OK Lets go!
So first of all, this has been a long long journey. And all those aiming for 720 ++, can just blink my Debrief. This journey will connect most with those who will go to any heights/depths to achieve a 700+ score. But sometimes we forget that we are humans. We live in world where we are dazzled all the time by only the things that are the BEST ( In this case, 760 or even 770). And in that flashlight we put soooooo much pressure on ourselves, that we break, knowingly or unknowingly. You will get more understanding on this particular philosophical statement in just a while.
GMAT 1:
Self-Prep and
E-GMAT. Now after giving a GMAT Prep mock and scoring a decent 620, I was keen on building the lacking basics in Quant areas like : Number Properties, Geometry and Stats. For verbal I knew I had to buck up, else I will not be able to reach the Dream Score. Hence,
E-Gmat. Mr. Rajat Sadana , Ms. Payal, Shraddha and Chiranjeev are excellent in their areas when it comes to Verbal. My problem, learning the tricks and not applying them religiously. Result: 600. Shattered, Heart broken, Dumbstruck.
Recovery time from Shock: 24 HRS.
Re-appointment: 35 days from GMAT 1
GMAT 2:
I started analysing where I missed it. What was it that pulled me down. It is not like I was bad at Quant, although from a Pharmacy background! I went through my Mocks and realised NOTHING!
I tried to Rewind my performance during the Exam, What I find, Nervousness. Fright. Fear. Why? Pressure to score 700. Can it be overcome? Not under exam pressure. What is the strategy to not let that happen. A Hardcore process that works almost every single time. So, I start practising
E-GMAT SC & CR (Trademark - should be) processes to arrive at the answers.
SC after a weeks practice: 90% + accuracy.
CR after a weeks practice: 85% + accuracy.
I buy Manhattan Mocks. The prices online are some $50 for 5 mocks. But as they say, A Gujju will always find a better deal (Haha!), I instead purchase the Manhattan SC Guide for some 900 bucks (5 mocks included) Good deal. I DO NOT use the Manhattan SC GUIDE at all. I did not want a Curry of all the methods and strategies for the Exam. so I stick to
E-GMAT. As regards to RC, I was always used to reading superficially so that I can be at a normal level, to answer the questions. Immersing in the passage too much from the start, seemed to confuse me alot.
So, I take 3 days off from office to go over the concepts and prepare for THE date, but God had a different plan. Viral Infection strikes and takes me down a day before the exam. Now the policy doesn't allow you to change schedule within 7 days of the exam. I take medicines and curse my fate. I had no option but to attempt the test and think the way-forward later. As a Result, a meagre 590. No phone calls, No
whatsapp, No Facebook for 3 days. Damn I was hurt. I was angry. I was sobbing. (It happens when you expect something that only gets far away).
Recovery time from Shock: A week.
Re-appointment: 25 days from GMAT 2
GMAT 3:
I somewhere feel the need to openly discuss my situation and my thoughts with someone. I talk to my Mom and Dad. Thats when I realise that I am stubborn, I am go-getter. I can do it. That is what this is all about. To prove that al your time invested in GMAT was worth something. So, I start using GmatClub Quant tests for practice. Initially, the tests ripped my confidence into pieces I couldn't count. That is when I realised that the key to improve your confidence and Skill in Quant, Play like a Game. DS is a game! And at this point, I cannot thank Brian Galvin from Veritas Prep and her beautiful Co-host for creating the Veritas Prep Online Video Course. And you will not believe that the course is free! Its available on the App store. It helped me build a lot of confidence in the entire Quant prep. so I use the strategies suggested by Brian and apply to my
GmatClub tests. Hence, an improvement in accuracy. At the same time, I cannot praise Bunuel enough for his Magic tricks to DS questions. He makes the solutions to some of the problems, so so so elegant, you fall in love with Quant. That is what has happened to me!
Verbal: I practice SC and CR from the
E-GMAT modules on Verbal Online course in order to keep my Verbal tactics sharpened as well. By the way, the course is brilliant if you are someone who has no time to attend the Live sessions (Although recordings are available). You just Log-in and start the Modules you want in this very interactive and interesting platform. Believe me, it helps when you are tired from 12 hours of job and have to sit and study for the GMAT.
Accuracy hits 40-42 in the Mocks that follow.
GMATPrep 2 : 670
GMATPrep 3 : 720
2 Days before the exam, I again go in the Nervousness and Exam Fright Mode. I somehow try to calm myself down but the unconscious mind seemed not to budge. I fight this situation till the emd of Exam, but I manage better than before. Result: 640.
Should I be sad? happy? satisfied? WHAT? I do not know. All I know is that I heard a voice while going back home in the Cab ("This is not your score").
Recovery time: Not needed
Re-appointment: exactly a month from the day of GMAT 3.
Strategy: Regularise your studies, 2 hours in the morning, 9.30 - 20.30 office, 2 hours in the night.
Quant: continue the
GMATClub tests with Brian Galvin approach
Verbal: continue the verbal strategies from
E-GMAT on OG 11, 12 and 13. As well as verbal OG supplements.
CHANGE from Previous attempts: ATTITUDE. BELIEF in 700. You may believe it or not, but I have actually been playing this De-brief in my mind since almost 20 days before the exam date (25/09/2013). What I realised from my experience is that you need to just STOP thinking about the score and FOCUS on the question on screen. THATS IT. Rest will be taken care by the algorithm.
In the meantime, I attend Verbal Workshop by Shraddha and realise my Gaps and flaws. What a time to arrange the workshop. Thanks for that again! Kudos to you
.
Also, I analyse my MOCKS in D.E.T.A.I.L. Something that Shraddha quoted in the workshop.
"You must spend atleast as much time analysing the MOCK as you spend giving it." - PAYAL (
E-GMAT)
Golden words my fellow GMATclubbers! Combine that with Rajat's TAKT Time and Productive Time approach , and what you have is awesomeness! I do that exactly in next 3 mocks of mine. And build on that with confidence.
MGMAT 5: 700
GMATPrep 3: 720
GMATPrep 4: 740 ( T - 4 days)
This is what was needed to smack the GMAT. Great MOCK scores and an analysis that is so fruitful you can always improve on that. That is how you increase your scores. thank you Rajat for that!
Day before the exam: Break from office, walk in the morning, thinking about 700 feeling once I have the score card in hand. And ofcourse, this De-brief. I spend the day relaxing and going over some notes I made throughout the GMAT journey. Have good dinner. Sleep at 21.30 HRS. I just could not fall asleep. And out of anxiousness , I decide to take a shower at 12.30. I finally get 6.5 Hrs of sleep.
7.00 AM : Freshen up, a mug of Coffee and biscuits.
8.30 AM : Some self - talk and morale booster session.
9.30 AM : Check - in activities.
10.00 AM: AWA - goes brilliant. No questions asked. Although I was fairly good at AWA anyway. Scored a (6,6,5) in previous attempts.
Break: Most Crucial time of my life till date. I gulp a bottle of juice and some nut bar. Splash water and tell myself, this is it SMIT. You have to smack the Quant.
Resume: first 10 questions were a breeze. I was imagining Bunuel on one side and Brian on the other. ( Hey whatever works for you right!)
Few questions were a little tough. Had to make certain hard decisions. But I finally get over my Fear and face the challenge.
Break: Time to switch gears. Verbal cards on the table. Think Grammar, Logic as well as your
E-GMAT processes.
Resume: SC were really challenging, but I guess I did fairly well. CR was my strength. I absolutely nailed it with my process of Pre-thinking. RC's were damn tough too! Feminism on the 18th question shook me! But then my auto-pilot mode takes control. And my CR strategies help me here! Inference, Inference, Role and Main point. I somehow manage to cross 30 with good 20 mins remaining. The level of questions was really high and that somewhat boosted my confidence. With 1 min to go, I get a SC. Bingo! I finish the section with some 5 secs to spare.
My heart pumps like never before! And I am like, Cmon show me the score already! after a few profile information screens, I see a white blank screen. I realise, OK this is it! Whatever HAPPENS, happens!
And I see 710.I stare at the screen for a while trying to sink that I had crossed THE BAR. and the proctor nudges me from back, please accept the score. HAHAHA!
I Finally come out of the test center with Joy and Tears in my eyes. For some, it would not be a big deal, but for me 700 was my ultimate GOAL. I have reached that. In fact surpassed it. I hope many of you who have lack of confidence, lack of faith or just straight FEAR of the CAT, just try to get over that. And things will be a lot better.
My takeaways:
Perseverance pays someday. Do not give up. If you feel you have it in you, Just DO NO GIVE UP. Attend a session by RAJAT/Brian Galvin and you will feel amazing.
Thanks alot to all the contributors, whom I have already mentioned tons of times. Also, thanks to PiyushK ( RC compiler for Official GMAT questions) and Souvik (SC manager!).
Smit
