Beat The GMAT

bestever · Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:14 am

Dear gmatbeaters,

I beat the GMAT yesterday. I took the GMAT in June, was looking for +700, but had some personal problems, wasn't able to get concentrated and scored 640. I promise myself that I would forget the GMAT forever and wouldn't retake it. Objectively, 640 is definitely not a bad score (77%).

Fortunately, I got a grant from the Spanish government (I'm Spanish) that will cover all my expenses as a MBA student if was able to get admitted in one of top B-Schools of the U.S. This motivated me to work hard, and I knew that a GMAT of 640 was not enough, so I arranged a test day and started to prepare.

I don't remember how did I arrive to this web, but it has served me as the best guide to prepare for the GMAT. So that, I would like to heartly thank Eric, the GMAT teachers who collaborate with beatthegmat and all of you who write your experiences, questions and stories here for your unvaluable help.

I started to work hard on the GMAT in August and have spent between 6 and 7 weeks to prepare for it.

When I studied for the GMAT the first time I bought the Kaplan GMAT Premier Program and Kaplan GMAT 800. They are very good books to get used to the GMAT techniques. However, they are undoubtedly not enough to score +700.

This time, and following the advice of most of you, I bought the OG 12th Edition + Math and Verbal Reviews. During this time, I have done ALL the questions in the three official books. It is basic to understand how GMAT makers think and be able to predict what are you going to see in the test day.

All the OG guide's questions done AND ITS ANSWERS ANALYZED, I did the first GMAT Prep Test and started the Math and Verbal review, but focusing on the flaws detected in the GMAT Prep Test.

Math and Verbal reviews' questions solved AND ITS ANSERWS REVISED, I started to work on CATs. I re-did the Kaplan CATs, Knewton free CAT, 2nd GMAT Prep and MGMAT free CAT. Finally, as I have a few days before the test, I bought the rest of MGMAT test and worked on them.

My CAT's progression was the following:

- GMAT Prep #1: 720 (M48;V42) I felt I was the best, and maybe I reduce a bit my working effort.
- KAPLAN CAT 1: 570 Oh, my God!!!! I felt completely depressed!!!
- KAPLAN CAT 2: 670 Oh, maybe it is not as bad as it appeared yesterday...
- KAPLAN CAT 3: 710 Ok, it works...
- KNEWTON free CAT: 610 (M48;V25) I couldn't believe it! I know, verbal is my flaw, I have worked on it, but it is not enough.
- GMAT Prep #2: 670 (M48;V34)hmmmmm
- MGMAT CAT #1: 680 (M48;V34) borderline...
- MGMAT CAT #2: 710 (M46;V41) good progression
- MGMAT CAT #3: 700 (M47;V38) I would have signed this score in the real test by that moment...

One more detail, all these tests include the AWA, it's very important to build the stamina and get adapted to such an inhuman 4 hours mental effort.

- And I did the last CAT yesterday: REAL GMAT: 740, 97%(M49;V42) I've done it, I've beaten the GMAT; at the screen was the reward for such a huge amount of time spent studying!

I would like to specially thank to ngufo for the topic of one of his/her posts: "People never fail, they just give up". I trully agree with him/her and I had this statement all time in my mind during the real test. I confess that I had some moments of desperation in which I would have given up, but I didn't, and now I have my reward.

To sum up, I would restate my gratitude to all of you who have helped me with your posts and articles, and I write my final recommendation to those of you who are going to take the GMAT: Work on the OGs, take several CATs to get adapted and NEVER, NEVER, NVER give up.

To finish, I quote some of your sentences:

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Turnpike · Tue Sep 29, 2009 2:39 am

Congrats on your score, and congrats on your determination. I have my test on the 3rd Oct, and I know I won't score as much as I want to. But of course I've learn my lesson, albeit a bit too late for this attempt. I'm thinking of another attempt in December.

It's nice to see how much one can improve simply by gritting one's teeth and carrying on.

Good luck with your apps. Smile