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17 Apr 2013, 14:32
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi,
I had my first attempt a month ago and going in for my second attempt on 22nd April (I cannot postpone any longer due to admission deadlines).
I had a disastrous experience and scored a 540 Q42 V24. I've hadn't any practice test below 640 so it wasn't that I was lacking in concepts but I was so anxious and in panic mode that I could barely process anything. I remembered about 20 quant problems from the test, solved them back at home and felt like such an idiot.
The verbal section felt as if I was guessing everything. Timing wasn't a big issue but still screwed it up a bit because I lacked confidence clicking "confirm" for each question.
AWA/IR couldn't be blamed since I'm applying for Msc programs and do not care about them so during the test I spent only 15 mins on each trying to save myself for the sections that matter.
How can I avoid panicking during the real test? At home I feel calm and confident while in the test center it feels like I'm about to undergo a surgery. I've read loads of generic advice articles on this. It's not under my control to stay calm. I've been meditating and not been skipping any cardio/workout days, it has mainly helped my focus on RC but not sure whether it will help with anxiety on the test day.
Is it time I see a doctor and get some beta blockers? I've been reluctant because I'm skeptical about them impairing cognitive function.
my last CAT's : MGMAT 680 (Q45, V37) and Kaplan Premier 680
I had my first attempt a month ago and going in for my second attempt on 22nd April (I cannot postpone any longer due to admission deadlines).
I had a disastrous experience and scored a 540 Q42 V24. I've hadn't any practice test below 640 so it wasn't that I was lacking in concepts but I was so anxious and in panic mode that I could barely process anything. I remembered about 20 quant problems from the test, solved them back at home and felt like such an idiot.
The verbal section felt as if I was guessing everything. Timing wasn't a big issue but still screwed it up a bit because I lacked confidence clicking "confirm" for each question.
AWA/IR couldn't be blamed since I'm applying for Msc programs and do not care about them so during the test I spent only 15 mins on each trying to save myself for the sections that matter.
How can I avoid panicking during the real test? At home I feel calm and confident while in the test center it feels like I'm about to undergo a surgery. I've read loads of generic advice articles on this. It's not under my control to stay calm. I've been meditating and not been skipping any cardio/workout days, it has mainly helped my focus on RC but not sure whether it will help with anxiety on the test day.
Is it time I see a doctor and get some beta blockers? I've been reluctant because I'm skeptical about them impairing cognitive function.
my last CAT's : MGMAT 680 (Q45, V37) and Kaplan Premier 680
daedalus1989
Joined: 14 Oct 2012
Last visit: 26 Feb 2016
Posts: 53
Given Kudos: 3
Schools: LBS '16 (M) Insead '14 (A) Said'16 (A)
GMAT 1: 690 Q44 V42
GMAT 2: 740 Q49 V42
GPA: 3.54
WE:Operations (Retail Banking)
17 Apr 2013, 15:09
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi!
Stress and anxiety - seems to be a very common theme, at least among myself and all of the GMAT-taking friends. I'm going to be honest with you - it's difficult not to get stressed out before important tests. However, I can tell you that all of the following helped me keep my mind where it was supposed to be in the run-up to the exam:
- Don't interrupt your normal schedule. You've said that you haven't been skipping workouts, which is very good. I would encourage you to surround yourself with small, interesting projects at work, and try to feed off of the satisfaction of completing tasks quickly.
- Instead of focusing on counting down the days, do as many problems as you can get your hands on. Personally, I would do 3-4 hours a day each day after work. By the time I was done, I would be exhausted and ready to go to bed. This stopped me creating the old self-fulfilling prophecy where you start to doubt your own ability.
- On test day, I ran small errands: going to the store to buy energy bars and a big bottle of gatorade, cooking some fish to eat, and filling up my car with gasoline ALL helped take my mind away from the GMAT.
The most important thing is this: you must possess no doubt at all about your ability to answer questions correctly on a consistent basis. If you have even the smallest amount, run it out of your head by doing as many practice questions as you can get your hands on (preferably from official sources, although I find that a lot of stuff floating around this forum is very useful, too). All disastrous experiences come into being from something that is very tiny to begin with, but is not taken care of. If you're scoring 680 in your MGMAT and Kaplans, then you have no business scoring 540. It's an anomaly, and you have to continue telling yourself that. You should go in knowing that you will get questions wrong - but you need to have every confidence that this is not the norm, but the exception!
As for the beta-blockers - I know for a fact that you don't need them, because you're confident when you take the test at home. If you were a sobbing wreck upon seeing the words GMAT on paper, maybe that would be a different story. Right now, you have to spend less time dreading the test center, and more time drilling all of that knowledge into your (already reasonably full) head.
Think of how professional boxers do it - they're all terrified of having to fight, but they chase it out of themselves through ultra-rigorous training that leaves them craving the adrenaline that the fight will bring! If you can get into the same mindset, you'll be scoring 700+.
All you gotta do is believe in yourself!
Oh - and one more thing. Spend a bit of time practicing for the AWA and IR sections. Writing a good essay and doing some compound problems can drain the fear out of you much faster than only spending 15 minutes on each. Trust me.
Stress and anxiety - seems to be a very common theme, at least among myself and all of the GMAT-taking friends. I'm going to be honest with you - it's difficult not to get stressed out before important tests. However, I can tell you that all of the following helped me keep my mind where it was supposed to be in the run-up to the exam:
- Don't interrupt your normal schedule. You've said that you haven't been skipping workouts, which is very good. I would encourage you to surround yourself with small, interesting projects at work, and try to feed off of the satisfaction of completing tasks quickly.
- Instead of focusing on counting down the days, do as many problems as you can get your hands on. Personally, I would do 3-4 hours a day each day after work. By the time I was done, I would be exhausted and ready to go to bed. This stopped me creating the old self-fulfilling prophecy where you start to doubt your own ability.
- On test day, I ran small errands: going to the store to buy energy bars and a big bottle of gatorade, cooking some fish to eat, and filling up my car with gasoline ALL helped take my mind away from the GMAT.
The most important thing is this: you must possess no doubt at all about your ability to answer questions correctly on a consistent basis. If you have even the smallest amount, run it out of your head by doing as many practice questions as you can get your hands on (preferably from official sources, although I find that a lot of stuff floating around this forum is very useful, too). All disastrous experiences come into being from something that is very tiny to begin with, but is not taken care of. If you're scoring 680 in your MGMAT and Kaplans, then you have no business scoring 540. It's an anomaly, and you have to continue telling yourself that. You should go in knowing that you will get questions wrong - but you need to have every confidence that this is not the norm, but the exception!
As for the beta-blockers - I know for a fact that you don't need them, because you're confident when you take the test at home. If you were a sobbing wreck upon seeing the words GMAT on paper, maybe that would be a different story. Right now, you have to spend less time dreading the test center, and more time drilling all of that knowledge into your (already reasonably full) head.
Think of how professional boxers do it - they're all terrified of having to fight, but they chase it out of themselves through ultra-rigorous training that leaves them craving the adrenaline that the fight will bring! If you can get into the same mindset, you'll be scoring 700+.
All you gotta do is believe in yourself!
Oh - and one more thing. Spend a bit of time practicing for the AWA and IR sections. Writing a good essay and doing some compound problems can drain the fear out of you much faster than only spending 15 minutes on each. Trust me.
17 Apr 2013, 15:31
Kudos
Bookmarks
Thanks man!
That's one of the best write-ups I've read. It really helps me a lot.
I'm an undergrad student and a good 700+ score is will more or less guarantee me an admission and as I mentioned this is last attempt before deadline, you can understand why there's so much at stake. Last time I almost felt like crying in my beginning of the quant score (I don't even remember the last time I cried lol). Anyways I feel it's worth paying the psychiatrist a visit to clear things up. Was hoping to read experiences of people.
I tried to relax a week before my last attempt because everyone said so. mental fatigue blah blah. This threw me off the game and made me doubt that I hadn't prepared enough.
That's one of the best write-ups I've read. It really helps me a lot.
I'm an undergrad student and a good 700+ score is will more or less guarantee me an admission and as I mentioned this is last attempt before deadline, you can understand why there's so much at stake. Last time I almost felt like crying in my beginning of the quant score (I don't even remember the last time I cried lol). Anyways I feel it's worth paying the psychiatrist a visit to clear things up. Was hoping to read experiences of people.
I tried to relax a week before my last attempt because everyone said so. mental fatigue blah blah. This threw me off the game and made me doubt that I hadn't prepared enough.
