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But, I'm happy with the final score... relieved that I'm done with it for the most part.
Course:
Kaplan Advanced Classroom Anywhere Online
Materials:
1) OG 12th Edition
2) Kaplan Course Book
3) Kaplan Advanced Workbook
4) Kaplan Online Quizbank
5) Kaplan Target 800 Videos
6) Manhattan GMAT OG Lite Companion
7) Manhattan GMAT Free Flash Cards
I started studying in early October. Signed up for the Kaplan Advanced Course after making a 640 on a Kaplan diagnostic (non-CAT)
Practice CAT scores:
10/06 -- Kaplan CAT 1 (Diagnostic) - 620 (Q 39, V 35)
10/19 -- Kaplan CAT 3 - 670 (Q 46, V 36)
10/26 -- Kaplan CAT 4 - 650 (Q 40, V 40)
10/29 -- Kaplan CAT 5 - 690 (Q 43, V 46)
11/07 -- Kaplan CAT 6 - 350 (Q 50, V --) -- accidentally hit "End Exam" after the Quant section, so didn't do Verbal
11/10 -- Kaplan CAT 7 - 690 (Q 40, V 46)
11/15 -- MGMAT Free CAT - 710 (Q 48, V 39)
11/17 -- Kaplan CAT 2 OTE - 640 (Q 44, V 32)
11/22 -- GMATPrep CAT 1 - 750 (Q 49, V 42)
11/28 -- GMATPrep CAT 2 - 700 (Q 47, V 39)
Actual Test
12/01 -- 740 (Q 49, V 41)
Started off just doing the Kaplan course requirements. It was a pretty intense course. Online at 8pm twice a week, with a lot of homework problems in between each class.
That's pretty much all I did early on was the Kaplan course and the required homework that went with it. The last class was 11/08, so that's when I started to venture off on my own. At that time I was really frustrated with the inconsistency of my Quant scores in the Kaplan CATs (from a 50 on a 11/07 to a 40 a couple of days later!!!)
So, I was really working on my Quant. I think I turned a corner on Quant after watching Kaplan's Target 800 Videos and studying MGMAT's Quant flashcards. I say this, because this is when I went from not being able to finish the Quant section on time (first few CATs) to timing myself to 2 minutes per question and barely finishing (next few CATs) to really paying attention to what the questions were asking, what answer choices were there and why and seeing what shortcuts I could do without having to do any math at all if I didn't have to. Once I did this, I was finishing the last few CATs I did with 10-15 minutes to spare.
Once I realized pacing wasn't going to be an issue for me anymore, I really started to get confident about the Quant section...
As far as the Verbal... after Kaplan CAT 5 & 6 which I scored in the 99th percentile on both in the Verbal, I didn't pay much attention to the Verbal anymore - I was getting almost everything right, only missing 1 or 2 questions in each SC, CR, RC. Then, I took the GMATPrep CATs and I missed 6 SC questions on both of them (with only missing a couple of CR and RC). I went back and looked at my Kaplan CATs and noticed a discrepancy here. How was 90% on Kaplan SC questions, but only around 60% on GMATPrep SC questions?
GMAC SC's are a lot more confusing and more difficult than Kaplans. In my opinion. It's not even close.
I spent my last couple of days before the test doing a lot of the SC questions in the OG and really going over them. I also did a few math quizzes in the Kaplan Quiz Bank just to stay fresh.....
Then... test DAY
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I showed up early with a bottle of Sprite and a couple of Protein bars (for the breaks).
I had my OG with me in the car and did 5 easy Quant questions before going in the building (MGMAT recommended that in something I read from them.)
Then, into the test....
For some reason, it took me longer than it normally did to formulate my thoughts on the AWA. I finished with less than a minute left on the Argument Essay and actually didn't even finish the Issue Essay.... I was on my conclusion and writing my last sentence when it said "Time Expired".
I laughed it off. I'm not too worried about AWA, anything over 4.5 would be fine with me, and I don't doubt that I'll get at least that...
I went to the restroom, then ate a protein bar and sipped my Sprite.
Then, back into the testing room. The proctor logs me back in and I see on my screen "You took too long on your break by 0:13, this time will be deducted from the next section". Again, I laughed it off. 13 seconds? Big deal. Pacing hadn't been an issue lately on my past couple of CATs, so I wasn't worried about 13 seconds...
While taking the Quant section, I was wondering how I was doing on my pacing but every time I checked the clock, I was way ahead of pace. When I got to the last 4 questions with 20 minutes left, I started to really make sure to take my time and get them all right.
I got to the 2nd to last question on the test with 16 minutes left. And, then I got an answer that wasn't even one of the answer choices..... I got confused. I stopped, I paused. I looked at it. Then I decided, there's no need to guess here, I have plenty of time, I'm going to figure this out. I eventually did, I did all kinds of equations and stuff until I finally found my error. When I found it, I corrected my math, got the right answer and moved on to the last question with 6 minutes left. I spent 10 minutes on that problem, lol. The last question was fine and I felt good about the Quant section.
Next break. Bathroom, protein bar, Sprite again. But, I started to worry now. When I did the Official Test Day Experience (Kaplan CAT 2), I got tired on the Verbal and just wanted to go home and go to sleep (it was late at night, I was the last one in the test center that day). I started to worry if my endurance would run out on me again.
Then, I reminded myself that I made a 750 on a GMATPrep CAT that I took at the same time in the morning, did the essays and timed all my breaks.
I went in and did the Verbal. Didn't overshoot my break this time.
The Verbal was a little scary. There were several question (usually SC) that I wasn't 100% sure off and narrowed it down to 2 or 3 possible choices, but I would be asking myself questions, such as "What's the correct idiom here? As or like? Fuck it, I'll just go with choice B." That kind of thing....
When I got to the last question on the Verbal and was ready to hit next, that's when a wave of relief swept over me... like "You're done!" But also a little nervous, like "I hope I got over a 700 at least... If I make a 690 I'm punching the screen!" (Not really, but that's how I felt.)
Then, My score came up. I sat there for a few minutes just staring at it and smiling. "740? Really? Okay, okay, I can live with that...."
For the record, I went into this whole thing (studying for the GMAT) with the goal of scoring a 720. Once I was studying I started to have off-dreams of getting a 760 or something.... I once woke up from a dream where I got a 770. After the 640 on the "Official Test Day Experience" and the 700 on the GMATPrep CAT 2, I found myself praying for a 710, but hoping for a 730.
I can live with a 740. Just glad it's over....
