750(Q-48,V-44)- One step closer to becoming an MBA/VC!

Find out how Beat The GMAT members tackled GMAT test prep with positive results. Get tips on GMAT test prep materials, online courses, study tips, and more.
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by CarlosP » Wed Nov 13, 2013 1:33 am
Jason25 wrote:Hi guys,
I'm done with the GMAT today and scored a 750. It feels great that months of hardwork is behind you and the credit for this success in part goes to these great forums which have been my life support so to speak.

My GMAT journey in a Nutshell:
Currently i work in sales at a pharmaceutical company and that means though the job involves a lot of traveling so maintaining discipline was a challenge. To maintain the momentum, I had to sometimes take my books along so after a long day of meetings, I would be studying in my hotel room. :)

Post- MBA I intend to work in VC/PE fund and for that the unsaid pre-requisite condition is an MBA from a top 10 school. My interest in VC/PE industry grew when I was working on my last startup which unfortunately didn't do well and had to shut down. Nevertheless, it got me quite excited about this industry and I knew for sure either I'm doing to do something of my own again or I'm going to work at one of the VC/PE funds
I started my prep in October with a diagnostic test in which i scored a 650. I don't remember the exact split but it was fairly balanced.. Given that the average GMAT score at HBS, Stanford GSB is around 730, I set a target of improving by 100 points in 5 months. Yeah 5 months seemed long to prepare for the GMAT given that most people here finish it in 2-3 months but given the nature of my job,i thought that i wouldn't go too hard on myself.

I am a native speaker so i think that some things on verbal came naturally. Having said that, i think that the GMAT Verbal is less of an English test and more a test of your reasoning skills. Anyone can solve all the questions if there were no time limit but since there is time constraint, i think you have to learn smart ways to figure out the answers in the shortest possible time and for that you need to be quite familiar with the content.
Also learning strategies for tackling various question types is important. And I honestly believe that unless you're not overtly gifted, you can't get a good score by not studying at all.

For Verbal, I had purchased ManhattanGMAT Verbal guides and Aristotle Verbal Grail series though i primarily referred to the grail series. The books are very exhaustive in terms of concepts covered and practice. I didn't refer to anything else for Verbal other than this.

For Math, i primarily referred to ManhattanGMAT Quant books. I especially liked their number properties book and overall i found their math books to be much better than their verbal books. I supplemented this with PS & DS Boosters for practice because honestly most OG Math questions are way to easier than the GMAT Math questions


Test day experience:

I had my test center around half an hour from where I live . I reached the test center half an hour early. There must be around 8-10 other test-takers in the afternoon slot. The test center staff was cordial and overall I had a pretty good experience and the test went well with no major hiccups. Here's my feedback on each section. I have highlighted my overall assessment of the actual GMAT with respect of the GMATPREP. I think it'll help the folks here get an idea what the actual GMAT is like.

AWA- The prompt was easy. Used the template by Chineseburned. Finished writing by the 25th minute and revised the essay for the remaining time.
IR- I found the IR questions on the GMAT to be easier than those in the GMATPREPs and much easier those in the MGMAT CATs(EASIER)
Quant- The quant on the GMAT was quite like that in the GMATPREP and much easier than that in the MGMAT CATs(Comparable)
Verbal- The verbal section on the GMAT was a little more difficult than the GMATPREPs. I found the CR questions comparable, and the SC and RC questions to be a little tougher than the GMATPREPs(Slightly tougher)

I think preparation is important but what is also important is how you handle the pressure on the test day. My priorities during the exam were a)Controlling my mind so that I am totally focused on the test and b) pacing so that I don't face time crunch later in the section. I knew that if I am able to take care of these two things, then doing well on the test won't be a herculean task and in this regard, taking practice tests helps a lot.
I'm very relieved now and i think that I am going to work hard at my work for the next few months now so that I'm able to lap up some good recommendations. After all, you need many more things apart from a good GMAT score to get admitted to a top school. :)
Thank you again. Adios!
Thank you very much for the effective debrief and especially the analysis of the tests and how do they compare with the actual thing. Have saved quite a few tips from your post

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by CarlosP » Wed Nov 13, 2013 1:33 am
Jason25 wrote:Hi guys,
I'm done with the GMAT today and scored a 750. It feels great that months of hardwork is behind you and the credit for this success in part goes to these great forums which have been my life support so to speak.

My GMAT journey in a Nutshell:
Currently i work in sales at a pharmaceutical company and that means though the job involves a lot of traveling so maintaining discipline was a challenge. To maintain the momentum, I had to sometimes take my books along so after a long day of meetings, I would be studying in my hotel room. :)

Post- MBA I intend to work in VC/PE fund and for that the unsaid pre-requisite condition is an MBA from a top 10 school. My interest in VC/PE industry grew when I was working on my last startup which unfortunately didn't do well and had to shut down. Nevertheless, it got me quite excited about this industry and I knew for sure either I'm doing to do something of my own again or I'm going to work at one of the VC/PE funds
I started my prep in October with a diagnostic test in which i scored a 650. I don't remember the exact split but it was fairly balanced.. Given that the average GMAT score at HBS, Stanford GSB is around 730, I set a target of improving by 100 points in 5 months. Yeah 5 months seemed long to prepare for the GMAT given that most people here finish it in 2-3 months but given the nature of my job,i thought that i wouldn't go too hard on myself.

I am a native speaker so i think that some things on verbal came naturally. Having said that, i think that the GMAT Verbal is less of an English test and more a test of your reasoning skills. Anyone can solve all the questions if there were no time limit but since there is time constraint, i think you have to learn smart ways to figure out the answers in the shortest possible time and for that you need to be quite familiar with the content.
Also learning strategies for tackling various question types is important. And I honestly believe that unless you're not overtly gifted, you can't get a good score by not studying at all.

For Verbal, I had purchased ManhattanGMAT Verbal guides and Aristotle Verbal Grail series though i primarily referred to the grail series. The books are very exhaustive in terms of concepts covered and practice. I didn't refer to anything else for Verbal other than this.

For Math, i primarily referred to ManhattanGMAT Quant books. I especially liked their number properties book and overall i found their math books to be much better than their verbal books. I supplemented this with PS & DS Boosters for practice because honestly most OG Math questions are way to easier than the GMAT Math questions


Test day experience:

I had my test center around half an hour from where I live . I reached the test center half an hour early. There must be around 8-10 other test-takers in the afternoon slot. The test center staff was cordial and overall I had a pretty good experience and the test went well with no major hiccups. Here's my feedback on each section. I have highlighted my overall assessment of the actual GMAT with respect of the GMATPREP. I think it'll help the folks here get an idea what the actual GMAT is like.

AWA- The prompt was easy. Used the template by Chineseburned. Finished writing by the 25th minute and revised the essay for the remaining time.
IR- I found the IR questions on the GMAT to be easier than those in the GMATPREPs and much easier those in the MGMAT CATs(EASIER)
Quant- The quant on the GMAT was quite like that in the GMATPREP and much easier than that in the MGMAT CATs(Comparable)
Verbal- The verbal section on the GMAT was a little more difficult than the GMATPREPs. I found the CR questions comparable, and the SC and RC questions to be a little tougher than the GMATPREPs(Slightly tougher)

I think preparation is important but what is also important is how you handle the pressure on the test day. My priorities during the exam were a)Controlling my mind so that I am totally focused on the test and b) pacing so that I don't face time crunch later in the section. I knew that if I am able to take care of these two things, then doing well on the test won't be a herculean task and in this regard, taking practice tests helps a lot.
I'm very relieved now and i think that I am going to work hard at my work for the next few months now so that I'm able to lap up some good recommendations. After all, you need many more things apart from a good GMAT score to get admitted to a top school. :)
Thank you again. Adios!
Thank you very much for the effective debrief and especially the analysis of the tests and how do they compare with the actual thing. Have saved quite a few tips from your post

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by abhinavarya » Sat Dec 14, 2013 7:34 am
loved reading your debrief..i guess what i need to learn the most is consistency. My prep goes on and off most of the times and i need to put my prep on track

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by Srilankanaspirant » Sat Feb 08, 2014 9:21 am
abhinavarya wrote:loved reading your debrief..i guess what i need to learn the most is consistency. My prep goes on and off most of the times and i need to put my prep on track
The same happens with me. I've been lurking here for quite a few months now and haven't taken the GMAT till now. High time now.

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by ashok27 » Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:31 pm
Jason25 wrote:Hi guys,
I'm done with the GMAT today and scored a 750. It feels great that months of hardwork is behind you and the credit for this success in part goes to these great forums which have been my life support so to speak.

My GMAT journey in a Nutshell:
Currently i work in sales at a pharmaceutical company and that means though the job involves a lot of traveling so maintaining discipline was a challenge. To maintain the momentum, I had to sometimes take my books along so after a long day of meetings, I would be studying in my hotel room. :)

Post- MBA I intend to work in VC/PE fund and for that the unsaid pre-requisite condition is an MBA from a top 10 school. My interest in VC/PE industry grew when I was working on my last startup which unfortunately didn't do well and had to shut down. Nevertheless, it got me quite excited about this industry and I knew for sure either I'm doing to do something of my own again or I'm going to work at one of the VC/PE funds
I started my prep in October with a diagnostic test in which i scored a 650. I don't remember the exact split but it was fairly balanced.. Given that the average GMAT score at HBS, Stanford GSB is around 730, I set a target of improving by 100 points in 5 months. Yeah 5 months seemed long to prepare for the GMAT given that most people here finish it in 2-3 months but given the nature of my job,i thought that i wouldn't go too hard on myself.

I am a native speaker so i think that some things on verbal came naturally. Having said that, i think that the GMAT Verbal is less of an English test and more a test of your reasoning skills. Anyone can solve all the questions if there were no time limit but since there is time constraint, i think you have to learn smart ways to figure out the answers in the shortest possible time and for that you need to be quite familiar with the content.
Also learning strategies for tackling various question types is important. And I honestly believe that unless you're not overtly gifted, you can't get a good score by not studying at all.

For Verbal, I had purchased ManhattanGMAT Verbal guides and Aristotle Verbal Grail series though i primarily referred to the grail series. The books are very exhaustive in terms of concepts covered and practice. I didn't refer to anything else for Verbal other than this.

For Math, i primarily referred to ManhattanGMAT Quant books. I especially liked their number properties book and overall i found their math books to be much better than their verbal books. I supplemented this with PS & DS Boosters for practice because honestly most OG Math questions are way to easier than the GMAT Math questions


Test day experience:

I had my test center around half an hour from where I live . I reached the test center half an hour early. There must be around 8-10 other test-takers in the afternoon slot. The test center staff was cordial and overall I had a pretty good experience and the test went well with no major hiccups. Here's my feedback on each section. I have highlighted my overall assessment of the actual GMAT with respect of the GMATPREP. I think it'll help the folks here get an idea what the actual GMAT is like.

AWA- The prompt was easy. Used the template by Chineseburned. Finished writing by the 25th minute and revised the essay for the remaining time.
IR- I found the IR questions on the GMAT to be easier than those in the GMATPREPs and much easier those in the MGMAT CATs(EASIER)
Quant- The quant on the GMAT was quite like that in the GMATPREP and much easier than that in the MGMAT CATs(Comparable)
Verbal- The verbal section on the GMAT was a little more difficult than the GMATPREPs. I found the CR questions comparable, and the SC and RC questions to be a little tougher than the GMATPREPs(Slightly tougher)

I think preparation is important but what is also important is how you handle the pressure on the test day. My priorities during the exam were a)Controlling my mind so that I am totally focused on the test and b) pacing so that I don't face time crunch later in the section. I knew that if I am able to take care of these two things, then doing well on the test won't be a herculean task and in this regard, taking practice tests helps a lot.
I'm very relieved now and i think that I am going to work hard at my work for the next few months now so that I'm able to lap up some good recommendations. After all, you need many more things apart from a good GMAT score to get admitted to a top school. :)
Thank you again. Adios!
My job like yours keeps on the road a lot and sometimes I get frustrated that I'll never be able to prep well but thanks for the much needed motivation.

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by CarlosP » Fri Dec 12, 2014 11:42 am
ashok27 wrote:
My job like yours keeps on the road a lot and sometimes I get frustrated that I'll never be able to prep well but thanks for the much needed motivation.
I think that is the problem with most of us-maintaining your motivation when the going gets tough

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by gmat barcelona » Tue Dec 30, 2014 3:22 am
Many Congratulations for such a good score, Jason25!!
Thanks for sharing your GMAT experience and tips. Good luck on your journey!!
Alexander Steward
GMAT & GRE Instructor
GMAT, TOEFL, GRE, IELTS & TOEIC Center Barcelona
**Prepara el Gmat en Barcelona con los expertos**
https://www.gmatbarcelona.com

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by Jason25 » Sat Mar 14, 2015 2:15 am
CarlosP wrote:
ashok27 wrote:
My job like yours keeps on the road a lot and sometimes I get frustrated that I'll never be able to prep well but thanks for the much needed motivation.
I think that is the problem with most of us-maintaining your motivation when the going gets tough
As long as you know that you want something badly and you refuse to accept the status quo, you WILL work hard and achieve your goal. All the best

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by ashok27 » Sun May 10, 2015 10:12 am
LOved your story and how you were focused on getting through a top school and VC firm. I've just started my prep and hope that soon I will be able to pick things.

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by neha.gar » Tue Oct 13, 2015 10:28 pm
Awesome story..Learned so much from this...newbie here and this was very helpful

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by sameer.pinto » Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:18 am
Jason25 wrote:Hi guys,
I'm done with the GMAT today and scored a 750. It feels great that months of hardwork is behind you and the credit for this success in part goes to these great forums which have been my life support so to speak.

My GMAT journey in a Nutshell:
Currently i work in sales at a pharmaceutical company and that means though the job involves a lot of traveling so maintaining discipline was a challenge. To maintain the momentum, I had to sometimes take my books along so after a long day of meetings, I would be studying in my hotel room. :)

Post- MBA I intend to work in VC/PE fund and for that the unsaid pre-requisite condition is an MBA from a top 10 school. My interest in VC/PE industry grew when I was working on my last startup which unfortunately didn't do well and had to shut down. Nevertheless, it got me quite excited about this industry and I knew for sure either I'm doing to do something of my own again or I'm going to work at one of the VC/PE funds
I started my prep in October with a diagnostic test in which i scored a 650. I don't remember the exact split but it was fairly balanced.. Given that the average GMAT score at HBS, Stanford GSB is around 730, I set a target of improving by 100 points in 5 months. Yeah 5 months seemed long to prepare for the GMAT given that most people here finish it in 2-3 months but given the nature of my job,i thought that i wouldn't go too hard on myself.

I am a native speaker so i think that some things on verbal came naturally. Having said that, i think that the GMAT Verbal is less of an English test and more a test of your reasoning skills. Anyone can solve all the questions if there were no time limit but since there is time constraint, i think you have to learn smart ways to figure out the answers in the shortest possible time and for that you need to be quite familiar with the content.
Also learning strategies for tackling various question types is important. And I honestly believe that unless you're not overtly gifted, you can't get a good score by not studying at all.

For Verbal, I had purchased ManhattanGMAT Verbal guides and Aristotle Verbal Grail series though i primarily referred to the grail series. The books are very exhaustive in terms of concepts covered and practice. I didn't refer to anything else for Verbal other than this.

For Math, i primarily referred to ManhattanGMAT Quant books. I especially liked their number properties book and overall i found their math books to be much better than their verbal books. I supplemented this with PS & DS Boosters for practice because honestly most OG Math questions are way to easier than the GMAT Math questions


Test day experience:

I had my test center around half an hour from where I live . I reached the test center half an hour early. There must be around 8-10 other test-takers in the afternoon slot. The test center staff was cordial and overall I had a pretty good experience and the test went well with no major hiccups. Here's my feedback on each section. I have highlighted my overall assessment of the actual GMAT with respect of the GMATPREP. I think it'll help the folks here get an idea what the actual GMAT is like.

AWA- The prompt was easy. Used the template by Chineseburned. Finished writing by the 25th minute and revised the essay for the remaining time.
IR- I found the IR questions on the GMAT to be easier than those in the GMATPREPs and much easier those in the MGMAT CATs(EASIER)
Quant- The quant on the GMAT was quite like that in the GMATPREP and much easier than that in the MGMAT CATs(Comparable)
Verbal- The verbal section on the GMAT was a little more difficult than the GMATPREPs. I found the CR questions comparable, and the SC and RC questions to be a little tougher than the GMATPREPs(Slightly tougher)

I think preparation is important but what is also important is how you handle the pressure on the test day. My priorities during the exam were a)Controlling my mind so that I am totally focused on the test and b) pacing so that I don't face time crunch later in the section. I knew that if I am able to take care of these two things, then doing well on the test won't be a herculean task and in this regard, taking practice tests helps a lot.
I'm very relieved now and i think that I am going to work hard at my work for the next few months now so that I'm able to lap up some good recommendations. After all, you need many more things apart from a good GMAT score to get admitted to a top school. :)
Thank you again. Adios!
Awesome story..very inspirational. I also aim to enter VC/PE industry and it was great learning about someone's story who's on the same journey