Events & Promotions
|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Apr 2711:00 AM EDT
-12:00 PM EDT
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
-11:00 AM PDT
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.
Apr 2912:30 AM EDT
-01:30 AM EDT
Learn how Kamakshi achieved a GMAT 675 with an impressive 96th %ile in Data Insights. Discover the unique methods and exam strategies that helped her excel in DI along with other sections for a balanced and high score.
Apr 3001:30 AM EDT
-02:30 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.
May 0111:00 AM PDT
-12:00 PM PDT
Free- full-length test + 15 concept videos + 150+ short videos + study plan!
May 0306:30 AM PDT
-08:30 AM PDT
Verbal trouble on GMAT? Fix it NOW! Join Sunita Singhvi for a focused webinar on actionable strategies to boost your Verbal score and take your performance to the next level.
hopeful101candidate
Joined: 12 Aug 2014
Last visit: 15 May 2018
Posts: 144
Given Kudos: 29
Location: United States (AZ)
Concentration: Finance, Strategy
Schools: Cnsrtm-Johnson '20 (A) Cnsrtm-Darden '20 (A) Cnsrtm-Goizueta '20 (A) Cnsrtm-McCombs '20 (A)
GMAT 1: 700 Q47 V39
Schools: Cnsrtm-Johnson '20 (A) Cnsrtm-Darden '20 (A) Cnsrtm-Goizueta '20 (A) Cnsrtm-McCombs '20 (A)
GMAT 1: 700 Q47 V39
Posts: 144
30 Oct 2014, 09:32
Kudos
Bookmarks
I don't think I had ever been happier to see a 7 pop up on a screen as I was when I concluded my third attempt at the GMAT. In all honesty, I wasn't expecting it, and I had convinced myself that if I did achieve a score of 700 or higher it was simply a bonus. I had taken the GMAT twice before and I was somewhat satisfied with my previous scores (640 and 650) for the time being. I do not plan on applying to any graduate programs until at least 2015, so scoring well on the GMAT was simply the first step towards achieving my lifelong dream of attending a competitive graduate business school. After six months of preparation and a 700 in the bag, I can finally say that I have beaten the GMAT! Like numerous others, I have contributed sparsely to gmatclub but I have gained immensely from some of the strategies, explanations, and tips from active members. The least I could do to thank the people on this forum is to share my GMAT experience and hope someone benefits from it.
How it started: I always knew that I wanted to get an MBA from a relatively competitive school (Top 30). I never had the opportunity to attend the undergraduate institution of my choice, so even before beginning college I knew that I wanted to get an MBA from a top program. Following college, I got a job as an operations analyst and I figured I would slowly begin studying for the GMAT in order to be able to apply to MBA programs in a few years. I visited the local bookstore and purchased McGraw Hill's GMAT 2010. Flash forward four years, and the book was still sitting atop my closet shelf. Earlier this year I noticed the book and realized that it may be prime time for me to start studying for the GMAT seriously. I pulled down the book and took a stab at a few problems, only to realize that I needed to brush up on my basic quantitative and verbal skills. I decided to put the McGraw Hill book aside and instead purchase a book that would help me with basic algebra, geometry, number properties, etc. I went with Kaplan GMAT Premier 2014 (not the greatest book out there, but more on this later). I went through the entire book and felt pretty comfortable tackling the questions. I felt it was time to take my first practice test in order to gauge my progress. At this point, I hadn't discovered gmatclub yet, so I thought it was a good idea to use one of the GMAC practice tests as a preliminary barometer. In hindsight I would say this was a bad idea, but I ended up with a 640 (Q44, V34) and I was elated. I thought to myself, "If I can really ramp up the studying and raise my score by just a few points, I would be in the target range for the schools I'm interested in applying to!"
What happened next: I went on a practice test rampage. This is probably the worst mistake one can make while preparing for the GMAT, and I had to learn it the hard way. The Kaplan GMAT Premier book comes with five online practice tests (this is the only thing I liked about the book!) and I had used three of them within three weeks. My scores were as follows: Kaplan Diagnostic 1 (610; can't remember breakdown), Kaplan CAT 2 (640; Q47, V33), Kaplan CAT 3 (660; Q49, V31). Worst of all, I didn't review the answers to any of the questions on my practice tests. Then, I read the worst piece of advice ever regarding Kaplan's practice tests. Numerous outlets informed me that I could expect to add ~30 points to my Kaplan practice tests scores to determine what my performance on the actual GMAT might look like. I know this advice is probably true, but it got to my head. Again, I thought to myself, "If I'm scoring circa 660 on the Kaplan test, I can probably expect to score 680-690 on the real exam!" I decided it was time to use up the second GMAC practice test, and based on the score, determine whether I should sign up for the real test. I got a 690 (Q46, V38) - real improvement! Immediately after seeing this score, I signed up for the GMAT in two weeks time. Over the next two weeks (you guessed it!) I took the remaining two Kaplan practice tests and my scores were as follows: Kaplan CAT 4 (660; Q47, V38), Kaplan CAT 5 (650; Q46, V39). I continued to convince myself that I could safely add 30 points to my Kaplan practice test scores. Also, I still had not reviewed a single incorrect answer on any practice tests because "what the heck, if I get a similar amount of questions correct on the real exam, I'll achieve my target score!"
GMAT Attempt 1: I wanted a 680 or higher. I didn't get it. I got the same score that I got on my very first practice test - 640 (Q44, V35, IR 5, AWA 6). I told myself this was a fluke and that I knew I could do better. I got plenty of sleep the night before, I arrived at the test center 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time, and I definitely wasn't nervous. But how did I manage to score only 44 on Quant and 35 on Verbal? I had clearly gotten higher scores on my practice tests, and aren't GMAT Prep tests supposed to be representative of the real GMAT? Surely this was a one-off! I thought about the exam during my entire drive home. I felt pretty confident throughout the entire quant section, and I didn't run into any particularly difficult questions. However, when I thought about the verbal section, I realized that I felt the actual test was slightly harder than any of the practice tests I had taken. I convinced myself that this result was a fluke, and I signed up for my second attempt (three months later) as soon as I got home.
I discovered gmatclub: After my first attempt at the GMAT, I concluded that I needed to improve my verbal score significantly if I wanted to consistently score in the 680+ range and replicate this score on the real exam. I was confident that I could do much better on quant because I was always relatively good at math, and I hoped that the Q44 on the first attempt was a one-off. I started googling GMAT verbal courses to see what other people using to help them improve their GMAT scores, and it was at this point that I stumbled upon gmatclub. I immediately recognized that this website is a gold mine! I started going through the various forums and was astounded to see the amount of material out there for GMAT aspirants to practice with. While deciding which verbal course to sign up for, I read numerous reviews on e-gmat and decided to go with its Verbal Online course - probably the best decision ever, even though my second GMAT attempt may not indicate so! After reading countless debriefs on gmatclub, I also decided to purchase the Power Score CR Bible (pretty awesome) and the Manhattan GMAT SC Guide (didn't use at all after starting e-gmat).
e-gmat: If you're struggling with the verbal section of the GMAT, you need e-gmat. There's no question about it. English is not my first language, but I've attended American schools throughout my entire life and never really struggled with the language. I would confidently recommend e-gmat to anyone who is having trouble with the verbal section of the GMAT, regardless of whether you are a native or non-native speaker. Trust me, you need this course! The sentence correction course is absolutely outstanding. The e-gmat SC course was probably the single most important contributor to my 700 score. If you can afford it, you must sign up for it. The summary slides alone are worth the $70 for the SC course. It took me at least two months to get through the entire e-gmat Verbal Online course, but it was immensely helpful! I didn't get to personally interact with any of the e-gmat team members, but I am extremely grateful to them for creating this excellent course!
In the mean time: After browsing through gmatclub, I realized from numerous members' posts that the single most important thing one could do during his or her GMAT journey is practice incorrect answers. Finally, I started doing this. At the same time that I was going through the e-gmat course, I went through the 5 Kaplan Tests and 2 GMAC practice tests I had taken and revisited all the problems. If I couldn't solve any problems, I would look them up on gmatclub and see how others (especially Bunuel for quant) arrived at the solution. I also worked and reviewed all the quant problems on OG 13 and the 2nd Edition Quantitative Review (didn't buy the books, practiced off gmatclub). For verbal, I practiced the problems that e-gmat recommended as I went through the course. It was especially helpful for me to apply the concepts I was learning through the e-gmat course to the verbal questions I had gotten incorrect on my previous practice tests. Everything started making so much more sense! I continued this study pattern until three weeks before my second attempt at the GMAT. I figured this was an appropriate time to start taking practice tests to gauge my progress again. I purchased the additional GMAC practice tests for $40 (great investment if you're retaking the test or want to practice with more official material). I was ecstatic about my practice test results and the verbal improvement was apparent: GMAC CAT 3 (690, Q46, V38), GMAC CAT 4 (720, Q47, V41). I felt I was as ready as I could be for my second attempt at the GMAT!
GMAT Attempt 2: I wanted a 680 or higher. I didn't get it. I recall finishing the quant section and feeling super confident. The verbal section? Not so much. I had gotten so nervous about the verbal section that I couldn't think clearly throughout the entire section. I recall my heart beating fast and loudly throughout the entire section. The pressure was on. I had put in countless hours and spent $199 on the e-gmat course. I convinced myself that I had to score really well on the verbal section to justify the time and money I had spent trying to improve on this section. This was a horrendous mistake. By putting myself under such intense pressure, I failed to incorporate any of the material I had learned through the e-gmat course on the actual test. When the score popped onto the screen, I felt defeated. 650 (Q48, V31, IR 8, AWA 6).
I knew it wasn't over: This time, I knew it was a fluke. I knew I could do better and that this was a one-off. I was destined to get my 680+ score. I didn't dwell on the 650 for long. This score wasn't representative of my actual ability. Immediately, I scheduled my third GMAT test (32 days later). I also decided to take it completely easy. I didn't let the GMAT continue to take over my life (I wouldn't go out on weekends, I was getting burned out at work by staying up too late practicing questions, etc.). I told myself that I would take the test one more time, and regardless of the score I would call it quits with this test. If I needed to retake, I could do so in the future as I am not planning to apply to any programs until at least next year anyways.
What changed: My study pattern and strategy changed completely. I had already exhausted almost all the official study material out there, but I was confident that I could score a 680+ if I retook the GMAT. I decided that I would practice for the third attempt with very minimal new material. Nerves got to me during the second attempt and I didn't want this to occur during my third and final attempt. I recalled that my e-gmat course gave me access to gmatclub tests, so I decided to work on just a few problems from gmatclub everyday. For the next three weeks, I was completely relaxed. I purposely only worked on 15 quant and 15 verbal problems each day, making sure to review them thoroughly regardless of whether I got the question correct or incorrect. I did not take any quant tests, just quizzes (this is something I would change if I were to retake). What else changed? I never went to bed later than 11pm, I went out with my friends more, and I tried not to think of the GMAT at all. I did not let the GMAT take over my life anymore. I also did not take any new practice tests! None. Zero. Zip. Zilch. I told myself that I was maxed out, that I wasn't going to learn anything new at this point so I might as well spend my time brushing up fundamental quant and verbal skills. In the final week of preparation, I practiced with only official material and gmatclub quizzes. I reworked all the OG 13 quant problems and reviewed all the verbal problems that e-gmat recommended throughout the Verbal Online course. Two days before my test, I re-did GMAC practice tests 1 and 2. I knew my scores would be inflated, but I just wanted to get in the groove of practicing as many official problems as I could before the real deal. That was it! I didn't do any practice problems/review on the day before my third attempt. I took it completely easy and made sure I was very relaxed. I didn't set any sort of goals for the third test, and I told myself that I would live with whatever score popped up on the screen.
GMAT Attempt 3: I wasn't shooting for any particular score. I wasn't planning on scoring 680 or higher. I went into the testing center without thinking about any particular score. I treated the test as if it was just another practice test and as if I was practicing problems on gmatclub. The AWA section flew by. I had gotten a 6 on the previous two attempts, and I expected the same for the third attempt. I recall feeling that the IR section was tough. I had never truly practiced for the IR section. I only went over the problems I had gotten wrong on the official GMAC practice tests, and felt that was enough review for this section. Realistically, I was shooting for a score higher than 6. I was stumped on a few problems, but I finished the section just in time. I used the break to have some water and visit the restroom. I didn't bring any snacks or drinks with me since I didn't do this at home anyway. I was used to going through the entire test with just water. Then came quant. I felt really confident for the first fifteen problems, and then I started to see some tougher problems, which I took to be a good sign. I got caught up on one or two problems and fell behind on time, so I decided to guess and move on. Overall, I felt pretty good about the quant section and finished just in time. The last problem on the quant section was a probability one so I guessed that I performed relatively well on the section. Again, I used the second eight minute break to go to the restroom and drink some water.
I knew what was coming next - the verbal section, my nemesis! Although I was a little nervous during the break, I convinced myself that I had nothing to worry about this time. I didn't care about what my score would be this time, so there was no reason to worry about the verbal section. I still had five minutes of my break left but I just wanted to be done with the test so I decided to go back in early. As the timer to begin the verbal section was winding down, I told myself to relax completely and simply employ the strategies that I had used during my practice tests and that I had learned from the e-gmat course. This was the final stretch and I wouldn't let my nerves get to me again. I took a deep breath and started the section. The first three questions, I recall, were sentence correction questions. They were fairly easy and I was confident that I had answered each of them correctly. Then I got a RC passage, which I felt was fairly simple to grasp as well. I was gliding through the verbal section pretty smoothly, and didn't spend too much time on any questions. I felt ahead of time. I recall stalling on a CR question around problem 17. I did what I was used to. I guessed and moved on. I felt that the questions were starting to get tougher midway through the section and I was spending way too much time on some of them. I looked at the clock around question 25 and realized I was behind on time. On all of my practice tests and my previous two attempts at the GMAT, I had always finished the verbal section with more than 5 minutes to go so I didn't let this make me nervous. I simply continued to power through the questions and employ the various strategies I had learned from e-gmat and my practice tests. Around question 37, I had only 6 minutes left on the timer so I decided to speed things up. I guessed on the CR question I was working on and moved on. The last two questions were SC questions, and I felt that they were way too easy. While I was staring at the last question with 30 seconds left on the timer, my heart started pounding. I felt I had chosen the correct response, but in my head I was questioning whether I had performed terribly on the verbal section again. My hand was trembling as I submitted my response to the final question. I took a deep breath again, and told myself that it was over. Finally. I would be happy with whatever score popped up.
I calmed myself down as I went through the typical background questions and paused for a few seconds on screen 6 of 6. I knew that I would see my score on the following screen. Again, I convinced myself that I would be happy with whatever score I saw and that there is always the option of a retake in the future. I clicked on the 'Next' button and WOAH: 700! I WAS UTTERLY SHOCKED! My heart started racing again and a huge smile came to my face. I quickly looked at the breakdown of my scores (700, Q47, V39, IR 7) and chose the report option. I raised my hand, which was trembling insanely, to inform the proctor that I was done. Finally I was DONE with the GMAT!
I grabbed my unofficial score report and bolted out of the testing center! The result didn't sink in until I got in my car. I was done! Done! Done! Done! I would never have to take the GMAT again! I immediately called my parents and friends to let them know I had officially beaten the GMAT! A few days after the test I found out I got a 6 on the AWA, so I was pleased with that as well!
Takeaways: I hope that you enjoyed reading this debrief even though it is a little long! I know that a 700 isn't the greatest result, but I was happy to achieve my goal of a 680+ score and wanted to share my experience with you all. Hopefully someone benefits from this, even if ever so slightly! Feel free to reply with any questions you may have and I will do my best to answer them! Below is a list of materials I used to study from and a short description of how helpful each one was to me.
Materials used:
1. McGraw Hill's GMAT 2010 - not the most useful book, but it has some great simple problems to practice with. It is almost entirely paper based, so you don't get to practice under timed conditions, which is very important.
2. Kaplan GMAT Premier - would not recommend as a study tool, especially if you need to brush up on basics. A lot of people recommend the Manhattan GMAT series, but I didn't use that either. I had a pretty solid grasp of quant, so practice tests, OG, and gmatclub quizzes with explanations were enough for me to study from.
3. Power Score CR Bible - truly a bible for the CR section. Buy this if you are struggling with the CR section as I was. My accuracy on CR went from around 30% to 70% with the help of this book (yes, CR was my biggest weakness on the verbal section).
4. e-gmat - seriously, if you can afford it, you MUST sign up for their course; I chose Verbal Online since I did not have time to attend the live sessions, but I have read rave reviews of all their products and courses; SC course is a must! I already had about 75% accuracy on SC questions, but this course really helped solidify my performance on SC questions and raised my accuracy even higher! The CR and RC courses are pretty helpful as well. Again, thank you e-gmat!
4. gmatclub tests - the best part about signing up for e-gmat's Verbal Online course was that it included access to gmatclub tests! As I mentioned earlier, I didn't do any of the 'tests', but I did a few quizzes each day to help me understand problems and correct basic mistakes. It also helps that the solutions to the questions are discussed on the forums. To be honest, I did very few 700 level problems from the gmatclub quizzes. After my first two attempts, I was really focused on ensuring I had the fundamentals covered and that I wasn't making any silly errors. I focused most of my efforts on making sure I could get at least 80% of the 500-600 level questions correctly. This is where I spent the bulk of my time on gmatclub quizzes. This forum and the gmatclub tests are truly a great resource for all GMAT aspirants out there! If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely take more quizzes/tests that gmatclub offers because I feel that apart from the OG and the GMAC practice tests, gmatclub questions are extremely similar to real GMAT questions.
5. Official Guide and Quantitative Review - great resource to practice official questions! I would recommend doing all of the questions before taking the real exam so you get a feel for what official questions look like.
Well, that's it from me! I hope you enjoyed reading this! Let me know if you have any questions.
How it started: I always knew that I wanted to get an MBA from a relatively competitive school (Top 30). I never had the opportunity to attend the undergraduate institution of my choice, so even before beginning college I knew that I wanted to get an MBA from a top program. Following college, I got a job as an operations analyst and I figured I would slowly begin studying for the GMAT in order to be able to apply to MBA programs in a few years. I visited the local bookstore and purchased McGraw Hill's GMAT 2010. Flash forward four years, and the book was still sitting atop my closet shelf. Earlier this year I noticed the book and realized that it may be prime time for me to start studying for the GMAT seriously. I pulled down the book and took a stab at a few problems, only to realize that I needed to brush up on my basic quantitative and verbal skills. I decided to put the McGraw Hill book aside and instead purchase a book that would help me with basic algebra, geometry, number properties, etc. I went with Kaplan GMAT Premier 2014 (not the greatest book out there, but more on this later). I went through the entire book and felt pretty comfortable tackling the questions. I felt it was time to take my first practice test in order to gauge my progress. At this point, I hadn't discovered gmatclub yet, so I thought it was a good idea to use one of the GMAC practice tests as a preliminary barometer. In hindsight I would say this was a bad idea, but I ended up with a 640 (Q44, V34) and I was elated. I thought to myself, "If I can really ramp up the studying and raise my score by just a few points, I would be in the target range for the schools I'm interested in applying to!"
What happened next: I went on a practice test rampage. This is probably the worst mistake one can make while preparing for the GMAT, and I had to learn it the hard way. The Kaplan GMAT Premier book comes with five online practice tests (this is the only thing I liked about the book!) and I had used three of them within three weeks. My scores were as follows: Kaplan Diagnostic 1 (610; can't remember breakdown), Kaplan CAT 2 (640; Q47, V33), Kaplan CAT 3 (660; Q49, V31). Worst of all, I didn't review the answers to any of the questions on my practice tests. Then, I read the worst piece of advice ever regarding Kaplan's practice tests. Numerous outlets informed me that I could expect to add ~30 points to my Kaplan practice tests scores to determine what my performance on the actual GMAT might look like. I know this advice is probably true, but it got to my head. Again, I thought to myself, "If I'm scoring circa 660 on the Kaplan test, I can probably expect to score 680-690 on the real exam!" I decided it was time to use up the second GMAC practice test, and based on the score, determine whether I should sign up for the real test. I got a 690 (Q46, V38) - real improvement! Immediately after seeing this score, I signed up for the GMAT in two weeks time. Over the next two weeks (you guessed it!) I took the remaining two Kaplan practice tests and my scores were as follows: Kaplan CAT 4 (660; Q47, V38), Kaplan CAT 5 (650; Q46, V39). I continued to convince myself that I could safely add 30 points to my Kaplan practice test scores. Also, I still had not reviewed a single incorrect answer on any practice tests because "what the heck, if I get a similar amount of questions correct on the real exam, I'll achieve my target score!"
GMAT Attempt 1: I wanted a 680 or higher. I didn't get it. I got the same score that I got on my very first practice test - 640 (Q44, V35, IR 5, AWA 6). I told myself this was a fluke and that I knew I could do better. I got plenty of sleep the night before, I arrived at the test center 30 minutes prior to the scheduled exam time, and I definitely wasn't nervous. But how did I manage to score only 44 on Quant and 35 on Verbal? I had clearly gotten higher scores on my practice tests, and aren't GMAT Prep tests supposed to be representative of the real GMAT? Surely this was a one-off! I thought about the exam during my entire drive home. I felt pretty confident throughout the entire quant section, and I didn't run into any particularly difficult questions. However, when I thought about the verbal section, I realized that I felt the actual test was slightly harder than any of the practice tests I had taken. I convinced myself that this result was a fluke, and I signed up for my second attempt (three months later) as soon as I got home.
I discovered gmatclub: After my first attempt at the GMAT, I concluded that I needed to improve my verbal score significantly if I wanted to consistently score in the 680+ range and replicate this score on the real exam. I was confident that I could do much better on quant because I was always relatively good at math, and I hoped that the Q44 on the first attempt was a one-off. I started googling GMAT verbal courses to see what other people using to help them improve their GMAT scores, and it was at this point that I stumbled upon gmatclub. I immediately recognized that this website is a gold mine! I started going through the various forums and was astounded to see the amount of material out there for GMAT aspirants to practice with. While deciding which verbal course to sign up for, I read numerous reviews on e-gmat and decided to go with its Verbal Online course - probably the best decision ever, even though my second GMAT attempt may not indicate so! After reading countless debriefs on gmatclub, I also decided to purchase the Power Score CR Bible (pretty awesome) and the Manhattan GMAT SC Guide (didn't use at all after starting e-gmat).
e-gmat: If you're struggling with the verbal section of the GMAT, you need e-gmat. There's no question about it. English is not my first language, but I've attended American schools throughout my entire life and never really struggled with the language. I would confidently recommend e-gmat to anyone who is having trouble with the verbal section of the GMAT, regardless of whether you are a native or non-native speaker. Trust me, you need this course! The sentence correction course is absolutely outstanding. The e-gmat SC course was probably the single most important contributor to my 700 score. If you can afford it, you must sign up for it. The summary slides alone are worth the $70 for the SC course. It took me at least two months to get through the entire e-gmat Verbal Online course, but it was immensely helpful! I didn't get to personally interact with any of the e-gmat team members, but I am extremely grateful to them for creating this excellent course!
In the mean time: After browsing through gmatclub, I realized from numerous members' posts that the single most important thing one could do during his or her GMAT journey is practice incorrect answers. Finally, I started doing this. At the same time that I was going through the e-gmat course, I went through the 5 Kaplan Tests and 2 GMAC practice tests I had taken and revisited all the problems. If I couldn't solve any problems, I would look them up on gmatclub and see how others (especially Bunuel for quant) arrived at the solution. I also worked and reviewed all the quant problems on OG 13 and the 2nd Edition Quantitative Review (didn't buy the books, practiced off gmatclub). For verbal, I practiced the problems that e-gmat recommended as I went through the course. It was especially helpful for me to apply the concepts I was learning through the e-gmat course to the verbal questions I had gotten incorrect on my previous practice tests. Everything started making so much more sense! I continued this study pattern until three weeks before my second attempt at the GMAT. I figured this was an appropriate time to start taking practice tests to gauge my progress again. I purchased the additional GMAC practice tests for $40 (great investment if you're retaking the test or want to practice with more official material). I was ecstatic about my practice test results and the verbal improvement was apparent: GMAC CAT 3 (690, Q46, V38), GMAC CAT 4 (720, Q47, V41). I felt I was as ready as I could be for my second attempt at the GMAT!
GMAT Attempt 2: I wanted a 680 or higher. I didn't get it. I recall finishing the quant section and feeling super confident. The verbal section? Not so much. I had gotten so nervous about the verbal section that I couldn't think clearly throughout the entire section. I recall my heart beating fast and loudly throughout the entire section. The pressure was on. I had put in countless hours and spent $199 on the e-gmat course. I convinced myself that I had to score really well on the verbal section to justify the time and money I had spent trying to improve on this section. This was a horrendous mistake. By putting myself under such intense pressure, I failed to incorporate any of the material I had learned through the e-gmat course on the actual test. When the score popped onto the screen, I felt defeated. 650 (Q48, V31, IR 8, AWA 6).
I knew it wasn't over: This time, I knew it was a fluke. I knew I could do better and that this was a one-off. I was destined to get my 680+ score. I didn't dwell on the 650 for long. This score wasn't representative of my actual ability. Immediately, I scheduled my third GMAT test (32 days later). I also decided to take it completely easy. I didn't let the GMAT continue to take over my life (I wouldn't go out on weekends, I was getting burned out at work by staying up too late practicing questions, etc.). I told myself that I would take the test one more time, and regardless of the score I would call it quits with this test. If I needed to retake, I could do so in the future as I am not planning to apply to any programs until at least next year anyways.
What changed: My study pattern and strategy changed completely. I had already exhausted almost all the official study material out there, but I was confident that I could score a 680+ if I retook the GMAT. I decided that I would practice for the third attempt with very minimal new material. Nerves got to me during the second attempt and I didn't want this to occur during my third and final attempt. I recalled that my e-gmat course gave me access to gmatclub tests, so I decided to work on just a few problems from gmatclub everyday. For the next three weeks, I was completely relaxed. I purposely only worked on 15 quant and 15 verbal problems each day, making sure to review them thoroughly regardless of whether I got the question correct or incorrect. I did not take any quant tests, just quizzes (this is something I would change if I were to retake). What else changed? I never went to bed later than 11pm, I went out with my friends more, and I tried not to think of the GMAT at all. I did not let the GMAT take over my life anymore. I also did not take any new practice tests! None. Zero. Zip. Zilch. I told myself that I was maxed out, that I wasn't going to learn anything new at this point so I might as well spend my time brushing up fundamental quant and verbal skills. In the final week of preparation, I practiced with only official material and gmatclub quizzes. I reworked all the OG 13 quant problems and reviewed all the verbal problems that e-gmat recommended throughout the Verbal Online course. Two days before my test, I re-did GMAC practice tests 1 and 2. I knew my scores would be inflated, but I just wanted to get in the groove of practicing as many official problems as I could before the real deal. That was it! I didn't do any practice problems/review on the day before my third attempt. I took it completely easy and made sure I was very relaxed. I didn't set any sort of goals for the third test, and I told myself that I would live with whatever score popped up on the screen.
GMAT Attempt 3: I wasn't shooting for any particular score. I wasn't planning on scoring 680 or higher. I went into the testing center without thinking about any particular score. I treated the test as if it was just another practice test and as if I was practicing problems on gmatclub. The AWA section flew by. I had gotten a 6 on the previous two attempts, and I expected the same for the third attempt. I recall feeling that the IR section was tough. I had never truly practiced for the IR section. I only went over the problems I had gotten wrong on the official GMAC practice tests, and felt that was enough review for this section. Realistically, I was shooting for a score higher than 6. I was stumped on a few problems, but I finished the section just in time. I used the break to have some water and visit the restroom. I didn't bring any snacks or drinks with me since I didn't do this at home anyway. I was used to going through the entire test with just water. Then came quant. I felt really confident for the first fifteen problems, and then I started to see some tougher problems, which I took to be a good sign. I got caught up on one or two problems and fell behind on time, so I decided to guess and move on. Overall, I felt pretty good about the quant section and finished just in time. The last problem on the quant section was a probability one so I guessed that I performed relatively well on the section. Again, I used the second eight minute break to go to the restroom and drink some water.
I knew what was coming next - the verbal section, my nemesis! Although I was a little nervous during the break, I convinced myself that I had nothing to worry about this time. I didn't care about what my score would be this time, so there was no reason to worry about the verbal section. I still had five minutes of my break left but I just wanted to be done with the test so I decided to go back in early. As the timer to begin the verbal section was winding down, I told myself to relax completely and simply employ the strategies that I had used during my practice tests and that I had learned from the e-gmat course. This was the final stretch and I wouldn't let my nerves get to me again. I took a deep breath and started the section. The first three questions, I recall, were sentence correction questions. They were fairly easy and I was confident that I had answered each of them correctly. Then I got a RC passage, which I felt was fairly simple to grasp as well. I was gliding through the verbal section pretty smoothly, and didn't spend too much time on any questions. I felt ahead of time. I recall stalling on a CR question around problem 17. I did what I was used to. I guessed and moved on. I felt that the questions were starting to get tougher midway through the section and I was spending way too much time on some of them. I looked at the clock around question 25 and realized I was behind on time. On all of my practice tests and my previous two attempts at the GMAT, I had always finished the verbal section with more than 5 minutes to go so I didn't let this make me nervous. I simply continued to power through the questions and employ the various strategies I had learned from e-gmat and my practice tests. Around question 37, I had only 6 minutes left on the timer so I decided to speed things up. I guessed on the CR question I was working on and moved on. The last two questions were SC questions, and I felt that they were way too easy. While I was staring at the last question with 30 seconds left on the timer, my heart started pounding. I felt I had chosen the correct response, but in my head I was questioning whether I had performed terribly on the verbal section again. My hand was trembling as I submitted my response to the final question. I took a deep breath again, and told myself that it was over. Finally. I would be happy with whatever score popped up.
I calmed myself down as I went through the typical background questions and paused for a few seconds on screen 6 of 6. I knew that I would see my score on the following screen. Again, I convinced myself that I would be happy with whatever score I saw and that there is always the option of a retake in the future. I clicked on the 'Next' button and WOAH: 700! I WAS UTTERLY SHOCKED! My heart started racing again and a huge smile came to my face. I quickly looked at the breakdown of my scores (700, Q47, V39, IR 7) and chose the report option. I raised my hand, which was trembling insanely, to inform the proctor that I was done. Finally I was DONE with the GMAT!
I grabbed my unofficial score report and bolted out of the testing center! The result didn't sink in until I got in my car. I was done! Done! Done! Done! I would never have to take the GMAT again! I immediately called my parents and friends to let them know I had officially beaten the GMAT! A few days after the test I found out I got a 6 on the AWA, so I was pleased with that as well!Takeaways: I hope that you enjoyed reading this debrief even though it is a little long! I know that a 700 isn't the greatest result, but I was happy to achieve my goal of a 680+ score and wanted to share my experience with you all. Hopefully someone benefits from this, even if ever so slightly! Feel free to reply with any questions you may have and I will do my best to answer them! Below is a list of materials I used to study from and a short description of how helpful each one was to me.
Materials used:
1. McGraw Hill's GMAT 2010 - not the most useful book, but it has some great simple problems to practice with. It is almost entirely paper based, so you don't get to practice under timed conditions, which is very important.
2. Kaplan GMAT Premier - would not recommend as a study tool, especially if you need to brush up on basics. A lot of people recommend the Manhattan GMAT series, but I didn't use that either. I had a pretty solid grasp of quant, so practice tests, OG, and gmatclub quizzes with explanations were enough for me to study from.
3. Power Score CR Bible - truly a bible for the CR section. Buy this if you are struggling with the CR section as I was. My accuracy on CR went from around 30% to 70% with the help of this book (yes, CR was my biggest weakness on the verbal section).
4. e-gmat - seriously, if you can afford it, you MUST sign up for their course; I chose Verbal Online since I did not have time to attend the live sessions, but I have read rave reviews of all their products and courses; SC course is a must! I already had about 75% accuracy on SC questions, but this course really helped solidify my performance on SC questions and raised my accuracy even higher! The CR and RC courses are pretty helpful as well. Again, thank you e-gmat!
4. gmatclub tests - the best part about signing up for e-gmat's Verbal Online course was that it included access to gmatclub tests! As I mentioned earlier, I didn't do any of the 'tests', but I did a few quizzes each day to help me understand problems and correct basic mistakes. It also helps that the solutions to the questions are discussed on the forums. To be honest, I did very few 700 level problems from the gmatclub quizzes. After my first two attempts, I was really focused on ensuring I had the fundamentals covered and that I wasn't making any silly errors. I focused most of my efforts on making sure I could get at least 80% of the 500-600 level questions correctly. This is where I spent the bulk of my time on gmatclub quizzes. This forum and the gmatclub tests are truly a great resource for all GMAT aspirants out there! If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely take more quizzes/tests that gmatclub offers because I feel that apart from the OG and the GMAC practice tests, gmatclub questions are extremely similar to real GMAT questions.
5. Official Guide and Quantitative Review - great resource to practice official questions! I would recommend doing all of the questions before taking the real exam so you get a feel for what official questions look like.
Well, that's it from me! I hope you enjoyed reading this! Let me know if you have any questions.
Moderator:
