I just Beat The GMAT!

Hello All -

Relatively new here.

Background: Colombian national, Majored in International Business and Marketing from a Florida State school (graduated with high GPA) and have worked as an analyst in an energy outfit, volunteered, analyst at Liquor company (think Diageo, Bacardi, Pernod) and currently work at a commodities brokerage/FCM (think MF Global, RCG, RJO, FCStone) on their futures side.

On to the topic at hand: this past Saturday I took the GMAT and got a 510. I had been studying for a while using Kaplan Anywhere (online course), did some CATs (about 8) and was doing relatively well on my Quizzes, but plateaued on my CATs (highest was 600, but plateaued around 560).

In all, the poor score was my fault due to a silly mistake: after AWA and IR (where I got a 3), used the break to clear my head and get ready for Quant. I went to the restroom, and decided to take a breath of fresh air - so I walked outside of the building (DO NOT DO THIS!!! - STAY IN DOORS). I went back in, and the lady asked me if I had walked out, which I replied yes. She proceeded to tell me that I was not allowed to do so, and as a result, my GMAT would be cancelled. I told her I was not aware (totally missed that rule when reading them) and that I would accept their decision (at this point I was thinking about GMAT #2). After about 15 mins deliberating, they decided to write a report and let me finish the test - here, I had lost precious time in quant. Finished quant, took the break (inside the building lol) and came back to finish Verbal.

Overall: 31 Quant, 29 Verbal, 3 IR, and I reported my score.

I am glad I got that experience, which motivated me to fight until I kill it (read as 'get a score where I will be satisfied').

However, this first attempt highlighted my need to study more strategically (which I did not do, in all honesty): I would arrive from work, and do practice quizzes just to do them (one day I would do PS and DS, 5 questions each of every topic on medium and hard - next day SC, CR, RC) and I would get good scores on the quizzes. However, I would not do any timed quizzes, which was one of my mistakes, since I had not worked on a pace, or in doing quizzes with time as a stress factor. Perhaps another mistake was assuming that time studied = high score, so would even stay way past my bed time studying and would get very little sleep to go to work.

Now, after test recovery, I am regrouping and strategizing - lost the battle, but not the war!

These are the materials I have available:

- Princeton's 1,030 Questions for New GMAT
- OG Quant Review 2015
- Access to Kaplan Course Online (until may 24th, and I plan to extend it)

What I need to work on:

- IR (definitely)
- Quant Pace and more review
- Verbal Pace and more review

I know most, if not all of the quant rules, and am relatively proficient in SC, CR (assumptions and derivatives of them) and for the most part RC.

However, I am lacking a study structure that will allow me to review strategically the material. My schedule is:

Weekdays: wake up at 6am, commute to work and arrive at ~7:30am, leave at 5pm and arrive home ~6:30pm. Which leaves me time to study until ~10pm.

Weekends belong to the GMAT.

I refuse to quit, and to just do the same thing I was doing before. I plan to take this week to really devise a comprehensive strategy that will allow me to tackle the areas that I need to work on and truly see improvements.

Dear readers, your feedback would be really truly appreciated.

This is perhaps a very long post, and some might not be interested in reading it. But if you find yourself reading it, and out of an altruistic mindset decide to contribute, I will be very grateful.

I don't have much to offer in exchange - just perhaps words of encouragement for fellow GMAT test takers who just won't quit.

In the words of the great military general and strategist Hannibal Barca, when questioned by one of his generals about his ability to cross the Alps with his vast army that included elephants...'I will either find a way, or make one...'

With the kindest of regards, and with a spirit that refuses to accept defeat,


Santiago

Hi Rich -

Thanks for your reply and I feel more motivated than ever...I feel like such a nerd (which is not a bad thing)...this is so exciting!

To answer your questions:

1) What is your score goal? 750+
2) When are you planning to apply to Business School? Rd2 this year (at the latest)
3) Do you know which Schools you want to apply to? Booth, Wharton, CBS, NYU, Sloan, Tuck - HBS as long shot
4) Have you scheduled your next GMAT yet (and if so, then when is it?)? I have not - although I was thinking August - depending of how prepared I feel

I am taking a very methodical approach this second time around and I know I am able to achieve my desired score - if so many people did it, I can also do it! I love a good challenge!!

That being said, I plan to reinforce the basics, so my approach to each question will become second nature. Then, I will work on my timing, and taking practice tests (I plan to use GTMATPrep and MGMAT CATs)...

I am still somewhat undecided as to the execution of my study sessions:

I know I want to divide and conquer, which would mean working on perhaps a couple of quant topics at a time (Numb.Prop, Algebra, Equations as a group until I understand what would be tested, and then move on) - what would your thoughts be?

Since I plan to start with Quant, I am still debating how to drill down the details of my study sessions...

My schedule for study would be:

M-F:8-10p
Sat-Sun: Belong to the GMAT

As a warchest (I love that word):

OG12
OG2015 (on the way)
OG Quant 2015
PR 1037 questions for new gmat
PR math workout
PR verbal workout
MGMAT Advance Quant (on the way)
Bellcurve Quant question bank (plan to get it - heard great feedback)

For Cats (Planned):

GMATPrep CATs (as many as I reasonably can acquire)
MGMAT (given their skew towards quant)
Veritas CAT (as a suggested, to provide an additional look)

Plan to use:

PR Math workout first;
PR 1037 Quants
OG Quant 2015
OG12 Quant
OG15 Quant

Then look at verbal:

PR verbal workout
PR 1037 Verbals
OG12 Verbal
OG15 Verbal

After making sure I understand what is tested and ways of testing (meaning, high accuracy), I plan to work on timing (Bellcurve QBank, and perhaps another one)...

After timing is polished, I will focus on CATs and error log...

Am still debating where to include IR - since it was one of my weaknesses in my past GMAT.

Your feedback is greatly appreciated...

Que Vivaldi's Cellos, because this is about to get serious!

Thanks,

Santi

Thanks for your reply Rich -

I agree with the fact that I have many materials to study from and that each (MGMAT, Kaplan, PR) will introduce their own particular tactics to approaching each question type.

Since I already participated in Kaplan, I have been exposed to their particular strategies (backsolving, plugging in, 12TEN, Grouping SCs, etc). However, my rationalization is that by being exposed to several strategies, I could perhaps incorporate the ones that I feel more comfortable with depending on the type of question type that would be 'attacking me' at any given time.

However, I am considering perhaps weeding out some of the materials and just focus on the ones that I feel will provide me with the best feedback regarding my reinforcement phase.

Execution wise, I am thinking:

1) concept reinforcement phase
2) timing prep phase
3) performance and review phase

I feel that a general framework would be applicable to Quant and Verbal, although I still am not very clear on how or where I would fit in IR, since it is kinda like quant, kinda like verbal, kinda like both, and not really (please correct me if I am wrong)...

Thanks again,

Santi

Thanks again for your reply...

I will work diligently this month and will be coming back here to give and take words of encouragement...

Talk soon,

Santi