had practiced enough, I realized that I wasn’t improving. I knew something was wrong. From various GMAT Club posts and blogs, I understood the importance of maintaining an error log. An error log actually helps you understand your mistakes and help you improve the quality. If you just keep practicing without an error log, it will just become mechanical. The number of questions that you practice may reduce but the quality will improve.
Analyze the questions that you got right: The Official Guide (OG) has questions of high quality. Especially when it comes to the Verbal section. While the questions are really good, the solutions are not comprehensive. You need to solve questions and go to different forums like CrackVerbal to understand the answer choices.
Be patient: You may not get the desired score on your first attempt. When I got a 650 on my first attempt, I thought I could do better. There are a lot of things that are not under your control. For example, stress during exams. But I took advantage of the time I had and prepared.
This is my GMAT journey.
And I wanted to share it with you all because I know that at least one of you will benefit from this.
As you would have understood, I never started my GMAT prep the right way. In fact, I realized it midway and sought help at the right time. That is how I got to know the right approach and that is what helped me get a good GMAT score.
Thanks a lot to CrackVerbal and my mentor for guiding me through the entire GMAT process. I am really grateful.
As GMAT aspirants, I hope you make the correct decision at the right time. All the very best to everyone here!
Regards,
Aushman
I am Aushman. I took the GMAT and scored a 730.
My GMAT prep was not perfect in the beginning. It is only after two attempts that I realized that there might be something wrong with my approach.
When I was preparing for the exam, a lot of success stories helped me understand how to approach the exam. And, I got a lot of motivation from them too.
I guess my story will help at least a few of you. So, here’s my GMAT journey.
I was born and brought up in Kolkata. I am a mechanical engineer who graduated from the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT). In the final year of my college, I got placed in ABB, which is a Swiss conglomerate, for their management trainee program. I was assigned to their turbocharging business unit in Baroda and I will be completing four years here in their supply chain domain.
In the entire value chain, I am the one who is actually dealing with their customers in Switzerland and China. I also guide the operations team so that we can deliver the parts on time to ensure that the delivery of our turbochargers to Switzerland and China takes place without any hindrances.
Over the past 4 years, I have worked in operations and I have seen how systems and processes are formed in a Fortune 500 company. But, I also felt that my next job role should be a strategic role with which I should be able to guide the company’s operations and other functions.
One option for me is to stay in ABB long enough to get that job role. The other option is to do an MBA, build skill sets, and network. This option will help me fast-track my career.
Given my experience, the transition from my current role to a strategic role will be quite smooth.
I started preparing for the GMAT in 2018. This is after I started working. But initially, I was coping with my career and GMAT. So, I wasn’t very serious about the exam preparation.
When I started the preparation, I realized that Quant wasn’t too difficult for me. But I struggled with GMAT Verbal. I understood this very soon when I took my initial mock tests. But I didn’t know how to improve it.
When it comes to Quant, there are certain rules that you can apply. But in Verbal, it doesn’t work exactly that way.
What I understood about Verbal is that the meaning is the most important thing. This comes naturally to people who are fluent in English and have a good background in English. I wasn’t a reader per se but I realized the importance of reading when I started preparing for the GMAT.
Let’s say that I was reading a sentence. I never understood the meaning of it. I was always looking for formulas or clues to help me understand it. But, I realized that that was not the right approach. It is later on that I started focussing on the sentences and actually began to understand their meaning.
And, I believe that understanding the meaning is what helped me improve my Verbal score from 29 in my first GMAT attempt to 40 in my third attempt.
I used to be on YouTube to know more about the GMAT and to know how people were improving their scores.
That is when I came across CrackVerbal. Like any other GMAT aspirant, I was watching the success stories and I felt that I should give it a try.
Like I mentioned earlier, understanding the meaning of a sentence is really important. This is true for Reading Comprehension (RC), Sentence Correction (SC), and Critical Reasoning (CR).
People actually think that SC is about rules. They think that if they know the rules and practice a few questions, it is good enough. They become confident that they can solve these questions. But I think the first step is understanding the meaning of the sentence. The second step will be the application of rules.
Similarly in CR, after you read the initial prompt, you should try to understand what it is trying to infer. Only then should you go to the options.
I think in CR, trying to think of the answer before looking at the answer options is something that worked for me.
If you look at my GMAT scores with and without mentorship, you will realize that it is my Verbal score that went up drastically from V29 to V40.
I joined CrackVerbal’s personal tutoring program after my second GMAT attempt. And it is my mentor who actually guided me saying that I should understand the meaning of the sentence before I chose the answer on the GMAT.
Secondly, I used to get very nervous at the beginning of the GMAT. Due to this, I use to get a lot of the initial questions wrong. But my mentor actually helped me overcome this. He even analyzed the time I was taking to complete a question and informed me about where I was going wrong.
We should spend a maximum of 2 minutes on a GMAT question. But sometimes, we feel that we will get the right answer if we spend 10 seconds more. But you need to learn to fight with yourself and let go of that ego. You should remind yourself that there are more questions that will help you get a good score. It was a battle for me.
Until I overcame this battle, I could not complete the exam. The exam used to end when I was on the 30th question. I used to have three to four questions left.
Before you start your GMAT prep, you should take a mock test. You will get to know your level from this. But once you take this mock test and you figure out where you lack, after that, you should take a step back and work on your weak areas. You shouldn’t keep taking the mock tests. You should take your mock tests systematically.
Unlike CAT, GMAT does not have infinite mock tests that you can take. You will get a limited number of quality mock tests. There will be mock tests that will give you the score that you need and make you feel good. But those scores are not reliable.
When it comes to mock tests, I feel that you should set some goals and use them judiciously. I spent around 1.5-2 years (not consistent prep) on my GMAT prep. I didn’t have a lot of mock tests left. But I had a few of them that I could take towards the end of my prep. I actually mimicked the test environment while taking these tests. I think that helps a lot.
Moreover, every time you take a mock test, you should analyze your mistakes. This is very important because it helps you understand the level of the mistake that you have committed. I found this practice very helpful.
Since I took GMAT twice earlier and scored 630 and 640, I thought that the best-case scenario would be if I can improve by 30 points. That was my mindset.
I took the at-home GMAT the last time. So, I was at home and I got to prep better. Like I mentioned earlier, I could mimic the actual test center experience.
I feel that taking the GMAT at home worked in my favor. There were no hassles of travel or staying overnight at a hotel. I could peacefully take the exam from home.
After I took the exam, the result was published in three days. But I did not receive any email. And on the fifth day, when I got really anxious, I went to the GMAC profile. That is when I saw my score - 730!
Understand what the GMAT tests: The skill sets required for the GMAT are very different from the other tests. Every GMAT aspirant should understand this in order to crack the exam. You should understand what it tests so that you know more about the process.
Maintain an error log: In my final attempt, that is when I thought I had practiced enough, I realized that I wasn’t improving. I knew something was wrong. From various GMAT Club posts and blogs, I understood the importance of maintaining an error log. An error log actually helps you understand your mistakes and help you improve the quality. If you just keep practicing without an error log, it will just become mechanical. The number of questions that you practice may reduce but the quality will improve.
Analyze the questions that you got right: The Official Guide (OG) has questions of high quality. Especially when it comes to the Verbal section. While the questions are really good, the solutions are not comprehensive. You need to solve questions and go to different forums like CrackVerbal to understand the answer choices.
Be patient: You may not get the desired score on your first attempt. When I got a 650 on my first attempt, I thought I could do better. There are a lot of things that are not under your control. For example, stress during exams. But I took advantage of the time I had and prepared.
This is my GMAT journey.
And I wanted to share it with you all because I know that at least one of you will benefit from this.
As you would have understood, I never started my GMAT prep the right way. In fact, I realized it midway and sought help at the right time. That is how I got to know the right approach and that is what helped me get a good GMAT score.
Thanks a lot to CrackVerbal and my mentor for guiding me through the entire GMAT process. I am really grateful.
As GMAT aspirants, I hope you make the correct decision at the right time. All the very best to everyone here!
Regards,
Aushman
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