I just Beat The GMAT!

Hello All,

I haven't posted on here much but I really have enjoyed browsing the forums for study tips and ideas and I just finally BEAT THE GMAT and wanted to share my testimonial with all of you!

Final Score:
Total: 700
Quant: 47
Verbal: 39
IR: 6/8
AWA (still waiting for final score to come in but should be a 6)

I literally have been studying for the GMAT now for over a year. I originally signed up for a big test prep company (Manhattan GMAT) late last summer and took the full live course. I went to every session and tried to follow all the homework, but didn't feel like their course was the most appropriate learning technique for me. It was very formulaic and didn't seem practical for me. Nothing against my Manhattan instructor (he was excellent), I just felt like the group classes weren't the best learning environment for me as everyone in the class was at very different stages/ability levels at the time. In January of this year I scored a 600 on my first attempt (Q35, V37). Although not bad for a first attempt, I knew that this score wasn't really good enough to get into any of my dream schools in the top-15. While my verbal was in the 80%, my quant was really weak only in the 30th percentile range.

I took a month or two off and then started studying again in March. This time I tried to self-study and then use a professional "tutor" for some one-on-one instruction via Skype. Quant was my major weak area, and I tried to spend most of my time studying this section, but it seemed like I couldn't break through even with the tutors help. My approach to word problems was shaky and I didn't feel confident at all on DS. I took the exam for the 2nd time in June and scored a 610 (Q35 V38). I was at a loss of where to go, I thought maybe a top GMAT score just wasn't in the cards for me.

Around the same time, I heard about EmpowerGMAT through a good friend of mine. She raved about the course so I decided to take the plunge and give it a shot as a sort of a last resort (I had already spent a lot of $$$ on GMAT Prep so I was very skeptical). I signed up in July and have been using the Empower course exclusively ever since then.

The Empower Quant modules literally changed everything for me! I finally started to understand how to approach and ATTACK problems. I finally got the idea that I needed to write everything on the pad and stop trying to do Math in my head. Empower teaches you tactics of how to approach all types of problems to maximize efficiency on test day. Furthermore, it really goes into a lot of detail about question types and which ones really matter (in terms of your score) and which ones likely count for very little. This was huge for me as I was able to focus on the Quant topics that accounted for the highest point proportion and prioritize my studying time. This also gave me a much better idea of which questions I should be strategically eliminating on test day to remain on time as I always had a pacing problem on Quant as well. For the first time on Test Day, I was able to fully complete the Quant section without rushing to pick random answers at the end. I know this was huge in terms of my overall score on the section. As you can see I jumped from Q35 to Q47 in one exam which is a massive improvement.

The Verbal sections were very solid also. I was already pretty strong in this area, but I thought their SC framework helped me get sharper on identifying splits and errors. And they have a good fundamental approach to CR questions which I think is really valuable to those who may be struggling in that area of the test.

I knew from my practice that my scores would trend up but still wasn't expecting a 700 to be honest. I think that besides the actual tactical approach to the exam, I realized how important the mental aspect was. I started looking at the test as a challenge to attack! One of the best things Empower taught me is how to be MENTALLY FIT during the exam, ready to attack the test. I sat up straight, kept good posture, took my breaks, and did a few breathing exercises during the exam to keep me calm. To use Empower's line, I starting to think like an "assassin".

I'm sharing my testimonial in hope that it convinces some of you to KEEP PUSHING and DON'T GIVE UP. I spent over a year studying for this exam and there were definite moments of serious self-doubt about whether I could do this (even though I have always done well in school). This exam for many is more about perseverance and dedication rather than luck and natural intelligence.

I hope you all continue to keep fighting on your journey and please consider using EMPOWER GMAT for your preparation (especially if you are someone like me who used other prep resources to no avail). EMPOWER was literally a GAME CHANGER for me and I know it can be for some others.

I'm happy to say I'll be canceling my Empower membership this week and closing all my GMAT books forever and moving on to applications!!

All the best in your journey

Great, Job Bernie. Way to kill it!

1 post? Empowergmat? This looks suspect, but regardless congrats!

Dawgie wrote:1 post? Empowergmat? This looks suspect, but regardless congrats!

@Dawgie, I understand your skepticism but trust me this is 100% real....I wouldn't of spent 30 minutes writing that post and there are others out there who've seen even bigger increases...happy to post my official report pic once recieved

Dawgie wrote:1 post? Empowergmat? This looks suspect, but regardless congrats!

@dawgie- See attached

Hi Blauredan,

Congrats on the great score. Your GMAT story is almost an exact replica of what I went through. Strong verbal and week quant to start, using a tutor for a second attempt just to get a 10 pt increase, and finally beating the GMAT (also used EmpowerGMAT and found their quant strategies to be imperative to my success). The one sentence that really hits home is when you said:
"I thought maybe a top GMAT score just wasn't in the cards for me."
I went through this same thought process after my second attempt, thinking that perhaps I didn't think and approach problems in a way that can beat the GMAT and I was one who just wasn't meant to beat it. It was a difficult decision to go forward with a third attempt. It's reading these types of success stories that can push people in the same boat forward. It IS beatable. It takes time, hard work, practice, patience, and an approach that works for you. Congrats again, and I'm sure many reading your story and unsure if they can beat will be inspired

Adding my 2 cents.

I just took the GMAT for the 3rd and last time a few days ago.

Background:
Started light study and review back in December 2013. My materials included OG12, Verbal and Quant Reviews 2nd ed, and perusing through BTG and gmatclub forums. Study was unfocused and non-contiguous. I took my first GMAC practice exam and scored a 630. I did the free trial of The Economist online tutor program and found it fairly helpful but could not commit to the high fee. I experimented with the Veritas Prep materials but found that I could not stay engaged.
April/May roll around and I get heavy into my studies. I plowed through all of the problems in the OG12, OG13, and OG Reviews. I took 4 more practice tests (3 MGMAT scores ranged 670-700 and the 2nd GMAC with a score of 740). I felt confident going into my July exam. Result of my first attempt was 690 Q45 V40. AWA 6 but IR 5

I contemplated going that with that score, but I was convinced that I had more in me. I scheduled my 2nd exam for 32 days later. Plowed through more problems and picked up the KAPLAN 800 book to focus on the difficult problems. I was sure this would get me over the 700 hump. Result of my second attempt was 680 Q46 V38 and IR 5.

I was extremely distraught. I had convinced myself that I was ready. Looking back I know that I was not. Both times I let the poor showing in the IR affect my psyche. Both times I ran out of time and was forced to guess on the last couple of questions on the quant. The 700 barrier seemed so close, yet so far.

I can't even remember how I found Empowergmat (I think it was a post here on BTG) but I decided on a whim to give their trial offer a shot). At this point I had not signed up for my 3rd attempt. Many people told me that my 690 was a great score that would be competitive with the rest of my application. I, being a stubborn person, wanted to prove to myself that I could reach the 700 mark.

Result of my 3rd attempt: 710 Q45 V41 IR 8!

Ok, so I crossed the 700 mark like I wanted! Honestly, I felt like this 710 was the lowest I could have possibly gotten that day. I felt very comfortable and relaxed during the entire exam. I felt prepared. Very few questions caught me off guard, and the couple that did I quickly identified as such and "triaged" them. The biggest difference was my level of comfort with all of the medium level questions. I was able to answer all of these in under 1.5 minutes. This gave me so much confidence. I am actually shocked that my quant score was not something closer to Q48-49. That being said, it wasn't a big difference to get from 690 to 710, but it was. Looking back, the 690 I got was probably the very best that I could have scored that day and the 710 was the very least I could have scored that day. I would have liked to have the 730-740 but I am quite confident that my 710 shows the schools that I am applying to what they need to see.

Empowergmat keys:
Test it
Test the answers
Everything down on the pad (organization is key to timing!)
Triage
Ratios are typically sufficient
Idioms
"Being" is incorrect
Slash choices on SC
Focus on what the author said and meant and reason for saying
Chew gum! Sit up. Stay engaged.
Oh, and I attribute by increase on the IR from 5 to 8 solely on empowergmat. I had never scored higher than 5 on the real or practice exams.


ALSO: I only spent $90 for 1 month because I was given a 10% military discount!!!

My apologies for the fan boy rant, but I truly believe this program can help a lot of folks out there.

Adding my 2 cents.

I just took the GMAT for the 3rd and last time a few days ago.

Background:
Started light study and review back in December 2013. My materials included OG12, Verbal and Quant Reviews 2nd ed, and perusing through BTG and gmatclub forums. Study was unfocused and non-contiguous. I took my first GMAC practice exam and scored a 630. I did the free trial of The Economist online tutor program and found it fairly helpful but could not commit to the high fee. I experimented with the Veritas Prep materials but found that I could not stay engaged.
April/May roll around and I get heavy into my studies. I plowed through all of the problems in the OG12, OG13, and OG Reviews. I took 4 more practice tests (3 MGMAT scores ranged 670-700 and the 2nd GMAC with a score of 740). I felt confident going into my July exam. Result of my first attempt was 690 Q45 V40. AWA 6 but IR 5

I contemplated going that with that score, but I was convinced that I had more in me. I scheduled my 2nd exam for 32 days later. Plowed through more problems and picked up the KAPLAN 800 book to focus on the difficult problems. I was sure this would get me over the 700 hump. Result of my second attempt was 680 Q46 V38 and IR 5.

I was extremely distraught. I had convinced myself that I was ready. Looking back I know that I was not. Both times I let the poor showing in the IR affect my psyche. Both times I ran out of time and was forced to guess on the last couple of questions on the quant. The 700 barrier seemed so close, yet so far.

I can't even remember how I found Empowergmat (I think it was a post here on BTG) but I decided on a whim to give their trial offer a shot). At this point I had not signed up for my 3rd attempt. Many people told me that my 690 was a great score that would be competitive with the rest of my application. I, being a stubborn person, wanted to prove to myself that I could reach the 700 mark.

Result of my 3rd attempt: 710 Q45 V41 IR 8!

Ok, so I crossed the 700 mark like I wanted! Honestly, I felt like this 710 was the lowest I could have possibly gotten that day. I felt very comfortable and relaxed during the entire exam. I felt prepared. Very few questions caught me off guard, and the couple that did I quickly identified as such and "triaged" them. The biggest difference was my level of comfort with all of the medium level questions. I was able to answer all of these in under 1.5 minutes. This gave me so much confidence. I am actually shocked that my quant score was not something closer to Q48-49. That being said, it wasn't a big difference to get from 690 to 710, but it was. Looking back, the 690 I got was probably the very best that I could have scored that day and the 710 was the very least I could have scored that day. I would have liked to have the 730-740 but I am quite confident that my 710 shows the schools that I am applying to what they need to see.

Empowergmat keys:
Test it
Test the answers
Everything down on the pad (organization is key to timing!)
Triage
Ratios are typically sufficient
Idioms
"Being" is incorrect
Slash choices on SC
Focus on what the author said and meant and reason for saying
Chew gum! Sit up. Stay engaged.
Oh, and I attribute by increase on the IR from 5 to 8 solely on empowergmat. I had never scored higher than 5 on the real or practice exams.


ALSO: I only spent $90 for 1 month because I was given a 10% military discount!!!

My apologies for the fan boy rant, but I truly believe this program can help a lot of folks out there.

Thanks for sharing your testimonial....great to see another person hitting their goal!

fbpointgod10 wrote:Adding my 2 cents.

I just took the GMAT for the 3rd and last time a few days ago.

Background:
Started light study and review back in December 2013. My materials included OG12, Verbal and Quant Reviews 2nd ed, and perusing through BTG and gmatclub forums. Study was unfocused and non-contiguous. I took my first GMAC practice exam and scored a 630. I did the free trial of The Economist online tutor program and found it fairly helpful but could not commit to the high fee. I experimented with the Veritas Prep materials but found that I could not stay engaged.
April/May roll around and I get heavy into my studies. I plowed through all of the problems in the OG12, OG13, and OG Reviews. I took 4 more practice tests (3 MGMAT scores ranged 670-700 and the 2nd GMAC with a score of 740). I felt confident going into my July exam. Result of my first attempt was 690 Q45 V40. AWA 6 but IR 5

I contemplated going that with that score, but I was convinced that I had more in me. I scheduled my 2nd exam for 32 days later. Plowed through more problems and picked up the KAPLAN 800 book to focus on the difficult problems. I was sure this would get me over the 700 hump. Result of my second attempt was 680 Q46 V38 and IR 5.

I was extremely distraught. I had convinced myself that I was ready. Looking back I know that I was not. Both times I let the poor showing in the IR affect my psyche. Both times I ran out of time and was forced to guess on the last couple of questions on the quant. The 700 barrier seemed so close, yet so far.

I can't even remember how I found Empowergmat (I think it was a post here on BTG) but I decided on a whim to give their trial offer a shot). At this point I had not signed up for my 3rd attempt. Many people told me that my 690 was a great score that would be competitive with the rest of my application. I, being a stubborn person, wanted to prove to myself that I could reach the 700 mark.

Result of my 3rd attempt: 710 Q45 V41 IR 8!

Ok, so I crossed the 700 mark like I wanted! Honestly, I felt like this 710 was the lowest I could have possibly gotten that day. I felt very comfortable and relaxed during the entire exam. I felt prepared. Very few questions caught me off guard, and the couple that did I quickly identified as such and "triaged" them. The biggest difference was my level of comfort with all of the medium level questions. I was able to answer all of these in under 1.5 minutes. This gave me so much confidence. I am actually shocked that my quant score was not something closer to Q48-49. That being said, it wasn't a big difference to get from 690 to 710, but it was. Looking back, the 690 I got was probably the very best that I could have scored that day and the 710 was the very least I could have scored that day. I would have liked to have the 730-740 but I am quite confident that my 710 shows the schools that I am applying to what they need to see.

Empowergmat keys:
Test it
Test the answers
Everything down on the pad (organization is key to timing!)
Triage
Ratios are typically sufficient
Idioms
"Being" is incorrect
Slash choices on SC
Focus on what the author said and meant and reason for saying
Chew gum! Sit up. Stay engaged.
Oh, and I attribute by increase on the IR from 5 to 8 solely on empowergmat. I had never scored higher than 5 on the real or practice exams.


ALSO: I only spent $90 for 1 month because I was given a 10% military discount!!!

My apologies for the fan boy rant, but I truly believe this program can help a lot of folks out there.

Wh

What is the recommended length of time to use empower? I see some people used it for one month, 6 weeks, etc.

Congrats Blauredan, awesome score! Another inspired Empowergmat hopeful here, I've used a prep course even tutoring, neither have worked for me. Now, I've been working with Empowergmat for over a month, and I've seen a great deal of improvement on tactics, skills and stamina. And just to quote Rich "GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made", I can firmly attest that. There's no magic trick to ace the GMAT, but smart, efficent and effective studying can def yield the expected results if you're willing to put in all the hard work.

Look forward to sharing my success story soon!!!

Love all these brand new posters raving about Empower GMAT. Suspicious.