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tydsheets
GMAT 2: 710 Q45 V42 (Online)
Posts: 44
06 May 2021, 09:28
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi all,
I've been looking forward to making this post for awhile, and though I don't have a sexy GMAT score of 750+, I am proud of the progress I made and wanted to share some lessons learned along the way.
I decided to start preparing to go to b-school in winter 2019, bought the OG and got a year of Magoosh on a recommendation from a friend, and tried to set a study schedule. I work in nonprofit management, so there weren't funds available to do an in-person course, which is what I would have preferred doing. In early 2020, I took a practice test and ended up with a 580. Quant was my biggest challenge, as I hadn't taken any math or even engaged with it in over 8 years. Only one direction to go from there, and it was up!
Then 2020 hit. I had some deaths in the family in January which disrupted the study schedule, and then COVID introduced itself and completely changed everything. I was very lucky to keep my job, but we had to change the entire structure of our program overnight, which threw everything out of whack. My 50-hour/week job turned into a 60-65 hr/week job. I felt that each time I had some momentum, something would change or get in the way.
By the middle of the year, it became clear that I needed to ramp everything up if I stood any chance of R1 applications for 2021 entry. But my GMAT progress was nonexistent. I was using Magoosh primarily for my study, as I liked being able to watch videos and take notes on the content. What I slowly realized, though, is that I wasn't retaining content. I was doing some practice problems and making some note cards, but I figured out that I learn best when I can actively take notes and practice LOTS of problems to achieve mastery. I need to have comprehensive understanding and mastery if I had any hope of retaining the info I'd learned. Obviously, if I couldn't retain content, I was wasting my time.
Months had passed before I made this critical realization, and my goal shifted to applying in R2. I decided to make the shift to Target Test Prep, which became a true game changer. I started over with my quant prep, made notecards and reviewed them often, and took the chapter tests, which gave me the practice I needed to master and retain content. This was SLOW for me, but I could feel myself growing. My practice tests inched up, and I even got a 700 on one but could just as easily score 620 due to remaining gaps in my knowledge. Still, I wanted to try and apply in R2 so that I could start b-school in 2021.
My first GMAT online was in early December 2020, and I crammed in the two weeks leading up to it. I truly didn't know where I'd end up, and I wasn't very surprised when I got the score back - 660, Q43 V38 IR5. The proctor interrupted me multiple times telling me not to mouth words as I was reading, which was SUPER disruptive to my focus and rhythm. The chat box pops up over your current question, and you have to take the time to read their message and close the message before continuing, and the timer keeps running. My score wasn't high enough to even flirt with my more ambitious schools, and I knew I needed another run at it. This meant delaying the whole process for a year, now shooting to apply in R1 for 2022 entry. That was really hard for me and my wife, as we had gotten excited to move from our current city and make moves to build our life together. Delaying for a year, continuing to spend all my spare time studying for the GMAT, these were really tough pills for us to swallow.
Fast forward to February-March 2021, and the prospect of a new vendor for GMAT online. I decided I'd like to try that, as it would be closer to the traditional test center GMAT with the addition of the AWA. Once registration opened up, I booked an appointment for a GMAT online in April and continued my prep. GMAC then came down with the news that the new vendor was delayed and wouldn't be offered as early as announced. They canceled my appointment, and I had to reschedule for May 3. This was another frustrating development, as it really felt like the GMAT would never end for me. I worried that I'd take it in May, not get my target score, and have to continue through the summer, when I should be focusing on other aspects of my applications. Still, I took the test and felt cautiously optimistic about how it went. This time, there were no interruptions from the proctor (I kept my mouth glued shut), which also helped a lot.
This morning, I got my score back - 710, Q45 V42 IR7. I was elated. Honestly, anything over 700 would have made me really happy. Knowing my strengths and how long it takes me to learn, especially being this far removed from college, I knew 700+ would be a struggle. But I hoped to have a decently balanced score with a chance to make my challenge schools possible, if still difficult. In my mind, I have achieved that. I'm NOT going to take this test again.
In total, before my May 3 GMAT, I studied for over 150 hours on Target Test Prep, over 200 hours on Magoosh, and an unknown but high number of hours with OG and Manhattan books for verbal. A lot of this time was spinning my wheels because I hadn't reflected enough on how I learn best. My advice, and what I would have done differently if I knew better, is to do better research on the prep options. In the end, I spent as much money on prep as I would have spent on an in-person class. I bought the Manhattan books but barely cracked them. I got Magoosh but took months to realize it wasn't the best for me. Some of my hours weren't the highly focused, high leverage study that they should have been, so my prep took way too long.
My biggest positive takeaway from this experience is that I know how I best learn as an adult. I will take this with me into b-school and use it to my advantage. I won't spend nearly as much time spinning my wheels and wasting time, wondering why I'm not improving.
The biggest non-positive takeaway is that GMAC is a bit ridiculous and I'm glad we are perhaps moving into a world where this test isn't the beastly thing that it was for me, in terms of where it stands in the application profile. I second guessed myself so many times and questioned my aptitude, my intelligence, and my mental health throughout this process. I've learned the hard way that the GMAT isn't a test of any of those things, it's just a test to measure your specific performance at a given time. Now that I've studied and prepped for the GMAT over 18 months, I'm coming out at the other end really grateful that it's done and that I have a 700+ score to show for it.
Now, I look forward to completing the HBS Online CORe and intensively networking, essay writing, and planning for my R1 applications. Thank you for reading.
I've been looking forward to making this post for awhile, and though I don't have a sexy GMAT score of 750+, I am proud of the progress I made and wanted to share some lessons learned along the way.
I decided to start preparing to go to b-school in winter 2019, bought the OG and got a year of Magoosh on a recommendation from a friend, and tried to set a study schedule. I work in nonprofit management, so there weren't funds available to do an in-person course, which is what I would have preferred doing. In early 2020, I took a practice test and ended up with a 580. Quant was my biggest challenge, as I hadn't taken any math or even engaged with it in over 8 years. Only one direction to go from there, and it was up!
Then 2020 hit. I had some deaths in the family in January which disrupted the study schedule, and then COVID introduced itself and completely changed everything. I was very lucky to keep my job, but we had to change the entire structure of our program overnight, which threw everything out of whack. My 50-hour/week job turned into a 60-65 hr/week job. I felt that each time I had some momentum, something would change or get in the way.
By the middle of the year, it became clear that I needed to ramp everything up if I stood any chance of R1 applications for 2021 entry. But my GMAT progress was nonexistent. I was using Magoosh primarily for my study, as I liked being able to watch videos and take notes on the content. What I slowly realized, though, is that I wasn't retaining content. I was doing some practice problems and making some note cards, but I figured out that I learn best when I can actively take notes and practice LOTS of problems to achieve mastery. I need to have comprehensive understanding and mastery if I had any hope of retaining the info I'd learned. Obviously, if I couldn't retain content, I was wasting my time.
Months had passed before I made this critical realization, and my goal shifted to applying in R2. I decided to make the shift to Target Test Prep, which became a true game changer. I started over with my quant prep, made notecards and reviewed them often, and took the chapter tests, which gave me the practice I needed to master and retain content. This was SLOW for me, but I could feel myself growing. My practice tests inched up, and I even got a 700 on one but could just as easily score 620 due to remaining gaps in my knowledge. Still, I wanted to try and apply in R2 so that I could start b-school in 2021.
My first GMAT online was in early December 2020, and I crammed in the two weeks leading up to it. I truly didn't know where I'd end up, and I wasn't very surprised when I got the score back - 660, Q43 V38 IR5. The proctor interrupted me multiple times telling me not to mouth words as I was reading, which was SUPER disruptive to my focus and rhythm. The chat box pops up over your current question, and you have to take the time to read their message and close the message before continuing, and the timer keeps running. My score wasn't high enough to even flirt with my more ambitious schools, and I knew I needed another run at it. This meant delaying the whole process for a year, now shooting to apply in R1 for 2022 entry. That was really hard for me and my wife, as we had gotten excited to move from our current city and make moves to build our life together. Delaying for a year, continuing to spend all my spare time studying for the GMAT, these were really tough pills for us to swallow.
Fast forward to February-March 2021, and the prospect of a new vendor for GMAT online. I decided I'd like to try that, as it would be closer to the traditional test center GMAT with the addition of the AWA. Once registration opened up, I booked an appointment for a GMAT online in April and continued my prep. GMAC then came down with the news that the new vendor was delayed and wouldn't be offered as early as announced. They canceled my appointment, and I had to reschedule for May 3. This was another frustrating development, as it really felt like the GMAT would never end for me. I worried that I'd take it in May, not get my target score, and have to continue through the summer, when I should be focusing on other aspects of my applications. Still, I took the test and felt cautiously optimistic about how it went. This time, there were no interruptions from the proctor (I kept my mouth glued shut), which also helped a lot.
This morning, I got my score back - 710, Q45 V42 IR7. I was elated. Honestly, anything over 700 would have made me really happy. Knowing my strengths and how long it takes me to learn, especially being this far removed from college, I knew 700+ would be a struggle. But I hoped to have a decently balanced score with a chance to make my challenge schools possible, if still difficult. In my mind, I have achieved that. I'm NOT going to take this test again.
In total, before my May 3 GMAT, I studied for over 150 hours on Target Test Prep, over 200 hours on Magoosh, and an unknown but high number of hours with OG and Manhattan books for verbal. A lot of this time was spinning my wheels because I hadn't reflected enough on how I learn best. My advice, and what I would have done differently if I knew better, is to do better research on the prep options. In the end, I spent as much money on prep as I would have spent on an in-person class. I bought the Manhattan books but barely cracked them. I got Magoosh but took months to realize it wasn't the best for me. Some of my hours weren't the highly focused, high leverage study that they should have been, so my prep took way too long.
My biggest positive takeaway from this experience is that I know how I best learn as an adult. I will take this with me into b-school and use it to my advantage. I won't spend nearly as much time spinning my wheels and wasting time, wondering why I'm not improving.
The biggest non-positive takeaway is that GMAC is a bit ridiculous and I'm glad we are perhaps moving into a world where this test isn't the beastly thing that it was for me, in terms of where it stands in the application profile. I second guessed myself so many times and questioned my aptitude, my intelligence, and my mental health throughout this process. I've learned the hard way that the GMAT isn't a test of any of those things, it's just a test to measure your specific performance at a given time. Now that I've studied and prepped for the GMAT over 18 months, I'm coming out at the other end really grateful that it's done and that I have a 700+ score to show for it.
Now, I look forward to completing the HBS Online CORe and intensively networking, essay writing, and planning for my R1 applications. Thank you for reading.
06 May 2021, 19:41
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi tydsheets,
Amazing job!!!! Thank you for sharing and good luck with things moving forward.
Amazing job!!!! Thank you for sharing and good luck with things moving forward.
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