I just Beat The GMAT!

So I haven't really Beat the GMAT yet - I hail from India and whoever I have been talking to recently, has got a 700+ score. Globally, it might be 92%ile but seems like if the comparison pool is only Indians, then this might be just 65-75% ile (Experts correct me if I am wrong)
In fact, I am one of those non-engineering background students from a small town - who had problems in both Quant and Verbal with a nervous temperament - which meant I was the weakest kind of applicant for this exam. However, I have managed to increase my score by 100 points - no less a fete - at least I am can apply to B-schools guilt free now.
With my earlier score of 610 - I applied to couple of schools, also got interview calls but couldn't convert those even after putting so much time and effort in my applications.
Before applying, I had discussed my career goals with my current boss and asked for a recommendation to a b-school, he simply told me - "First get a 700 and then we will talk". I decided to prove it to him that I too can do it.

Learning#1 - There has to be some extreme motivation to prepare for GMAT else you won't be able to cut through this boring preparation
GMAT Attempt No. 1 - April/2011 - Scored a 610 (Q48, V28)
I was shocked to see this score - I was scoring 650 - 720 in my mocks and my verbal score never slipped below 31 but here I was - glaring at a disgusting 28.
Materials used - MGMAT Guides, OG 11/12, OG Verbal and Math Review, Kaplan 800 and so on.
Now just look at what all went wrong on the test day: (Yusuf Sarai centre)
- I had to climb up 4 floors of stairs because the lift wasn't working on the test day
- I had to stand for 45 mins outside the centre because I had reached earlier and they hadn't opened the gates (I was sweating in the Indian summer temperatures of 35-40 degrees)
- the air conditioner in the test room wasn't working for the first one hour which made me very claustrophobic
- The palm vein scanner wasn't able to detect the veins in my hand which caused me to extend my breaks by 3-4 minutes before the verbal exam and hence caused me to panic
- After each break there would be 3 more people ahead of me in the queue to pee
- I was used to speaking Verbal questions aloud and solving them but the proctor interrupted me and told me I was disturbing the others - this unexpected direction put me further behind on time and accuracy
- I was myself disturbed by constant typing and sighing by at least 8-10 other applicants during the exam and was losing focus

Learning#2: Reason for failure - Panic Attack and Nervousness!
If I hadn't panicked and kept my calm - I would have at least scored a 650+
Learning#3: Wrong choice of materials and mock tests - Manhattan mocks were just not accurate and my score was fluctuating a lot. Also OG and other material are at best 650 level.
Learning#4: Never quit your job to study for GMAT - it adds to the pressure and just doesn't work.
Learning#5: Never prepare in a secluded room - learn to take some background noise interruptions - on the test day it is highly unlikely that you will be the only one in the exam room. Also do not speak and practice any GMAT concepts - you won't be able to do it on the exam day so why get used to a bad habit like that.
Cut to year 2013 - GMAT continues to haunt me. I got dinged from the b-schools I applied to and hence the desperation to improve my score. I joined a 3 months course with Pythagurus - a GMAT coaching centre in Gurgaon in September. I have to say that the raise in score can be attributed primarily to them. Although slightly profit centric in its approach - the course and faculty are good. Jatin(the founder) especially will drill the verbal concepts in your head and because he is strict and demanding - you will have to work your ass off for self-respect alone.
Learning#6: Success of a teacher can be measured by how STRICT he or she is.
Anyway, by the year 2014 Jan the course got over and yet I hadn't covered even half the assignments/course-work. I hadn't even taken a mock. Made a mockery of the GMAT prep course. And then got consumed with my wedding preparations.
Fast forward to July 2014- I got married and returned from a beautiful European honeymoon. The GMAT exam kept haunting me though. I was a newly married but never felt like one. I took 20 days off from work as an extended honeymoon to get a good head start with my preparations.
Learning#7: To be able to do something well, you must really want it all the time - I was eating, sleeping and dreaming GMAT!
Study materials:-
1. NOVA (for basics of maths recommended by Pythagurus)
2. OG - 13
3. Verbal Review
4. A lot of organized study material from Pythagurus (700+ level)
5. A bit of preparation from the Forums - especially for reviewing those answers for which the OG explanation wasn't convincing
Strengths: SC, PS
Weaknesses : CR, RC, DS

Key Takeaways:
1. If your maths is poor, start with NOVA and try to finish it in as less time as possible. Good for concept building.
2. Error Log is an indispensable part of this GMAT journey.
3. Do all question types in sets of 10 (for Quant & CR) and of 20 (for SC) at least. Record average time taken, date of attempt and accuracy per set.
4. I didn't do it but I can preach it - Do a timed set of 8 passages of RC everyday at the end of the day when you're exhuasted. (suggested by Pythagurus)
5. Especially for SC, analyse even the correct answers - there are too many rules built in each question and quant for learning alternate ways of solving a question.
6. Prepare Quant and Verbal simultaneously - don't let too much gap surface between the two (Max. 3 days but ideally alternate day)
Learning#6: Take mocks in test day conditions .During mocks, have the sip of water and chocolate just as you would do on the test day and practice to return to your seat in exactly 5-6 minutes else you will end up extending your break on the real exam day (which I did)
Mocks for 2nd attempt:
Veritas - 650
Veritas - 700 (booked the GMAT exam date following my pledge of booking the test only after I hit 700)
Veritas - 670
Veritas - 680
GMAT Prep - 690
Veritas mocks cost only INR 3000 but totally worth it - although level of verbal is lower than the GMAT - which you can compensate by taking 4 GMAT preps. The best thing about Veritas is the kind of analysis it gives - your time vs average time spent on the question and so on.
As you can see I couldn't even complete all my tests and didn't take 3 GMAT Prep exams coz I wasted a lot of time not studying.
Test Day Experience: I constantly compared my GMAT test day with my wedding day and thought how can I beat the anxiety? So I went for a spa one day before the exam just as I did before my wedding.
On the test day, I got up late 10.15 am coz I am used to that - I did an hour of yoga and meditation to keep myself calm. My test centre was just 15 minutes away so I started eating only at 12 so I don't feel hungry while giving the exam.
After I completed the test my heart started beating frantically - then I had to fill profile questions and feedback and what not. Finally I saw the score 710 and I could feel happiness run through all my veins. I had got a Q 48 (74%ile), V41(94%ile). Only IR was a disappointing 3.
Although IR scores are not being counted as of now, sooner or later they will be hence I suggest prepare for IR well - don't let a black spot be on your otherwise good score.
My biggest regret is that if I had taken this exam more seriously and studied diligently each day for 4 hours - I could have got a score in the range of 730-750.

Hi i just read your post it was nice to know that you manged to get the score what you wanted, i'm preparing for my GMAT but i'm not getting the hang of it my Maths is terrible, i have hired a private tutor who is good but I'm not able to cope up with his pace, it's been a month now and i'm nowhere with my preparations.

I want to score 730 to get into college of my choice but it's difficult for me how shall i go with it.

And i have not started with my Verbals yet.

Hi Rich,

yes i'm in my very early stage of studies. I have not taken any Practice cat yet.

1) What GMAT materials are you working with?
Manhattan 10,11,12,13,14 & 15.

2) When are you planning to take the GMAT?
i'm planing to take my exam in October
3) When are you planning to apply to Business School?
In October Once i get a decent score

I have tried self studies but it is not helping me i get stuck at points from where i have no way forward.
and it makes me feel irritating of my ability to not understand the basics.

thought a personnel tutor might be of help but i'm not getting along with him.

i need to follow a routine but until i get things in my head how can i follow my routine, i wanna solve every problem in the book and be confident about the fundamentals, but that's not helping.