After the lukewarm score of 650 in my first attempt,see https://www.beatthegmat.com/650-disillus ... 16500.html,
I am finally done with GMAT today.I am pleased with my score: 790 (Q51,V48).I am too happy to debrief now(I may do it in phases).I just want to thank the founder of this site and the experts in the likes of Stuart,Ian,Ron, and Stacey.A big thank too the the forum members.
John.
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rout the GMAT 790 (Q 51,V 48)
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bluementor
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john1234
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A day after my 1st test, i called my cousin( he is a law student in one of the top law schools) about my score and he told me that he has some materials he used for LSAT exam and he would mail me these stuffs. One of the materials i found useful was KAPLAN LSAT TEST Prep. The book has around 40 LSAT past questions with explanations.I used it along with Powerscore CR Bible.
LSAT questions are in 4 section: Comprehension,Logical Reasoning 1,Logical Game and Logical Reasoning 2.
I studied all the comprehension section and some from the logical reasoning 1 and 2 since there are some questions such as principle of the argument,justify the argument,could be true and other stuff in LR not tested on GMAT.
On the SC,I did not use MHSC anymore,i went for Sahil Gramms and Amateur notes.
Most people are well aware that "BEING" is almost always wrong on GMAT.But to get above 700+,there are some exceptions GMAT always tests in the SC and i found these notes handy.I actually saw two questions using BEING as the correct answers in my test.
Tips on RC
After working some questions on RC, i discovered there is a paradigm in the GMAT set questions.I also discovered that there is an in-built trap in almost answer choices not only the RC but also other sections.
For example, in RC, there answer choice will be
1) Half truth,half false
2)Unwarranted assumption
3) Distort detail
4)Out of score
5) Correct answer
If you take your time to analyse the answer choices,chances are you will notice these in-built traps.
GMAT is a tricky exam and i believe that test-writers put in as much time on writing wrong answers as much as the right answer.
CR Tip
LSAT CR is tougher than GMAT.i used CR bible to navigate these obscure problems.
Again,pay attention to the paradigm of the answer choices and the in-built traps.
I did the last 75 questions of OG 11 and the supplement
Quantitative
I know i am a bit okay in fundamentals.But fundamental is not enough.You have to know the shortcuts too. I believe if you know the fundamentals and the shortcuts,you can solve almost each of the question in 2 minutes.Every morning,I searched for posts of Staurt,Ian,Ron, and Stacey in the forum and i printed 210 pages of tips and shortcuts from these experts.I tagged them BTG shortcuts. I did the last 75 questions of PS and DS of OG 11 and the suppplement
AWA
i got 6.0 in th first test. i have 125 questions and answers on Analytical and Issue task .practised 20 from each section.
Test taken
GMAT PREP 1 800 (Q 51,V 50)
GMAT PREP 2 800 (Q50,V 50)
GMAT PREP 2 800 ( Q51,50)
Test day
I am a night person.So I stopped reading 48 hrs before the real test and went to play lawn-tenins.
Got to the center 15 minutes before the regular time and did all the pedestrian.
The AWA went well.
The quantitative was of GMATPREP level. If you have been regular on the forums,chances are you wont find real GMAT quantitative difficult.
finished 7 minutes before regular time.I used the exra time to prepare grind for CR AND RC.
Verbal
First 3 questions are assumption,must be true, and weaken the argument
i think the questions were beyond OG 11 level.i remained calm because i have already promise myself that whatever happens, i wouldnt sit for this test again.
Go my score 790(Q51,V 48).
Lesson learnt.
I sincrely believe that keeping on doing the same thing in the same way and expecting different result is one of the definitions of insanity.To get different result,you have to do the same thing in different way.
I have learnt that almost everybody has problem.Nobody has a special problem.We only have people who have made their problem special.A little change in your perspection and altitude can bring a huge different.
And there are people with better chances than you who have ended up worse and there are people who had it worst than you who have done better. In the presence of adversity some people develop wings and they fly, some others go for crutches and they use their circumstances as excuses for failure. Don’t build a monument on your failure, learn the lesson forget the details. There must be a reason why God put two eyes in front for man I would have supposed that we should have one eye in front and one eye at the back of our heads for total coverage of our environment. But the Almighty God in his wisdom put our two eyes right in front to teach us a lesson that we should always focus on where we are going.
Once we have passed an experience, we should let it remain in the past. Put the past behind you today. Failure is not permanent.
Failure is only an opportunity for us to start again more intelligently. Leave the past and lay hold on the future by starting again, press forward to success.
LSAT questions are in 4 section: Comprehension,Logical Reasoning 1,Logical Game and Logical Reasoning 2.
I studied all the comprehension section and some from the logical reasoning 1 and 2 since there are some questions such as principle of the argument,justify the argument,could be true and other stuff in LR not tested on GMAT.
On the SC,I did not use MHSC anymore,i went for Sahil Gramms and Amateur notes.
Most people are well aware that "BEING" is almost always wrong on GMAT.But to get above 700+,there are some exceptions GMAT always tests in the SC and i found these notes handy.I actually saw two questions using BEING as the correct answers in my test.
Tips on RC
After working some questions on RC, i discovered there is a paradigm in the GMAT set questions.I also discovered that there is an in-built trap in almost answer choices not only the RC but also other sections.
For example, in RC, there answer choice will be
1) Half truth,half false
2)Unwarranted assumption
3) Distort detail
4)Out of score
5) Correct answer
If you take your time to analyse the answer choices,chances are you will notice these in-built traps.
GMAT is a tricky exam and i believe that test-writers put in as much time on writing wrong answers as much as the right answer.
CR Tip
LSAT CR is tougher than GMAT.i used CR bible to navigate these obscure problems.
Again,pay attention to the paradigm of the answer choices and the in-built traps.
I did the last 75 questions of OG 11 and the supplement
Quantitative
I know i am a bit okay in fundamentals.But fundamental is not enough.You have to know the shortcuts too. I believe if you know the fundamentals and the shortcuts,you can solve almost each of the question in 2 minutes.Every morning,I searched for posts of Staurt,Ian,Ron, and Stacey in the forum and i printed 210 pages of tips and shortcuts from these experts.I tagged them BTG shortcuts. I did the last 75 questions of PS and DS of OG 11 and the suppplement
AWA
i got 6.0 in th first test. i have 125 questions and answers on Analytical and Issue task .practised 20 from each section.
Test taken
GMAT PREP 1 800 (Q 51,V 50)
GMAT PREP 2 800 (Q50,V 50)
GMAT PREP 2 800 ( Q51,50)
Test day
I am a night person.So I stopped reading 48 hrs before the real test and went to play lawn-tenins.
Got to the center 15 minutes before the regular time and did all the pedestrian.
The AWA went well.
The quantitative was of GMATPREP level. If you have been regular on the forums,chances are you wont find real GMAT quantitative difficult.
finished 7 minutes before regular time.I used the exra time to prepare grind for CR AND RC.
Verbal
First 3 questions are assumption,must be true, and weaken the argument
i think the questions were beyond OG 11 level.i remained calm because i have already promise myself that whatever happens, i wouldnt sit for this test again.
Go my score 790(Q51,V 48).
Lesson learnt.
I sincrely believe that keeping on doing the same thing in the same way and expecting different result is one of the definitions of insanity.To get different result,you have to do the same thing in different way.
I have learnt that almost everybody has problem.Nobody has a special problem.We only have people who have made their problem special.A little change in your perspection and altitude can bring a huge different.
And there are people with better chances than you who have ended up worse and there are people who had it worst than you who have done better. In the presence of adversity some people develop wings and they fly, some others go for crutches and they use their circumstances as excuses for failure. Don’t build a monument on your failure, learn the lesson forget the details. There must be a reason why God put two eyes in front for man I would have supposed that we should have one eye in front and one eye at the back of our heads for total coverage of our environment. But the Almighty God in his wisdom put our two eyes right in front to teach us a lesson that we should always focus on where we are going.
Once we have passed an experience, we should let it remain in the past. Put the past behind you today. Failure is not permanent.
Failure is only an opportunity for us to start again more intelligently. Leave the past and lay hold on the future by starting again, press forward to success.
-
bluementor
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Hi John,
Great score and debrief...
How would different are the questions in GMATPrep from those you saw during the test? Could you comment on this for both Quant and Verbal please?
BlueMentor
Great score and debrief...
How would different are the questions in GMATPrep from those you saw during the test? Could you comment on this for both Quant and Verbal please?
BlueMentor
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amitdgr
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John ! Buddy you almost KILLED the GMAT !!! You scored 800 on every GMATPrep !!!!!
V48 !! WOW !! You whammed the verbal section.
How is the real test compared to GMATPrep ? especially the SC's ??
V48 !! WOW !! You whammed the verbal section.
How is the real test compared to GMATPrep ? especially the SC's ??
Please visit my blog Gmat Tips and Strategies
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hariharakarthi
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- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:54 pm
- Thanked: 3 times
- GMAT Score:550
john1234,
Congrats!!!
Is LSAT bible for CR is enough to crack CR in GMAT? I am gng through LSAT bible for CR... Each section is very elobrate and useful.
What abt RC, apart from your tips, is there any material you suggest same as that of CR?
Congrats!!!
Is LSAT bible for CR is enough to crack CR in GMAT? I am gng through LSAT bible for CR... Each section is very elobrate and useful.
What abt RC, apart from your tips, is there any material you suggest same as that of CR?
-
Eagertolearn
- Newbie | Next Rank: 10 Posts
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:09 am
John,
Incredible score
Although each person has different capabilities and what applies to one might not apply to other, I think I am in a similar situation as you were after your first attempt. I did well on all my MGMAT(680 to 730) and GMAT prep tests(680 - 760). . But I only got 650 (48Q and 32V). I absolutely agree that the strategy I used for the first attempt wouldn't work. I defintely need to improve in all three areas of verbal and need to try something different. I do have an idea of where I need to improve in verbal.
After your first attempt you mentioned you used
1. CR bible and kaplan LSAT for CR
2. Some grammar notes for SC ( I assume you were pretty comfortable with using Manhattan SC concepts)
3. OG11 for practice and
4. GMAT prep tests
I have a few questions:
a) The GMAT prep tests did you do the entire exam (including essays) every time?
b) What additional practice did you get ? Any MGMAT tests?
c) Did you follow any pacing strategy on verbal?
d) Also during the exam did you hurry at any point during the verbal section?
Incredible score
Although each person has different capabilities and what applies to one might not apply to other, I think I am in a similar situation as you were after your first attempt. I did well on all my MGMAT(680 to 730) and GMAT prep tests(680 - 760). . But I only got 650 (48Q and 32V). I absolutely agree that the strategy I used for the first attempt wouldn't work. I defintely need to improve in all three areas of verbal and need to try something different. I do have an idea of where I need to improve in verbal.
After your first attempt you mentioned you used
1. CR bible and kaplan LSAT for CR
2. Some grammar notes for SC ( I assume you were pretty comfortable with using Manhattan SC concepts)
3. OG11 for practice and
4. GMAT prep tests
I have a few questions:
a) The GMAT prep tests did you do the entire exam (including essays) every time?
b) What additional practice did you get ? Any MGMAT tests?
c) Did you follow any pacing strategy on verbal?
d) Also during the exam did you hurry at any point during the verbal section?
