I just Beat The GMAT!

**disclaimer- I have a few drinks in me...part of the "healing process"

Hi all,

Long time lurker, first time poster. I first want to thank everyone on this forum for all their insight and assistance, I found your advice invaluable. So, yes, I just bombed the GMAT, but I would like to give you a little background before getting to that .

I am a relatively smart young man, looking to enter a top 10 program in 2009. My application is extremely strong, but I need a minimum of 680 on the GMAT to be a contender. I am not a quant star. I so admire all the poster's on this forum to whom quant comes natural...but I am not one of them.

I began my GMAT prep focused and determined. I gave myself over two months, while most of my counterparts seemed to only afford a few weeks to prepare. I relied mostly on OG11 and the GMAT math bible from GMAT Hacks. I studied roughly 3 hours every weeknight and 5 hours every weekend for the final month.

My GMAT practice tests were averaging in the mid 600's. I can post each score (took it 5 times) if it would be helpful in advising me...just let me know. My final practice, the day before the test, I scored a 680.

The night before, and morning of the test I was cool, calm, and collected. I was confident in my preparation and ready to nail it. So lets talk about the test

I had never taken the time to include the AWA's in my practice tests. Come the morning of the test, I found that when I was writing essays for an hour before the quant section, it was unfamiliar to me and made me uneasy. The quant section began with a very difficult, unfamiliar question. It was all down hill from there...panic stuck with me and I rushed through many of the questions. After completing the section I knew that I had not down well. Nonetheless, I decided to take the 10 minute break to calm down and collect myself. I then attacked the verbal section with my familiar confidence and determination and felt that I finished strong.

Long story short, here are my results: Quant- 29 (25th percentile), Verbal- 44 (97th percentile)...score of 590. Getting the score was a shot right to the groin. Those was the lowest marks that I had ever received on Quant, and the highest I had ever received for Verbal. Sure, nerves clearly got the best of me...but 29??? Ouch.

My concern is this: I now have one month to regather my thoughts and tackle this test again. I cannot afford another setback like this one, and would like any opinions/advice on where to go from here. I refuse to write this score off to nerves alone. I should have done better, and no excuse changes that.

I suppose I am (selfishly) looking for a little encouragement and a few suggestions for improving. I know that bringing a 590 to a 700 is possible, but I would so much appreciate any guidance that anyone would be willing to give. I am really down and having trouble jump starting myself and getting "back on the horse". So thats it...comment away

-pfh

Sorry to hear about your score but your verbal is definitely a plus. It's definitely your nervousness at the beginning of the test thats responsible for your low quant. score. If i were you, i would go through math's bible one more time and practice as much as possible. Also, i would buy Kaplan 800 coz that offers most difficult of questions and if you can do those problems then no one can stop you from getting 700+.

You have the potential to beat it and this time, try and practice some AWA as well. Good Luck

I think the following is enough to understand why you performed the way that you did:

"The quant section began with a very difficult, unfamiliar question. It was all down hill from there...panic stuck with me and I rushed through many of the questions. "

I got this way a few times during practice tests. I kept dwelling on the question that I could not solve. This affects your focus on the remaining questions; in your case, the remaining 36!!! I also think it not entirely outlandish to think that this was an experimental question.

You just have to learn how to shake off the problem that is above your solving ability. On these questions, you should make the best guess that you can and move on.

Now, I'll be fare to you. If I saw that the FIRST! question that I saw caused me a problem, I too would get a bit uneasy. However, you cannot let your nerves get the best of you. Just say to yourself, "Okay, I took a bit of a plunge there, but I can still climb back up as I work through the other questions."

This test is 70% psychology. If you are in an unstable state of mind - sleepless, nervous, agitated, etc - you will perform poorly. It is good to be a bit nervous, as this increases your reaction time and boosts your awareness. However, there is also a point at which you can become too stressed and can no longer focus in a proper manner.

I believe that you will perform just fine the second time around. I can tell by your verbal score that you are a bright guy, so just calm down and don't freak out.

Pfh,

Sorry to hear about the drop in your quant score. I have to agree with Aleksandr about the GMAT being a test of one's psychology. If it helps any, what I would do is to take a look at the scores from the 5 practice tests and review how the scoring pattern was on the quant section in each of the tests. I would break it down into specific areas, arithmetic, geometry, etc and also categorize the questions as PS or DS questions. I find myself making more mistakes on DS questions than PS questions, so that information would definitely help me.

In addition, doing this analysis will also help you identify any specific weak areas that you might have and bring that to light. If you see a pattern in your practice exams, you an easily identify your strengths and weaknesses. In addition to this, I would use a stop clock to time myself and monitor my progress. This will give you an idea of which questions you find hard and what topics these questions pertain to, so that you can focus a little more in this area just to be confident going into the actual exam.

If you haven't already done so, please make use of the plethora of spreadsheets/timers and various other useful tools other beatthegmat'ters have posted here. I hope this helps and here's wishing you the very best in your next attempt. You can beatthegmat!!!

Good luck!

Sorry to hear about your defeat. Quant, such as yours, is my weakness as well. Initially, I had planned to study for 3 months and then take the test. However, after browising through the OG 11 and OG quant, I discovered that I need thorough knowledge of the subject matter. I plan to extend my test date to another 3-6 months so I can do well on the quant section.

I recommend that you give yourself 3-6 months of intense quant review before re-attempting. Focus on learning the rules, principles etc. that are necessary to solve the questions.

Someone earlier, I believe he's from India, posted advice about focusing on understanding the core content of the subject matter instead of just going through the questions. I think that might be beneficial for you because it has proven to be helpful for me.

thanks
D

I plan on a full debrief within about a week...but HAD to get this out. I just completed my second attempt at the GMAT and am happy to report that I walked away with a 710!!!!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to all of you that have been so helpful in getting me here, I owe you. I've got an early morning roadtrip tomorrow, but had to get this off my chest.....YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

God is good.

-ph

WOW WOW WOW.....Watta fight back...
Can't wait 2 read ur debrief... Would like 2 hear on ur verbal as m really slow on verbal & i have to guess atleast 4 to 6 questions in the end...

Congrats....

I was generally reading your thread from beginning and after reading your first message (july13th) i sadly thought what will happen to this guy from here on... Sad And then i continued reading the thread further and hit on your Aug 23rd message and i must say i was so pleasantly surprised Smile

One soul elevates itself bravely from deep misery, inspiring millions other. Super cool! Keep it up man!

Please make sure to share how you managed to get yourself out of the trenches.