3 yrs,4 attempts-Finally 740:The story of my metamorphosis

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 neodante » Sat Mar 03, 2012 4:34 am
BhushanJogi wrote:Hi :) I was very impressed by your debrief.. have just started my prep..
Could you please tell me... How to build the competency ? I am weak in both the areas..
I think that eternal_optimist has quite elaborately described in his debrief how to build the requisite competency. Just read through it

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by Empirestateofmind » Fri Mar 16, 2012 10:19 am
@eternal_optimist
I'm taking the GMAT tomorrow. Had read your debrief earlier but reading it before the D-day has got me all jacked up. Fired up to burn the GMAT down! Will post a debrief tomorrow.

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by gmatsamurai07 » Fri Apr 27, 2012 3:46 am
I really really cried a lot while reading this debrief. I took the GMAT a couple of weeks and did not score well at all and I could see my story in yours although you seem to have gone through more pain than me given that you attempted it 4 times while I attempted it only once but nevertheless it really pumped me up and brought me back from the doleful state I was in. Thank you

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by gauravgupta1052 » Fri Jun 01, 2012 1:30 am
I read ur story i think this is truly exceptional of u too not give up and get back up and conquer. I just gave the gmat and scored just a 400 which i am really pissed off about, i mean a 400 thats worst then i could have ever imagined because i scored about 480 to 550 on my practice tests.. I feel kind of the same as in what u felt confused n annoyed. I do not know where n how to start again to get a good score. As what books do i buy for maths (quant) n verbal as i am a mediocre too. where all do i practice from.. I donot have a strategy. would request u to tell me how do i start as i do not wanna join the ripping off classes as the chopras n the princeton out there which i figured out is just a waste f money. please do get back..

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by eternal_optimist » Fri Jun 08, 2012 3:02 am
gauravgupta1052 wrote:I read ur story i think this is truly exceptional of u too not give up and get back up and conquer. I just gave the gmat and scored just a 400 which i am really pissed off about, i mean a 400 thats worst then i could have ever imagined because i scored about 480 to 550 on my practice tests.. I feel kind of the same as in what u felt confused n annoyed. I do not know where n how to start again to get a good score. As what books do i buy for maths (quant) n verbal as i am a mediocre too. where all do i practice from.. I donot have a strategy. would request u to tell me how do i start as i do not wanna join the ripping off classes as the chopras n the princeton out there which i figured out is just a waste f money. please do get back..
Thank you very much for the appreciation. I would recommend that you go through my post to see how i improved; in fact, my whole post is about that only. Apart from this, joining a classroom program maybe helpful only if you have built a good base but since you have got a 400, then even a classroom program won't help. A score of 400 indicates that you need to improve on a lot of fronts first before actually thinking of preparing for the GMAT.

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by gauravdangi » Sat Jul 07, 2012 3:15 am
I was absolutely thrilled reading your story. Can you please help me with how did you tackle DS ? I struggle in that a lot inspite of knowing the maths concepts

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by eternal_optimist » Mon Jul 16, 2012 1:36 am
gauravdangi wrote:I was absolutely thrilled reading your story. Can you please help me with how did you tackle DS ? I struggle in that a lot inspite of knowing the maths concepts
The important thing to remember while tackling DS questions is to ALWAYS consider the two statements separately first. What our mind does is that after considering the first statement, it carries the "residue" of that statement and combines that with the second option. Do not do that

The second important thing is to not become overly reliant on writing down everything in maths. We have a propensity to put the pencil to the paper the moment we see the next question in quant. If only we could sit back and observe what the question is exactly asking, you will see that the question can be solved sometimes by logic and ballparking itself. Remember the GMAT is not rocket science, it's a test of logic so try avoiding using "illogical" strategies during the exam,something that we use very frequently

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by Jim@StratusPrep » Wed Jul 18, 2012 1:06 pm
This is an amazing story of dedication.
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by runthegmat » Fri Oct 19, 2012 9:24 pm
Eternal_optimist
Your post was one of the very first I came across on this forum long time back and your story inspired me a lot. I would read your posts whenever I felt down and now that I have been able to do well(secured a 760), I would like to thank you. Thank you very much. God bless people like you:)

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by gtg279v » Mon Feb 04, 2013 7:02 pm
Eternal_Optimist: Have you ever heard of a company named Gasfrac?

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by Ashu.Pankaj » Thu Jul 18, 2013 1:31 am
Eternal Optimist....

Right now i am wearing your shoes walking your steps which you had walked. this is my first time actually typing on this forum. your story makes me believe i can do it. gives me a heart to write and open up my self. From past a year i want to make my GMAT dream possible,but i am not getting closer to it various reasons family,friends distraction and at times my own perseverance which makes me to get started where i just left. your achievement written here makes me boost up myself again.

All the very best for your future. and thanks a lot for sharing your story.

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by gmatvader » Wed Dec 11, 2013 12:50 pm
Hi Congrats!........
Inspirational story...

I am trying to find out how adcoms view multiple attempts. How did your application feedback go ? Did you get an admit ?


Many Many thanks!

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by Rahul428 » Fri Mar 06, 2015 1:52 pm
Really an inspirational debrief who will help students like me .I am working professional.
I have read many videos of top scores( like you :) )in GMAT who always say you should have a good startegy.
This will be my 2nd attempt in coming months.
I have a mediocre Maths with not good English.
Please clear me with the below terms.I will be really thankful.I have just to start my preparation after a long haul of 1 year.
The terms are :
1. What actually strategy is? Please provide details.
2. How do I know my strategy is right or wrong.
3. What should be the Starting point of my preparation (assume from point zero).
Keenly waiting for your response.

Regards
Rahul

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by Jason25 » Sat Mar 14, 2015 2:17 am
Rahul428 wrote:Really an inspirational debrief who will help students like me .I am working professional.
I have read many videos of top scores( like you :) )in GMAT who always say you should have a good startegy.
This will be my 2nd attempt in coming months.
I have a mediocre Maths with not good English.
Please clear me with the below terms.I will be really thankful.I have just to start my preparation after a long haul of 1 year.
The terms are :
1. What actually strategy is? Please provide details.
2. How do I know my strategy is right or wrong.
3. What should be the Starting point of my preparation (assume from point zero).
Keenly waiting for your response.

Regards
Rahul
1. Strategy is a plan to win. What's yours ?
2. Check with some friend who has cracked the gmat or check with an instructor
3. Depends on what's your aptitude level

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by knowurweakness » Wed Apr 15, 2015 4:11 pm
Hello eternal_optimist:

I may have been a little late to get my hands on your incredibly inspiring post! I am currently neck deep in my quest to beat the beast (GMAT) especially the frontal QUANT beast. Although it has been 4 years from your amazing GMAT accomplishment, I thought I will ask you to share your quant strategy to progress from your 500s to 600s and eventually to an illustrious 700+. Given that I have provided myself a 5 months time to master the test (or may be close), I am currently 1 month into reviewing MGMAT materials and have been close to 460 only (very low quant score!). I plan to extensively review it a couple of times in another 3-4 weeks and also strengthen myself by purchasing the "MGMAT Advanced Quant guide". Do you think it to be a worthy guide to spend time on, help in content strategy and GMAT score building in the long run?

Your "competency building program" did a wonderful job in inspiring me, self realizing and establishing the significances of "reading" in our lives, per se, specifically in my mind. "Off-material" reading is something I secretly despise and I would really look forward to know the kinds(examples) of newspapers and reading archives you laid your hands on to build your requisite verbal competency and also eventually start to enjoy the process. Will look forward to your response :)