750 Taken May 31/04

Question

750 Q47 V46. 99 percentile Verbal and 82 percentile math is a trifle ironic given that I am a professional engineer and finished high school math when I was 14. I had been consistently scoring higher in the verbal section on practice exams but was generally still doing better than 82 percentile. I got caught by a combination question and most likely a couple of careless errors (where I had been getting caught in the past). 

Practice Exam Scores:

Kaplan 640,650
ETS Paper exams: 690,710
Powerprep: 750,770

I used Kaplan prep materials as well as some of the GMAT for dummies and GMAT 800. I found the Kaplan higher score CD to be especially useful. Don't get disheartened by low scores on the Kaplan tests.

I focused on grammar as I expected that to be my weakness. By the time I discovered it wasn't it was too late to do anything about it. 

During practice tests I generally got all the CR questions right and maybe made one error on RC and SC.

I am currently considering trying to attend an international MBA program with the idea of gaining some cross cultural experience as well as developing another language. 

My GPA was about 3.0 or less(my school gave marks in percentages). I was in the top 15-25% of my class so I think the GPA conversion is a little skewed. Anybody else see the same thing? There was no motivation to do better in my class as this will be the first thing where my university marks have counted for anything besides passing.

Grant

luve · Answer

That an awesome score! Congratulation. :shock:

Could you please let us know about your preparation and strategy to crack this test, GMAT? :-D

Praetorian · Answer

congratulations. 

as i often ask other members, could you share your strategy with the members here. how did you deal with each area of gmat? how many hrs per day.. etc

I want to publish the strategies used by different members, on our website so that members can benefit from it.

Sincerely
Praet

granthv · Answer

Chronology of Preparation:

I began studying about a month before the exam. I purchased the Kaplan study guide and Gmat 800. I signed GMAT for dummies out of the library. 

Week 1

I did a few of the powerprep practice questions as well as reading through the Kaplan study guide to get a feel for what the questions might be like. At this point I identified my weakness to be grammar. I then signed a couple grammar books out of the library to supplement what was in the study guides. I generally used these books as reference when I had difficulty determining the proper tense or which was the subject etc. The study guides tell you to learn these things but do not go into a great detail as to how to do so. 

I thought I would do one of the CAT tests on the powerprep software to see if I had to bother studying any more. I got hammered. I don't recall what I got but it was really low relative to my final score. 

Week 2 
Realizing I had to study, I began going through the study guides and making a summary of each relevant chapter. I included the question strategies and the information I needed to learn in each summary. I also began doing more practice questions. Completing 3/4 of the Powerprep practice sessions and the practice tests in the study guides. I also began using the Higher Score CD from Kaplan. Doing the assessment test (scored 650) and began doing all the segments of the CD.

Week 3
Focused on the Higher score CD. Working my way through the information and tests in the CD.

End of Week 3 and Week 4
I focused on doing timed tests, I began with paper tests and then I took the CAT tests on Kaplan and then Powerprep.

Sunday before Monday exam. Studied a bit in the morning. Relaxed and packed for myclimbing trip to Yosemite which was starting the following Friday. Went to see Shrek 2.

Monday wrote the exam.

750 V46 Q47 AWA 4.5

Hindsight Analysis is that I focused very hard on the verbal portion of the test and that is reflected in my mark. I didn't do very many math practice questions outside of the ones from the HS CD. I am generally subject to silly errors when rushed and that accounted for likely some of the math mistakes. I also did not properly study probability and combinations which accounted for at least a couple questions. I found that my tendency was to derive a complete solution for every question and this led to time constraints when the appropriate solution was to backsolve. I tended to just go head down ass up and start solving the question (not on DS questions, I was able to avoid that tendency there). 
I only wrote 1 practice essay before the exam and that was reflected in my AWA. Given the opportunity to do it again (which is unlikely unless I find that there are questions about my Q mark or AWA). I take longer to study and focus more on the Q section. I would also go through the process of sending in an essay to be graded and at least do 4 essays and review what I wrote.

Praetorian · Answer

very nice post. thanks kranthi we will definitely publish this. :cool

thanks again Praet

smandalika · Answer

hi Praet,
 WHere do post these prep strategies ?

thanks,
smandalika

Praetorian · Answer

hey smandalika, 

we havent had the chance to work on publishing these prep strategies. We will do it soon.

thanks
Praet

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750 Taken May 31/04

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